keywords: russian revolution, joseph stalin, russian germany pact, hungarian revolution, fidel castro, berlin wall
Synopsis: Historic footage that document the events that led from the end of Tsarist rule of Russia to the new form of Russian government, Communism... (read more plus shot list)
Scenes of the Berlin Wall erected to divide by force people living in Communist East Berlin and people that enjoy freedom in West Berlin. Stream of refugees worldwide fleeing Communism. Portrait of Karl Marx, the father of Communism. Shows East German Soldiers erecting double barded wire fences along the East Berlin border. Portrait of Gunter Litfin. Litfin shot and killed by East German border guard while swimming across Spree Canal to West Berlin. Images of Gunter Litfin's body being pulled from Spree Canal after failed escape attempt from East Berlin. Animated map of the world shows the road to Communism moving backwards from Berlin 1961 to Tsarist Russia in 1905.
Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia, on the balcony of his Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg Russia. Peasants gather with Russian Priest Father Georgy Apollonovich to present a petition to the Czar. Mounted troops attack the peasants. Portrait of Nicholas II. Shows footage of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, aka Lenin, a Russian Marxist revolutionary. Shows Tsar of Russia with his family. Portrait of Nicholas II wife and son. Portrait of Grigori Rasputin. Scenes of WWI. Poorly equipped and trained Russian Troops killed and died by the thousands from Typhus, at home the Russian people faced starvation and poverty. The Russian Revolution of February 1917 deposed the Czar. Alexander Kerensky becomes Minister of Justice of the Provisional Government.
Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky returns from exile. In the October 1917 revolution the Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin came to power with Leon Trotsky taking control of the Red Army. Portrait of Lenin. Lenin makes peace with the Germans taking Russia out of WWI. Russian Civil war between the Bolsheviks and anti-communist forces. The Bolshevik secret Police called the Cheka became active, execution without trial. Kronstadt rebellion1921, Scenes of people killed by the Red Army on orders from Leon Trotsky. Video clip of Leon Trotsky. With Lenin and Trotsky firmly in power The Bolshevik Party changes it's name to the Communist Party, The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) is established, and the Cheka is replace with the OGPU, political police of the Soviet Union. Joseph Stalin becomes head of the “Department” of Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Group. Lenin institutes a New Economic Policy in the Soviet Union. American Relief Administration under President Hoover ships food to the Soviet Union. Newspaper headline January 1924 reads “Lenin Is Dead. Shows body of Lenin in casket, Lenin's funeral.
Joseph Stalin becomes totalitarian leader of the Soviet Union January 24, 1924. Stalin starts massive industrialization program. Portrait of N.I. Yezhov, Stalin's police chief 1936-38. Joseph Stalin orchestrated a large-scale purge of the Communist Party and Government Officials. Coyoacan 1940, exiled Leon Trotsky is murdered, image of Trotsky in casket. In the west, Hitler and the Nazi Party controls Germany. Hitler gives speech. Newspaper headline reads “Reich And Soviet Join For Peace”. Beginning of WWII on September 1, 1939 as German Forces invade Poland from the North. September 17,1939 the Red Army of the Soviet Union crosses the Polish border from the East (Russian invasion of Poland). Germany invades the Soviet Union.
Animated world map shows the countries occupied or controlled by the Soviet Union after WWII. Shows methods used by the Soviet Union to spread Communism under the rule of Joseph Stalin. Footage of Soviet soldiers marching with weapons thrust forward depicting Russia military power. Chinese Communist take control of China by force. Czechoslovakia becomes a Communist controlled state in 1948. Shows uprisings in East Germany in 1953 and Poland in 1956. Budapest 1956, Hungarian revolution. Footage of Imre Nagy Hungarian Communist politician. Soviet tanks enters Hungary and crushes Hungarian revolt. Havana Cuba 1959, Fidel Castro rise to power and control of Cuba. Cuban peasants cutting sugar cane, shows city slums where poor Cuban peasants lived.
Berlin 1961, shows a stark contrast between Communist government and a government that promotes freedom of it's people.
Shot List: Road To The Wall, History of Communism. Start video at time code shown.
00:00:59:14. Video clip of angry baby.
00:01:50:13. Portrait of Karl Marx.
00:02:35:14. East German Soldiers erecting double barded wire fences.
00:02:59:13. Images of Gunter Litfin's body being pulled from Spree Canal.
00:03:47:04. Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia, on the balcony of Winter Palace.
00:04:05:11. Peasants gather with Russian Priest Father Georgy Apollonovich.
00:04:32:12. Mounted troops attack the peasants.
00:04:53:11. Portrait of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, aka Lenin.
00:05:31:06. Portrait of Grigori Rasputin.
00:06:20:04. Russian people faced starvation and poverty.
00:06:53:02. Alexander Kerensky becomes Minister of Justice of the Provisional Government.
00:08:41:11. Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin seize power.
00:10:08:13. Russian Civil war between the Bolsheviks and anti-communist forces.
00:10:40:09. Cheka execution without trial.
00:11:33:03. Video clip of Leon Trotsky
00:11:58:08. Video clip of Joseph Stalin, 1920's
00:12:49:03. American Aid to Soviet Union under President Hoover.