Posted on 11/24/2023 2:56:01 PM PST by thegagline
*** World War II in HD
Released by the History Channel in 2009, this 10-episode series narrated by Gary Sinise (”Forrest Gump”) uses stunning footage from both the European and Pacific fronts, much of which was shot in color, to illustrate the horrors and triumphs of war.
Inside World War II
Released in 2012, this three-part documentary from National Geographic features personal stories of World War II from troops who lived it. According to its synopsis, the series “takes an intimate look at personal wartime experiences from the perspective of a wide array of veterans and citizens who endured ... bloody conflicts day by day, hour by hour, and second by second.”
The World at War
Released in 1973, this 26-part, British-produced series is one of the most comprehensive World War II documentaries ever made. Narrated by Oscar-winner Laurence Olivier, the series focuses on 15 of the war’s most significant military campaigns as well as the conflict’s profound impact on the individuals enduring its horrors.
World War II: The Last Heroes
This six-part series, which focuses on the ordinary boys who became heroes, begins with D-Day and ends at the war’s conclusion. The crux of this particular documentary is a story of war as told by its foot soldiers — rather than through a lens of historians or high-ranking decision makers.
World War 2: The Complete History
“The Complete History” is a slightly older series designed to appeal to the well-versed history and military buffs interested in oft overlooked details of the conflict. Produced in 2000 and narrated by Peter Dickson (”Britain’s Got Talent”), the documentary begins with pre-WWII discussions surrounding the Treaty of Versailles and the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and concludes with the Nuremberg trials and the Cold War
Apocalypse: The Second World War
This six-part French documentary is perhaps one of the best international films on the conflict. U.S. viewers, meanwhile, can enjoy a National Geographic-treated version narrated by Martin Sheen. The series can be easily digested by a WWII novice wanting to understand the high points of the war.
Both series were very faithful to the Herman Wouk novels.
Das Boot was amazing and was a monster hit here; its first run in Toronto was in the theatres for at least 18 months (The Gods Must be Crazy ran for three years).
I never had much interest in the eastern campaign between the USSR and the Axis powers until I came across the Battlestorm Stalingrad series by TIKHistory on YouTube. It is an incredibly detailed account of the events leading up to the battle and the battle itself. It’s about 50 episodes totaling almost 40 hours. By far the most detailed account ad analysis of Stalingrad on video.
bookmark
A Bridge too Far was good. It was about a failed Anglo-American attempt at a shortcut to Berlin via the Netherlands. Unfortunately the operation was doomed before it started because Monty and the Americans both underestimated the enemy; after it was over, Montgomery gave the job to Guy Simmonds any his Canadian troops to both liberate the Netherlands and enter Germany from the north.
True story: A friend of mine was only born here because his father survived as a Wehrmacht veteran who survived the Eastern Front and immigrated after he was demobilized.
In Germany he was a land surveyor until he was conscripted and shipped east; in Canada he took up his civilian profession. During the 1950s he was responsible for surveying the sites for DEW line radar stations in the Canadian sub-arctic.
I used to joke that after years fighting the Soviets, Canada put him to work at- you guessed it- fighting the Soviets.
Just watched the first two episodes on my smart phone. Unfortunately my hearing is bad, so will try to find a source with subtitles.
I’ll tell you this, though: Everytime Neville Chamberlain cam up, so did the bird.
Actually it was the Poles that cracked Enigma:
https://blogs.bl.uk/european/2018/01/polish-mathematicians-and-cracking-the-enigma.html
Grampa, what do you want for Christmas?
(Now I'm ready.)
ping
I forgot that but it makes sense; the UK made maximum use of Polish exiles (among others) while they were fighting “alone” against the Axis.
p
would add Tora,Tora,Tora to that list
Check this one out....
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+unauthorized+history+of+the+pacific+war
‘The World at War’ aired every Saturday afternoon just after cartoons, and just before Grand Prix Wrestling when I was a kid... It was very educational and displayed the true horror of a war in which my both my uncles fought, and one of whom died after being torpedoed by a U-boat.
The episodes that covered the freeing of concentration camps was very indelible. Today this documentary series it would sadly be deemed ‘too violent’ for children to watch... But they should in fact be forced to watch it. There are too many people who have no idea how cruel humankind can be to each other... And being reminded of that cruelty is a necessary education for everyone, young and old.
My father fought “up the bloody boot” with the 36th infantry, to France where he was captured. He spent the rest of the war as a POW.
Sixty years later, he saw his foxhole buddy’s name written in a list of his Battery and sobbed. His buddy was killed after he got captured and he said he’d always wondered, if he’d still been there, if his buddy would have made it. Sixty years and it was like it was yesterday.
I have not seen some of these. Will check them out. Thank you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.