Over 20 million innocent people were murdered in 20th century Soviet Russia at the hands of Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin. Unimaginable horror swept the nation, turning the worst nightmares of blameless Soviet citizens into a gruesome reality. Join Bill Whittle as he revisits the sites of the most deadly regime in human history. 

An Empire of Terror: What We Saw

Ep 1 - Innocent People

Russia is still feeling the shock of the long-established autocracy falling with Tsar Nicholas II while they’re completely wrapped up in World War 1. An ambitious Vladimir Lenin is secretly smuggled into Russia to bring chaos, and chaos he certainly brought.

Ep 2 - Bacillus

It’s 1917. Lenin and comrades have galvanized large swaths of Russian commonfolk, or the “Proletariat,” and they all want revenge. A provisional government that reminds the masses too much of the previous oppressive monarchy turns a blind eye to Lenin and the people. The conditions are ripe for revolution.


Ep 3 - The Ramshackle Revolution

Having just succeeded in their revolution, the Bolsheviks lay roots for what would become one of the most oppressive governments the world has ever seen. In order to lay roots, however, they needed to clear ground. Bill Whittle takes you through the bloodshed of the Soviet Union’s infancy, and witnesses how the Bolsheviks lacked common sense and competence, but made up for it with sheer intimidation and dumb luck.


Ep 4 - The Bloodbath Begins

Despite the momentum Russia was gaining in prosperity and liberty in the beginning of the 20th century, the dark Bolshevik Revolution would still have its way. Follow Bill Whittle as he details how Lenin forcibly took any power the people had and how he developed a hatred for the very people he should have been fighting for.


Ep 5 - The Victory Over Democracy

At the seizure of power, Lenin and his Bolsheviks are met with assassination attempts and resistance that turns into a civil war. The retaliation that the Bolsheviks unleash on the failed resistance and the people of Russia is unspeakably and gruesomely horrific. Witness the internal conflict in early Soviet Russia and the consequential atrocities with Bill Whittle.


Ep 6 - Red Terror

A young Georgian man exudes a charisma, competence, and a rare “hardness” that allows him to quickly rise in the ranks of Lenin’s government. Meanwhile, Lenin’s health becomes a foreboding symbol for the degenerating country of Russia. Journey with Bill Whittle through the rise of Stalin, the fall of Lenin, and the Soviet Union’s brief affair with capitalist economics.


Ep 7 - Collapse

What does the cold steel in Soviet Gulags do? It cracks. What does the cold Stalin, or ‘Man of Steel’ in Russian, do? He makes Lenin’s ‘Red Terror’ look like child’s play. Witness the dismal conclusion to An Empire of Terror as Bill Whittle walks you through the physical and psychological suffering of the Russian people, the Soviet government cannibalizing itself, and perhaps some of the most blatant acts of evil the world has ever seen—all at the hands of Joseph Stalin.

Ep 8 - Echoes of Murder

Episodes

2024

To comprehend Putin’s motivations, we must examine the historical context that shaped his behaviors. Bill Whittle returns with season 3 of What We Saw: An Empire of Terror. Bill’s powerful storytelling brings you back in time to witness the reigns of Lenin and Stalin. This historic tale of terror unveils the chilling reality of fear and violence that gripped millions and killed millions more.

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