Best WWII Documentary?

[karlo]

Hi karlo,

Did you mean Albert Speer died during the making of the "World at War"?

My understanding was the Speer died in 1981, whilst the World at War was completed around 1973/1974.

Here are some sources: World at war

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071075/

Speer on Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Speer

Cheers

Ian

apparently they were still interveiwing him up to his death...k

[behblc]

The World at War does stand out and by and large it has travelled quite well given that it is 30 years since it was made.
Many of those who took part are now no longer with us and their taking part in the series was no small part of its success.

"Auschwitz - The Nazis and the Final Solution" is one of recent vintage which was very important.
"Battleship Bismark" narrated by Ludo Kennedy made for the BBc in the early 1970's was ahead of its time - long over due for being shown again - I wish the BBc would put it out on DVD - along with its other kriegsmarine orientated documenteries by Kennedy - one on the Scharnhorst and the other on Tirpitz - all were really excellent.

[Stahlhelm]

Yes, I agree that the Final Solution episodes are very important, indeed. It's in two parts. I have not yet watched part 2, but I can agree that part one is extremely essential viewing, also loaded with an exceptional amount of general Third Reich and SS information. I actually found more information about the SS in part one than in any other documentary I've yet seen on the SS specifically. The World at War should certainly be in everyone's WWII documentary library. You will never regret the time or the money.

Chris

P.S. Yes, as I've agreed earlier, it is nearly impossible to outdo an exceptional documentary with extensive interviews of key people who are no longer available for interview.

[john moody]

Hi all,
What a tough choice to make! The best war documentary.
There are many about, and I have to agree that "The World At War" was one of the very best.
Here is a list of the documentaries I currently have all on DVD:
"Auschwitz - The Nazis & 'The Final Solution'" BBC DVD
"Battle Of Russia" Frank Capra US Propaganda film
"Blindspot: Hitler's Secretary" Interviews with Traudl Junge
"Blitzkrieg" a "War File" doc.
"Channel Islands Occupied" Tomahawk Films who produce Third Reich music CD
"Clash Of Wings" Discovery Channel
"The Combat Newsreels Of Hitler's Reich" Tomahawk again, "Wochenschau" films
"George Stevens: D-Day To Berlin" (Colour)
"Death And Destruction In The Falaise Gap"
"Great Battles Of WWII, Kursk, Crete, Midway"
"The Holocaust Persecution In Europe 1933-45" six DVD set with "Ravensbruck & Buchenwald/The Yellow Star/Dachau & Sachsenhausen/The Liberation Of Auschwitz/Theresientandt Camp/The Liberation Of Majdanek.
"The Nazi War Machine" US and UK wartime training films (US in colour) on how to identify German troops, tanks aircraft etc.
"The Nazis - A Warning from History" BBC DVD
"A Newsreel History Of The Third Reich" Four volumes; "Churchill the War Criminal 1940", "European Domination 1940", "Germany Prepares For War 1936-1939", & "Hitler's Rise To Power, the Early Years To 1935" US produced "Wochenshau" films documentaries
"Prelude To War" Frank Capra US propaganda
"The Second World at In Colour" UK TV doc.
"Shoah" 4 DVD Claude Lanzmann doc.
"The Sorrow And The Pity" French doc. on resistance and occupation
"Stalingrad" German TV doc. with dubbed English
"Target for Tonight - Cologne, Hamburg, Dresden"
"The Third Reich In Colour"
"Triumph Of The Will" Leni Riefenstahl
"The True Glory" 2 DVD with US/UK propaganda films: "The True Glory", "From Italy To D-Day", "From D-Day To Paris", "From Paris To The Rhine", & "From The Rhine To Victory"
"Victory Of Faith" Leni Riefenstahl
"Waffen SS" a "War File" series product
"The Wonderful Horrible Life Of Leni Riefenstahl" combined European TV production
"Finding The Fallen" WWI Discovery Channel doc
"World War I In Colour" UK TV product
"Victoria Cross Heroes" UK TV product
trying to find a favourite is a problem as all are so different, but at the moment "Stalingrad" tops my list

Regards,


John.

[steve h]

the world at war will, in my humble opinion, never be beaten. on another forum i read many of our american friends giving it the thumbs-down, saying it was too `brit-centric`. but some of the series, ie, 39-41 will be, as the americans weren`t involved directly then!.
the next best series i think, is `the nazis-a warning from history`. made by the bbc in about 2002/3 . not about the war as such, but the nsdap and it`s rise to power, and eventual destruction .grim viewing in parts,but highly recommended.

[Stahlhelm]

Thanks John!!!

You have just given me my new grocery list of WWII documentaries! I'll sure have quite a time rounding all those up and watching them. There's yet a lot more on your list that I've never even heard of. Thanks a bunch!

Steve,

I do agree that "Nazis: A Warning from History" is also a great one not to be missed. I have that one too. It also has lots of interviews with survivors from the period, and is very well-done. A couple more good ones in the same BBC series are "War of the Century: When Hitler Fought Stalin," and "D-Day to Berlin." Actually, there's one more about the bombing of Japan that rounds out the whole set. As a matter of fact, that whole four-volume BBC series is available in one boxed-set which is less than the price of buying any three volumes seperately. I highly recommend the whole thing.

Thanks John and Steve for the new ideas!

Chris

[Gunbunny]

I can't believe that "Victory at Sea" hasn't been mentioned. Probably the best documentary in terms of the combination of visual images, music, and the spokan word. My interest in military history came from sitting with my dad, who was in the Aleutions in WWII, and watching the series when it was new.

