Unsolved Mysteries of World War II

Starring:Unsolved Mysteries of World Wa
Studio: Madacy Records
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Not what I was looking for.
Unsolved review of WW II

Unsolved Mysteries of World War II: Hitler's Secret Weapons/Enigma of the Swastika/ Himmler's Castl
Starring: Unsolved Mysteries of World Wa
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Hitler in Colour
The Third Reich In Color Part II: The Sequel

ASIN: 630520294X
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Customer Reviews:

Not what I was looking for........2001-12-03

This here is a good documentary but not exactly what I was looking for. Being used to A&E Documentaries, i was not completely satisfied with "Hitler's secret weapons".
Even though the photography is not that good, the movie tells us about the advancement in technology of Germany in the 3rd reich. Its quiet astonishing.
All in all, it's a good effort.

Unsolved review of WW II.......2000-06-14

it give the viewer in depth knowledge of how hitler conduct his war. Furhtermore, it show how advanced is the german armed forces in this period.

Unsolved Mysteries of World War II: Hitler's Secret War/Kill Hitler

Average customer rating:

Fascinating and quite informative indeed

Unsolved Mysteries of World War II: Hitler's Secret War/Kill Hitler
Starring: Unsolved Mysteries of World War II
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Unsolved Mysteries of World War II: Hitler's Secret Weapons/Enigma of the Swastika/ Himmler's Castl
Why We Fight (WWII Capra Series)

ASIN: B00000F0OG
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating and quite informative indeed.......2003-05-16

This is a fascinating video covering two topics that probably do not get enough attention among historians and those interested in World War II. Hitler's Secret War covers the decryption of Germany's vaunted Enigma codification system. Many would be surprised to learn that German codes were being intercepted and decoded by Polish intelligence before the war really even started with Hitler's invasion of that country in September 1939. The Polish code breakers made their way to England, and English intelligence basically listened and decoded to a wealth of strategic information coming out of Germany throughout the course of the war. This intelligence breakthrough was arguably the most important aspect of World War II, essentially guaranteeing Germany's ultimate defeat. Many questions do arise about this subject, however. While some information was obtained too late to be put to use, it is clear that some intercepts were ignored by the British. The most important example of this is the bombing of Coventry and the resulting massive loss of innocent lives; this could have been prevented, but such action on the part of Britain, it was feared, could clue Germany into the fact that its Enigma code had been broken. As things turned out, the Germans apparently never figured this out at all. This in itself is quite amazing, given a string of unexpected and unpredictable moves by the Allies in latter stages of the fight, although it can be explained in part by the fact that the Allies, even in 1944, were still ignoring or refusing to acknowledge intelligence data that should have clued them in to such important German moves as the final Ardennes counteroffensive.

Customer Reviews:

An effort at slander.......2003-11-02

Please see my other review concerning another DVD of this five disc series, "The Mystery of the Swastika..." (I don't really understand why Amazon.com shows all these DVDs separately, because they are part of a five disc series marketed in one pack).
As I have previously said, this is a cheaply produced, poorly researched effort, meant to mystify certain aspects of WWII which clearly bear no mystery at all to the proficient student of history. This is just probably to make it sell to naive people.
In this disc, for example, the historic Battle of Stalingrad has been made the focus of this "mystification". Now, the circumstances of that epic battle -- which turned the tide of war against the aggressing Nazis -- are clear and above board for all objective historians: the heroism, resolve and tremendous sacrifice of the Russian and other Soviet peoples people under Stalin's Soviet regime in this war tend to be belittled and slandered by this film; in fact, it clearly reflects the standard "cold war" western prejudice against anything Soviet/Russian, even though it was made seven years after the USSR went on into history. Even other quality western productions on WWII like "The World at War" are extremely objective about Stalingrad and its actual circumstances instead of insulting the memory of 20 million Soviet war casualties (the highest), and also the achievements of Stalin himself, which many can't come to terms with even today. These insulting insinuations about "secret armies" are made just to convey an aura of mystery where there is none, to belittle reality and in order to capitalise on it for the sake of commercial opportunity. It is sad to see this being done to history, but then in nowadays immoral world, anything is possible.

An informative look at two of Hitler's major blunders.......2003-03-12

This video addresses the two blunders that eventually helped cost Hitler the war: the failure to destroy the British army at Dunkirk and the fateful obsession with capturing Stalingrad. The decision at Dunkirk has long been one of some mystery; Hitler's armies, having brilliantly outmaneuvered and overrun the French and allied armies on the western front, were somewhat inexplicably ordered to halt their advance twenty miles from Dunkirk, where for all intents and purposes the British army was trapped. As a result of this decision, some 300,000 British, French, and allied soldiers were rescued from the beach and lived to fight another day. Many pundits have speculated over the years that Hitler essentially let the British escape because he had no desire to fight the British. This view can be defended by pointing to several statements made by the Fuhrer over the years betokening his admiration for the island nation, and the peace proposals he made to Britain in the wake of Dunkirk seem to support the view that he but not the resilient Churchill wanted a peaceful understanding between the two major powers. This video does a very good job of presenting more practical explanations for Hitler's enigmatic halt order, as well: e.g., Hitler was unaccountably anxious about the southern advance that seemed to be going too well, he was receiving reports of needed repairs for a significant number of tanks and heavy equipment, Goering pledged that the Luftwaffe and SS forces on the ground would destroy the beleaguered forces. No positive solution to the mysterious decision at Dunkirk is forthcoming, but this video does an excellent job of presenting a number of informative theories.

