History of World War II

Starring:History of World War 2
Studio: Eagle Vision USA
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
World War Two was the greatest conflict of all history, only a generation after the first 'War to end all Wars'. But when Hitler's Germany smashed into Poland in September 1939, it became clear that the new European war would be no repeat of the 1914-18 stalemate.

The Germans were now the masters of a revolutionary 'lightning war'. In Poland, Scandanavia, the Low Countries and France, the panzers spearheaded the blitzkrieg until June 1940, when only Britain resisted Hitler's might.

By then, World War Two had erupted on land, sea and air, and it was in the air that Germany was finally checked at the Battle of Britain. But this was an isolated setback. By June 1941, German forces had swept through the Balkans and into North Africa, as Hitler prepared for his greatest battle of all in Russia.

The German invasion of Russia in June 1941 was intended as Hitler's ultimate triumph. Instead, it turned into his greatest disaster as World War Two became truly global.

Amazon.com

A 26-episode World War II documentary, Victory at Sea is one of the most important series in the history of television. Made in 1952, the show was a huge success, winning many major awards and even spawning albums featuring the orchestral score by Richard Rodgers, best known for his musicals with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II. Produced with the full cooperation of the U.S. Navy, each 26-minute program consists of black-and-white wartime film set to a narration by Leonard Graves. The two years leading up to America's entry into the war are dismissed in episode one, while the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor gets a show of its own, the raid depicted in a brilliantly edited montage that almost certainly contains "docu-drama" footage. Each episode contains at least one powerful stand-alone sequence in the tradition of Serge Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin), these action-suspense set-pieces giving the programs an urgent, surprisingly modern feel. Indeed, the emphasis is at least as much on entertainment as information, the factual content delivered in poetic narration, the score transforming the war into a more than usually serious Hollywood adventure. The documentaries are nothing if not wide-ranging, covering parts of the land war despite the title, and including everything from the Atlantic convoys and U-boat "Wolfpacks" to war in Alaska, the South Atlantic, and the Far East, the Pacific War, and the Fall of Japan. There is an attempt to include other nations--certainly the D-Day episode acknowledges the British far more than Saving Private Ryan--but inevitably the focus is on America's war. The very dated narration gives a fascinating insight into how America saw WWII in the early 1950s, while the dynamic cutting and often genuinely remarkable wartime footage make Victory at Sea still gripping today. Twenty years later, Granada's The World at War would become the definitive television WWII history, but this release offers a unique opportunity to see a series of great importance from the very early days of television. --Gary S. Dalkin

Customer Reviews:

Dramatic Documentary.......2007-05-30

Since 1952, when NBC television first aired "Victory at Sea," the 26 half-hour programs have been repeatedly shown on television and finally released on home video. Admittedly, the sound quality of the narration, music, and sound effects is typical of television in the early 1950s, but the visual impact of the actual wartime footage remains quite powerful.

For those who want to enjoy a true high fidelity version of much of the music Richard Rodgers and Robert Russell Bennett produced, the RCA Victor albums (first released in the early 1960s) remain the best source. It is known that Rodgers composed the melodies in a piano version, then turned it over to Bennett to arrange and orchestrate. The albums take the 13 hours of music, which repeated themes, and present them in a cohesive and concise version. Bennett conducted the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, which was drawn from the Symphony of the Air, itself a reorganization of Toscanini's NBC Symphony Orchestra. Back in 1952, when the documentary was prepared, Bennett used the actual NBC Symphony, presumably with the blessings of the Maestro, who was a big fan of early television as well as Broadway musicals.

The main focus in the 26 episodes is on the American Navy's involvement in World War II. In editing millions of feet of archival footage, NBC assembled programs which captured not only the naval and aerial battles but the lighter moments when the sailors, pilots, and crew waited for the inevitable deadly combat to begin or resume. The most important elements of the war are vividly represented here in sharp black and white.

Yes, "The World of War" was probably more comprehensive and utilized some of the rare color footage of the war, but this was the first television documentary to chronicle the historic events, complete with glimpses of the famous and infamous leaders -- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Tojo, and Stalin. When you see the real figures, instead of actors portaying them, you recognize their unique and remarkable qualities.

The visual images remain quite powerful on the videos. To enjoy the brilliance of the music, listen to the CDs for the outstanding musical performances by the New York musicians.

Is it just me, or.......2007-05-25

...has the History Channel version been cut? I have been watching a version played on PBS that has scenes that my version does not possess, or so it seems. I am old enough to have watched the originals, and still enjoy each segment, and especially the Score. Sound being the weakest feature (IMO) cost it a star.

5 Stars for original documentary - 2 stars for DVD transfer.......2007-05-13

Excellent documentary about our brave fighting men of WWII. Anyone who's ever wondered why the depression/WWII generation is often refered too as "The Greatest Generation" need only to watch this documentary to find out. Made before the America hating looney left took over our media, when it was still okay to be unashamedly patriotic.
Unfortunately, the audio transfer to DVD was badly botched. The narrator's voice is barely audible when the musical score is played at a normal volume. You basically have to blast the musical score to make out what the narrator is saying.
Maybe I'll try watching it again with the surround sound turned off. Sometimes the transfer doesn't work very well when they try to take an old program that was origninally done in mono and transfer it to a surround sound DVD.

Disturbing and boring.......2007-05-12

This is classic cold war propaganda about good over evil. Of course, the U.S. is the good. Some of the "reconstructions" are hokey. It is quite boring at times. However, in places, the producers had the guts to show some pretty graphic images of the violence of war. The show does not include much detail about battles and strategy.

The film quality is ok, after all, it is 60 years old.

Don't overstate audio concern.......2007-03-25

The so-called audio problem is NOT a big deal. The sound on the set can be adjusted upward a bit without changing any Digital TV settings. I took a chance and purchased this series, and I am not disappointed. I first saw it as a boy and the impact of seeing it today is the same as then. I suppose that if you are an audiophile purist you can jump up and down. But while you are jumping, I enjoy the series.

