As Russia Sees It

This report captures the drama of June 25 1950, when North Korean forces, backed by Russia and China, invaded South Korea. The attack, which took America by surprise, marked the beginning of the three year long Korean War. With a blend of footage from newsrooms, (which recreate the moments the attacks were first reported), together with combat footage from Korea and film of President Truman addressing the nation, the film conveys the uncertainty of the early days of the war.

As March of Time entered its final year, the familiar blend of recreations, news footage and strong editorial opinion were all still present and correct. But the old sense of swagger had gone, so that the effect of this film - which is interesting for historical reasons - is somewhat flat and ultimately underwhelming. The scenes from the Associated Press newsroom, which recreate the moments when the news of the invasion of South Korea reached the USA, show the series’ fascination with the newsmaking process but this secondhand approach sets the tone for the whole film. Everything seems at one remove from the events themselves, and the issue lacks the visceral immediacy of earlier films in the series.