Germans fire artillery to shell Leningrad heavily during World War II. Russian people work in factories continuing war production while bundled in warm clothing due to cold. Baker cuts loaves of bread into ration pieces. People move on snow covered streets. Close-up view of German soldiers readying and firing a massive Karl-Gerät (040/041) self propelled siege mortar (also known as Thor or Mörser Karl). Writing on side of the mortar says, "Thor." Other large German rail guns and a variety of German field artillery fire shells at Russian targets in Leningrad A building collapses from shelling. Men and women factory workers continue factory production of war materiel and supplies throughout bombing campaign by Germans. A woman operating a grinder. Rapid montage of scenes of men and women forging iron and creating weapons and arms including shells and grenades. A woman stacks finished artillery shells. A woman war production welder operating a welding torch. People in streets transport dead bodies on sleds and coffins on runners in the snow, as people die from cold, disease, hunger and bombing.
Ice melting and water flowing as Spring comes to Leningrad following winter siege by Germany in World War 2. Crosses from Nazi graves wash away into streams. Convoy trucks continue to drive on the melting ice of Lake Ladoga. Group of children in Leningrad enjoy a walk outside. A child rides a tricycle. A woman washes windows of a trolley. Point of view (POV) shot of driving trolley in Leningrad, showing controls. People board trolley. Soviet women soldiers from Army and women sailors from women's Navy corps walking. Wide shot of Leningrad with trolley running. Dancers from the famous ballet theater board a Soviet battleship. Dancers perform traditional dances while sailors play violin and other instruments. Sailors watch as dancers leave ship in small boat. Woman spits on German prisoners of war POWs as they are marched through the streets of Leningrad. Soviet citizen soldiers or militia march in procession holding rifles with fixed bayonet.
Victorious Soviet troops march after a successful capture of Bryansk and Stalingrad from German occupying forces during World War 2. Children joyfully running in field. A Soviet soldier smiles while holding a bouquet of white flowers. A girl shouts triumphantly to celebrate Soviet victory. Soviet women emotionally greet returning troops with hugs and flowers. A Russian mother wearing a babushka hugs her son after his return from the battlefield. A soldier hugs his children. A woman kisses a Soviet soldiers carrying a motion picture camera after his return from war. A mother kisses her returning son on the head. Eastern Orthodox priest leads a procession. Soviet soldiers marching. Lines of artillery fired in Moscow to celebrate Soviet victory from the German occupying forces. Spectators watching fireworks in Moscow.
Opening scene is of ordinary day in teheran, Iran, during World War 2. A horse and wagon sits quietly in shade at edge of a traffic circle centered on monument topped with a statue of Reza Shah Pahlavi . A U.S. Army truck, displaying a white star, and a jeep, drive by on the nearby roadway. A horse-drawn wagon passes at edge of toad. A military truck drives around the road closest to the statue of Reza Shah Pahlavi . Closeups of the statue. Change of scene shows an official-looking modern building, with a guard at its open gate. A sculpture above the gate depicts a crown flanked by two lions. Several pedestrians pass by casually on the road and sidewalk. The pedestrian women include some in Western dress and ant least one with head modestly covered. View through the open gate shows a circular drive around a garden and a large building behind it. Two military officers walk out the gate. One wears a steel helmet. They pass the guard standing by his booth. Street scenes showing a modern building and light traffic, including another American jeep, a horse-drawn wagon, a car and a bus. Several multistory apartment buildings. View looking down on a horse-drawn cart moving along a tree-lined city street.
World War II events related to Lend Lease program by America to aid war supplies to Russia. Group of American and Russian officers walk down a street and climb onto a platform. The officers include Brigadier General D G Shingler, USA; General S L Scott, Persia; Major General D H Connolly, USA; A Smrnov, Russia; Major General A N Korolyov, USSR; Colonel CP Porter, Iran; Major General II Obrazkov, Russia and Major J Tchernowitz, USA. Colonel Porter and General Connolly make their speeches. Officers on platform listen to the speeches. Russian and American flags on end of the platform. A group of Russian and American officers celebrates USA Day at Borghi Airport in Tehran, Iran. The group listens to the speech by General Obrazkov. FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and reporters at the scene. Officials on stand applaud, shake hands and salute. Officers in audience salute. Close up of Audrey A Smirnov, Russian Ambassador to Iran.
A Soviet soldier recounts his wartime experience in a letter to his wife during World War 2, known in the Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War. Armored train cars leave a factory in the Soviet Union. Hands holding a letter written in Russian. Hands holding a letter written in English. Soviet soldiers on the ground fire at German bombers with anti-aircraft artillery at night. Soviet infantry and tanks move across a battlefield. Explosion from bombs dropped from bombers. Tank reserve moving behind Soviet infantry. Soviet artillery fires from under a camouflage net. Explosion from artillery fire in battlefield. A rapidly deploying smoke screen. Soviet infantry cling to pontoon bridge while under heavy fire. Soviet cavalry ford river with artillery cannon in foreground. A burning village after being set on fire by retreating German soldiers. A Soviet soldier inspects ruins of a village razed due to German “Scorched Earth policy”. An elderly Russian woman crying in despair. Soviet soldiers take rifles from dead bodies. Soviet defenders killed by German forces. A Russian man rings church bells in victory as village is liberated. Soviet tanks fire while advancing. An advancing tank runs over trees in the forest while infantry trails behind. A tank advancing through a razed village, with infantry trailing behind. A clock is seen still running on ruined wall on fire.