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).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com