In a Vietnam torn by racial hatred exacerbated by the French-Vietminh war, a French student, Stephan, fell in love with his classmate, a beautiful Vietnamese girl, Kim. Social ostracism could not separate the two lovers, but her rape by three legionnaires did: her family sent her to Tonkin, partially under communist control and off limit to French civilians, to keep her away from Stephan who belonged to the hated race.
The break of communication between them made them end up on opposite sides of the racial barrier. He became a wealthy planter in South Vietnam. She became an important Vietminh leader after creating a secret weapon against the French: the deadly Love Brigades of Ho chi Minh, also called the Brigades of Slow Death in which the attractive female members sacrificed their bodies to the treponema of syphilis. Thus contaminated they approached French officers and soldiers by selling them leis of frangipani flowers. For the price of a garland, the men had the gift of a beautiful body. Operation Frangipani Flowers made havoc in the army of occupation.
Fate brought Stephan and Kim together for a last time. Their indestructible passion ended like a forest fire, leaving only ruins and ashes after its passage.