The Soviet Story

The Soviet Story is a thought-provoking and poignant documentary film that explores the complex history of the Soviet Union, revealing disturbing truths, rarely covered in mainstream media, with focus on the totalitarian regime's genocidal policies. The film unearths the unseemly realities hidden under the idealistic propaganda of unity and communal performance presented on the global stage.

Directed by Edvīns Šnore and released in 2008, the film showcases deep insights into the painful history of Soviets and links between the Soviet and Nazi genocides. Jon Strickland, the narrator, takes the viewers through various incidents in this devastating part of human history, with a distinctly engaging and dramatic flair. Historians, survivors, and experts like Vladimir Bukovsky, a human rights activist and survivor of Soviet prison, provide engrossing firsthand accounts of the Marxist atrocities that have shaped world history forever.

From the starting point with Vladimir Lenin's initiation of the Soviet Republic, the film uncovers the violent strategies adopted by the Communist party, bringing into focus the brutal realities of the man-made famine in Ukraine, also known as Holodomor. It depicts the mass murders and the purges based on class and political ideology, revealing the chilling state machinery that operated solely on severe oppression and fear.

Artfully combining a wide range of sources such as archival footage, interviews, and historical reenactments, The Soviet Story creates a genuine picture of the horrifying Soviet regime. From urban centers to remote gulags, this film explores numerous aspects of daily life under Communism, focusing on the constant state of fear experienced by people. It illustrates the extent of state control in Soviet society, an all-encompassing dominion that touched every aspect of life, from work and education to personal beliefs and family interactions.

At the heart of the film lies the exploration of the ideological connection between Soviet Communism and German Nazism, an association seldom emphasized within popular discourse. It shows controversial aspects, including a period of collaboration between these two regimes before the outbreak of the Second World War. The film brings to light how these totalitarian philosophies shared similar roots and strategies and how they fed off each other’s despotic ideologies to implement brutal genocides.

One of the most poignant parts of the documentary are the stories of survivors who lived through the terror of displacement, poverty, and execution during Stalin's iron-fisted rule. They offer intimate testimonials of the harsh truth of the Soviet regime, bearing witness to the brutalities of an era that forever scarred the face of humanity. Their experiences presented in the movie echo the voices of millions who paid heavy consequences under the vicious dictatorial rule.

While Strickland's solid storytelling forms the bedrock of the narrative, it is further supported by authoritative and informative commentary from scholars and experts. They contextualize the events, offering analyses of the socio-political factors in play and their impact on the development of the Soviet state and society.

Through the lens of this movie, we witness dark episodes of human history, like the mass deportations in the Baltic States and other parts of Eastern Europe following the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. It provides a clear depiction of the Soviet authorities' role in ethnic cleansing and genocides, showing the disturbing reality of political ideology that cost millions of innocent lives.

Not afraid to unearth shocking truths, The Soviet Story also reveals an unexplored dimension of World War II history – the part played by Western democracies, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, in enabling the growth and expansion of the Soviet Empire, thereby indirectly profiting from the Soviet Union's ruthless dictatorial policies.

The Soviet Story is not just a film. It's a deep-dive into the historical events that have shaped the modern world, a study of the relationship between unmitigated power and pervasive oppression. It's a chilling expose of the truths that the world often prefers not to acknowledge, offering an integral perspective on the compelling and horrifying legacy of the Soviet era. Through its powerful narrative and compelling documentation, the film contributes to the enduring dialogue about human rights, freedom, and democracy.

Provocative, enlightening, and intensely emotive, The Soviet Story commands attention. It instills in the viewers an understanding of the terrible cost that people have paid for freedom and serves as a powerful reminder of the past atrocities that the humankind should never forget or repeat. The film encourages us to reconcile with our history and be vigilant in preserving human life, liberty, and dignity in the future. It’s a must-watch for anyone interested in established historical narratives or those seeking to understand the profound complexities of Soviet history.