Average customer rating:

All right minus one thing
The best documentary on World War II
Excellent
BBC History of World War II by BBC History of World War II
This is the firts time that one item did not arrive.

BBC History of World War II
Starring: BBC History of World War II
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
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The First World War - The Complete Series
World War 1 in Color
The World at War (30th Anniversary Edition)
Downfall
Auschwitz - Inside the Nazi State

ASIN: B0009941E8
Release Date: 2005-07-19

Amazon.com

With 30 hours of programming in 10 volumes and three full-length bonus programs, the BBC History of World War II goes beyond even The World at War for its depth of scope, its breadth of analyses, and the high quality of its production values. This ambitious project by producer Laurence Rees, which also features a collector's booklet, is full of startling archival footage and illuminating eyewitness interviews that bring to life some of the most monumental events from the most monumental war in human history.

The focus on this set is clearly the war in Europe (only one disc, Horror in the East, is dedicated to the war with Japan) as told from an even-handed British perspective: interviews with German citizens make it understandable how Hitler appealed to a shattered and defeated nation, for example, and the The Road to War scrutinizes how a British government was caught unprepared for a re-armed Germany bent on domination. The collection is filled with poignantly fascinating moments, such as when an aging American veteran revisits the Omaha Beach he stormed on D-Day, and meets the elderly German who, as a teenager, was defending that section of the beach with his machine gun, or footage of Hitler's early political speeches, raging promises of things to come.

Roughly chronologically arranged, the set starts with The Nazis: A Warning from History, and works its way through all facets of the war, including the legacy of the Holocaust. (Some of the titles were previously released as single DVDs.) The presentation is particularly impressive. Each series has its own style: Dunkirk is a drama-documentary structured like a miniseries and reenactments are deftly interwoven with archival footage in a convincing motif. In War of the Century: When Hitler Fought Stalin, German and Russian veterans recall with chilling candor their particular universe of battle, and rare color combat footage combined with newly declassified Soviet documents offer new perspectives on the subject. The collection succeeds brilliantly in making it clear to a modern-day viewer what it was really like to live through those times.

For the war buff, the history enthusiast, the educator, or someone looking for a gift for any of the above, the BBC History of World War II is a title to consider. Even dedicated viewers of the History Channel will find something new and fascinating here. --Dan Vancini

Description

How could a political party as fundamentally evil and overtly racist as the Nazis come to power? Why was Japan, known for its admirable treatment of POWs in WWI, responsible for such grim atrocities in the Second World War? This comprehensive collection not only examines the details of the conflict (the Battle of Moscow, the campaign against German U-boats, the RAF bomber offensive), but digs deeper to attempt to answer the questions that still haunt us. Through startling archive footage and eyewitness testimony, this 12-disc set offers a unique perspective and true understanding of what actually happened.

DVD Features:
Documentaries:Battle of the Atlantic includes a 50-minute documentary on merchant seamenHorror in the East includes a 50-minute documentary on the Indian Army and a 60-minute documentary on Burma
Featurette:D-Day: Reflections of Courage includes a 20-minute making-of featurette
Introduction:Award-winning writer, filmmaker and Creative Director of BBC History Laurence Rees provides introduction and closing words to collection
Other:D-Day: Reflections of Courage includes 30 minutes of eyewitness accounts Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State includes six follow-up discussions hosted by award-winning journalist Linda Ellerbee

Customer Reviews:

All right minus one thing.......2007-05-16

It was on time, but it might have been handled wrong because part of the plastic that holds in the DVDs broke and cracked. The DVDs weren't harmed luckily.

The best documentary on World War II.......2007-04-27

"The Nazis: A Warning From History." is most the informative documentary dvd among the set. The price seemed to be bit high but I am fully satisfied. I think i have covered the second world war; going for the first World war now.

Excellent.......2007-02-20

I thought I knew a lot about World War II, until this came along. These are some of the best documentaries I have ever seen.

BBC History of World War II by BBC History of World War II.......2007-01-14

Very good quality, enjoyed the series.

This is the firts time that one item did not arrive........2007-01-05

This item did not arrive to the house of my uncle in Houston Tx. I know this is not the Amazon's problem but I will not buy again with the cheaper method of shipment (USPS).

The History Channel Ultimate Collections: World War II

Average customer rating:

Hoping for Something Better
Dreadful
Incomplete documentary of the War
THE HISTORY CHANNEL ULTINMATE COLLECTION: WORLD WAR II
The History Channel showcases what it does best

The History Channel Ultimate Collections: World War II
Starring: Patrick O'Neal
Director: Don Horan
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

The Last Days of World War II (History Channel)
Decisive Battles of the Ancient World (History Channel)
The First World War - The Complete Series
The World at War (30th Anniversary Edition)
The History Channel Presents The Revolution

ASIN: B000H5U5US
Release Date: 2006-11-28

Customer Reviews:

Hoping for Something Better.......2007-05-30

I agree with the majority, that this set is very incomplete. While content presented on WW II is good, I have other issues.

The running time is approximately 810 minutes (not 892 minutes) on 10 DVDs in the standard cases, which requires at least 6 inches of shelf space. Only 4 DVDs were required, but 10 DVDs were used.

I mainly purchased this set for the 10 Military (Great) Blunders episodes. I was hugely disappointed that all episodes ran between 20:55 and 21:07 minutes. I have some of these episodes on VHS and they ran 22 minutes and I was hoping that original running times of perhaps 23 minutes, would be in this set. The problem is the History Channel (and the rest of the TV universe) keeps cutting runing times for more commercials. So, the original episodes no longer exists and you get heavily edited programs. Maybe, if the History Channel had shipped the original, uncut episodes, 892 minutes may have been correct.

Bottomline, while there are much better choices for WW II content, there is some unique information, so that you don't feel too ripped off. But, Cable Networks (e.g. History Channel) are the worst of the worst, with commercials galore and distracting on-screen logos. That's why we buy these DVDs, right?

