WHY WE FIGHT – THE BATTLE OF RUSSIA (PART 1)

This is part 1 of 2 of Frank Capra's Special Service Division information Film in the "Why We Fight" series. "Battle of Russia" is number 5 of 7. First released in 1943, the film attempts to explain Russia’s history dating from the German invasion in 1242 and throughout WWI and WWII.

Title banner (00:11). “The Battle of Russia” title banner (00:20). Informational text overlay (00:24). Cannon shots and altering scenes of soldiers (01:03). “History of Russia” book (01:44). Footage of the invasion of the German Knights in 1242 in the old Russian city of Pskov (01:48). Scenes from Novgorod during the 13th century and German invasion (02:26). Pretend Saint Alexander Nevsky, Prince of Novgorod (1236-1252) (02:41). “April 5, 1242 – Lake Peipus” text overlay (02:51). Battle between Russian and German forces (02:57). “1704” text overlay (03:47). Charles XII of Sweden and his army invading Russia (03:56). Pretend Peter the Great (04:06). “Poltava” text overlay (04:12). Battle scenes between Russia and Sweden (04:15). “1812” text overlay (04:28). Views of Napoleon and his army (04:34). The French army arrives in Moscow (04:45). “1914” text overlay (04:59). The German army (05:01) ruled by Emperor Wilhelm II (05:04). Explosions (05:06). Russian soldiers led by Nicholas II (05:11). Battle scenes between Russia and Germany (05:18). Map of Europe (05:26). A globe and views of Russia (05:55). The mining industry in Russia (06:45). Forest covered land (07:02). Coal mining (07:09). Oil rinks (07:15). Iron industry (07:29). Agriculture (07:39). Various ethnic groups march alongside music (08:32). Russian nature (09:20). Map of Russia (09:25). The Don River in Russia (09:30). Soldiers on horses (09:31). Map of Ukrainian S.S.R. (09:41). Traditional music and dancing in Ukraine (09:45). Ukraine’s agriculture and locals (09:55). Map of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus (10:04). Traditional Armenian, Georgian, culture (10:10). The Caucasus (10:25). Uzbeks, Turkmen, and Persians (10:53). Map of the Caucasus region (11:01). Mongols and other ethnicities related to Siberia, west Asia, and east Europe (11:04). The land and inhabitants around the euro mountains (11:24). Moscow and the modern scene of the capital city (11:40). A globe highlighting Russia (13:09). “Adolf Hitler, mein kampf” book (13:29). Hitler quote (13:30). Views of Hitler’s Nazi Germany (13:38). Newspapers (13:52). (14:02). Foreign Commissar, Soviet Maxim Litvinoff giving a speech in 1935 and 1938 (14:04). Other league members from Germany, Italy, Japan, etc. (14:25). A map of countries targeted by league members, including Manchuria, Ethiopia, Austria, etc. (14:41). “August 21, 1939” text overlay (14:51). Leaders sign the Russian-German treaty (14:53). Industrial area (15:17). Trains running on tracks to transport war equipment (15:21). Weapon and heavy artillery production (15:25). Soldiers marching (15:40). Men enrolling in the army (15:46) and training (15:47). Map over Germany invading Poland (16:03). Newspaper printing (16:08). France and Britain declare war (16:11). Map of Germany leaving Poland and invading France (16:16). Adolf Hitler and his associates (16:30). Countries southeast of Germany and their resources (16:41). A map explaining Hitler’s strategy to invade Russia (17:27). Hungarian dictator Horthy (17:54). King Michael I and General Antonescu of Romania (17:57). King Boris III of Bulgaria (18:06). Newspaper headlines (18:13). Hitler’s army (18:23). Hitler and Mussolini agree on invading Greece (18:42). Hitler and Mussolini are angered after Greece’s invasion of Albania (19:13). A Junkers Ju 87/”Stuka” German dive bomber (19:34). Map of the invasion of Yugoslavia and the war with Greece (19:57). Nazi planes flying over Athens (20:36). German forces (20:46). Hitler attacks and invades Russia on June 22, 1941 (20:52). Hitler announces triumph on October 3, 1941 (23:21). Nazi Germany’s ‘wedge and trap’ war strategy explained (24:16). Russia’s ‘defense and death’ war strategy explained (25:26). Battle scenes of the Red Army reconquering Russian cities (26:18). The Russian people hearing the news of invasion on June 22 (29:03). Newspapers (29:42). Russians enlist for the Red Army (29:47). Dnipro hydroelectric power plant bombed (31:16). Views of Russian Gorilla fighters (31:56). The red army (33:09). Joseph Stalin and his associates (33:10). Moscow’s resistance to German invasion (33:26). Saint Basil’s Cathedral (34:37). Footage of the front-line soldiers (35:15). Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighters (35:32). Ilyushin II-4 bombers (35:38). Artillery and soldiers (35:40). Battle scenes (36:09). Red Army soldiers are applauded upon their return from battle (38:30).