The General Died at Dawn

General Yang, who controls a province, plans to invade others to corner silk, rice, and opium markets. Wu sees Yang's manpower shortage and doubts a successful invasion without backing. This sets up the central conflict and the drive to obtain weapons.

Wu recruits O'Hara, a soldier of fortune, to travel to Shanghai and buy arms from a gunrunner in Brighton. The money for the operation is hidden in a belt funded by oppressed peasants under Yang's regime. This belt and the weapons deal become the driving force behind the plot.

Peter Perrie, dying, plans to steal money so his daughter Judy can see America. Judy joins reluctantly, intending to distract O'Hara while Yang advances toward the weapons deal. The theft ignites a chain of betrayals and danger.

On the train, Judy participates in the distraction to lure O'Hara while Yang makes his move to capture him. The plan hinges on seizing the weapons deal before it can be completed. Tension rises as the trap unfolds.

Leach, eager for a cut, tries to claim a portion of Peter's theft. His scheming adds risk and foreshadows further betrayals. Peter's and Judy's fates become intertwined with Leach's ambitions.

Peter hides the money in the lining of his suitcase, ignoring Judy's pleas to stay clear of the crime. The hidden belt becomes a dangerous asset that many characters will chase. His attempt to protect his daughter and himself sets up a fateful confrontation.

O'Hara escapes Yang's trap and reaches Wu's house, where Wu awaits with a plan to secure weapons. The escape shifts focus to the alliance between O'Hara and Wu. The stage is set for a confrontational showdown.

Peter tries to help himself by firing at Yang, taking a chance to protect his hiding place. O'Hara overpowers him and kills Peter. The violence underscores the brutal stakes of the mission.

Yang arrives with his soldiers and takes the trio captive on a boat, demanding the money. The captives become pawns in Yang's schemes. Tensions spike as the boat becomes a floating trap.

Leach, seeking a cut, is left to be shot by Yang's men, demonstrating Yang's ruthlessness. The betrayal removes another obstacle to Yang's plan. The survivors must now decide how far to trust one another.

Judy contemplates telling Yang where the money is to save O'Hara and Wu, but Yang orders her to kiss O'Hara goodbye first. This cruel moment tests loyalty and love amid looming danger. The power dynamic on the boat tightens the grip of Yang's tyranny.

Brighton wakes, finds the money, and pockets it while seeking alcohol. He then stumbles into Yang's soldiers, insists the money is American, and is drawn into a deadly confrontation as he accidentally wounds Yang with his knife. The general is mortally wounded in the struggle.

As Yang lies dying, O'Hara argues that sparing the survivors will preserve the truth about Yang's rule and prevent a cascade of bloodshed. He suggests that letting them live could carry the story of Yang's supposed greatness to the world. The moral clash adds depth to the final conflict.

Yang, dying, orders his men to kill each other for honor before he dies, attempting to leave a final display of feigned glory. The plan collapses as the chain of command breaks under his death. The survivors face the consequences of their choices in the aftermath.

Dawn breaks as Judy and O'Hara embrace, signaling a bittersweet ending after a perilous journey. They have survived the ordeal but at great cost, and the world remains to be interpreted through the tale they carry. The final image is one of cautious hope amid the cost of ambition.