View of the city, Pskov, on the Veilakaya river. A steel bridge is seen and city across it with smoke rising. German troops march in loose formation over a bridge in Novogorod. Views of German camouflaged tank (with shrubbery) and other armor and troops entering Soviet cities of Brest-litovsk, Minsk, Mogilev, and Vitebsk. View of German Panzer III tank heading toward the camera as it enters a narrow street in Smolensk. Animated map shows progress of these German advances and highlights German forces under German Field Marshal Gerd Von Runstedt cutting deep into the Ukraine. Headline on Chicago Daily News reads: "Nazis Claim Knock-out Victory" with subtitle line reading,"Moscow line cracks." Other newspapers reflect conviction that Soviet forces face imminent defeat by Germany. Slate shows communique issued by the German High Command, stating: "The issue in the East has already been settled. Smolensk is the last halt on the road to Moscow." More views of marching German troops. A battery of Soviet artillery firing from a snow-covered field. Animated map shows German forces moving close to Moscow. Foreign diplomats are moved from Moscow to the city of Kuibyshev. Hitler speaking on October 3, 1941, saying "This enemy is broken and will never rise again." Animated map depicts 500 thousand square miles of Soviet territory occupied by December, 1941, and compares it to the entire west central United States encompassing the states of : South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Fires raging in agricultural area of the Soviet Union. Destroyed Soviet industrial plants, and huge numbers of Soviet citizens under German occupation. Views of destroyed Soviet armor, aircraft and artillery pieces. As season changes, German forces are seen in rain gear moving slowly through cold rainy weather. Some walk beside horses and other ride on horse-drawn caissons along with artillery pieces. Segments of film show contrast between the German military strategies. The German forces would plunge deep into enemy territory and create an area of conquest. This is illustrated by a slate bearing Adolf Hitler's statement that, "A single blow must destroy the enemy, without regard for losses, a gigantic destroying blow." An animated map illustrates the success of this approach by the Germans in Poland, France, and the Balkans. German Generals seen planning the same "Blitz" strategy against the Soviets. Film shifts to the Soviet strategy, showing their idea of building stronger defense, as they fall back, taking advantage of the great size of their territory. Views of Soviet troops on the move. View of Shells knocking out a German tanks. Panzer III tanks advancing. Panzer VI tanks completely covered by German troops catching rides. Soviet field artillery and machine guns firing in cities, forcing German soldiers to leave their vehicles. Soviet cities bombed out and burning, with debris and obstacles limiting the ability of armor to navigate in them. Montage of battle scenes cities of Rostov, Kharkov, Kiev, Kursk, Smolensk, all thwarting the Nazi blitz into the Soviet Union. Battles being waged in cities. (World War II; WW II; World War 2; World War Two)
The Soviet ship Vyacheslav Molotov is seen, docked at the French port of Le Havre. A crane raises cargo onto the ship. Ukrainian and Belorussian passengers stand on the pier, ready to board the ship that will take them to their former hometowns. One woman walks up the gangplank with a flag and a carryall displaying the image of Joseph stalin. On the pier, French Army officers process the embarking passengers, as a Soviet Army officer stands nearby. Closeup of documents being stamped. (Narrator states that these refugees fled their homes for France, 20 years earlier, when they were under the domination of Poland.) The Soviet officer encouraging passengers up the gangplank. View from high on the ship, of passengers clustered around the processing station. Camera pans up to the ship's funnel, where Soviet hammer and sicle is displayed. View from behind people waving on the dock, of the passengers lining the railing of the ship, waving goodbye as the ship slowly begins to move forward and then is seen underway. Scene fades to reopen showing the ship in waters of the Black Sea approaching the port of Odessa, Ukraine. Buildings seen upon cliffs overlooking the port. Several views of the passengers assembled on deck looking toward shore. Closeups of passengers and their flags. A Ukrainian woman gives a speech about her joy at homecoming. Other passengers applaud. A man holds up a homemade sign reading (in Russian) "LONG LIVE SOVIET-HOMELAND I-EE-GOVERNMENT." Passengers disembarking down the gangplank, carrying flags and riding in open small trucks away from the ship.
German troops advance in Transcarpathian Oblast, Ukraine, during World War 2. Map shows the Polish-Ukrainian (Soviet Union) border. Narrator refers to the Battle in the East (the Eastern Front). German armored forces, camouflaged with branches of shrubbery, attack to the East, primarily from Poland, in Operation Barbarossa. Stug III self-propelled assault guns are seen, as well as towed artillery pieces moving along rural roads in agricultural areas. German officers look through binoculars. Spire of a church seen in distant rural village. German artillery firing at close to zero elevation. A small village with houses burning. Closeup of German tank commander looking out from his top hatch. German soldier receiving first aid for cut on face. German infantry engaging defenders in house-to-house combat with small arms. Houses ablaze in the village.
Jewish resident in Ungvar (Uzhhorod), Province of Ruthenia, in Hungary (Carpatho-Ukraine). Jewish synagogue and other buildings along the sides of the street in the town. Jews walking on the street. Closeup views of Jewish people including a orthodox Jew teenage boy with side curls (payos). Other Orthodox Jewish men and boys with various hats and payos. The exterior of a building. Men discussing amongst themselves. A man bringing a hen to a Rabbi. Names on the stores including Adolf Mermelstein Textic. Closeup view of Jewish man smoking a pipe. (Footage is just before outbreak of World War 2.)
Life of the people in Ruthenia, Hungary (Carpatho-Ukraine). The market of Ungvar (Uzhhorod). Women at the market. Civilians gather on the street. Buildings in the area. Children and soldiers standing on the street. Hungarian soldiers marching in column on the street. Numerous horsecarts pass by carrying goods and people.
Life of the Jews in Ruthenia, Hungary (now part of Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine). The market of Ungvar (now known as Uzhhorod). People gather on the street. Ruthenian peasants shopping on the street. They pick up the hay stacks from the street. Buildings in the background. Horse-carts pass on the street. Cattle moving. Women discuss amongst themselves. Women seated near baskets with fruits or vegetables at a market on the street. People buy food from the women.