Or it seems like it. The story seems to be trying to follow any number of different sets of characters, and reads as an uneven patchwork of a story which is beautifully filmed, with acting either wooden or melodramatic. Each change of scene is subtitled (English only) with a date, time and location, and appears to be a true story.

I tuned out after about half an hour, and thus didn't find it very compelling. What really stood out was that the Chinese were made to appear courageous and all-conquering, just around the time when the Japanese were doing rather well militarily.