Best WWII Documentary?

[Darrell]

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.

I've had the DVD set for a few years now. I must have watched it a dozen times.

[Adrian Stevenson]

I can only repeat that "The World At War" has yet to be bettered. I dread to thing how many times I have watched it.

Cheers, Ade.

[chippler]

World at War is awesome.

Kokoda front line by Damien Parer is also a gem and is the only WW2 doco to win an academy award.

- Chris

[Stahlhelm]

I can only repeat that "The World At War" has yet to be bettered. I dread to thing how many times I have watched it.

Cheers, Ade.

I'm actually watching "The World at War" again, right now! It's so enjoyably long that by the time I finish it each time, I'm always ready to watch it again. It also seems that each new time I watch it, I see something I didn't notice the last time. So, I guess that just gives me another good reason to keep watching it...

Chris

[entasis]

docs

I have many DVD hours of WW2 and 3R documentaries (including things copied off TV). And most of my favorites have been covered:

World at War
Nazis-Warning from History
Rise & Fall of Adolf Hitler (annoying music and occassional iffy info but good footage; beware... DVD 4 set is missing 2 hours as VHS has 6 hours)
Mein Kreig (German with subtitled...not to be missed)

btw...I'm looking for the History Channel's 3-part show on the SS. If anyone has it I'll be willing to do generous trades.

[Stahlhelm]

I have many DVD hours of WW2 and 3R documentaries (including things copied off TV). And most of my favorites have been covered:

World at War
Nazis-Warning from History
Rise & Fall of Adolf Hitler (annoying music and occassional iffy info but good footage; beware... DVD 4 set is missing 2 hours as VHS has 6 hours)
Mein Kreig (German with subtitled...not to be missed)

btw...I'm looking for the History Channel's 3-part show on the SS. If anyone has it I'll be willing to do generous trades.

That 3-Part History Channel documentary on the SS can be ordered on the History Channel website, as can eveything else they show on that channel. So, you shouldn't need to do any trades for it. Just go to their website and do a search for it there, and you should be able to find it. I'm planning on ordering it myself soon. I agree that it's also one not to be missed!

Chris

[entasis]

Chris...I've never seen this set for sale on the US History Channel site (I think once on the UK version of the site but in VHS/PAL).

Nonetheless, if you do come across it for sale, please drop me a line.

[Jono]

For some reason, pay TV in Australia has been getting a lot of ww2 doco's lately. I'm not sure why, but its awesome. As stated, World at War is in a league of its own. I also love "The Nazi's: A warning from History"

[Bobwirtz]

What got me hooked on WWII history was Walter Cronkite's TWENTIETH CENTURY and AIR POWER series... but the WORLD AT WAR was by far the best series made. For those seeking the entire set, try BELL AND BLADE. That is where I bought mine. They also make many of the large militaria shows, like the MAX and SOS.

But the WORLD AT WAR didn't get into many of the little details, but it was good for what it was. For example, on the AIR WAR OVER EUROPE, they went into the Schweinfurt missions; however, failed to explain why these never worked out because the Germans were buying ball bearings from Sweden and other places --- those that they didn't manufacture themselves. There are a lot of events that aren't mentioned, but what can you do in 26 episodes?

I was watching some other program about the War in Italy and the bombing of Monte Cassino, etc. and it had a couple of clips of B-29s taking off to attack targets in Italy... one of the problems is that these people who make these use the same footage over and again and aren't really too detailed to know the difference between aircraft, models, etc. for example, showing U.S. Naval aircraft during the Battle of Midway with the red circles in the center of their stars and the candy-striped tails, which were removed after Coral Sea and before Midway, or showing Curtiss S2BC Helldivers taking off during Midway... planes that didn't reach that theater until 2 years later.

Bob

[Stahlhelm]

Interesting facts about some of the documentary inaccuracies, Bob! Thanks! Now, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for of that stuff myself.

Also, thanks for the tip about the Walter Cronkite Twentieth Century series. I saw that one at a local bookstore just last weekend. I started to get it, but I wasn't sure about it. Now, I know I'll have to get that one too...

Thanks,

Chris

[Stahlhelm]

Chris...I've never seen this set for sale on the US History Channel site (I think once on the UK version of the site but in VHS/PAL).

Nonetheless, if you do come across it for sale, please drop me a line.

Maybe I'm actually thinking about something different I saw about the SS on the History Channel. You're probably right. I'll doublecheck that, and let you know the exact title of what I'm thinking of.

Chris

P.S. Actually, the more I think about it, the one I'm thinking of might be about the Gestapo. I just remember that it was several hours long, and it was also really good.

[Stahlhelm]

Hitler in Color

Well, I must nominate another one to this evergrowing list of documentaries worth watching. It's called "Hitler in Color." I admit that I first just thought of adding the title in this documentary thread. However, as is characteristic of me, I just kept typing and typing, until I realized that it had become thread-worthy--or at least thread length. So, if you have any interest in reading what else I have to say about it, just look in the "Hitler in Color" thread...

Chris

[feldpost 58]

Hi,

The very best WW2 documentary is (in my opinion) "Stalingrad".
A three hour co-production between Germany and Australia amongst others.
Released with English dubbing, an absolutely accurate and harrowing document of the misery of the Stalingrad action.
Lots of witness testimony and interviews, It must have been hell on earth!
For a documentary on a single subject, this (to me) is the very best.

Best wishes,


John.

[jerry c.]

does anybody else like the BATTLEFIELD series.

these are hands down the best WW2 documentaries out there.

i've been ordering em one after the other... in depth analysis of the various battles of the war.

[ralfsnart]

Hi,

The very best WW2 documentary is (in my opinion) "Stalingrad".
A three hour co-production between Germany and Australia amongst others.
Released with English dubbing, an absolutely accurate and harrowing document of the misery of the Stalingrad action.
Lots of witness testimony and interviews, It must have been hell on earth!
For a documentary on a single subject, this (to me) is the very best.

Best wishes,


John.

I really liked that one also John, very emotional to watch.

That was the three part one right? The Attack, The Kessel and The Doom?

Jerry, I like those also


And I'm not sure if it was mentioned but a doc called "Hitler speaks - Hitlers private home movies" was very interesting. Don't know or not if the people were correct in the lip reading...but it was worth the watch anyway!!