From Bino Bellomo’s collection “Centomila lettere di guerra” (“One-Hundred Thousand Letters of War”) to Istituto Luce’s archived newsreels, the film traces the historical record of the Second World War. The progressive opening of the three fronts (France, Greece, Africa) along with the participation of ARMIR in the Russian campaign are seen – through the illusory proclamations in Mussolini’s speeches upon each disaster – with the perspective of the internal front, consisting of realizations by combatants and those who suffered through the war back home. Actors, actresses and singers from the era appear as well, attempting in vain to make the dramatic times less painful. Some of the personalities shown are Totò, Petrolini, Magnani, Fabrizi, De Sica and Gigli.