Original subtitles

♪♪

[ SPEAKING RUSSIAN ]

♪♪

Narrator: MOSCOW, 1936.

INSIDE THE KREMLIN REIGNS ONE OF HISTORY'S BLOODIEST DICTATORS.

STALIN.

HIS POWER IS ABSOLUTE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

HE'S MERCILESS,

ASKING HIS PEOPLE TO SACRIFICE THEIR BLOOD.

HIS SUBJECTS LIVE IN FEAR.

LIKE IN A RITUAL, THEY'RE FORCED TO SHOWER THE TYRANT

WITH ENDLESS ROUNDS OF APPLAUSE.

STALIN FEIGNS IMPATIENCE.

HE PULLS OUT HIS WATCH.

[ APPLAUSE CONTINUES ]

JUNE 22, 1941.

WITHOUT A PRIOR DECLARATION OF WAR, THE GERMAN AIR FORCE

ATTACKS RUSSIA, KNOWN AT THE TIME

AS THE USSR... THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS.

[ BOMBS WHISTLING ]

[ PLANES ROARING ]

[ GUNFIRE, EXPLOSIONS ]

THE GERMAN ADVANCE IS DEVASTATING.

WITHIN DAYS, GERMANY CAPTURES

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS.

HITLER, THE RULER OF NAZI GERMANY,

IS CLEARLY REAFFIRMING HIS WAR OBJECTIVES.

HE WANTS TO GET RID OF HIS WORST ENEMY, COMMUNISM,

AND ITS LEADER, STALIN,

AND CONQUER WHAT HE REFERS TO AS GERMANY'S LIVING SPACE.

HITLER DECLARES, "OUR DESTINY POINTS US TO THE EAST."

WE WILL PUT AN END TO RUSSIA."

SINCE SEPTEMBER 1939, HITLER AND HIS FANATIC ARMY

HAVE INVADED POLAND, FRANCE, BELGIUM,

THE NETHERLANDS,

DENMARK, NORWAY, YUGOSLAVIA

AND GREECE.

THEY ARE NOW ADVANCING ON LENINGRAD, KIEV, AND MOSCOW,

THE CAPITAL OF THE SOVIET UNION.

EARLY ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 22, 1941,

STALIN FINALLY WAKES UP.

NO ONE HAS HAD THE COURAGE TO WARN HIM.

STALIN HAS DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO AVOID WAR,

EVEN GOING SO FAR AS TO PROVIDE GERMANY

WITH THE FUEL AND RARE METALS

THAT HAVE HELPED HITLER DEFEAT FRANCE.

[ CROWD CHEERING ]

MAY 1, 1941, IN RED SQUARE,

JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE HITLER'S ATTACK,

SOVIET PROPAGANDA INSISTED

THAT GERMAN GUESTS ATTEND THE TRADITIONAL MILITARY PARADE.

IN ORDER TO DELAY THE TIMETABLE

AND BE THE FIRST TO ATTACK,

STALIN SHOCKED THE WORLD

BY SIGNING A GERMANO-SOVIET NONAGGRESSION PACT WITH HITLER.

THE AGREEMENT INCLUDED SECRET CLAUSES,

GIVING GERMANY POWER

OVER HALF OF POLAND AND THE BALTIC COUNTRIES.

STALIN IS NOT RUSSIAN, IN FACT.

HE IS GEORGIAN.

HIS MOTHER TONGUE ISN'T RUSSIAN, IT'S GEORGIAN.

ALTHOUGH HE WAS RAISED IN THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH,

HIS MIND-SET IS CLOSER TO THAT OF A MIDDLE EASTERN DESPOT.

1892...

THE EARLIEST KNOWN PHOTOGRAPH OF STALIN,

A CHOIRBOY OF 14.

STALIN IS BORN ON DECEMBER 6, 1878, IN GORI,

A LITTLE VILLAGE A 2-DAY WALK FROM TIFLIS,

THE CAPITAL OF GEORGIA, PART OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE,

THE WORLD'S GREATEST AT THE TIME,

WITH 170 MILLION INHABITANTS.

IN SAINT PETERSBURG, A LONG LINE OF ROMANOVS

HAVE BEEN RULING FOR 3 CENTURIES.

THE CURRENT EMPEROR, OR TSAR,

A DERIVATIVE OF "CAESAR," IS NICHOLAS II,

A WEAK AND DEVOUT SOVEREIGN.

STALIN'S GEORGIA IS A ROUGH COUNTRY IN THE CAUCASUS,

WHERE TURKISH, ARMENIAN, KURDISH

AND JEWISH MINORITIES STRUGGLE TO COEXIST.

HIS FATHER, BESARION JUGHASHVILI,

IS A COBBLER FOND OF HIS RED WINE.

JOSEPH LOOKS LIKE HIM.

JOSEPH, SON OF BESARION, OR, IN RUSSIAN,

JOSEPH VISSARIONOVICH JUGHASHVILI,

ALIAS STALIN, WILL HIDE THE MEMORY

OF HIS DRUNK, VIOLENT FATHER,

JUST LIKE HE WILL HIDE HIS MANY CHILDHOOD DISABILITIES,

LIKE HIS WEBBED FEET

OR THE DISEASES THAT KILLED HIS TWO BROTHERS,

THE SMALLPOX THAT LEFT PERMANENT SCARS ON HIS SKIN,

MARKS WHICH KREMLIN MAKEUP ARTISTS

WILL DESPERATELY TRY TO MASK.

HIS LEFT ARM IS SHORTER THAN THE RIGHT,

AND HE'S HAD A LIMP

EVER SINCE A CART FELL ON HIM WHEN HE WAS 12.