The other feature on this video concerns "Stalin's Secret Armies," the forces by which he defeated Germany's illustrious Sixth Army at Stalingrad. After providing an excellent overview of Hitler's strategy in the east, the video explains how Hitler changed his original plans to give the capture of Stalingrad highest priority. As the increasingly exhausted, war-weary German forces advanced on the city, untold numbers of fresh new Red Army soldiers made their way into Stalingrad and its outlying areas to the knowledge of virtually no one but Stalin himself. The counteroffensive of these unexpected masses of soldiers cut off the Sixth Army and trapped it inside the fortress Hitler was so eager to capture. Cut off from reinforcement and resupply, the Germans eventually surrendered, and the death knell of Hitler's war in the east was sounded, although few at the time realized the significance of the Russian triumph. Stalin, it is shown, kept his allies Roosevelt and Churchill completely in the dark about the size and power of his armed forces; indeed, even now history has little documentation of the forces that came to Stalingrad's rescue. The central question here concerns the subterfuge of Stalin's vows of military weakness. I do not believe Stalin's fervent desire for a western offensive by the Allies, one which would not come until much later than Stalingrad's drama was played out in 1942, is given enough consideration, nor is the parting note of speculation that Stalin was preparing for a new fight against the allies who would soon become his enemies after the fall of Berlin.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent WW II Material !.......2007-01-28

I agree with the previous reviewer:
The footage is excellent and the background material is top notch. There are a few glitches here and there in the filming but that can be attested to the age of the original footage and not the CD.
For those who can't understand that this material is approx 70 years old,
I suggest you watch some new Hollywood action movie with special effects.
This type of material is not for immature kids.

Obviously............2005-01-07

The last reviewer was the author, manufacturer or distributor of the DVD series! Sounds just like an ad!

A fascinating set of documentaries on the Third Reich.......2003-09-21

By and large, the Unsolved Mysteries of World War II box set is quite good, filled with important facts and oftentimes fascinating speculation. The running time of four and a half hours is broken up into 12 separate documentaries, all of which deal specifically with the Third Reich. The title is a little misleading because you will find almost nothing here dealing with the imperial Japanese army, and the American war effort is really only presented in light of its effects on German strategy and eventual defeat.

Volume 1 features The Riddle of Rudolph Hess, The Strange Death of Geli Raubal, and Drugs and the Fuhrer. I find much of the information on Raubal's death highly speculative, but the information on the medical facts of Hitler's case is quite interesting. As for the Rudolf Hess story, I think more attention should have been given to claims that the man imprisoned in Spandau was not truly Rudolf Hess, and the mysterious death of the Spandau prisoner also deserved more attention.

Volume 2 features Decision at Dunkirk and Stalin's Secret Armies. This look at what essentially constitute two of Hitler's biggest blunders is excellent. The Russian campaign, and the secrecy Stalin maintained over the state and number of his soldiers to both enemies and allies alike, is a war story too often neglected, and the speculation concerning Hitler's decision to essentially let the British live to fight another day is quite interesting.

Volume 3 features Hitler's Secret Weapon, Enigma of the Swastika, and Himmler's Castle. The term "Hitler's Secret Weapon" is rather lurid and overblown, but the fact that Hitler devoted a disproportionate amount of funds and essential supplies to his rocket program definitely contributed to his ultimate downfall. There is some speculation that the V-2 was to serve as the delivery mechanism for weapons of mass destruction, but this issue is not pursued as there is little evidence to support it. The other two documentaries on this tape delve into the occult nature of the National Socialist Party and, in particular, Himmler's feared S.S.; these are subjects I find darkly fascinating.

Volume 4 features Hitler's Secret War and Kill Hitler. This may be the best video in the series. "Hitler's Secret War" is something of a misnomer, as this documentary covers in great detail the allied breaking of the German military codes early in the war. Most interesting is the evidence that the Allies ignored significant portions of the information they intercepted for a number of reasons. The citizens of Coventry were apparently sacrificed because to remove the population before the bombs dropped would have clued Hitler in to the fact that the British knew his codes, and the surprise German counteroffensive at Ardennes in 1944 should have come as no surprise at all ý but it did. Equally surprising is the fact that the Germans never seemed to figure out that the Allies knew of many of their military plans in advance and thus staged some rather remarkable victories. Kill Hitler covers a number of plots to arrest or kill Hitler, and the analysis of Hitler's fluid relationship with the Wehrmacht is nothing short of riveting.

