Opening scene shows Soviet infantry moving across a field, near a parked, heavily camouflaged Soviet T-28 medium tank. during World War 2. Closeup of T-28 tank covered in straw, and another in the open in the field in the background. Several views of Soviet heavy artillery firing from camouflaged positions in woods. heavily camouflaged Soviet army trucks moving along a road. Closeup of a wide track Soviet assault tank with offset gun, passing on the road. Soviet soldiers unloading boxes of ammunition. Four Soviet aviators conversing. Airmen loading bombs aboard a Soviet aircraft. Soviet pilots confer before start of mission. They then proceed to their aircraft. One climbs into open cockpit of a Polikarpov I-16 fighter aircraft. A Tupolev SB-2 Katyushka bomber taking off on a grassy field. Closeup of soviet pilot in open cockpit of a MiG-1 fighter plane. Various views of two MiG-1 aircraft with engine running, as they taxis out and take off. View from ground of the two aircraft in flight overhead. A Soviet soldier with binoculars spotting aircraft overhead. Views from aircraft dropping bombs. View from ground of bombs bursting , raising huge clouds. Glimpse, again, of spotter with binoculars. smoke rising from crashed aircraft. Closeup of remains of destroyed German airplane. Aerial view of a Petlyakov Pe-8 bomber dropping bombs on an enemy held airfield. Closeup of gloved hand of pilot in cockpit, releasing bombs. Glimpse from inside the aircraft as bombs fall. Explosions ans smoke from exploding bombs. Fighter planes inflight overhead. Black smoke rising from crashed burning German airplane. Several crashed German planes. Camera pans over wreckage. Body of a German aviator lies on ground next to one wreck. Soviet soldiers examine wreckage and remove parts from some planes. Two stubby Polikarpov I-153 biwing aircraft taxiing across a field. Pilots climbing out of their cockpits. Pilot sliding down the wing of a Tupolev SB-2 Katyushka aircraft. Another SB-2 shuts engines down and a bemedaled Hero of the Soviet Union pilot climbs down from the cockpit and embraces a wounded aviator standing nearby. Scene shifts to German prisoners of war being escorted by armed Soviet soldiers. German prisoners being processed at a camp. A truckload of German prisoners, some ambulatory wounded, are brought to a processing camp. Closeups of several in prison camp.
Russian pilot shaving his face. Russian pilots lined up at fields are decorated. Shows Russian aircrafts flying.
Parade in Red Square. Russian troops marching. Troops with horse drawn carriages at speed. Civilians with banners and Cavalry units riding at speed. View of Joseph Stalin.
A soviet army officer is shown speaking directly to the Soviet citizenry about defending against German aggression. As he speaks, the film shows brief glimpses of Soviet military preparedness. A group of Soviet BT tanks charges across an open field. These are followed by a group of T-26 tanks. Polikarpov I-16 aircraft are seen high overhead in formations. After more views of the army officer speaking, the film shows Soviet BT-5 fast tanks moving across a field. Then a cavalry charge demonstration is shown. That is followed by a glimpse of several Soviet torpedo boats racing through the water in side-by-side formation. Several unidentified Soviet tanks on a field. After more views of the army speaker, more views of cavalry charge and formations of Polikarpov I-16 aircraft in formation flight. A number of Soviet BT-7 tanks advancing toward the camera across a field.
War scenes in the snow covered city Stalingrad. Nazi planes bombard the city. Ice gliders, rocket guns, flame throwers used during World War II. Soviet Russian troops mobilizes and fights with Nazi army outside the city. Map depicting how Axis power was tussled at Stalingrad. Scenes of ruined city as a result of war. Firing of last shot and waving of flag to mark the freedom of Stalingrad. Children play as spring arrives. German Generals such as Marshal Friedrich Paulus seen after German defeat. February 1943.
New Soviet leadership appears in public, following Stalin's death, in 1953. Russian Officers and troops in formation on Red Square in Moscow. Quick view of people assembled , in the evening, outside UN headquarters in New York. at sunset. View of Spasskaya Tower of Kremlin in Moscow. New Soviet Defense Minister, Bulganin, stands in open automobile, and salutes, as it moves along Red Square where Soviet troops line the way in formation. Huge sign with images of Lenin and Stalin displayed behind troop formation.Quick overview of Moscow, from a height. View of troops in massed formation seen from a height above Red Square. Civilian spectators in organized groups, dressed warmly against the cold. Top Soviet leaders emerge from inside the Kremlin to take their place in the reviewing balcony. Spectators applaud. Leaders including Nikita Khrushchev and Georgi Malenkov. Spasskaya Tower clock strikes. Bulganin is joined by a Soviet military Marshal, also standing in an open car. They drive about, reviewing the troops from the open cars. The cars stop and Bulganin and the Army Marshal get out. Defense Minister Bulganin, in military uniform of a Marshal, climbs to the Kremlin balcony and gives a speech. Cannons fire salutes.Sound track plays national anthem. Armored vehicles and troops fill a broad boulevard. Soviet armed forces put on a grand parade. Soviet leaders salute. Lavrentiy Beria stands to Bulganin's right and to his left, Malenkov and, his far left, Krushchev.