Translation of Voice-Over & Shot Description
00:01:00 - 00:01:12 Caption: “The agreement between the governments of the USSR and Great Britain on joint action in the war against Germany”
00:01:12 - 00:02:42 V.O.: “As a result of the negotiations which have taken place over the last few days in Moscow between, on the one side, the Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR, comrade Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, and the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, comrade Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, and, on the other side, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Great Britain in the USSR, Mr Stafford Cripps, an agreement on the joint action of the government of the USSR and His Majesty’s government in the United Kingdom in the war against Germany was signed on 12th July along with a protocol to the agreement.
The agreement and protocol were signed by the Deputy Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars and the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, on behalf of the government of the USSR.
And by His Majesty’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in the USSR, Mr Stafford Cripps, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom.”
Vision: Stalin, Molotov & Cripss sign the agreement while various dignitaries are gathered to witness it.
00:02:56 - 00:03:44 V.O.: “The points of the agreement were as follows:
Point one: both governments would mutually undertake to offer each other help and support of any kind in the current war against Hitler’s Germany. Point two: they would also undertake that for the remainder of this war they would not take part in negotiations or sign any truces or peace treaties without the agreement of both sides. In the separate protocol the parties decided that the agreement would come into immediate effect from the moment when it was signed and that it did not require ratification.”
Vision: Stalin, Molotov and Cripps talking with each other and various other people gathered in the room for the signing. The document is sealed with wax.
00:05:03 - 00:05:05 Caption: LENINGRAD
00:05:05 - 00:05:35 V.O. “Leningrad… here we see houses bombed by the Germans. This is a hospital which was hit by a German bomb.”
Vision: Streets of Leningrad, houses and buildings that have been bombed by the Germans including hospital, rubble and wreckage, smoke rising.
00:05:44 – 00:06:02
Vision: People digging through wreckage, dead bodies, rescuers carrying bodies away on stretchers.
00:06:03 – 00:06:18 V.O.: “Here we see the cultural centre on fire.”
00:06:18 - 00:06:40 V.O.: “The Germans launched a cruel and methodical artillery bombardment of the city’s houses, cultural establishments and historic monuments.”
Vision: wreckage of bombed buildings, dead bodies being carried out on stretchers.
00:06:41 – 00:07:01 V.O.: “This is a school which was hit by a German shell.”
Vision: exterior and interior shots of bombed school, bodies of dead children in the wreckage.
00:07:03 – 00:07:23 V.O.: “A huge library goes up in flames after being hit by a German shell.”
Vision: library destroyed by bomb, books falling out of window, flames & smoke, firemen fighting the fire, interior shot of library, pile of books
00:07:24 - 00:08:33 V.O.: “The Kirov Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet was destroyed by a German bomb. Here we see the museum of the great Russian commander Suvorov… And here is the world-famous Hermitage museum, home to some of the world’s most valuable works of art. The Germans shelled the Hermitage using heavy artillery…Here we see houses destroyed by German shells.”
Vision: wreckage of the above named buildings and artwork, statues, etc.
00:08:34 - 00:09:00 V.O.: “Onwards to Paris! The centre of Paris, the Île de la Cité, had already been liberated by the allies. At the Hôtel de Ville …....To arms men!....... Parisian pavements.
Vision: Paris, aerial view of city, centre of Paris, men pushing a cannon through the streets. Parisians rebuilding the pavements, dumping a cartload of bricks, people looking out windows, street below.
00:09:01 – 00:09:28 Vision: American tank driving through streets, gunfire, German tanks, truck blown up, firing guns out of windows.
00:09:28 - 00:10:21 V.O.: “The first good news was the announcement of imminent victory and just retribution. The American tanks broke through into Paris. Together with the allies they drove the fascists from the last-remaining trenches.”
Vision: Crowd with German flag. Eiffel Tower, tanks driving underneath it, gunfire, citizens taking cover, soldiers in the streets firing guns, tanks. Man walks out carrying white cloth in surrender.
00:10:22 - 00:11:47 V.O.: “General Leclerk’s armed troops entered the city. `Paris is free!` – these three words were joyfully received in the hearts of every honest citizen. The French capital celebrates its liberation ... but the festivities soon came to an end. German snipers in the belfry of the Paris cathedral…
Children of France! You can smile again, the hateful enemy has been expelled from French soil. But the enemy, the fascist brute, is not yet beaten. And once again the great people of our united nations took up their weapons and fought...”
Vision: Tank driving through street, crowds cheering as Paris is liberated, people celebrating, women kissing soldiers, crowds in the streets, snipers in the Cathedral belfry, singing and rejoicing.
00:11:48 - 00:12:23 V.O.: “To Moscow. Yes, the enemy was approaching Moscow. But Stalin was also in Moscow. On the morning of the 7th of November 1941, Stalin took to the podium in front of Lenin’s mausoleum as usual – calm, wise and patriotic as he addressed the troops: “The whole world is looking to you as a force capable of destroying the predatory hordes of German invaders.” He could already see our victory. The battle was nigh…”
Vision: Moscow, Stalin addressing the troops.
00:12:23 - 00:12:26 Vision: Poster with caption “We won’t give up Moscow”
PRAVDA (national newspaper).
00:12:26 - 00:12:39 V.O.: “Fresh reserves set off from the streets of Moscow for the battle front.”