BUT THE ONE THING HE CAN'T HIDE IS HIS HEAVY GEORGIAN ACCENT,

SO HE RARELY SPEAKS IN PUBLIC.

[ CHIME PLAYING ] JULY 3, 1941...

THE CHIME RINGS OUT FROM THE KREMLIN,

HERALDING RADIO MOSCOW

AND SIGNALING THAT STALIN IS ABOUT TO MAKE A SPEECH

WHICH WILL BE RELAYED BY MANDATORY LOUDSPEAKERS

THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY'S PUBLIC SQUARES.

IT HAS TAKEN STALIN 10 DAYS

TO ADMIT THAT THE RED ARMY IS THREATENED BY THE GERMANS.

THE WORRIED SOVIET PEOPLE FINALLY HEAR HIS VOICE

AND HIS GRAVELLY CAUCASIAN ACCENT.

STALIN, THE NEW GOD,

PERSECUTOR OF THE CHURCH, WAS EDUCATED IN A SEMINARY.

THANKS TO A SCHOLARSHIP,

HE ENTERED THE SEMINARY IN 1894 AT 16.

HIS EXCEPTIONAL MEMORY

AND HIS SINGING VOICE HAD BEEN SINGLED OUT.

A SEMINARY EDUCATION WAS THE WISH

OF EKATERINA, HIS MOTHER.

DESPITE BEING A PIOUS WOMAN,

SHE BEAT HIM AS OFTEN AS HIS FATHER DID.

STALIN HAS ALWAYS PREFERRED TO FORGET HIS FAMILY

AND HIDE THEM AWAY.

ONCE HE'S IN POWER, HE RETURNS TO HIS CHILDHOOD HOME

AND, LIKE ANY DUTIFUL SON, HE VISITS HIS MOTHER.

SHE ASKS HIM WHAT HE DOES NOW.

AND STALIN REPLIES, "DO YOU REMEMBER THE TSAR?

WELL, I'VE BECOME A SORT OF TSAR."

SHE REPLIES,

"YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF BECOMING A PRIEST."

STALIN LOSES HIS FAITH

WHILE HE IS A STUDENT AT THE TIFLIS SEMINARY.

IN THIS BREEDING GROUND FOR REVOLUTIONARIES,

WITH THE HELP OF THE MEAN, FILTHY ORTHODOX PRIESTS

AND THEIR ALCOHOLIC GUARD,

HE LEARNS TECHNIQUES OF REPRESSION.

[ MAN SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]

STALIN LISTS THEM HIMSELF...

SURVEILLANCE, SPYING, INVASION OF ONE'S INNER LIFE,

VIOLATION OF ONE'S FEELINGS.

BUT HE ALSO LEARNS THE VIRTUES OF SILENCE.

TO STALIN,

THERE IS ALWAYS MORE TO GAIN FROM LISTENING THAN SPEAKING.

NEVER REVEAL YOUR FEELINGS.

NEVER BETRAY YOURSELF.

IN 1898, HE IS 20.

HE HAS CHANGED.

HE PROVOKES THE AUTHORITIES.

HE REFUSES TO CUT HIS HAIR.

HE LETS HIS BEARD GROW OUT.

HE READS FORBIDDEN BOOKS BY ZOLA OR VICTOR HUGO,

WHICH SPEAK OUT AGAINST SOCIAL INJUSTICE.

HE IS EXPELLED FROM THE SEMINARY.

HE ADOPTS HIS FIRST NICKNAME, KOBA,

THE NAME OF A ROBIN HOOD OF THE CAUCASUS.

HE PICTURES HIMSELF AS A GANG LEADER.

IN 1901, HE JOINS

THE UNDERGROUND SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY IN TIFLIS

AND IS IMMEDIATELY SPOTTED BY THE TSAR'S SECRET POLICE,

THE OKHRANA.

HE WORKS FOR A FEW MONTHS

AT THE METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY.

THIS LEAVES HIM ENOUGH TIME TO READ THE WORKS

OF THE GERMAN KARL MARX WHO,

ALONG WITH FRIEDRICH ENGELS,

HAD WRITTEN THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO IN 1847.

THIS TEXT CALLED FOR THE END OF PRIVATE PROPERTY

AND CAPITALISM,

EXHORTING THE WORKERS OF THE WORLD TO UNITE

AND JOIN TOGETHER IN ARMED REVOLUTION.

MARX DECRIES THE EXPLOITATION OF MAN BY MAN

AND THE MISERY OF THE PROLETARIAT

THAT, ACCORDING TO HIM,

HAS NOTHING TO LOSE BUT ITS CHAINS.

STALIN'S NAIVE PAINTINGS SHOW THE FUTURE DICTATOR

AS A MARXIST INDOCTRINATING WORKERS.

HE ASKS THEM,

"WHY DON'T WE HAVE ANY POLITICAL RIGHTS?

HOW CAN WE CHANGE OUR EXISTENCE?"

HE BELIEVES THAT THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE

OF THE 20th CENTURY.

IS A FEUDAL SOCIETY THAT MUST BE DESTROYED.

A NEW WORKING CLASS EMERGES

AS RUSSIA BECOMES INDUSTRIALIZED,

PARTICULARLY IN THE CAUCASUS.

BAKU'S OIL WELLS AND REFINERIES MAKE A FEW ELITE WEALTHY

AND INCITE THE EXPLOITED TO RISE UP.

THEIR REVOLUTIONARY SONG IS "LA MARSEILLAISE,"

IN RUSSIAN, WITH DIFFERENT WORDS.

