The Great Patriotic War. Zakhar Deryugin goes to the front, but is captured. Zakhar's sister Katya finds herself in the occupation. Having failed to reach agreement on cooperation, the Germans execute her. Bryukhanov leads a partisan detachment. Deryugin's eldest son is killed by a Fascist bullet while trying to escape, when he and the rest of the children and teenagers are being prepared to be sent to Germany.