Discussing the book "Twentieth century journey: 1930-1940" with the author William Shirer.

Wilfred Burchett (an Australian journalist) discusses his journalism career. He was reporting conflicts in Asia (North Korea, Vietnam, China and Japan) and their Communist supporters. He speaks briefly about his experiences in Nazi Germany and concentration camps. Towards the end of the interview he talks about his interest in learning and reporting more about the new euro-communism (prominent in Italy, Spain and France).

Joshua Rubenstein discusses his book "Tangled Loyalties: The Life and Times of Ilya Ehrenburg" and the importance of Ehrenburg during the Stalin regime.

Harrison Salisbury discusses his book “The 900 Days: The Siege Of Leningrad” and the lasting impact of the siege on the Soviet Union and life in Leningrad during the siege. Salisbury reads a poem by Olga Bergholz.Isabella Zorina discusses a trip to mass graves, including the many young people who were also visiting, some as part of wedding ceremonies, and the music played at the graves. Terkel plays Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, conducted by Leonard Bernstein, at the end of the program.

His experiences as a journalist are what's covered in Harrison Evans Salisbury's book, "A Time of Change: A Reporter's Tale of Our Time". Salisbury believed as a reporter, one truly needed to be at the event, in order to obtain the true story. Once Salisbury questioned if he was living in America because he was asked to switch rooms at a hotel in Birmingham, only to find out later that there were special, bugged rooms for reporters.

While in a Dusseldorf prison, Gitty Sereny spent 70 hours interviewing Franz Stangl, the commandant of the Treblinka extermination camp. Her book, "Into That Darkness: An Examination of Conscience," questions how could an ordinary man with a wife and children become such an evil monster. Stangl rationalized his job by saying he never hurt anyone, that he never murdered anyone. Sereny said in the end, the only guilt Stangl harbored was that of still being alive.

Studs continues his interview with Erich Luth in Hamburg, Germany. The audio breaks at 25:23 and continues on a Sat at 25:28 till its conclusion at 35:43. Erich Luth conveys stories of humanity by both German prisoners towards Russian prisoners whose treatment was dictated by the Nazi party to not offer any winter clothing or shoes to provide comfort. The German laborers provided a human solidarity that brought them food, clothes, and soap.

Studs interview with German writer and freelance journalist, Dieter Lattman, who shares his military family background and the influence that WW II had on his desire to involve himself in politics. They discuss other German authors and the German family and culture. Studs quotes German journalist and political critic, Joachim Kaiser, who called the young people of Germany a "fatherless generation." Studs interviews Lattman in Germany.

Photographer David Scherman talks with Studs Terkel about the stories that photos can tell, famous photographers, and the book “The Best of Life,” which Scherman edited. A recording of the song “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” by the Weavers is played.