AT 23, JOSEPH JUGHASHVILI

IS SENT TO BAKU BY THE SOCIALISTS

TO ORGANIZE PROTESTS AND FORBIDDEN STRIKES,

CONFIRMING HIS CALLING AS A LEADER.

HE IS IMPASSIONED BY THE WRITINGS

OF NECHAYEV,

A 19th CENTURY RUSSIAN REVOLUTIONARY,

IN PARTICULAR, "CATECHISM OF A REVOLUTIONARY."

"THE REVOLUTIONARY HAS NO PERSONAL INTERESTS, FEELINGS,"

NOT EVEN A NAME.

HE HAS CUT ALL TIES WITH LAW AND MORAL.

HE IS A REMORSELESS ENEMY OF THE CIVILIZED WORLD

WHICH HE ONLY LIVES IN TO DESTROY.

ALL INNER FEELINGS OF FRIENDSHIP,

GRATITUDE, AND HONOR

"MUST BE STIFLED BY THE SINGLE REVOLUTIONARY PASSION."

JOSEPH JUGHASHVILI, A REVOLUTIONARY AGITATOR,

IS ARRESTED ON APRIL 5, 1902.

HIS POLICE RECORD READS,

"HEIGHT 1-METER-62, BROWN HAIR,

AVERAGE BUILD, AGE 24."

HE WILL LATER SAY

THAT TSAR'S PRISONS ARE LIKE REST HOMES.

INDEED, THE DISCIPLINE AND TREATMENT OF PRISONERS

IS A FAR CRY FROM STALIN'S FUTURE METHODS,

A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF CRUELTY. [ CHAINS RATTLE, LOCK CLICKS ]

HE LIVES IN THIS CELL FOR 1 WHOLE YEAR.

HE SPENDS HIS TIME READING VARIOUS WORKS...

LIKE "WHAT IS TO BE DONE,"

THE REVOLUTIONARY'S INSTRUCTION MANUAL PENNED BY LENIN.

THE AUTHOR OF THIS PAMPHLET IS IS VLADIMIR ILYICH ULYANOV,

A RUSSIAN MARXIST IN EXILE,

WHO GOES BY THE NAME OF LENIN,

A PSEUDONYM ALLUDING TO THE LENA,

THE GREAT SIBERIAN RIVER.

LENIN WILL SOON BECOME THE LEADER OF THE REVOLUTION.

50 YEARS LATER, HIS STATUE IS THE FIRST

TO BE PULLED DOWN BY THE GERMANS.

Narrator: IN MINSK, IN JULY, 1941,

THE MAIN BUILDING HOUSING THE NKVD,

THE SOVIET POLITICAL POLICE,

IS TURNED INTO S.S. HEADQUARTERS.

THE S.S. HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO EXTERMINATE THE JEWS.

GERMAN PROPAGANDA EXPRESSES NAZI RACISM.

THUS BEGINS THE HOLOCAUST BY BULLETS...

[ SHOUTING ]

THE MASSIVE GENOCIDE OF THE JEWS,

FAMINE IN THE GHETTOES,

DEATH CAMPS.

[ MAN SHOUTS, GUNSHOTS ]

THE GERMANS CONTINUE TO MARCH THROUGH RUSSIA.

THEIR ARMORED TANKS BREAK THROUGH THE FRONT

ACROSS 500 KILOMETERS.

HITLER NOW CONTROLS 20 MILLION SOVIETS.

THE FATE OF THE RED ARMY TAKES A TRAGIC TURN IN 1941.

IT IS POORLY MANAGED

BECAUSE STALIN EXECUTED THOUSANDS OF OFFICERS IN 1937.

IN MID-JULY, 1941, STALIN ESTABLISHES ORDER NUMBER 270.

IT PUNISHES THE FAMILIES

OF SOLDIERS THAT SURRENDER TO THE GERMANS.

HITLER WILL LET THEM DIE OF STARVATION.

ONE OF THESE SOVIET PRISONERS,

PRIVATE IVAN SHULENSKI,

REMEMBERS...

[ CHOIR SINGING ] "TO STAY ALIVE,"

I WOULD SING THIS TUNE FROM THE LAND OF HUNGER,

'IF ONLY I HAD WINGS,

I WOULD RISE INTO THE SKY TOWARDS THE CLOUDS

"WHERE THERE IS NO PAIN AND NO PUNISHMENT.'"

[ CHOIR CONTINUES ]

THE FATE OF THESE SOVIET PRISONERS IS A TRAGIC ONE.

SURVIVORS ARE DEPORTED BY STALIN

BECAUSE THEY HAVE SURRENDERED TO THE ENEMY.

THE GERMANS PURSUE THEIR FORWARD MARCH.

THE UKRAINIAN FARMERS,

VICTIMS OF A STALINIAN FAMINE THAT CAUSED 6 MILLION DEATHS,

WELCOME THE INVADING GERMANS.

THEY WILL BE HANGED WHEN THE RED ARMY RETURNS.

THEY ARE CONSIDERED TRAITORS

AND ARE FILMED TO SHOW THE EXAMPLE.

[ HORSES BLUSTER ]

THE SUMMER OF 1941...

THE POLITICAL COMMISSARS SHOOT ANYONE WHO RETREATS.

IN MOSCOW, THE FACTORIES AND THEIR WORKERS ARE EVACUATED.

SO ARE THE MINISTRIES.

NURSE SARAFINA PANASENKO ENLISTS.

SHE EXPLAINS, "MY FATHER WAS A COMMUNIST."

FROM THE EARLIEST AGE, HE INSTILLED IN US THE IDEA

THAT THE MOTHERLAND WAS EVERYTHING

"AND MUST BE DEFENDED."

