The story revolves round the sense of human values that propels a Japanese doctor, the protagonist to help an enemy during war. Dr. Sadao, the protagonist is in a dilemma. He wishes to act as a private individual whose moral and ethical responsibility is to save the soldier. But as a Japanese he should have got the soldier arrested so that he cannot be called a traitor.
As a doctor and as an individual his first job is to save the man. so he takes ethical responsibility. He risks his life, fame and social status and takes him to his house and makes efforts to save him.
But his sense of patriotism as well as nationalism involves a report to police. He takes the general in confidence and plans to get him killed but later on again helps the soldier in escaping. Thus the sense of humanity against his fellow beings wins and he is unable to cope up with the man-made barriers.
