In 1941, Joseph Stalin thought he could count on his alliance with Germany to protect his Russia from the fires of war that are sweeping Europe. And then Adolf Hitler changes his mind and invades, sweeping through Russia with brutal efficiency. How would Communist dictator Joseph Stalin persuade his people to rise up when the Germans appear unbeatable? With a skillful appeal to Russian nationalism, Stalin convinces millions to take up arms. Among them a young woman named Lyudmilla Pavlichenko. Her deadly accuracy as a sniper would make her a useful tool of propaganda, inspiring others to fight and survive. In Canada another young woman named Veronica Foster does her part for Allied morale: she becomes known as Ronnie the Bren Gun Girl, a sexy poster girl who inspired women to enter the workforce. 1941 brings another shock: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything about the war. The Allies now have the mighty Americans on their side. For their part, the Germans, the Italians and the Japanese now have a formidable enemy to contend with. But for now the Japanese people continue to believe Emperor Hirohito when he tells them Japan is invincible.

From the Curio.ca streaming audio-visual collection.