March 1941. Sentenced to a long prison term, Brigade Commander (Kombrig) Gorbatov is released from the Lubyanka and shortly afterward takes command of a unit at the front. A capable leader, he quickly rises through the ranks, becoming a lieutenant general and commanding an army. Compared with other Soviet commanders, including Georgy Zhukov, Gorbatov is distinguished by understanding the realities of the modern battlefield, the independence of courts and decisions and the ability to persuade his superiors.