Dreadful.......2007-04-08

I was pleased to see a new "supersized" history of WWII box set come to DVD, and being a superfan of this subject bought it. I wasn't expecting a lot of new footage but I thought perhaps a new perspective would be refreshing.

I'm afraid disappointed is an understatement in describing how I felt while watching it... "War Chronicles" (Mort Zimmerman) was never my favorite of the WWII documentaries, and this box set is built entirely on these old reels.

Patrick O'Neal's voice drones on like the engines of a tired old bomber on a long run to the heart of Germany. You hear little else but his narration over the canned sound effects through the entire series.

I was particularly amazed at the lack of footage devoted to England and the Battle of Britain. Literally a couple of minutes!

A far better choice would be the "BBC History of World War II", The "Definitive History of WWII" (Brentwood), "Visions of War" (Southern Star/IMAVision), or "The World at War" box sets.

If you still wish to have this box set, there will be plenty of very slightly used copies available very cheap, very soon!

Incomplete documentary of the War.......2007-04-01

Lacks adequate description of the Eastern Front. Biographies are superfluous and should have been eliminated for " the last days of WWII" History Channel documentary

THE HISTORY CHANNEL ULTINMATE COLLECTION: WORLD WAR II.......2007-01-19

Great service. Even with a late order date, it arrived in time for Christmas- thanks

The History Channel showcases what it does best.......2006-12-08

This is a great ten disc set showcasing what the History Channel always did best in my opinion - document World War II. I haven't liked how the History Channel has "mainstreamed" its offerings over the last few years, and thus this set is a real treat for long time viewers. It's also great for your kids to watch if they think that history is boring - it will change their minds. The following are the set's contents:

DISC ONE:
World War II: The War in Europe - Part 1
This disc contains four episodes from War Chronicles, a multiple-episode series of war documentaries written and directed by Don Horan, and hosted and narrated by actor Patrick O'Neal. Running about 26 minutes each in length, the episodes included on this disc were produced in 1983 and 1985. They feature no interviews, just O'Neal and at times, an anonymous narrator who, inexplicable, drops in additional voice-over material explaining in detailed narration over the graphic archival footage, the various battle campaigns. Primitive visual aids are used to highlight the action which at times consist of just O'Neal, pointing at a map. The episodes included are:

The Greatest Conflict: From the German Blitzkrieg to the Allies' bloody battle for Berlin.

North Africa...The Desert War: Details the German attack on Kasserine Pass, where the British 1st Army and untested American troops faced the full force of Germany's seasoned Afrika Corps.

The Beachhead at Anzio: Follow the story of the Allied landing, the brutal German counterattack, and the final Allied offensive that would turn the tide of this historic battle.

D-Day...The Normandy Invasion: discusses the largest amphibious assault in world history.

DISC TWO:
World War II: The War in Europe - Part 2
A continuation of disc one material. The episodes included are:

Pursuit to the Rhine: The Allies thrust forward under tactical air support to break through German lines, and the enemy resistance ultimately crumbled.

The Bomber Offensive: Air War in Europe: The Allies launched this historic raid on a German munitions factory and ultimately paid an extraordinary price in men and machines, but this battle would prove to be a turning point.

The Battle of the Bulge: It was the largest pitched battle in American military history, the last major engagement of the European campaign, and the scene of some of the war's fiercest fighting, leading to a final blow against the Nazis.

The Battle of Germany: The final campaign of the European theater unfolded in the aftermath of the Battle of the Bulge with the British and Canadian offensive, the historic crossing of the Rhine at Remagen, and Eisenhower's final drive to Berlin.

DISC THREE:
World War II: The War in the Pacific - Part 1
Again, this is just O'Neal explaining in detailed narration over the graphic archival footage, the various battle campaigns. The episodes included are:

Island Hopping: The Road Back: Follow the epic story of the Allies' island-by-island Pacific campaign in which they utilized massive amphibious assaults.

Jungle Warfare: New Guinea to Burma: In the jungles of the Pacific, soldiers battled not only the Japanese, but malaria, heat exhaustion, and swarms of parasites.

Air War in the Pacific: Chronicling the war's first days through the suicidal Kamikaze attacks and the bombing missions that brought the war to the Japanese homeland, this documentary utilizes extensive air combat footage.

The Bloody Ridges of Peleliu: From the opening naval bombardment, to the hand-to-hand combat and vicious guerrilla warfare, this is the complete story of this brutal and historic battle.

DISC FOUR:
A continuation of disc three. The episodes included are:

The Return to the Philippines: From MacArthur's strategy to the heroics of the ground troops, the 7th Fleet's naval forces, and the pilots of the Air Force, the saga of the Philippines is a story of unstoppable determination.

Okinawa...The Last Battle: Winston Churchill described it as the most intense and famous battle in military history. Witness the desperate, suicidal resistance of the Japanese in the final battle of the Pacific campaign.

In addition to the two War Chronicles episodes, this disc contains a 1995 episode of the Biography series, hosted by Jack Perkins. Perkins, who seemed to pop up on A&E every half hour in the 1990's, was a genial host with a trademark AM radio voice delivery that hooked people into watching his shows. Here, Perkins narrates a 45 minute tribute, with help from interviews with military historians, to Admiral William Halsey who led the Battle of the Bismarck Sea and helped neutralize the Japanese offensive.

DISC FIVE:
Biography: General Douglas MacArthur: Return of a Legend
This disc contains another 50 minute A&E Biography episode, hosted by Jack Perkins, discussing the life and career of General Douglas MacArthur. This episode is narrated by noted actor Fritz Weaver:

General Douglas MacArthur: Return of a Legend: General Douglas MacArthur was one of America's greatest and most complex commanders, a warrior so tough and determined that he helped win World War II with a simple promise: "I shall return." Featuring rare footage and interviews with MacArthur's comrades, family, and friends, this Biography program reveals the man who remains a hero to millions.