Some other great documentaries are:

"Airpower". Narrated by Walter Cronkite and Michael Redgrave with music by Norman Dello Joio. The music score was released in an LP album. Outstanding footage and similar to "Victory at Sea" in its presentation. I was happy to find it finally came out in a three DVD boxed set.

"Crusade in the Pacific". A straightforward documentary series from 1951. Rather bland narration, but loads of great footage. Newly available in a five DVD set.

"Crusade in Europe". A 1949 documentary series based on Gen. Eisenhower's book. Again a fairly conventional effort, but loaded with great footage.

"World War One". A 1964 documentary series narrated by Robert Ryan with an outstanding musical score by Morton Gould which was also released as an LP. Apparently available as a three DVD set.

It sounds like alot of you were too young to experience the above mentioned documentary series but you may want to make an effort to search them out. Much of the footage has never been shown anywhere else.

[Stahlhelm]

Thanks Gunbunny!

Yes, I'll definitely make an effort to search those out too. I'm always interested in footage that's "never been shown anywhere else."

Chris

P.S. Wow! I am absolutely amazed with the number of documentaries out there, and how much I've learned by posting a simple thread asking about everyone's favorite. I suppose I'll have to ask more questions like this in the future.

[john moody]

Hello all,
After reading all the messages regarding the best war documentary I sent for "The World At War" which arrived this morning.
I have not watched this series for many years, being around twelve years of age when the series was first shown on British television.
I ahve to admit, after watching the first episode that most opinions are right: it is probably the best overall documentary about the war years.
Now with age and experience, I can see how rounded and comprehensive the programme is, I am enjoying watching it more now than when I was a child, and look forward to viewing the next thirty four hours of the programme, although I imagine my wife is not of a similar opinion!

[Stahlhelm]

John,

As I believe you've already noticed, I don't think you'll regret ordering "The World at War" one bit. By the time I get done watching it one time, I'm usually ready to watch it again. There's just so much going on in the narration and footage, that I see and hear something different every time I watch it. I've probably gotten more of my money's worth out of those DVD's than any others that I've ever bought.

Enjoy,

Chris

P.S. I've actually managed to get my wife hooked on it too, and that's nothing short of a miracle!!! Before you know it, your wife might be watching it too. You never know...

[RobertCOUTTS]

The World at War

I enjoyed watching the World at War but to be honest I dont recall any mention of the Enigma Code being cracked in that series probably because it was still classified. The inference then was the Allies won because they were better soldiers, the Russians won because they were a wild horde of unstoppable numbers. I was an avid reader of history and it wasnt until I was an adult that I discovered what the Russians endured. Lately there has been an array of documentaries on WW2 all quite good here in Australia on pay TV. A recent one I watched "Germany's War" was very good.
anyhow take it easy. Robert

[Stahlhelm]

Robert,

Thanks for adding another documentary I've never heard of that sounds good--"Germany's War." I'll be sure to look for that one too. I hope it's on DVD!

You are right that the cracking of the Enigma Code is not mentioned on "The World at War." Production of that documentary was, of course, begun in 1973, and although it seems that something like that would have already been declassified, maybe not. I would think so, if I had to guess earlier. However, I'm really interested enough to do a little research on that myself. One way or another, of course, "The World at War" still wins the 1st place trophy for me.

Sincerely,

Chris

[DJT]

Robert, you must be thinking of a different documentary. The 'Red Star' episode of the World at War series really sheds light on what the Soviets went through. In fact the episode starts with the narrator saying no other nation endured as much as Soviet Russia during WW2. I've never got the impression from watching the series that the Allies won because 'they were better soldiers', which episode(s) infer that? As for the enigma query, you answered your own question.

I enjoyed watching the World at War but to be honest I dont recall any mention of the Enigma Code being cracked in that series probably because it was still classified. The inference then was the Allies won because they were better soldiers, the Russians won because they were a wild horde of unstoppable numbers. I was an avid reader of history and it wasnt until I was an adult that I discovered what the Russians endured. Lately there has been an array of documentaries on WW2 all quite good here in Australia on pay TV. A recent one I watched "Germany's War" was very good.
anyhow take it easy. Robert

[Patrick Dempsey]

Hi all,

there is a poem recounted in the "Red Star" episode ( if memory serves) relating to a father and his son which concerns the death of the son in combat and the loss felt by the father.

Even after all this time it is one of the most moving moments of televison i have watched.

The series and it's insights into the Soviets war would have been a huge eye opener to an early 70's UK audience.

It is only in recent times the subject has been known by the general population over here (and sadly, even now in 2007 that is debatable), even as i was was going through the school system in the mid to late 80's the subject of the Eastern front was not actually taught in history classes...

Still the greatest treatment of the war by far.


Patrick.

[john moody]

Hi all,
Just getting over a flu bug, I have now over the last few days watched "The World At War" in it's complete entirety!
Lying on a sofa wrapped up in a blanket sucking on cough sweets and drinking hot lemon whilst outside the frost has lain on the ground in the morning here in England.
I now have to agree with all that this is undoudtedly the very best series on WW2!
Fantastic from start to finish, and gripping throughout.
I am glad that I read this thread and bought the DVD's - well worth the money!
Preparing to watch most of it again; but where will I find the time?
Absolutely brilliant!

Regards to all.

John.