The final volume features The Eagle and the Swastika and The Last Days of Hitler. The first documentary covers Hitler's decision to declare war on the United States in the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent American declaration of war on Japan. The analysis of the inexplicability of this decision is quite valuable to students of World War II. The look at Hitler's final days is rather disappointing to some degree, as facts that have been pretty well established by now are treated with skepticism or dismissed out of hand.

All in all, I found this an excellent series on the Third Reich's rise and fall. It must be said that the audio and video quality leave something to be desired, but the information and footage to be found in this set of documentaries is well worth the attention of those interested in the rise of a dictator and the eventual ruin of a conquered German state.

A rip-off. Only for the die-hard Third Reich fans.......2001-01-19

A utter utter rip-off. These bad BAD people are making a profit by ripping you off. There are some short sequences of interesting videos, packaged into a box set, but of low production quality. Inexcusable. Only for the true die-hard Third Reich fans. Wait for it to appear in the bargain bin. Very sad. Makes me Sick Heil! Or, as the Germans used to say, this is pure Kotz durchs Fenster (Vomit out of the Window) stuff.

Horrible film quality mars an otherwise decent film.......2000-07-08

I could not believe the bad quality of the footage. No, it has nothing to do with the original footage. Even the credits were very blurry and blocky. I have had the misfortune of buying another video set, on VHS, by this same company. Same dismal results. I would recommend looking elsewhere. The company that makes this video has released lots of video sets with flashy pictures, but when you actually view them, you realize how shoddy their workmanship is. It looks like a bad propaganda film from the 1950s. My other video set actually was: War in the Pacific.

Unsolved Mysteries of World War II, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

Geli Raubal -- A "Mystery" of WWII ?

Unsolved Mysteries of World War II, Vol. 1
Starring: Unsolved Mysteries of World Wa
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305202893
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Customer Reviews:

Geli Raubal -- A "Mystery" of WWII ?.......2003-11-02

There is yet another anomaly in this substandard DVD series on WWII. It has a section concerning the unsolved murder of Geli Raubal, Hitler's niece -- widely suspected to have been carried out by Hitler himself, but still not confirmed to be so. What is so mysterious about this? Weren't there innumerable others whom Hitler has secretly murdered? Also, this was not a "mystery of WWII", but an event related to Hitler's inner circle well before (8 years prior to) WWII. Can one be any other wiser, about the strange and lamentable "productions" that are made today, in the name of furthering history?

Unsolved Mysteries of World War II: The Eagle & The Swastika/The Last Days of Hitler

Average customer rating:

Full of errors
Could Be Worse

Unsolved Mysteries of World War II: The Eagle & The Swastika/The Last Days of Hitler
Starring: Unsolved Mysteries of World Wa
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

Documentary | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( U ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: 6305202958
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Customer Reviews:

Full of errors.......2003-11-02

This is part of a package series of five DVDs. The impression they made on me was that they were made to "mystify" various areas of WWII history where standard scholarship sees no mysteries, really. Another gimmick of earning more money in nowaday's "globalised" world, I suppose.
The presentation, footage, and commerntary are above average. But the narratiove contains many factual errors, that even well- read kids can point out. Firstly, the narrator says that there was no such thing as an "Aryan" racial concept before Mme. Blavatsky, a 19th century Russian occultist invented it; the term merely applied to a group of languages in linguistics. That is a blatant scholastic and historical error:
The modern day name of Persia, Iran, is a variation of the word "Aryan", and Iranians have a very clear and proud historical consciousness of being Aryan stretching back for more than 3000 years. Similarly, the ancient name for neighbouring Afghanistan was "Aryana", yet another variant of "Aryan". It is true that not much is known about this ancient eurasian caucasoid racial agglomeration in its early history; it is known to have contained many different racial variations on the caucasian type but what we do know is that this hitherto obscure mass became restive and suddenly "exploded" all over eurasia some 3500 years ago, with some branches populating Persia and India, while others went north-westwards from their central asian and southern Russian strongholds to populate Germany, Scandinavia and the British isles. Here again comes to light another error in this film, about the swastika in history, which the narrator says was a "Buddhist good-luck sign". It is actually a Hindu religious symbol denoting good luck, and from there also passed on to Buddhism, which came 2000 years later. The Aryan origins of the swastika are in no doubt, because the Hindus also claim a very clearcut Aryan origin, and this is the basis for Indian society's oppressive caste system which still exists today. It derives its legitimacy from the notion that Aryans are superior to the aboriginal Indian Dravidian races and therefore should be separated in society from each other by different "castes".
So this documentary is based on flimsy scholarship, meant to create an irresponsible thrill in an important subject's history where none are needed, in order for it to sell.

Could Be Worse.......2001-01-03

The information in this dvd is very intresting. I borrowed it form my girlfriends father and viewed it over a period of two weeks. I think that one of its draw backs is that it tends to be similar to a microsoft powerpoint presentation. Over all I was happy with the time that I spent viewing the DVD's found them to serve their purpose but with a minimal amount of visiual stimulant.

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