Kirk Douglas stars as Col. David "Mickey" Marcus, an Army Reserve Colonel who is recruited by Israel to help them form a military force. As he navigates his Jewish heritage and becomes commander of the Jerusalem front, Marcus is inspired by the spirit and determination of his troops. He organizes the construction of the "Burma Road" to enable convoys to reach besieged Jerusalem, but his efforts are cut short when he is shot and killed by a lone sentry just before the United Nations imposes a truce.