I was recently asked by someone i know who is interested in the military history of WW2 from the Soviet perspective what the best starting point is. It is not as easy to find good introductory level material on the subject if you don’t speak Russian, because so much of the English language media either focuses mostly on the Western and Pacific fronts, or inserts too much anti-communist ideological bias when discussing the Eastern front. I remembered stumbling onto this documentary some years ago - back then it was still on YouTube, now i can’t seem to find it there - and i thought I would also share it here in case there are others who are interested in history and are just getting into learning about WW2.

One of the most interesting parts is actually the very last episode of the series because it deals with the brief but very decisive Soviet war against Imperial Japan. A subject which even many people who study the Soviet side of WW2 don’t know that much about. This is a shame because the Soviet liberation of Manchuria is probably one of the most impressive military operations of all time, involving million strong armies on each side, a front line of more than 4,500km, and waged over an enormous territory larger than all of Belarus and Ukraine combined (or France and Germany if you prefer a more western comparison), yet the Soviets managed to completely steamroll the Japanese army in just over ten days.

Soviet Storm: WW2 in the East presents a comprehensive account of the Eastern Front during World War II, focusing on the conflict between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. This 18-episode series, told from a Russian perspective, chronicles the major battles, campaigns, and strategic decisions that shaped the outcome of the war in Eastern Europe.

The documentary begins with Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, and follows the progression of the war through to the fall of Berlin in 1945. It covers pivotal events such as the Siege of Leningrad, the Battle of Moscow, the Battle of Stalingrad, and Operation Bagration, providing detailed insights into the tactics employed by both sides and the immense scale of the conflict.

The series highlights the role of key military figures, the development and deployment of new weapons technologies, and the devastating impact of the war on civilian populations. It also explores lesser-known aspects of the conflict, such as the naval battles in the Baltic Sea and the crucial role of Soviet intelligence operations.

The documentary utilizes a combination of archival footage, computer graphics, and expert commentary to illustrate the complexities of the Eastern Front. It emphasizes the enormous human cost of the war, with over 30 million lives lost, including millions of civilians. It also touches on the broader geopolitical implications of the conflict, including the eventual division of Europe and the seeds of the Cold War.

By offering a detailed examination of the largest and bloodiest theater of World War II, the documentary provides a valuable resource for understanding the pivotal role the Eastern Front played in shaping the outcome of the war.