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General
American Revolutionary War
American Civil War
Spanish American War
World War I
Irish/English Civil War SEE Europe/Ireland (separate page)
Spanish Civil War
American Civil War
World War II
Korea
Development of the Atomic Bomb / Hiroshima and Nagasak1
Cold War / Nuclear Proliferation
Vietnam
Africa (Separate pages)
Middle East
Croatia/The Balkans
Area Studies videographies
Global Issues videography
Propaganda
International Terrorism videography
U.S. Politics & Government videography
1960's videography
1950's videography
War movies in MRC
- Army of One
- A documentary following the lives of three young people who joined the U.S. Army in the wake of 9/11. In stark contrast to the portraits of willing patriotic soldiers that America sells at home and abroad, these recruits' stories reveal the more realistic, troubled conflict of American youth trapped within a military mission much larger than themselves. 2003. 71 min. A film by Sarah Goodman DVD 1704
- Basic Training (1971)
- Filmed at Fort Knox in 1970, this documentary follows a company of draftees and enlisted men through the Army basic training program, showing the transition from civilians to soldiers. A film by Frederick Wiseman. c1971. 90 min. Video/C MM509
- The Battle of Glorieta Pass.
- Using commentary from diaries and journals of Civil War participants film reviews the military strategy and events surrounding the Battle of Glorieta Pass during the New Mexico Civil War campaign of 1862. Video/C 2868
- Before you Enlist!: The Real Deal on Joining the Military
- Through interviews with American veterans, this documentary provides a rational voice to counter the seductive and often deceptive recruiting practices of the U.S. military. The message is not "don't enlist" but rather seeks to provide young people and their families with a more complete picture of the life-altering consequences of joining the military. Produced by Telequest, Inc. with support from the American Friends Service Committee and Veterans for Peace. 2006. 14 min. DVD 6539
- Bulletproof Salesman
- In a career spanning two decades of global turmoil, Fidelis Cloer, a self-proclaimed war profiteer, has supplied kings, presidents, and dictators with the finest armored vehicles that money can buy. In his world, where security is a commodity, violence and war present sales opportunities just as rain sells umbrellas. Following the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Cloer sold thousands of his hand-crafted armored vehicles. But as the war evolved, and armor-defeating Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) proliferated, Cloer found himself engaged in an arms race with insurgents who upped their explosives ante to defeat his increasingly higher (and more expensive) levels of armor. Directors, Petra Epperlein, Michael Tucker. 2008. 14 min. DVD X3196
- Car Bomb: A History of the Deadliest Weapon of the Century
- Forget about nuclear missiles, the decisive weapon of the twentieth century is the car bomb. We now know you can defeat a superpower, start a civil war, or just blow up your own government with a trunkload of homemade explosives and a battered old car. From the Middle East to Oklahoma, Afghanistan, and most recently New York's Times Square, the car bomb has shaped human conflict. Ex-CIA agent Robert Baer uncovers the history of this extraordinary weapon. Includes shocking footage of car bomb attacks and penetrating interviews with car bombers. Directed by Kevin Toolis. 2010. 102 min. DVD X5224
- A Child's Century of War
- From the perspective of children, takes the viewer on a journey through the past century, examining the way in which modern wars have increasingly threatened and targeted children. Three contemporary conflicts are at the heart of the film. Telling their stories in their own voices, we hear from orphans of the two recent Chechen wars, from children in Hebron on the West Bank and from the abducted, raped and amputated children of Sierra Leone. c2001. 90 min. Video/C 9452
Description from Icarus Films
- Conversations.
- An extensive series of lectures about international affairs given on the U.C. Berkeley campus in conjuction with the Institute of International Studies. Listed below are partial holdings for this series. For additional information, see the OskiCat online catalogs.
#3: The Nuclear arms race with Herbert York & John Holdren. Video/C 621
#10: Can nuclear war be controlled? with Desmond Ball & Gene Rochlin. Video/C 628.
#18: The Problems and prospects for international peace-keeping efforts with Indart Rikhye. Video/ 636.
#21: The Peace movement in historical perspective with Linus Pauling. Video/C 639.
#22: The Arms race, arms control, and peace studies with George Rathjens & Gene Rochlin. Video/C 640.
#24: Germany and the Euro-missiles with Josef Joffe & Kenneth N. Waltz. Video/C 642.
#28: Reflections on a career in diplomacy with Sir David Hunt & Leslie Lipson. Video/C 646.
