Corroded gas masks, dented tanks and fragments of artillery were found by a group of volunteers searching a large forested area in central Russia. These are the remains of the Battle of Moscow – the largest battle in human history and one of the most important battles of World War II. Scrap metal found from the distant past may hint at the brutality and heavy casualties of the battle, but Hitler’s frozen army creates a vivid story full of suspense and immersive realism.
This crucial battle was part of Operation Typhoon, Adolf Hitler’s plan to overtake Moscow and eventually conquer the Soviet Union. In the end, the Soviets dealt a huge blow to the Germans by foiling their attempts to take the capital. The victory was hard won and cost more than a million casualties.
This “battle of annihilation” was orchestrated by two of the world’s most notorious dictators: Hitler and Joseph Stalin. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and both sides know it’s going to be a fight to the death under merciless circumstances.
Forced to dodge incessant air raids, weave through dense undergrowth, and contend with severely depleted arsenals, Soviet soldiers were badly defeated in the early stages of the battle. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed or taken hostage by the enemy. By mid-October 1941, her fortunes had changed significantly. The heavy rain made the jungle-covered battlefield muddy and slowed down the advance of the Soviet army. Freezing temperatures further impair their further development. In fact, many members of Hitler’s army died not from gunfire or cannon fire, but from relentless bad weather.
The filmmakers draw on the testimonies of surviving witnesses, the personal stories of soldiers who died in battle, and a host of historians to break down the ladder of effectively wresting victory from defeat.
Hitler’s Frozen Army features carefully selected archival footage and a variety of riveting re-enactments to bring to life what many consider to be the greatest battle in the history of global military conflict.
Directed by: Brian Rice
