Presented in English this absolutely shameless Soviet film “Save Our Planet, the Earth” likely dates to 1981. Decidedly anti-war, and cautioning about the risks of the arms race and nuclear war, the film tries to take a firm moral stance against the West and the corrupt and morally bankrupt United States, which is painted as an aggressor. Even from the moment WWII came to an end. as it says at 6;10, General Eisenhower “already had Truman’s order to prepare for an atomic war against its ally the USSR”. The film recounts the horrors of WWII, including scenes of concentration camps at the 2:50 mark. Hitler’s assault on the USSR is seen at 3:00. At 3:38, Russian troops arrive in Berlin and the war in Europe ends. At 5:00, the aftermath of Hiroshima — a “horrible atomic nightmare” — is shown including images of the dead and wounded. At 6:30 the Korean War is shown, followed by the “dirty war” of Vietnam (6;50), where American atrocities are compared to those of the Nazis. At 7:45, North Vietnamese celebrations are seen in Saigon. At 8:09, anti-Vietnam war protests are seen in Washington, D.C. At 8:20, the film quotes George Washington warning that ” a country which cultivates hatred towards another, becomes a slave of its own hostility”. Against this President Ronald Reagan is shown being sworn into office. At 8:53, images of New York are seen and the narrator intones that America is a “smoldering racial volcano”. Images of riots are seen along with the Ku Klux Klan KKK at 9:25. At 9;40 the funeral of John F. Kennedy is seen and at 9:58, the assassination attempt against Ronald Reagan is shown. “Washington also exports violence to other countries…” the film says, showing how NATO’s military bases encircle the USSR.At 11:25, Howard AFB in Panama is seen, along with Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. At 12:00, Europe is “overstuffed with rockets and nuclear weapons”. The film speculates about how a 20 megaton nuclear bomb would devastate London and Paris. At 13:10, Pershing nuclear missiles are mentioned. At 14:00, anti- Pershing protests are seen. At 14:20, the film discusses the Neutron Bomb and says that it represents “suicide”. The film quotes Pope John Paul about peace, but then shows the civil war in El Salvador and at 16:00, South African military atrocities. At 16;40 the Iranian Revolution is seen, with President Jimmy Carter and the Shah who the narrator accuses of killing 300,000 fellow Iranians. The Camp David Accords at 17:50, followed by images of Palestinians and Lebanese conflicts. At 18;00, the film mentions the Israeli attack on Saddam Hussein’s “nuclear research center” and calls it “sheer madness”. At 19:00, the film shows Afghanistan where dead bodies are seen lying in the streets, intercut with members of the USSR- supported Afghan Army and Muhajadein who are financed by the USA. At 20:00, images of Communist China are shown, and Chinese generals visiting England, where British jets and military equipment are shown. At 21:15, a Chinese atomic bomb test is shown. At 21:40, Japanese memorials to the atomic bombings. American ships equipped with nuclear weapons (a point of contention) are seen in Japan. At 23;00, President Reagan’s Star Wars missile defense system also known as SDI is criticized as a “monstrous demonstration of madness”. The military-industrial complex is discussed as the cause. At 25:00 as nice piano music swells, the film shows glowing images of the Soviet Union and notes that the nation is “directing its efforts towards peace.” At 25:10, Leonid Brezhnev is seen speaking at the 26th Soviet Communist Party Congress about peace and the expansion of confidence building measures. “The Soviet people are well aware of the meaning of war…” the narrator says. “Wars are alien to socialism.” Images of Soviet troops, Warsaw Pact forces are seen including tanks rumbling through Red Square. These are “defensive forces” according to the film. At 28:00, the United Nations is seen and a call for a “disarmament conference” is endorsed. More peace protests in Europe and Japan are seen at 29;30. “We believe it is not too late to prevent war…” the narrator concludes “but time is running out.”

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