The Battle of Russia (1943) Reel 7: Leningrad Siege & Nazi Atrocities

Reel 7 of The Battle of Russia (1943) portrays both the suffering and resilience of the Soviet Union under Nazi invasion. The reel begins with powerful images of cultural destruction, including the ruined homes of Leo Tolstoy and Tchaikovsky, and haunting scenes of civilians weeping over frozen bodies and victims of Nazi executions. By spring 1942, the Red Army launched a counterattack that pushed German forces back on all fronts, shattering the myth of Nazi invincibility. The film then focuses on the Siege of Leningrad, where citizens dug trenches, built barricades, and prepared for unrelenting bombardment. Anti-aircraft guns fire at German planes as bombs devastate the city, while maps depict the encirclement and German demands for surrender—demands that went unanswered. The reel closes with the image of a German helmet pierced by a bullet, symbolizing the courage of the defenders and the failure of Hitler’s campaign against Leningrad.

- Ruined homes of Leo Tolstoy and Tchaikovsky, highlighting Nazi cultural destruction
- Civilians weeping over frozen bodies and victims of Nazi executions
- Red Army counterattack in spring 1942, pushing back German forces on all fronts
- Siege of Leningrad: citizens digging trenches and building barricades
- Anti-aircraft guns firing at Luftwaffe planes during bombardment
- Devastating bombs falling on the city, with maps showing encirclement
- German demands for surrender, met with heroic resistance
- Symbolic closing shot of a bullet-pierced German helmet