Lt. Col. Owen Thursday, played by Henry Fonda, is an embittered man.  He has an excellent war record but now he's stuck in command on Fort Apache, a remote southwest installment.  In order to keep up with his reputation, Thursday comes up with the plan to become a great Indian fighter.  Captain Kirby York, played by John Wayne, knows this plan means disaster but he also knows that a soldiers job is to do and die and not to question why.