THEY WILL ENDURE A HORRIFYING FATE

IF THEY ARE EVER CAPTURED.

BUT THEY FIGHT FOR STALIN'S SOVIET UNION.

ALL THE MEN FROM AGE 16 TO 50

ARE IMMEDIATELY MOBILIZED ACROSS THE MASSIVE NATION,

14 MILLION SOLDIERS.

[ CHEERING ]

THEIR SACRIFICE

AND STALIN'S APPEAL TO PATRIOTISM

HAS YIELDED RESULTS.

[ GUNFIRE ]

[ SHELLS CLATTERING ]

[ GUNFIRE CONTINUES, BULLET WHIZZES ]

THE GERMANS ARE BLOCKED ON THE ROAD TO MOSCOW

IN THE CENTER OF THE FRONT.

[ GUNFIRE CONTINUES, MEN SHOUTING ]

[ EXPLOSION ]

[ GUNFIRE, EXPLOSIONS ]

THE BATTLE FOR SMOLENSK DELAYS THE BLITZKRIEG,

HITLER'S LIGHTNING WAR.

THE RUSSIANS HAVE LOST 1.5 MILLION MEN.

AN ADDITIONAL 4 MILLION ARE PRISONERS.

GERMAN LOSSES ARE HEAVY,

AN ESTIMATED 700,000 MEN,

WHICH IS A SOURCE OF WORRY TO THE FUHRER.

HITLER DECLARES,

"COMMUNISM REPRESENTS A TERRIBLE THREAT TO OUR FUTURE."

THIS WAR IS A WAR OF EXTERMINATION.

IF WE DO NOT ACCEPT THIS, WE MAY WIN,

BUT THE PROBLEM WILL RESURFACE IN 30 YEARS.

"WE ARE NOT WAGING WAR TO SPARE THE ENEMY."

[ SOLDIERS CHANTING ]

[ SOLDIERS CHEERING, SHOUTING ]

OMNIPRESENT, STALIN DIRECTS THE WAR AGAINST HITLER.

HE HAS APPOINTED HIMSELF

PEOPLE'S COMMISSAR OF DEFENSE,

SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES.

HOWEVER, LIKE HITLER, HE IS AN AMATEUR STRATEGIST.

THANKFULLY, STALIN HAS GENERAL ZHUKOV BY HIS SIDE.

STALIN TRUSTS THIS TANK SPECIALIST.

ZHUKOV IS THE ONLY PERSON

WHO DARES TO TELL HIM THE TRUTH.

ZHUKOV PREDICTS THE GERMANS

WILL NOW FOCUS THEIR EFFORTS ON KIEV.

THE CITY MUST BE EVACUATED.

STALIN EXPLODES, "WHAT IS THIS INSANITY?

HOW CAN WE LEAVE KIEV TO THE ENEMY?"

BUT ZHUKOV'S PREDICTION IS ACCURATE.

STALIN IS WRONG.

HITLER DECIDES TO SEND HIS FORCES TOWARDS THE SOUTH.

THE GERMANS START OFF TOWARDS THE UKRAINE.

THEY SURROUND THE SOVIET TROOPS AND TAKE 600,000 PRISONERS.

[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]

THE GERMANS ENTER KIEV ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1941.

IN UKRAINE, WHERE THE POPULATION IS DIVIDED INTO ANTI-SOVIETS

AND RESISTANCE, THE NAZIS STIR UP HATRED AGAINST STALIN.

GERMAN PROPAGANDA SHOWS THE POPULATION

IN FRONT OF A PRISON.

THE PEOPLE WITNESS THE EVACUATION

OF THE VICTIMS OF STALINISM.

STALIN'S POLITICAL POLICE HAVE LEFT THE COUNTRY

AFTER CARRYING OUT ORDERS TO EMPTY THE CELLS,

MEANING TO EXECUTE THE PRISONERS.

100,000 MEN

ARE FOUND WITH THEIR HANDS TIED BEHIND THEIR BACK.

[ WOMAN SOBBING ]

[ CROWD CLAMORING ]

IN KIEV, HATRED IS UNLEASHED ON THE EFFIGIES

OF THE ABSOLUTE AND MERCILESS RULER, STALIN.

Narrator: STALIN, 1903...

HE STILL GOES BY THE NAME JUGHASHVILI.

HE IS 25.

BETWEEN TWO JAIL STINTS, HE JOINS THE MOST EXTREME BRANCH

HE UNDERGROUND SOCIALIST PARTY...

THE BOLSHEVIKS.

AT THE HELM OF THIS FACTION IS LENIN, STILL IN EXILE

AND AS IMPASSIONED AS EVER.

IN SOCIAL DEMOCRAT MEETINGS OUTSIDE OF RUSSIA,

LENIN CONFRONTS THE MENSHEVIK MINORITY,

MORE MODERATE THAN THE BOLSHEVIK MAJORITY.

LENIN SINGLES OUT JUGHASHVILI AND SUPPORTS HIS RISE

TO THE HEAD OF THE BOLSHEVIKS FROM THE CAUCASUS.

LENIN APPRECIATES HIS MARXIST SECTARIANISM AND, MOST OF ALL,

HIS FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE BOLSHEVIK CAUSE.

THIS CONTRIBUTION COMES FROM WHAT IS EUPHEMISTICALLY

REFERRED TO AS EXPROPRIATIONS... BANK ROBBERIES.

IN JOSEPH JUGHASHVILI'S EYES,

THESE ARMED ASSAULTS ARE COMPLETELY LEGITIMATE

BECAUSE HIS MARXIST PROJECT IS ABOVE THE LAW.

THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS.

MANY SOCIALISTS CONDEMN THESE CRIMINAL ACTS.

JUGHASHVILI DEFENDS HIMSELF,

"WE MUST CONTINUE TO BREAK THE LAW UNTIL THE REVOLUTION."

TO RESPECT THE LAW WOULD MEAN TO BECOME NORMAL.

"ONLY ARMED STRUGGLE CAN CONQUER TSARISM."

IN BAKU, HE BEGINS TO RACKETEER

WITH VOROSHILOV, SECRETARY OF THE OIL WORKERS' UNION.

NOW HE CONTROLS 50,000 MEN.

HE EXTORTS THE RICH INDUSTRIAL POWERS

BY THREATENING TO STRIKE OR TO SET FIRE TO THEIR WELLS.

HE REGULARLY CHANGES HIS APPEARANCE.

HE BECOMES ONE OF GEORGIA'S GODFATHERS OF CRIME.

HE DESERVES HIS ALIAS... STALIN, MAN OF STEEL.

HE IS 30, AND HIS SEXUAL APPETITE IS INSATIABLE.

HIS EYES ARE FULL OF FIRE,

ACCORDING TO ONE OF HIS YOUNG CONQUESTS.

HIS DANGEROUS UNDERGROUND EXISTENCE

ISN'T CONDUCIVE TO FAMILY LIFE.

NONETHELESS, IN BETWEEN TWO ARRESTS,

HE MEETS A PRETTY SEAMSTRESS,

EKATERINA SVANIDZE.

HE IS SO SMITTEN THAT, FOR THE FIRST TIME,

NOT ONLY DOES HE ACCEPT GETTING MARRIED,

BUT HE AGREES TO A CHURCH WEDDING.

BUT 3 YEARS LATER,

SHE DIES OF TUBERCULOSIS AT THE AGE OF 22.

REMEMBERING HER, HE SAYS,

"THIS WOMAN KNEW HOW TO MELT MY HEART OF STONE."

SHE GAVE HIM A SON, YAKOV,

WHO STALIN EVEN ALLOWS TO BE BAPTIZED.

HE CANNOT CARE FOR THE CHILD.

YAKOV IS RAISED BY HIS GEORGIAN GRANDPARENTS.

ONCE HE IS IN POWER, STALIN RECLAIMS HIS SON.

YAKOV IS CLOSE TO STALIN'S BODYGUARD,

NIKOLAI VLASIK.

1941... YAKOV, AN ARTILLERY LIEUTENANT,

IS CAPTURED BY THE GERMANS.

CAPTURING STALIN'S SON IS AN EXCEPTIONAL WAR TROPHY.

WHEN STALIN HEARS THE NEWS,

HE PUTS HIS OWN DECREE INTO EFFECT

AND HAS YAKOV'S WIFE ARRESTED AND SEPARATED FROM HIS DAUGHTER.

YAKOV'S INTERROGATION BY THE GERMANS

PROVIDES THEM WITH ONE ESSENTIAL PIECE OF INFORMATION.

YAKOV, WHO HIS FATHER HAS NEVER REALLY LOVED, CONFIDES,

"MY FATHER IS AFRAID

OF THE RUSSIAN NATIONALIST MOVEMENT."

THE CREATION OF A RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT HOSTILE

TO STALIN COULD PAVE THE WAY FOR A SWIFT GERMAN VICTORY.

[ PLANE ENGINE RUMBLING ]

THE GERMANS HAD ALREADY INVADED THE GREAT RUSSIAN PLAIN

30 YEARS EARLIER.

1914... STALIN DOESN'T TAKE PART IN WORLD WAR I.

AFTER A SERIES OF ARRESTS AND ESCAPES,

HE ENDS UP BEING DEPORTED TO SIBERIA.

LOCKED UP FOR 3 YEARS IN AN IZBA,

HE PASSES THE TIME PUTTING THE WORLD TO RIGHTS

WITH OTHER EXILED MARXISTS SUCH AS LEV KAMENEV,

WHO WILL BECOME ONE OF THE GREAT MEN OF THE REVOLUTION,

A MAN THAT STALIN WILL HAVE EXECUTED 20 YEARS LATER.

MARCH 12, 1917...

STALIN, NOW A FREE MAN, ARRIVES IN SAINT PETERSBURG,

WHICH HAS BEEN RENAMED PETROGRAD

AFTER THE FIRST REVOLUTION OF FEBRUARY 1917,

WHEN THE TSAR WAS CHASED FROM POWER.

NICHOLAS II ADMITS, "I WAS BORN INTO UNHAPPINESS,

AND I HAVE BROUGHT UNHAPPINESS TO RUSSIA."

HOWEVER, SOCIALIST ALEXANDER KERENSKY'S

PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT WANTS TO UPHOLD RUSSIA'S COMMITMENTS.

THIS INCLUDES PURSUING THE WAR.

HE NEEDS MEN.

[ CROWD CHEERS ]

STALIN, SUMMONED BY THE ARMY,

IS DECLARED UNFIT FOR SERVICE BECAUSE OF HIS ATROPHIED ARM.

HE RETURNS TO HIS BOLSHEVIK FRIENDS

WHO HAVE ALSO COME OUT OF HIDING.

HE BECOMES KAMENEV'S DEPUTY

AT THE HEAD OF THE DAILY NEWSPAPER "PRAVDA,"

OR "THE TRUTH,"

WHICH BACKS THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT.

[ CHEERING ]

LENIN RETURNS FROM SWITZERLAND ON APRIL 3, 1917.

