Thoughtful Preparations: Media Spin Blog

The men and women of World War II have been dubbed The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw’s book. Frank Capra’s World War II war documentaries, Why We Fight on DVD captures the history and urgency of the times. It was a different era before political correctness (the Japanese enemies were referred to as “Japs”), civil rights advances, and there is a spirit of post Depression, can-do American unity. The country was recovering from the Great Depression, and building up its role as a global manufacturing giant. This was before the divisive paranoia introduced by Senator Joe McCarthy and the Red Scare of Communism that dominated U.S. foreign policy for decades. In fact “The Battle of Russia” heaps great praise upon the Russians for beating back the Nazi advance and handing Hitler some of his first defeats.

The 8 films on 4 DVDs are a long hard slog, as good old Rummie our present Secretary of Defense would say. 450 minutes of badly transferred grainy black and white film with rough, tinny soundtracks distracts from a totally absorbing appreciation of the historic experience. All the same, these are valuable recordings of World War II history and our country’s mood.

Crisply narrated by Walter Huston, there is classic footage of Adolf Hitler, Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill, Nazi, Japanese and Allied armies. Why We Fight World War II – The Complete Series. American Propaganda Films of WWII, original release 1942-1944, 4 DVD Series, 2005, 450 minutes

• Disc 1: “Prelude to War”, “The Nazis Strike”
• Disc 2: “Divide & Conquer”, “Battle of Britain”
• Disc 3: “Battle of Russia”, “Battle of China”
• Disc 4: “War Comes to America”, “The Negro Soldier”

The Battle of China historically recounts the Japanese attacks and agressions upon China, showing some of the first ever aerial bombings of cities, and the rape of Nanking Massacre.

The War Comes to America includes an idealized corny section narrated by Humphrey Bogart covering the breadth of the American landscape and human melting pot. The sequence begins showing a group of children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, in its form of that time, without the 1954 “under God” insertion.

Viewing the war propaganda films of the 1940’s, we see an America that is carefully neutral, at peace, hesitant and humble about entering the world stage of war. These films are crafted to rally isolationist USA into battle, clarifying the moral imperitive to defeat a globe conquering Hitler. Upbeat, cheery anthems such as “This is the Army Mr. Jones”, introducing the Selective Service draft call, practically dance our men and boys off to war.

The Negro Soldier opens with a montage of American churches, enters a large cathedral and a somber chorale, not joyful gospel music. The church minister delivers the sermon and narrates the entire hour of film.

The Germans developed a huge arsenal of tanks and cannons, an air force with advanced aeronautical capabilities and were fully loaded to strike. Many of the aircraft and rocketry plans captured by the British, Russians and Americans were applied in 1950’s and 60’s fighter aircraft and space race technologies. One obvious point is: Saddam’s Iraq was not even close to 10% of Hitler’s Nazi Germany. It was a different time and place, and by today’s standards, it is surprising it took the USA as long as it did to enter WWII.

All images from Why We Fight World War II – The Complete Series.