Liberation II: The Break Through

Liberation is a five-part epic documentary about WWII from the perspective of the Eastern Front. Created by Yuri Ozerov, the series was primarily a Soviet production, but also included collaboration with Polish, East German, Italian, and Yugoslav studios.

During the 1960s, the Soviet government was deeply unhappy that a number of Western films about WWII were being made with little to no reference to the Eastern Front. A prime example of this is the popular, Oscar-winning D-Day epic, The Longest Day (1962). And so, the Soviet authorities commissioned a monumental docudrama – Liberation – to commemorate and the war and demonstrate the important role the Soviet Union played.

This the second episode, “The Break Through” features the Allies’ landing in Sicily and the Soviet liberation of Kyiv.

• You can watch all five parts of the Liberation series here:
  • Liberation I: The Fire Bulge
  • Liberation II: The Break Through
  • Liberation III: Direction of the Main Blow
  • Liberation IV: Battle For Berlin
  • Liberation V: The Last Assault

• 1970s
• English subtitles
• Soviet Union
• WWII