DISC SIX:
Okinawa: The Final Battle
This disc contains a 50 minute documentary made in 1995, narrated by Fritz Weaver again, exploring the bloody battle in the Pacific.

Okinawa: The Final Battle: At Okinawa, over 250,000 people fought a desperate battle for control of the island, in which nearly half of them died. Dramatic footage, much of it unseen for decades, captures the chaos and destruction of this battle, and military historians probe its lasting legacy.

DISC SEVEN:
Empires of Industry: War Planes of World War II
This disc contains a 50 minute documentary, narrated by Peter Thomas, exploring the planes that were used during WWII. This 1998 documentary is part of the popular A&E Empires of Industry series:

War Planes of World War II: Flight was born in America at the turn of the century. But World War II saw more planes built in a single year - 300,000 - than had been built in the previous forty. Modern shots of restored aircraft, historic footage ranging from factory floors to dogfights, and interviews with pilots and designers recapture the aviation industry's finest hour.

DISC EIGHT:
Nuremberg: Tyranny on Trial
This disc contains a History Channel 1995 50 minute documentary, narrated by Paul Sparer, giving a detailed look at the war tribunals in Nuremberg.

DISC NINE:
Great Blunders of World War II - Part 1
This disc contains four, 21 minute episodes from The History Channel miniseries, Great Blunders of World War II. These compact little docs from 1998 are fascinating looks at the fatal mistakes made by the Axis powers, that aided the Allied victory:

The German Blunder at Dunkirk: The 1940 Blitzkrieg upon Europe drove the British Expeditionary Force into the sea at Dunkirk, but the reckless plan of attack turned the chance to destroy the British into history's greatest escape.

Hitler's Declaration of War on the U.S.: Even with Hitler's forces ravaging Europe, America hesitated to join the fight against him. All that changed, however, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and a foolish decision by Germany to ally with Japan.

The Pilot who Bombed London: One lost and confused German pilot mistakenly dropped his bombs on London, igniting what became known as the Blitz and pushing Britain's durability to its furthest limits.

Hitler's Flying Blunders: The Luftwaffe's lighting-fast, short-range fighter-bombers were used in support of highly mobile ground forces, a strategy which ultimately went horribly awry.

In addition to these four episodes, two additional episodes of Great Blunders of World War II are included: The Battle of the Bulge and A Bridge Too Far.

DISC TEN:
Great Blunders of World War II - Part 2
A continuation of the material on disc nine.

Japan's Mistakes at Midway: On June 4, 1942, the fanatical and efficient Japanese war machine wanted to finish off the U.S. Pacific Fleet, but their blind arrogance and underestimation of American willpower led them to disaster instead.

The Failure of the Kamikaze: Steeped in the ancient code of the Samurai, Kamikaze forces on land, sea, and air sacrificed themselves in battle in a desperate bid for victory that spelled ultimate doom for the Japanese Empire.

Death at Stalingrad: In Hitler's quest to take Stalingrad at all costs, he underestimated both the Russian winter and the steadfastness of the Russian people in the face of the Nazi threat.

Operation Sea Lion: In the wake of the British army's flight from France, the British were all but beaten. But a Nazi invasion of England was inexplicably postponed, diverting certain triumph and ultimately leading to the Allied victory.

In addition to these four episodes, two additional episodes of Great Blunders of World War II are included: The Bomb Plot to Kill Hitler and The Scattering of Convoy PQ17.

The Last Days of World War II (History Channel)

Average customer rating:

SO MUCH I DIDNT KNOW !!!!!
Last Days of World War II: History Channel

The Last Days of World War II (History Channel)
Starring: Last Days of Wwii
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The History Channel Ultimate Collections: World War II
D-Day - The Total Story
The Last Days of the Civil War (History Channel)
The History Channel's Pearl Harbor
The History Channel Presents D-Days in the Pacific

ASIN: B0001XARMW
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Product Description

On September 9, 1945, the deadliest war the world has ever known formally came to an end. Four months earlier, the Third Reich had suffered its final, crushing defeat. On the horizon stood a new type of conflict the Cold War.

THE LAST DAYS OF WORLD WAR II presents three stellar documentaries from THE HISTORY CHANNEL® that examine the heady period leading toward victory and the stunning revelations of its complex aftermath. From decisive ground battles and the last Allied ship sunk by the Nazis, to the drama of the Nuremberg trials and analysis of the unlikely alliance of the Axis powers, first-hand footage and expert commentary from scholars and eyewitnesses propel this sweeping overview of one of modern history s darkest, most pivotal chapters.

System Requirements:

Running Time 279 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

The Last Days of World War II is actually three separate and outstanding History Channel documentaries about the horrifying, surreal violence that marked the decisive months of the war in Europe. The first film begins with Hitler's declaration that the Third Reich would last 1,000 years, yet by 1945 Germany was losing on every major battlefront. Still, tens of thousands of civilian and military lives would be lost before fighting ceased: in the Battle of the Bulge, pitting 600,000 Allied troops against a Nazi surge in Belgium; in Dresden, where Allied bombers spent days fire-bombing women and children; in the subway tunnels of Berlin, where refugees were drowned when a paranoid, sleepless Hitler ordered them flooded to stave off Russian soldiers. Plentiful interviews with former officers on all sides of the war, commentary by historians, and remarkable footage of battles, concentration camps, and the Nuremberg trials make this a compelling narrative rich with enlightening details.

A second disc includes a superb piece about the destruction of a U.S. Navy submarine-chaser off the coast of Maine, and a strategic cover-up that denied, for more than 60 years, that the ship was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. Finally, the story of the German-Japanese alliance, and the role of a geography professor named Karl Haushofer (who coined the phrase "geopolitics") in a number of key wartime events, make a fascinating subject for the final production. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

SO MUCH I DIDNT KNOW !!!!!.......2007-06-20

I have viewed a lot of WWII documentaries and still I find things I never knew about! This set of DVDs gave me so much information that I haven't received from the many , many others! Thrilling and exciting , compelling and informative is all I can say to describe this set! BRAVO !!! And the low price it was offered at cant be beat either....

