The movie chronicles the experiences of the second American ambassador to the Soviet Union and was made in response to a request by Franklin D. Roosevelt . It was made during World War II , when the Americans and Soviets were allies , and takes an extremely solicitous view of not only the USSR in general but of Stalinism and Stalinist repressions in particular . For that reason , it was scrutinized by the House Committee on Un-American Activities
Stalinist repressions
Great Purge
Mission to Moscow