#43: Our nuclear dilemma with Freeman Dyson. Video/C 1317.
#45: The Quest for peace with Norman Cousins. Video/C 1318.
#46: The European peace movement with Petra K. Kelly & General Gert Bastian. Video/C 1318.
#47: Europe and the nuclear arms race with David Owen & Prof. Thomas Barnes. Video/C 1319.
#48: Diplomacy, the nuclear arms race, and East-West relations with Lord Peter Carrington & Ernst B. Haas. Video/C 1319.
#49 Prospects for arms control with Paul Warnke & John Holdren. Video/C 1320. #60: The Peace process in the Middle East with Alfred Atherton, Video/C 1321.
#62 Peace movements, peace research and the peace process : A Conversation with John Kenneth Galbraith. Video/C 1565
#63: Peace movements, peace research and the peace process with Elise Boulding. Video/C 1565.
#69: The Star Wars debate with Richard Garwin. Video/C 1563.
#70 Strategy and nuclear weapons, with Colin Gray. Video/C 1566
#86: Reminiscences from a career in science national security and the university, with Herbert F. York. Video/C 1569.
- Cyber War!
- The Slammer hit on Super Bowl Sunday. Nimda struck one week after 9/11. Code Red had ripped through the system that summer. Moonlight Maze moved from the Russian Academy of Science and into the U.S. Department of Defense. A new form of warfare has broken out and the battleground is cyberspace. With weapons like embedded malicious code, probes and pings, there are surgical strikes, reverse neutron bombs, and the potential for massive assaults aimed directly at America's infrastructure -- the power grid, the water supply, the complex air traffic control system, and the nation's railroads. Thie film investigates just how real the threat of war in cyberspace is and reveals what the White House knows that the rest of us don't. Written and directed by Michael Kirk. c2003. 60 min. DVD 4476
- The Different Drummer.
- Using rare photographs, archival footage, and interviews with Black military personnel, tells of the importance of Black soldiers from the Civil War to World War I. 58 min. DVD 4959 (preservation copy); also vhs Video/C 1010
- Disarm
- Spans a dozen countries to look at how, despite a global ban, millions of antipersonnel mines continue to claim victims daily around the world ... Juxtaposes government and public opinion, [including] that of outspoken Nobel Peace Prize winner Jody Williams, mine victims, deminers, soldiers, and aid workers, to explore the issues that both hinder and further the case against land mines. Filmed in Afghanistan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Bosnia & Herzgovina, Burundi, Colombia, Iraq, Thailand, Burma & the United States. Director, Brian Liu. 2004. Theatrical version (68 min.) -- TV edit version (53 min.). DVD X5516
- Executive Outcomes: The War Business
- Tells the story of ferocious battles of the private army of mercenaries, Executive Outcomes, on hire to governments and multinational companies whose investments are being strangled by war. Looks at the battles in Angola, and Sierra Leone for blood diamonds ... of the Executive Outcomes PR machine at the world's biggest arms fair in Abu Dhabi and in discreet Pretoria houses back home in South Africa ... of the apartheid killers who put down rebel insurgencies at the behest of British military men ... of the recent crisis of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific, where Executive Outcomes mercenaries are kicked out of the country and the government brought down ... of men who killed and of those they fought. A film by Mark Stucke. 1997. 52 min. DVD 9911
- Faces of the Enemy.