Last Days of World War II: History Channel.......2005-09-01

Sobering, well-done -- a valuable addition to the literature on World War II, its tragedy and its conclusion, in triumph. Amazon delivered the product on time and in superb condition.

Average customer rating:

Very Factual and Informative
My Father Was There
At Wars End
Captivating
Editor in Chief, Armchair General Magazine

BBC History of World War II: Hiroshima
Starring: Hiroshima
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Day After Trinity
Hiroshima - Why the Bomb Was Dropped
Hiroshima
Modern Marvels - The Manhattan Project (History Channel)
The Nazis - A Warning from History

ASIN: B000F4RH8Y
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Description

It was the defining moment of the 20th Century - the scientific, technological, military, and political gamble of the first atomic attack. This drama-documentary attempts to do what no other film has done before - to show what it is like to live through a nuclear explosion. Set in the three weeks from the test explosion in New Mexico to the dropping of the bomb, the action takes viewers into the room where the crucial political decisions are made; on board the Enola Gay; inside the bomb as it explodes; and on the streets of Hiroshima.

Customer Reviews:

Very Factual and Informative.......2007-05-06

This DVD is a very factual and informative account of the most controversial events in the history of warfare. It captivated and held my attention from the beginning to the end. Even today, more than 60 years later the use of the atomic bomb still raises questions as to whether it was necessary to use such a destructive weapon that has created such unprecedented devastation. First one must consider the facts that faced President Truman. By July 1945 American forces had fought the Japanese in the Pacific theatre and suffered horrendous losses. In November 1942, in the battle of Guadalcanal the United States Navy faced Japanese ships at close range. The night of November 13, 1942 was filled with the terrible sound of tearing steel and the pitch blackness of the night was displaced by the glow of exploding magazines. The cruiser USS Atlanta sank, the USS Juneau went down taking with it, the Sullivans-all five brothers of a single family. US lost of life exceeded the enemy, but Japanese offensive strength was broken. At Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands in November 1943, 1,115 US Marines were killed and 2,292 wounded. The battle of Iwo Jima, United States suffered 25,851 casualties and 6,825 killed. The island of Iwo Jima is small, eight square miles, but the US lost in life for the battle of the island is in no way small. In the words of Admiral Chester Nimitz, on Iwo Jima, "uncommon valor was a common virtue". The last battle in the Pacific, the battle of Okinawa lasted 82 days. This battle cost 19,500 American casualties, in the air on the ground and on the battered ships of the 5th Fleet. Also 560 members of the Navy medical team became combat casualties.
Behind the battle lines in the POW camps, Allied prisoners of war were being confronted with a savagery of which they had no experience.
The Japanese used forced POW labor, 200,000 Asians and 60,000 Allied Prisoners of War to build the Burma Siam Railway. The movie, "Bridge on the River Kwai", glamorizes the horrific ordeal the POWs endured while building the bridge. Fifty percent, of the Asian POW population perished, 6,318 British, 4,377 Americans, 2,815 Australians, 2,490 Dutch and many Canadians perished. Hellish fires burned ceaselessly consuming the dead. Inside a special compound in Manchuria, POWs were frozen alive so that Japanese doctors could develop treatment for frostbite. They injected prisoners with every kind of disease from syphilis to hemorrhagic fever, 3000 died. They dissected men alive so that student doctors could see pulsating organs. In the European Theatre of War, four per cent of the POWs perished at the hands of the Germans. But in the Pacific Theatre it was more grim, more horrific, 27 per cent of Americans, Australians, British, Canadians and Indians, died at the hands of the Japanese. It was said to be 17 times more lethal to be a POW than it was to fight the Japanese.
When the Japanese learned that China had aided LTCOL Doolittle's pilots and crew following the raid on Tokyo, B25s launchedd from the decks of the USS Hornet, Japan retaliated. In a horrific rampage, Japan executed some 250,000 Chinese civilian in a period of three months. Also we must not forget the thousand of Phillipino women and gilrs that the Japanese soilers raped and killed in the Phillipines.
The Japanese atrocities against both military and civilian personnel can be spoken in many language in many parts of the world. They are omitted from the Japanese history books, yet they can not be ignored or forgotten. Hiroshima was chosen as a target becaue of it's miliatry importance to the Japanese government. These factors are essential in fully understanding the United Sates position on the use of such weapon. It's easy today to say that the we should have not used such a destructive weapon, but could you have made such decision in 1945?
The position of silent contempt, chosen by the Japanese at the Potsdam Conference on July 26, 1945 helped to solidify Truman's decision to use the bomb. Fleet Admiral William Leahy, Truman's adviser, informed him that if American forces invaded the Japanese homeland, the results would be a blood bath that the American people would not be able to withstand. Furthermore the Japanese code did not permit surrender.

My Father Was There.......2007-03-29

I am from Hiroshima. My father was 15 years old and was deployed as a student worker at a ship yard at the time. He does not talk much about his experience, but told me bits and pieces about what he saw. When I was an elementary school student, we had to watch the video footage of the victims that was extremely graphic. So nothing in this program was new to me, although it was very interesting to see how nuclear fusions started inside the bomb.

Having said that, I think this program is a good overview for people who are not familiar with the event. It talks about how the bomb was developed, the political circumstances, the US military mission, GIs who engaged in the mission, and of course, the effect on the people in Hiroshima. There is little criticism or political overtones in the way the program was made, although it is clear that there were terrible misunderstandings between Japanese and US leaders, and that a handful of Japanese extremists led the country into ruins.

I wish the program talked more about the way the atomic bomb affected people long after the event. There is one section that describes the "mistery illness" that plagued the survivers, but it did not talk about the deformed babies born to the mothers who were pregrant at the time, or the cancers that many of the survivers suffered later in their lives. The program also did not mention anything about the American POWs who were detained in Hiroshima at the time. They all perished along with thousands of people of Hiroshima. I am not sure how many Americans know this.