HE REJECTS THIS GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS PROPAGATING

WHAT HE REFERS TO AS "THE IMPERIALIST WAR."

LENIN EXPOSES HIS PROGRAM FOR REVOLUTION.

FOR HIM, LIKE FOR STALIN STILL IN THE BACKGROUND,

IT IS TIME TO GIVE ALL THE POWER TO THE SOVIETS,

TO THE WORKER, AND SOLDIER COUNSELS

FORMING IN THE CITIES.

[ CHEERING CONTINUES ]

LENIN ADVOCATES MERGING ALL THE BANKS

AND CONFISCATING THE BIG AGRICULTURAL FARMS.

ON THE FRONT, THE ENLISTED RUSSIAN FARMERS

DESERT THE ARMY

TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS WILD REDISTRIBUTION OF LAND.

[ TRADITIONAL ACCORDION MUSIC PLAYING ]

[ CROWD MURMURING ]

THE SUMMER OF 1917...

THE BOLSHEVIKS' INFLUENCE

SPREADS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY,

THANKS TO LENIN'S SLOGAN,

"I PROMISE YOU PEACE, LAND, AND BREAD."

OTHER SIGNS CARRY MORE THREATENING SLOGANS...

"DOWN WITH THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT.

DOWN WITH CAPITALIST MINISTERS."

LEON TROTSKY, 38,

IS A BRILLIANT JEWISH MARXIST INTELLECTUAL

WHO HAS RETURNED FROM EXILE IN PARIS AND NEW YORK.

NOTHING ABOUT HIM IS PROLETARIAN.

EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM IS DESPISED BY STALIN.

STALIN, WHO IS UNCOMFORTABLE IN PUBLIC,

ENVIES HIS TALENT AS AN ORATOR.

TROTSKY IS SKILLED AT RALLYING THE CROWDS

TO THE BOLSHEVIK CAUSE,

SO KERENSKY, HEAD OF THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT,

DECIDES TO GET RID OF THE BOLSHEVIKS.

HE LAUNCHES A WIDESPREAD POLICE RAID.

800 BOLSHEVIKS ARE ARRESTED,

INCLUDING TROTSKY AND KAMENEV.

♪♪

LENIN ESCAPES TO FINLAND WITH THE HELP OF STALIN,

WHO SHAVES OFF HIS FAMOUS GOATEE

AND DISGUISES HIM AS A FARMER.

STALIN STAYS BEHIND.

HE BECOMES LENIN'S MESSENGER AND GAINS IN IMPORTANCE.

TENSION IN THE COUNTRY

IS ACCENTUATED BY THE IMPENDING WINTER,

MAKING IT AN EASY TARGET FOR STRIKES AND FAMINE.

Narrator: AFTER A 3-MONTH ABSENCE,

LENIN DECIDES TO RETURN TO PETROGRAD

TO KICK OFF AN INSURRECTION.

ON THE EVENING OF NOVEMBER 7, 1917, THE BOLSHEVIKS

TAKE OVER ALL THE CAPITAL'S STRATEGIC POINTS...

THE POWER STATION, THE POST OFFICE,

THE BRIDGES.

THEY FREE THEIR PRISONERS.

THE WINTER PALACE, THE TSAR'S FORMER RESIDENCE,

IS THE LAST REFUGE

FOR KERENSKY'S PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT.

A BATTALION OF YOUNG WOMEN

ARE THE ONLY TROOPS LEFT TO DEFEND THE PALACE.

THE GARRISON'S STARVING SOLDIERS HAVE LEFT IN SEARCH OF FOOD.

THE CRUISER AURORA, SIDING WITH THE REVOLUTIONARIES,

FIRES A BLANK SHOT.

THIS IS THE SIGNAL TO LAUNCH THE ASSAULT

ON THE WINTER PALACE. [ MAN SHOUTING ]

THE 140 HEROIC YOUNG WOMEN

DEFEND THE PALACE TO THE BITTER END.

[ SHOUTING, GUNFIRE ]

THE BOLSHEVIKS CAPTURE

THE MEMBERS OF THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT.

KERENSKY, THEIR LEADER, MANAGES TO ESCAPE TO AMERICA

FOR A LONG EXILE.

[ SHOUTING ]

THIS COUP D'éTAT IS KNOWN AS THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION,

IN REFERENCE TO THE FORMER RUSSIAN CALENDAR.

THE ACTUAL DATE IS NOVEMBER 7, 1917.

THE BOLSHEVIKS ARE IN POWER.

LENIN FORMS HIS GOVERNMENT.

LENIN, WANTING TO ELIMINATE

BOURGEOIS TITLES SUCH AS MINISTER,

COINS THE TERM PEOPLE'S COMMISSAR.

HE OFFERS TROTSKY

THE POSITION OF COMMISSAR OF INTERIOR AFFAIRS,

WHO DECLINES...

"IS IT WORTHWHILE TO PUT INTO OUR ENEMIES' HANDS

SUCH AN ADDITIONAL WEAPON AS MY JEWISH ORIGIN?"

SO LENIN OFFERS HIM FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

WHICH SUITS TROTSKY PERFECTLY.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, A WOMAN

BECOMES A MEMBER OF A GOVERNMENT...

ALEXANDRA KOLLONTAI,

AN ARISTOCRAT WHO HAS EMBRACED MARXISM.

SHE WILL REMAIN IN OFFICE FOR 4 MONTHS.

[ KOLLONTAI SPEAKING RUSSIAN ]

Narrator: LENIN NAMES STALIN COMMISSAR OF NATIONALITIES.

HE IS IN CHARGE OF MANAGING INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENTS

NEAR THE BORDERS.