Vision: Troops marching through the streets, rows of tanks driving off to war.
00:12:37 - 00:12:39 Vision: Poster with caption “BE A HERO”
00:12:39 - 00:12:52 V.O.: “Although the main aim was to defend the city, a plan for a counter-attack was already well under way. Comrade Bulganin gave the troops Stalin’s order to attack Moscow.”
Vision: cannons firing, tanks, aircraft flying in formation overhead, bombs dropping and exploding on the ground below, troops on horseback riding through the snow, men surrendering, barrel of huge cannon pointing at the camera.
00:13:23 - 00:14:13 V.O.: “The defeat of the German-Fascist troops in Moscow was the first major defeat of the Germans of World War II. Here in Moscow, the myth of the invincibility of the German army was laid to rest forever. During the battles in Moscow new guard divisions were formed and the Germans were driven back to the West along the old Smolensk road, past the site of the Battle of Borodino. Our troops did not disgrace the glorious name of their valiant ancestors; they defended Moscow. Nor did they waver in Stalingrad.”
Vision: Germans trudging along road, battle wreckage, tanks and armoured trucks, rows of soldiers, carrying flag on horseback, gun carriages rolling along, fire and smoke pouring out above buildings along shore.
00:14:13 - 00:14:31 V.O.: “In the summer of 1942 the Germans advanced on Stalingrad in order to escape along the Volga and capture Moscow from the east, thus ending the war. Stalin figured out the German command’s plan in good time. Stalingrad would not be handed over to the enemy.”
Vision: Map, left to right: Kiev, Gomel, Leningrad, Moscow, Arzamas, Kuibyshev, Stalingrad.
00:14:33 – 00:15:57 Vision: Group of men including Russian military officers and Molotov walking in residential area, some evidence of wreckage around them.
00:15:57 – 00:17:44 Vision: Berlin, Brandenburg Gate, motorcade of dignitaries driving through streets of the city, wreckage of bombed buildings, rubble.
00:17:44 - 00:18:37 V.O.: “...like thieves, sneaking round the corner, Hitler’s forces launched an attack on our soil, breaking into our homeland without declaring war. Mobilised and armed to the teeth, Hitler’s army dealt a violent blow in order to try and break the Soviet army. The fascist command post anticipated a swift victory.”
Vision: German Luftwaffe dropping bombs, ground troops, war raging, civilian casualties women & children, tanks, homes on fire, Hitler.
00:18:37 – 00:19:58 V.O.: “On Wall Street they waited…, calculating the military profits. But there was another command post. Here in Russia, during a time of extreme danger for our country, the great Stalin already had a plan to repel and defeat the enemy. The enemy was strong; he had already devoured the whole of Europe. He gathered together all of his forces – the air force, artillery and tanks, and set them upon us. The Soviet army faced a difficult task: to strip the enemy of his technical advantage, to remove the teeth from the wolf, and to actively defend Russia whilst grinding the enemy into the ground. The war cry of our army was to become “Death to the German invaders!”
Vision: Aerial view of New York, streets of NYC, Russia, Stalin, tanks, armoured trucks, German troops marching, Luftwaffe, warfare, tank on fire, dead bodies, gunfire, bombs exploding.
00:19:59 - 0:20:25 V.O.: “It was now that Alexander Pokryshkin began his military offensive. During the battles which had raged in the sky, the name of Ivan Kozhedub had already become renowned. We beat the enemy in the air and sank them in the sea.”
Vision: Air battle, bombs dropping, submarines, sighting enemy ship through periscope.
00:20:26 – 00:21:11 V.O.: “Hitler wanted to capture Leningrad straight away but Leningrad stood firm. Comrade Zhdanov was in charge of the defence of Leningrad. The Germans were unsuccessful in their blitzkrieg on Leningrad and were forced to dig trenches. A sniper war ensued.”
Vision: Aerial view of Leningrad, streets of Leningrad, battle, bomb wreckage, burning buildings, tanks, digging trenches, snipers.
00:21:12 – 00:21:35 V.O.: “Winter came. Times were difficult, very difficult. But the cold did not break the heroic spirit of the people of Leningrad. The whole country was behind Leningrad at this time. Cars came and went along the icy road built across Lake Ladoga, bringing provisions for the besieged city and evacuating women and children.”
Vision: Leningrad in Winter - armoured trucks driving through snow.
00:21:37 - 00:21:38 Caption: The Mediterranean
00:21:45 - 00:23:10 V.O.: “A report came in: “The enemy convoy is advancing with reinforcements from the Italian and German army in Egypt.” English submarines, destroyers and cruisers set off to meet the enemy convoy.
We’ve found the enemy! Torpedo-bombers rose out of the English aircraft carriers.
The Americans bombers, the “Flying Fortresses”, prepare to take off from the English coast and attack the enemy camps in occupied France.
Vision: as described by voice-over above.
00:23:53 - 00:24:59 V.O.: “Below we can see St Nazaire, the large German submarine base. The German anti-aircraft guns started up. Air gunners engaged in battle with Messerschmit fighter planes. There were large explosions near the harbour as the bombs hit their target. The attack came to an end. “The Flying Fortresses” returned to base.
...defending the homeland from the German hordes of Wilhelm II, Hitler put on a disgusting capitulation ceremony. The French generals were paraded before the Fascist soldiers.”
Vision: as described by voice-over above.