Why the Soviets doctored this iconic photo
This photo conceals a clue to a brutal story of vengeance.
Correction: Many of you pointed out that we erroneously used “Russia” and “Russian” interchangeably with “Soviet Union” and “Soviet” in this video. The Soviet Union was a multiethnic federation, and indeed many non-Russians bore the brunt of Hitler’s initial invasion in 1941. We regret the error — especially in reference to the Soviet soldier raising the flag in the photo, Alexei Kovalev, who is Ukrainian.
Additionally, we inaccurately stated that Rosenthal’s photo was taken following the Battle of Iwo Jima. While the capture of Mt. Suribachi was a significant point in the battle, it was not the end, and in fact three of the six Marines pictured were later killed in action on Iwo Jima.
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“Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima” and “Raising a Flag over the Reichstag” are similarly iconic photos from World War II. They’re both beloved images of victory, and they’re both taken after the fighting ended in significant battles. But the Russian one is different, because parts of it are altered.
Specifically, a watch being worn by one of the soldiers is edited out, to cover up the possibility that he had been looting. The Soviet invasion of Germany saw brutal acts of civilian murder, rape, and looting as a vengeful act following Operation Barbarossa, Hitler’s 1941 invasion of Russia that left millions dead, including women and children.
Darkroom is a new series from Vox producer Coleman Lowndes that digs into stories of the past, one photograph at a time. Watch all the episodes here: http://bit.ly/2U4qGDI
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@Vox
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Many of you pointed out that we erroneously used “Russia” and “Russian” interchangeably with “Soviet Union” and “Soviet” in this video. The Soviet Union was a multiethnic federation, and indeed many non-Russians bore the brunt of Hitler’s initial invasion in 1941. We regret the error — especially in reference to the Soviet soldier raising the flag in the photo, Alexei Kovalev, who is Ukrainian.
Additionally, we inaccurately stated that Rosenthal’s photo was taken following the Battle of Iwo Jima. While the capture of Mt. Suribachi was a significant point in the battle, it was not the end, and in fact three of the six Marines pictured were later killed in action on Iwo Jima.
@TikoVerhelst
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Do love that the Sovjets, I guess, didn't liberate correctly?
Yeah, because inviting faci scientists to work on your weapons is sooooo much better…..
Always love it when Vox does this high moral horse stuff and then completely misses the mark. Like, sure, maybe the Sovjets liberated in the bad way. But if we are gonna compare like that we can go on forever…..
What about the fact the atom bombs weren't necessary? What about that 'liberation' being incorrect?
@Joshify51
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
The watch? seriously? What about this random guy having hooves?
@meso8848
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Russia?! It was USSR . not Russia… good job doing the photoshop lol
@PopkornStar
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Now they need to remove washing machines
@GustavoCarvalho-wl5fg
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
I couldn't find where you put the sources for such specific allegations. Could you?
@mrhael9
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
It's true. My great-grandfather killed some German and took his watch as a trophy. I still have it
@nguyenvubui1258
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
it's staged, but he still have the watch? blud gotta be sent to gulag for this
@badside_evghen
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
"millions of russians were killed", not ukranians, belorussians, jews, moldavians, tatars. They were all russians.
@TaigiTWeseDiplomat--Formosan
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
0;
@bagualues
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Isn't Rosenthal's photo also staged? You called it "candid" in this video, but you also showed the footage that accompany the moment… Ain't a bit fishy?
@b.amanalyuly5776
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
That s rakhymzhan koshkarbayev
@tt.profiler8566
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
0:20 – To my knowledge, the Reichstag building isn't the "former" German parliament building. The German parliament (= Bundestag) is still in the Reichstag building.
@youngcurtis5208
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
I'v stopped watching this, after he called Soviets "Russians".
@pcmllc1200
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Still the red army won for us
@picklechin2716
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
If it was a compass, they would still scratch it out, because a normal person would look at it as a second watch, which would discredit the image. Doesn't matter what it was, it would have still been scratched off.
@Likgas-b9r
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Why is it age restricted
@ovsyankinroman
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Подождите, американцы в комментах реально думают, что это они выиграли войну?
@afnanamin7958
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
I have been watching Vox's videos for a long time and I do love them but I noticed that there is a clear agends against anyone that America considers 'bad' and agends for anyone America considers 'good'. This is not shown through lying about anything or ignoring something but misrepresentation of hiding of certain information, in this video you can clearly see that Soviets won the war but Vox is focusing on some facts that make them look bad and if it were the US that did this, only the good would be mentioned. This is very common in media in the US, I have no doubt the media is controlled in the US, not directly but indirectly.
@pratikkatkar5032
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
History remember greatest mankind archive and courage
Brutality like animal all bad habits of man
@jacktoh4552
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
WAUTH
@PedroSanchez300
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Nice
@randomguyonthenet
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Bruh, for you all western guys whatever russia do is wrong and staged but what usa do is pure
@trafichat
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Ha! You got age restricted!
@nripanbabu3667
March 29, 2026 at 9:52 pm
This is a right-wing media ..
OF COURSE IT DOES NOT SUPPORT USSR
Comments are closed.