THE GEORGIAN, WHO HAS GAINED HIS TRUST,

WROTE A BROCHURE IN 1913 ENTITLED

"MARXISM AND THE NATIONAL QUESTION."

20 YEARS LATER, STALIN WILL ORDER THE EXECUTION

OF 12 OF THE 15 MINISTERS

OF LENIN'S 1917 GOVERNMENT.

BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, LENIN HOLDS THE POWER.

HE IS PRESIDENT OF THE SOVNARKOM,

THE COUNSEL OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSAR

AND MASTER OF PETROGRAD, THE CAPITAL OF RUSSIA.

PETROGRAD, NOVEMBER 1917.

AFTER THE BOLSHEVIK COUP D'éTAT, LIFE RETURNS TO NORMAL.

THERE ARE NO MORE CLASHES BETWEEN MILITIA IN THE STREETS.

WRITER MAXIM GORKY WONDERS,

"WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NOW?"

I FEAR THAT MUCH BLOOD WILL BE SHED,

"MUCH MORE THAN EVER BEFORE."

LENIN IS SEEN IN PUBLIC WITH HIS MISTRESS,

A FRENCH MILITANT NAMED INèS ARMAND,

AND HIS WIFE, NADEZHDA KRUPSKAYA,

A BOLSHEVIK FROM THE EARLY DAYS.

HE IS PRESSURED ON TWO ISSUES,

PEACE WITH GERMANY,

AND AN UPCOMING POLITICAL THREAT.

MONTHS AGO, THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT

HAD ORGANIZED ELECTIONS.

LENIN DECIDES TO MAINTAIN THE ELECTIONS

TO LEGITIMIZE HIS POWER.

THE FIRST FREE ELECTIONS IN RUSSIAN HISTORY

TAKE PLACE ON NOVEMBER 25, 1917.

ONLY 3 WEEKS AFTER THEIR COUP D'éTAT,

THE ELECTIONS ARE A CRUSHING DEFEAT

FOR THE BOLSHEVIKS.

THEY END UP WITH 168 DEPUTIES

AGAINST ALMOST 400 FOR THE SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONARIES,

WHO ARE MORE MODERATE AND DEMOCRATIC.

LENIN IMMEDIATELY DISSOLVES THE ASSEMBLY.

HE ESTABLISHES HIS DICTATORSHIP,

WHICH HE CHRISTENS DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT.

HE PROMISES A SOCIETY WITHOUT CLASSES.

HE SUSPENDS ALL LIBERTIES AND RIGHTS,

FORBIDS THE EXISTENCE OF POLITICAL PARTIES,

AND ELIMINATES FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

AND THE RIGHT TO STRIKE.

LENIN DESIGNATES ALL HIS OPPONENTS,

LEFT AND RIGHT,

AS ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE OR COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES.

TO NEUTRALIZE THESE ENEMIES,

HE CREATES A NEW SECRET POLITICAL POLICE

AND NAMES IT THE CHEKA,

USING THE RUSSIAN INITIALS FOR COMMISSION

FOR COMBATING COUNTERREVOLUTION.

IN 6 WEEKS, THE CHEKA, THE SECRET POLICE,

CARRIES OUT 50,000 ASSASSINATIONS,

NO LAW, NO JUSTICE.

THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR ASSERTS,

"WE MUST GO BEYOND EXECUTING THE GUILTY."

THE EXECUTION OF INNOCENTS WILL IMPRESS THE MASSES

"FAR MORE."

IN THIS WORLD OF TERROR, STALIN

SEDUCES HIS 16-YEAR-OLD SECRETARY,

NADEZHDA ALLILUYEVA.

HE HAS KNOWN HER SINCE SHE WAS 4.

HER PARENTS, AVID BOLSHEVIKS, HAD HIDDEN LENIN

WHEN THE POLICE WERE SEARCHING FOR HIM.

STALIN HAD ALREADY HAD AN AFFAIR WITH HER MOTHER,

AN ADVOCATE OF FREE LOVE.

HE MARRIES NADEZHDA, WHO BEARS HIM TWO CHILDREN.

THEY WILL BOTH PURSUE UNIQUE DESTINIES.

SHE WILL PROVE TO BE A COURAGEOUS WOMAN,

CAPABLE OF FACING THE RED TYRANT AT HER OWN RISK.

Narrator: MARCH 3, 1918.

THE RUSSIAN AND GERMAN SOLDIERS

EMERGE FROM THE TRENCHES AND FRATERNIZE.

THE WORD ON EVERYONE'S LIPS IS INTERNATIONAL REVOLUTION.

[ TRIUMPHANT MUSIC PLAYING ]

THE BANNERS CALL OUT,

"WORKERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!"

♪♪

LENIN AND THE BOLSHEVIKS HAVE JUST SIGNED

THE PEACE TREATY OF BREST-LITOVSK,

A DISASTER FOR RUSSIA,

WHO LOSES A SIGNIFICANT PORTION

OF LAND RICH IN WHEAT AND STEEL.

PETROGRAD IS DEEMED TOO CLOSE TO THE GERMAN BORDER.

THE BOLSHEVIKS CHOOSE TO RETURN TO THE FORMER CAPITAL,

MOSCOW.

MOSCOW, MARCH 1918...

LENIN POSES IN FRONT OF THE FAMOUS KREMLIN CANNON.

THE KREMLIN, THE CITADEL

THAT HOUSES THE TOMBS OF THE 47 TSARS.

AND TODAY, THE TSAR IS LENIN, A MARXIST...

LENIN, THE RUSSIAN DICTATOR.