My father is fine. His family lived in the suburbs so none died because of the event although some of the family heirlooms had burn marks that were visible even decades later. My mother's grandparents, however, lived right by the T-shaped bridge that was used as a target so no remains were found. I remember my grandmother used to go to the annual memorial service every year. Although it was somewhat difficult for me to see the suffering of people reenacted in the program, the stupidity of the leaders, and the happiness and the joy that Americans were feeling after the bomb was dropped (not because I am bitter or critical of their actions, but because they really did not realize what was going on in Hiroshima and that they opened the door to a new era of nuclear threats), we need programs like this so we can learn from the history and remember that the war is savage, no matter what side you are on, and that the war should really be the last resort to resolve a conflict.

At Wars End.......2007-02-11

A perfect companion to the book "Shockwave" by Stephen Walker. It is a semi documentary having both facts and story line which follows both American and Japanese accounts. A very good re-enactment of the aftermath of the Little Boy Blast.

Captivating.......2006-08-24

I really enjoyed watching this video. The way the documentary was blended in with the acting was great. I thought the British did an great job of providing an un-biased portrayal. I would like to see more of this type of journalism

Editor in Chief, Armchair General Magazine.......2006-08-01

World history's first - and, to date, only - nuclear weapon attacks were the atomic devices the United States exploded over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945. Frustrated by the intransigence of Japanese leadership and desperate to use any and all possible means to forestall a costly invasion of Japan's home islands, American president Harry Truman authorized the bombings. The attacks killed outright, perhaps 100,000 Japanese in Hiroshima and about another 50,000 at Nagasaki. Thousands more have since died from the lingering effects of the bombs' deadly radiation. Initially widely celebrated in Allied countries for helping bring history's most destructive war to a close, the attacks began to receive criticism almost as soon as the disturbing images of the bombs' Japanese victims were widely circulated. At the 50th anniversary of the bombings in 1995, the smoldering controversy flamed into a nation-wide, very public debate in the US focused on plans by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC to display an exhibit that many veterans and others who staunchly support the bombings considered one-sided and unfair.
Such criticism, however, cannot be leveled at Hiroshima, BBC Video's outstanding new addition to its highly-acclaimed DVD series, "BBC History of World War II." Without doubt, Hiroshima is the most fair and balanced comprehensive presentation yet produced of what has become one of history's most controversial events. It is also a dynamic example of the inherent power of film media to inform and enlighten in an interesting and absorbing manner. All of the latest and most effective techniques in documentary film production - historical participant interviews, docu-drama recreation, archival film footage and state-of-the-art computer graphics (CGI) - are combined in BBC Video's Hiroshima by a producer of skill and vision into a riveting film that captures viewers' attention from the first frame and firmly holds it until the end. One might be tempted to call it "entertaining" due to the visual appeal of its colorful and expertly done CGI, but the film's grim subject matter makes that term highly inappropriate.
Producer Paul Wilmshurst explains in an on-camera interview - one of several bonus features on the DVD - that his goal was to present three things: the science behind the bomb; the history of the event within its political context; and the human impact of the attack. He succeeds admirably in each of these, including the presentation of one revealing segment that actually places viewers inside the bomb itself as it plummets toward the center of Hiroshima to show how a nuclear explosion works (via some extraordinary CGI). Immediately following that segment, Wilmshurst combines CGI with superbly-done, well-acted docu-drama to give viewers a realistic experience of the nuclear weapon's three terrible effects: heat, blast and radiation. This chilling segment is as close as any of us will get - we hope! - to experiencing what it's like to be on the receiving end of an atomic bomb attack.
As dramatic and effective as is the DVD's outstanding use of CGI and docu-drama techniques, Hiroshima's most poignant moments are the numerous interviews of historical participants - and victims -- in this tragic event. Although the high-level American and Japanese decision-makers have long since passed away, Wilmshurst was able to include several revealing interviews with, among others, President Truman's US Navy aide-de-camp as well as surviving crewmen of the Enola Gay - the benignly-named B-29 Superfortress bomber that pilot Paul Tibbetts christened after his mother. The gut-wrenching testimonies of the several survivors of the Hiroshima explosion present an image of horror and unbelievable destruction that puts a tragic human face on a target that Enola Gay's crewmen could only make out that day as a jumbled collection of indistinct buildings clustered around a "T-shaped" aiming point - the bridge near the center of town that became ground zero at 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945.
Wilmshurst wisely avoids including a voice-over narration that is overly moralizing, a tendency that has marred presentations of this event in past productions. Instead he lets the participants and victims speak for themselves in their interviews, often placing their contrasting perceptions and opinions of the bombing in such a manner that the opposing positions are clearly evident to the viewer. Viewers hear both sides and can make up their own minds without attempts to sway them one way or the other by the all-too-typical, heavy-handed narrative of other productions preaching 21st century morality in order to second guess leaders and soldiers who sixty years ago were caught in the middle of history's most brutal war. Hiroshima is refreshingly even-handed.
Yet, Hiroshima's voice-over narration is an integral part of the film. It expertly weaves together the interviews, docu-drama, CGI and archival footage into a coherent, comprehensive story that flows smoothly, almost effortlessly, from beginning (the explosion of the Trinity Device, the atomic test on July 16, 1945) to end (the terrible aftermath - the human cost -- of the bombings). Wilmshurst made an inspired choice as Hiroshima's narrator - the marvelous dramatic actor, John Hurt. One of Britain's most distinguished and accomplished actors, Hurt's distinctive, deeply resonant voice perfectly complements the "action" in the film. His narrative performance in Hiroshima establishes Hurt as possibly the front-runner to assume the mantle of "top documentary narrator" that has been sadly vacant since the passing of fellow actor, Laurence Olivier ("the voice" that made watching the documentary series World at War such a stirring experience).
Visually stunning, historically and scientifically accurate, and powerfully presented, BBC Video's Hiroshima is an expertly produced "must have" DVD that is clearly deserving of its 5-Star rating.

