Under French colonial rule, Vietnam was not an independent state, but part of "Indochina" – France's distant paradise and a profitable colony. In 1945, amid the chaos of World War II, communist leader Ho Chi Minh proclaimed revolution and demanded Vietnam's independence. France responded with armed force. A conflict erupted that inspired people around the world to fight for their freedom, while simultaneously deeply dividing Vietnamese society.

From the period under French colonial rule to the present day, the four-part documentary series uses multiple perspectives and emotionally recounts the journey of a nation that experienced utopias, conflicts, and the horrors of the late 20th century. The recollections of contemporary witnesses and unique access to Vietnamese archives provide a new perspective on the history of a country and a war that changed the world.