Russia's War: Blood upon the Snow

Russia's War: Blood upon the Snow is a ten-part British-Russian television documentary series that explores the involvement of the Soviet Union in World War 2 while under Joseph Stalin's reign of terror, highlighting the suffering of the general population, members of the Red Army and anyone that Stalin thought might pose a threat to his power.

The series was released in 1995, not long after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, an event that allowed Western and Russian historians access to formerly secret Soviet archives for the first time so that the events on the Eastern Front could be better explained to Western audiences.

The series is narrated by English actor Nigel Hawthorne and the credits name "Professor Richard Overy", "Professor Dmitri Volkogonov" and "Professor Mikhail Semyryaga" as Historical Consultants. Although Volkogonov did publish books on Soviet history and had extensive access to the archives, it appears that the title "Professor" is honorary as it appears he did not work at a university.

Criticism
Dr. Nick Baron an associate professor at the Faculty of Arts, University of Nottingham writes:

"The series presents what was even in 1995, in the scholarly historiography, an outmoded view of Stalin's Soviet Union. It reinforces rather than seeks to challenge popular preconceptions about the dictator's rule."

He suggests it is simplistic to say Stalin was an evil genius and that the population not sent to the gulag or the front was held in thrall by propaganda.

"For a full understanding of this history, it is as relevant and vital to study the sources of popular enthusiasm for Stalin and social participation in the system as it is to examine the origins and course of terror and repression."

He notes some errors where the visual footage does not match what is being described, imprecise chronology, quotes used out of context and some mistranslations.

However, he concludes "The documentary is compelling viewing, with some breathtaking footage and a powerful original musical score, and will be of greatest interest to those with a general interest in the Second World War. For students and scholars of Soviet political and social history, however, its commentary will be found lacking analytical sophistication and its principal value lies in its extensive use of hitherto mainly unseen archival film and interviews with participants in events."

Books
After the television series was released, the book Russia's War: Blood Upon The Snow, was published in hardback but renamed as Russia's War: A History of the Soviet Effort: 1941-1945 in paperback.