National Geographic's Untold Stories of WWII

Average customer rating:

"What if Hitler had the A-bomb?" Great question, but this program doesn't even try to answer it (despite this DVD's packaging).
Simple review

National Geographic's Untold Stories of WWII
Starring: Ron David (II) , Josef Goebbels , Isoroku Yamamoto , Wilhelm Frick , and Winston Churchill
Manufacturer: National Geographic Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00008V2X1
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Description

What if Hitler had had the A-bomb? Why did Japan's submarine sneak attack on Pearl Harbor fail? Could the kamikazes have turned the tide of war in the Pacific? Now these and other compelling stories about the secret weapons, ruthless tactics, and remarkable heroism of World War II can be told.

Customer Reviews:

"What if Hitler had the A-bomb?" Great question, but this program doesn't even try to answer it (despite this DVD's packaging)........2006-08-24

This is a generally decent documentary of sorts, but it is not really what the packaging and description make it out to be. First of all, it is only 54 minutes in lenth (not 116 minutes), and it never even addresses the question "What if Hitler had the A-bomb?" Moreover, the subtitle of this DVD, "Three Secrets that changed the War," is hardly apropo since the DVD doesn't really reveal anything that was particularly not well known except for one issue. But even the less well known issue herein of Hitler's heavy water plant in Norway didn't affect the war by this program's own admission. ("Later the allies would learn that the Nazis were never close to an atomic breakthrough.") So resistance members in Norway who eventually were able to neutralize this supply of Nazi heavy water didn't really engineer something that really changed the war. Of course the story on how this was accomplished (by sinking a passenger ferry boat, after unsuccessful sabotage and bombing raids) is a fascinating one, but it is not really what this disc claims for it. Likewise, the other half of this program concerns the Japanese use of several mini-subs in their attack on Pearl Harbor and the ultimate use of kamikaze planes. The latter is anything but "an untold story of WW2" while the former was so unsuccessful that it didn't change anything regarding the outcome of the Japanese attack on Hawaii. "Hidden secrets revealed." Where? Certainly not on this (otherwise still interesing) program. So, do partake of this selection from the folks at National Geographic if such is your inclination, but don't expect the packaging/description to live up to its advertising. Actually, you be much better off in having a look at the (albeit far more expensive, but very thorough) "World at War" boxed set of over 2 dozen WW2 documentaries. Cheers to learning ever more about the Second World War.

Simple review.......2005-04-19

This DVD has 3 ideas and the stories behind them. First is about Hitler's plan to build the A-Bomb, but the story is more about what the Allies did to try to stop it. Next up is about the mini-subs that Japanese sent in to Pearl Harbor, but it doesnt really speak of how they failed. It was more concerned with the background stories and the propanda involved. Lastly, about the Kamikazes. First time I had actually send one of the planes. All three stories are interesting, and worth watching. I dont regret buying this DVD.

Shoah: An Oral History of the Holocaust [All-Region]

Average customer rating:

Outstanding, and the best I've seen in video
why pay more?

Shoah: An Oral History of the Holocaust [All-Region]
Director: Claude Lanzmann
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000AS4L16

Product Description

SHOAH is a magical film about the most barbaric act of the 20th century. Previous commentaries on the Holocaust, with its ravished skeletons and corpses, have left us shaken, but now for the first time, we experience it in our heads, in our flesh. Claude Lanzmann spent eleven years spanning the globe for surviving camp inmates, SS commandants, and eyewitnesses of the Final Solution-the Nazi's effort to systematically exterminate human beings. without dramatic enactment or archival footage, but with extraordinary testimonies, SHOAH renders the step-by-step machinery of extermination: the minutiae of timetables and finances, the logistics of herding victims into the gas chambers and disposing of the corpses afterward, the bureaucratic procedures which expedited the killing of millions of people without mentioning the words "killing" or "people". Through haunted landscapes and human voice, the past comes brilliantly alive. SHOAH is a heroic endeavor to humanize the inhuman, to tell the untellable. It is an immensely disturbing, even shattering experience, yet in its solemnity and beauty not a morbid or disheartening one. There are few works of art which leave one with such a deep appreciation for the preciousness and meaning of life. *** This officially licensed 4-DVD set from South Korean is in English, German, Hebrew, Polish, Yiddish, and French with optional English or Korean subtitles. Fullscreen with Dolby Digital Sound; NTSC "ALL" regions worldwide (Region 0).

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding, and the best I've seen in video.......2007-03-16

This Lenten season, I've taken up the topic of the Holocaust for a fuller review than the stuff that generally comes out on PBS (though I do seem to recall them running this very film at one time or another). Without any actual photographs or film clips from the 1940's, Lanzmann gives us the best portrait through the oral histories that I've yet to encounter in the visual media. It was a bit annoying at times to wait for the interpreter to translate languages such as Polish into French, but the German part had substantial impact, since I claim to "speak German" and wish to study it more. I've been through the whole film as in the 4-disc set, and have started doing the separate discs again. Especially interesting to me was the extensive coverage of central and eastern European rail systems, with the fine assortments of how they looked in 1985. I want to take another trip to that part of the world and see what it's like today (e.g., is there still such use of horses in Poland?).

What gets me the most, I think, is that my overall impression of the way Europeans live is as a much more earnest, sincere and authentic style than some of the phoniness we put up with in America, but then they got into all of this, didn't they? Mass delusion, persuasion and compulsion seem possible anywhere among humanity.

why pay more?.......2007-02-22

I was a bit hesitant to by this particular Korean make. But the risk paid off. The picture is excellent and the subtitles--English, Korean, etc.--are easily removeable and switchable. So don't get ripped off by those who have you over a barrel at $149.00?!

As for the film itself: it is one of those rare gems that proves less is more. The only minor complaint I have is the mellowdrama created during a hidden camera interview with an SS man; the director cuts back and forth to the van outside that is stealthily recording the interview. That is the only brief heavy handedness in what is otherwise a masterpiece.

