The Russian German War (1995) CTV

Episode 106: Breakout to Berlin

The debilitating, humiliating defeat at Stalingrad early in 1943, was the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. No more stupendous victories, only vicious, blood-spilling defeats. For the final push towards Berlin, Russia assembled an army of unimaginable size and strength – 74 armies, 743 divisions, 15,000 tanks, and 15,000 planes.

This is a rare look at one of the worst horror stories in the long infamous history of warfare. This series features captured German and Russian film footage, much of which has never been seen before.For decades the Cold War prevented us from looking closely at what really happened between the Russians and the Germans on the Eastern Front during World War II. More than a struggle between nations, it pitted maniacal tyrant against maniacal tyrant, evil ideology against evil ideology. The lives of tens of millions of human beings were consumed by its raging hatreds and appalling indignities. One in every ten Russians died. One in every four Poles died. Whole divisions of Italians, Romanians, Hungarians disappeared with barely a trace. An average of 17,800 people died on every single day – and this, the war on the Russian German Front, lasted for 1,400 days. The series is narrated with chilling precision by actor Douglas Rain. The script, by producer Jerry Lawton, is dark and powerful. The music, by composer Rick Hyslop, captures every nuance of tragedy with discordant clarity. The series features captured German and Russian film footage, much of which has never been seen in the United States.