If War Comes Tomorrow

Plot

This Soviet propaganda documentary showcases the immense military power and readiness of the Red Army through extensive footage of actual military maneuvers conducted in 1938. The film presents a grand spectacle of Soviet military might, featuring vast armadas of tanks, massive infantry columns, squadrons of fighter planes and bombers, and thousands of cavalry units in coordinated action. Interspersed with the military demonstrations are dramatic narrative segments following soldiers and civilians preparing for what the film portrays as an inevitable imperialist attack on the USSR. The documentary systematically builds a narrative of Soviet invincibility, suggesting that any future war will be swift, victorious, and nearly bloodless for the Soviet people due to their overwhelming military preparedness and technological superiority.

Historical Background

The film was produced during a period of extreme tension in Europe as Nazi Germany under Hitler was rapidly expanding its military power and territorial ambitions. The Soviet Union under Stalin was engaged in a massive military buildup and was deeply concerned about the growing threat from both Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. 1938 was also the year of the Munich Agreement, which the Soviets viewed as a betrayal by Western powers and evidence that the USSR might have to face Nazi aggression alone. Domestically, the Soviet Union was in the midst of the Great Purge, which had decimated the Red Army's officer corps. The film served both as international propaganda to demonstrate Soviet strength and as domestic reassurance to a population that had witnessed the purging of many military leaders. The timing of the film's release, just before the outbreak of WWII, makes it a fascinating historical document of Soviet military preparedness and propaganda on the eve of the most devastating conflict in human history.

Making Of

The production of 'If War Comes Tomorrow' was a massive undertaking that required unprecedented cooperation between the Soviet military and film industry. Director Nikolay Karmazinskiy and his crew were granted extraordinary access to military facilities and exercises that were normally highly classified. The filming took place over six months during the summer and fall of 1938, with camera crews embedded in various military units across different Soviet republics. The production faced numerous technical challenges, including filming moving tanks and aircraft without modern stabilization equipment. Camera operators were often placed in dangerous positions to capture dynamic shots, including being mounted on moving vehicles and aircraft. The narrative segments featuring the cast were filmed separately in Moscow studios and then integrated with the documentary footage. The film's editing process took nearly four months as the team worked to seamlessly blend the authentic military footage with the dramatic elements to create a cohesive propaganda narrative.

Visual Style

The cinematography in 'If War Comes Tomorrow' was groundbreaking for its time, particularly in its coverage of large-scale military operations. Camera operators employed innovative techniques to capture the scale of the maneuvers, including aerial photography from biplanes and early helicopters, crane shots over tank formations, and tracking shots alongside cavalry units. The film made extensive use of wide-angle lenses to emphasize the vastness of the military formations and employed multiple cameras to capture complex maneuvers from different angles simultaneously. The contrast between the sweeping documentary footage of military exercises and the more intimate, staged narrative segments created a dynamic visual rhythm. The black and white photography emphasized the stark, mechanical beauty of the military hardware while also highlighting the human element of the soldiers.

Innovations

The film pushed the boundaries of documentary filmmaking technology in the late 1930s Soviet Union. The production team developed specialized camera mounts for filming from moving tanks and aircraft, allowing for dynamic tracking shots that had rarely been achieved before. The aerial photography sequences were particularly innovative, using multiple cameras mounted on different aircraft to capture coordinated military operations from various angles. The film also employed early forms of time-lapse photography to show the assembly and deployment of military equipment. The sound recording team faced significant challenges capturing clear audio during loud military exercises, developing new techniques for microphone placement and sound mixing. The seamless integration of documentary footage with studio-shot narrative segments was also technically impressive for the time.

Music

The musical score was composed by Dmitri Kabalevsky, one of the Soviet Union's most prominent composers. The soundtrack combines martial themes with patriotic songs, creating an emotional arc that builds from preparation to triumphant victory. The film features several choral pieces performed by the Red Army Ensemble, including original songs specifically written for the production. The music serves as a crucial narrative element, underscoring the ideological message of Soviet strength and unity. Kabalevsky's score incorporates elements of Russian folk music with modern orchestral techniques, creating a sound that was both contemporary and rooted in Russian musical traditions. The soundtrack was also released as a separate recording and was frequently played on Soviet radio.

Memorable Scenes

• The opening sequence showing thousands of tanks rolling across the steppe in perfect formation, creating an overwhelming visual display of mechanized power
• The aerial ballet of fighter planes and bombers performing coordinated maneuvers while the camera captures the Soviet insignia on their wings
• The dramatic cavalry charge with thousands of horsemen galloping across the fields, representing the continuity between the revolutionary past and modern military
• The scene where factory workers interrupt their shifts to practice with rifles, demonstrating the unity of industrial and military readiness
• The climactic sequence showing all branches of the military operating in perfect coordination, culminating in a massive display of fireworks and patriotic music

What Critics Said

Contemporary Soviet critics praised the film as a masterpiece of patriotic cinema, with Pravda calling it 'a powerful testament to the strength and unity of the Soviet people and their heroic Red Army.' The film was hailed for its technical achievements in capturing military maneuvers on film and its effective blending of documentary and narrative elements. International reviews were mixed, with Western critics generally acknowledging the film's technical prowess while questioning its propagandistic message. Modern film historians view the work as an important example of state-sponsored cinema and a valuable historical document, though they note its role in promoting Soviet military overconfidence before the devastating realities of the Eastern Front. The film is now studied primarily for its historical significance rather than its artistic merits.

What Audiences Thought

The film was enormously popular with Soviet audiences upon its release, playing to packed theaters across the USSR. Many viewers were genuinely impressed by the scale of the military operations depicted and took pride in what they perceived as their country's military strength. The film's message of Soviet invincibility resonated with a population that had been fed steady propaganda about the superiority of the Soviet system. Schoolchildren were often taken to see the film as part of their political education, and it was frequently shown at workers' meetings and collective farm assemblies. However, after the devastating German invasion of 1941, many Soviet citizens recalled the film's message of 'easy victory' with bitter irony, and it was quietly withdrawn from circulation during the war years.

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