Empires of Industry - War Planes of World War II (History Channel)

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Empires of Industry - War Planes of World War II (History Channel)
Starring: Empires of Industry
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Great War Planes of WWII
Air Wars - Fighter Aircraft of World War II
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The WWII Experience: Great Air Battles & The Planes That Won WWII
German Fighter Aircraft of World War 2: 1939-1942

ASIN: B000BKVL84
Release Date: 2005-12-27

Product Description

They had names like the Liberator, Flying Fortress, Wildcat and even Goony Bird. Over 300,000 of them were built in just a few short years, essentially creating one of the largest industries in America from scratch. They are the WAR PLANES OF WORLD WAR II.From the factory floor to enthusiast's clubs today, this is a comprehensive look at the American planes that helped win the war. Archival footage shows them under construction and in action in dogfights, bomb runs and vital transport missions. Aviation experts tell how so many planes were made so quickly, and detail how the lessons learned during the war helped create the aviation industry as we know it. And strap into the cockpits of lovingly restored World War II warplanes for an exciting flight into history, as hobbyists keep these legendary machines alive and in the air.Filled with rare footage and revealing interviews, this is the dramatic chronicle of the fiery birth of one of America's great industries, and a loving look at the sensational planes that made it.

System Requirements:
Running Time: 50 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Submarines: The Silent Service in World War II

Average customer rating:

great dive history
Superior Early History Of United States Submarines
Excellent U.S. Navy films from an historic era!

Submarines: The Silent Service in World War II
Director: Various
Manufacturer: Periscope Film
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000AB0Z2W
Release Date: 2005-07-18

Description

The sneak attack on Pearl Harbor destroyed most of America's Pacific Fleet. Untouched were America's submarines. They would inflict catastrophic losses on the Japanese in World War II.

Featured on this DVD are five rare U.S. Navy films made in the WWII era — including a full COLOR film — showcasing the capabilities that led to America's triumph in the Pacific war. Watch a rare, silent newsreel of the recovery of the USS Squalus and its crew after a diving accident.

See recruits train for action in the pre-war silent service, and watch rare FULL COLOR WWII combat footage as U.S. fleet boats enter Japanese home waters, operating with impunity and sinking everything in sight.

Also featured is a film showing one of the great triumphs of the anti-submarine war in the Atlantic: the capture of the Nazi U-505 at sea.

The DVD concludes with a showcase of post-war developments including the launch of the nuclear Nautilus.

Digitally remastered and restored from original 16mm prints, many of these films have never been available to the public, and some have only recently been declassified. Please note, due to their age and rarity, image and sound quality can vary.

All films are black and white and COLOR. Running time: 90 minutes.

IMPORTANT: This DVD is presented in the DVD-R format. It may not be compatible with older DVD players. Please check your DVD player's manual for more information.

Customer Reviews:

great dive history.......2006-07-31
We showed this at our last dive club meeting and everyone really enjoyed it. Excellent background info for the history of diving.
Superior Early History Of United States Submarines.......2005-10-23
Without exception, "The Silent Service in World War II" is the absolute best depiction of the United States submarine fleet during this period. None of the footage that you'll see in this DVD is a Hollywood conception of what was. This is the real McCoy. As a veteran submariner and old smoke boat sailor, this is a DVD that you won't be able to stop watching. This is a must have for the any Naval historian, submarine sailor, school or anyone that would like to see how it really happened.

You'll see the exciting capture of an actual German U-boat and it's recovery. View the rescue and recovery of the USS Squalus and it's crew. Hear accounts from Japanese regarding the massive damage inflected by our pig boats after they attacked Pearl Harbor. I highly recommend this DVD to everyone. You're library just isn't complete until you own this one.

Bob Prater, USS Remora (SS-487)
Excellent U.S. Navy films from an historic era!.......2005-08-22
I just recently bought the "Silent Service in WWII" DVD and spent the better part of an evening watching it. If you're a fan of books like "The Hunt for Red October" or "Run Silent, Run Deep" -- or the movies of the same name -- this DVD is for you. It has five interesting films made by the U.S. Navy and featuring real-life footage of some of the most historic submarines of the 1930-1945 era. The "Submarine War Story" film is a special treat, in that it shows how the U.S. fought Japanese surface forces throughout the war with subs. It has some amazing footage from 1945 of subs sinking sampans and junks, and rescuing pilots whose crippled planes could not make it back to Tinian and Iwo Jima. Some of the other films show how sub crews were trained, and there is a short, silent newsreel that shows rare material from the Squalus accident (profiled in "The Terrible Hours" by Peter Maas). The DVD is one of a planned set of five discs, and I look forward to getting the other four when they are available (looks like only a couple have been released so far).

Average customer rating:
History of World War II
Starring: History of World War 2
Manufacturer: Eagle Vision USA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00020HC7C
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Description
World War Two was the greatest conflict of all history, only a generation after the first 'War to end all Wars'. But when Hitler's Germany smashed into Poland in September 1939, it became clear that the new European war would be no repeat of the 1914-18 stalemate.
The Germans were now the masters of a revolutionary 'lightning war'. In Poland, Scandanavia, the Low Countries and France, the panzers spearheaded the blitzkrieg until June 1940, when only Britain resisted Hitler's might.
By then, World War Two had erupted on land, sea and air, and it was in the air that Germany was finally checked at the Battle of Britain. But this was an isolated setback. By June 1941, German forces had swept through the Balkans and into North Africa, as Hitler prepared for his greatest battle of all in Russia.
The German invasion of Russia in June 1941 was intended as Hitler's ultimate triumph. Instead, it turned into his greatest disaster as World War Two became truly global.
But in December 1941, Hitler's divisions stood poised at the gates of Moscow, as, faraway in the Pacific, his Japanese allies stunned America with her fateful attack on Pearl Harbor. America was now a full Allied combatant in the Pacific, in Africa, and, eventually, in Europe, as the war swung towards the Allied cause.
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