HIS REGIME IS SUPPORTED BY THREE PILLARS...

THE BOLSHEVIK PARTY,

THE POLITICAL POLICE,

AND THE RED GUARDS,

WHO WILL EVOLVE INTO THE RED ARMY.

♪♪

BUT LENIN IS IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION.

HE IS SURROUNDED BY FORCES HOSTILE TO BOLSHEVISM.

THROUGHOUT RUSSIA, ARMIES OF WHITE GUARDS ARE FORMING.

OFTEN CONSTITUTED OF FORMER TSARIST SOLDIERS,

THESE MEN ARE PREPARED TO FIGHT FEROCIOUSLY

AGAINST THE REDS,

WHO ARE UNDISCIPLINED WORKERS OR FARMERS,

OFTEN POORLY ARMED AND EQUIPPED.

SO LENIN APPOINTS TROTSKY,

PEOPLE'S COMMISSAR OF ARMY AND NAVY AFFAIRS.

A MILITARY MAN AT HEART,

TROTSKY HAD BRILLIANTLY ORGANIZED THE BOLSHEVIK COUP

OF NOVEMBER 1917. [ CHEERING ]

ALL HIS ENERGY WILL BE REQUIRED.

♪♪

CIVIL WAR IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

IT WILL LAST 4 YEARS

AND CLAIM 10 MILLION LIVES.

BOTH SIDES ARE EQUALLY BARBARIC.

THEY TAKE NO PRISONERS.

THIS BOLSHEVIK SOLDIER SMILES IN DEFIANCE

AT THE WHITES ABOUT TO KILL HIM.

THERE HE IS ON THE RIGHT,

TEASING THEM UNTIL THE VERY LAST MOMENT.

[ GUNSHOT, BODY THUDS ]

LENIN AND A HANDFUL OF MEN

HAD THROWN AN ENTIRE CONTINENT INTO CHAOS.

SO OTHER GOVERNMENTS HOSTILE TO THE BOLSHEVIKS

BEGIN TO FORM,

LIKE THE SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONARIES IN SAMARA,

ON THE VOLGA.

DISAPPOINTED AND DESPERATE,

THEY PUT TOGETHER A PLOT TO ASSASSINATE LENIN.

THEY USE A WOMAN,

SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONARY FANNY KAPLAN.

SHE SHOOTS HIM IN THE SHOULDER AND THE LUNG.

[ GUNSHOT ]

FANNY KAPLAN LATER STATES,

"I FIRED AT LENIN"

BECAUSE I CONSIDER HIM TO BE A TRAITOR TO SOCIALISM.

"HIS VERY EXISTENCE DISCREDITS SOCIALISM."

REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS, LENIN REFUSES TO BE HOSPITALIZED,

WHERE HE BELIEVES HE WILL BE AT RISK.

HE HAS HIMSELF TRANSPORTED TO THE KREMLIN,

WHERE THE DOCTORS ARE UNABLE TO OPERATE.

LENIN SURVIVES WITH TWO BULLETS IN HIS BODY.

FANNY KAPLAN IS TORTURED AND EXECUTED

WITHOUT A TRIAL 3 DAYS LATER.

IN RETALIATION, THE CHEKA EXECUTES

1,300 UNLUCKY SOULS

DECLARED HOSTAGES OF THE BOURGEOISIE.

THE BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT DECREE OF AUGUST 30, 1918

OFFICIALIZES THE RED TERROR.

IT STIPULATES,

"THE CLASS ENEMIES MUST BE ISOLATED IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS."

ALL PEOPLE ARE TO BE EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD

WHO ARE CONNECTED WITH THE WHITE GUARD ORGANIZATIONS,

"CONSPIRACIES AND MUTINIES."

LIKE THE HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE,

THE BOLSHEVIKS WREAK DEATH AND DESTRUCTION

IN ORDER TO STAY IN POWER.

THEY PURSUE THIS COURSE OF ACTION FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS

UNTIL THE GERMANS SHOW UP AT THE GATES OF MOSCOW.

1941, EARLY NOVEMBER,

GERMAN BOMBERS ATTACK THE SOVIET CAPITAL.

THE WEHRMACHT'S TANKS ARE 70 KILOMETERS FROM THE KREMLIN.

[ ARTILLERY FIRE BURSTING ]

HITLER DECLARES, "RUSSIA IS FINISHED."

[ SIREN BLARING ] IN MOSCOW,

STALIN DECIDES TO STOP AUTHORIZING EVACUATIONS

AND TO SHOOT ALL THOSE SUSPECTED OF WANTING TO LEAVE THE CITY.

[ SIREN CONTINUES, DISTANT EXPLOSIONS ]

[ EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE ]

[ CHEERING, APPLAUSE ]

ON NOVEMBER 6, 1941,

SAFE INSIDE THE MOSCOW SUBWAY,

STALIN DELIVERS A GREAT SPEECH

IN FRONT OF HIS GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNIST PARTY LEADERS.

[ APPLAUSE CONTINUES ]

STALIN QUOTES HITLER,

DIRECTING THE FUHRER'S WORDS

AT THE MEN AND WOMEN LISTENING TO HIM.

THEY HAVE SURVIVED 2 DECADES OF TERROR.

STALIN WARNS THEM THAT THE WORST IS YET TO COME.

[ CHEERING, APPLAUSE ]

STALIN HAS ALWAYS LIED, BETRAYED, AND KILLED.

IN HIS UTOPIC WORLD, HE HAS FORGED A NEW SOCIETY

AND A NEW MAN...

THE RED MAN.

[ APPLAUSE CONTINUES ]