Tanks rush from a forest across the snow, infantrymen riding on their rear decks or skiing into battle in large numbers.

Russian infantry in greatcoats storm a village and clear the houses of surrendering German soldiers.

The elegantly preserved houses of the playwright Anton Chekhov and the novelist Leo Tolstoy are seen badly damaged, the museum exhibits destroyed.

Moscow Strikes Back was produced as "Project 6004; Information film #5", under the working titles of "Know Your Ally: Russia" and "War in the East".

Existing Russian films including Sergei Eisenstein's 1938 Alexander Nevsky were sampled.

[2] The English version's narration was written by Albert Maltz, with uncredited writing by Jay Leyda,[3] and Elliot Paul.

[6] The New York Times credits it as: "Russian documentary produced by the Central Studios, Moscow, USSR; English commentary by Albert Maltz, narrated by Edward G. Robinson; editing and montage by Slavko Vorkapich; musical score arranged by Dimitri Tiomkin; released here through Artkino Pictures, Inc. At the Globe Theatre.

"[7] The Times reviewer described the film in detail, admitting that words are inadequate, and adds that "The savagery of that retreat is a spectacle to stun the mind."

He found "infinitely more terrible" the sight of the atrocities, "the naked and slaughtered children stretched out in ghastly rows, the youths dangling limply in the cold from gallows that were rickety, but strong enough.

"[7] The review concluded that "To say that Moscow Strikes Back is a great film is to fall into inappropriate cliché."

Slavko Vorkapich's editing is described as brilliant; Albert Maltz's writing as terse, Robinson's voice-over as moving, "but that does not tell the story of what the heroic cameramen have done", filming "amid the fury of battle".