Harrison MacWhite, an erudite and outspoken academic, escapes a tough Senate confirmation hearing at the hands of conservatives to become ambassador to Sarkan, a southeast Asian country where civil strife threatens to destabilize an already fragile peace. Despite his education, MacWhite sees only a dichotomy between the US and Communism once he arrives. He is incapable of accepting the possibility that anti-American sentiment is motivated by a desire for self-determination and nationality. As a result, he abandons his friend Deong, a local opposition leader, disregards a foreman's advise to slow down the road's construction, and attempts to force ahead. What price must the country and his friends pay to convince him to change his ways?