- Discusses the uses of propaganda to dehumanize and depersonalize "the enemy." 58 min. Video/C 1023
- First Kill
- Documentary about the line between good and evil, focusing on the contradictory emotions that war evokes, such as terror and anger, but also seduction, fascination and excitement. Includes interviews with journalist and author Michael Herr, war photographer Eddie Adams, and other Vietnam veterans. They discuss their aversion and attraction to war and killing. These interviews are juxtaposed with scenes from the war and images of young Vietnamese and foreigners in present day Vietnam who continue to show a fascination with the war and its memory as they tour former battlefields. Directed by Coco Schrijber. 2001. 54 min. Video/C 9769
Description from First Run/Icarus Films catalog
- Five Days to Change the World
- This documentary about the recent Hague Appeal for Peace and Justice focuses on a group of young people at the world's largest peace conference as they create their own agenda for peace in the 21st century. Includes speeches and interviews with activists, young and old, who devise concrete steps aimed at stopping war and the use of child soldiers, land mines, the trade in small arms, nuclear weapons, and the institution of a permanent international criminal court, peace education, and reducing debt by poor countries. Archival footage places these issues in historic context. Richter Productions, c2001. 57 min. Video/C 9008
- Fog of War
- The story of America as seen through the eyes of the former Secretary of Defense, under President Kennedy and President Johnson, Robert S. McNamara. McNamara was one of the most controversial and influential political figures of the 20th century. Now, he offers a candid and intimate journey through some of the most seminal events in contemporary American history. He offers new and often surprising insights into the 1945 bombing of Tokyo, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the effects of the Vietnam War. Produced & directed by Errol Morris. 2003. 107 min. DVD 2687
Awards
Academy Award - Best Documentary, Features
- Fog of War (Conversation with Robert McNamara and Errol Morris)
- Motion picture producer and director Errol Morris and former Sec. of Defense Robert S. McNamara discuss issues revealed in the film Fog of war which presents a look at McNamara's political career and views during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Recorded by Educational Technology Services, University of California, Berkeley on November 4, 2004. 72 min. Video/C MM79
View it with RealPlayer
- For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots
- This television miniseries uses letters, diaries, speeches, journalistic accounts, historical text and military records to document and acknowledge the sacrifices and accomplishments of African-American service men and women since the earliest days of the republic. The story spans the American Revolution to the Civil War, from the World Wars to present day fighting in Afghanistan, and examines why, despite enormous injustice, these heroic men and women fought so valiantly for freedoms they themselves did not enjoy. Contetns: Disc 1. (115 min.). The Revolution through World War II -- Disc 2. (116 min.). World War II through President Obama -- Disc 3. Bonus material (ca. 307 min.). For love of liberty, abridged version (47 min.) ; For love of liberty : stories of Black patriots in the Civil War (35 min.) ; Archive material (ca. 180 min.) ; Photomontages (ca. 45 min.). Directed by Frank Martin. c2009. 538 min. DVD X5697
- Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict
- Written, produced and directed by Steve York, 2000.
Nashville: We were Warriors In Fall 1959, James Lawson offered free evening classes on nonviolent action to university students in Nashville with the goal of training and preparing them to desegregate the city's business district. Lawson had spent three years in India learning about Mohandas Gandhi. Now he guided his students in a study of both the history and practice of nonviolent methods--to prepare them for their "sit-ins" at downtown stores. Lawson's guidance helps the students endure the beatings and arrests, and lead a boycott, as they bring their stuggle for civil rights to the steps of Nashville City Hall and ultimately to the forefront of national attention. 33 min. DVD 1951; also VHS Video/C 7372
India: Defying the Crown In 1930, Indian nationalists were impatient with British foot-dragging on promises to move India toward self-rule, and appointed Mohandas Gandhi to lead "the final struggle for freedom." Relying on nonviolent methods he developed in South Africa, Gandhi empowered millons who followed his example and his campaign of civil disobedience swept the country, forcing the British to admit that their regime was losing control. 2000. 30 min. DVD 1952; also VHS Video/C 7373
South Africa: Freedom in Our Lifetime. In South Africa a black "uprising" against the injustice of apartheid began in 1984. Many young blacks knew they could not win by violent force. Instead they organized at the grassroots-taking control of their own townships and making their grievances known to the white population. By withholding their buying power, the black population drove a wedge between the white business community and the apartheid regime. A nationwide state of emergency was imposed and continued for three years. In 1989, a new president F. W. De Klerk, released Nelson Mandela and negotiated a new constitution, which guaranteed equal rights for all South Africans. 33 min. DVD 1953; also VHS Video/C 7374
Denmark: Living with the Enemy. When Adolf Hitler's forces invaded Denmark on April 9, 1940, the Danish government knew that a military response would be suicidal for Denmark's small armed forces. Danish leaders decided to adopt a strategy of resistance disguised as collaboration. By delaying and obstructing German operations, Danes systematically undermined the invaders' objectives. In the end, Denmark did not defeat Germany, but it survived and it contributed more to the war effort through nonviolent resistance than Danish arms could ever have achieved. 30 min. DVD 1954; also VHS Video/C 7375
Poland: We've Caught God by the Arm. In August, 1980, workers at the Gdansk shipyard went on strike. Lech Walesa was the chief negotiator for the workers, who avoided the mistakes of earlier strikes by maintaining strict nonviolent discipline--and by occupying their shipyard, to deter a violent crackdown by authorities. The strike quickly spread throughout the country and a new union was born named "Solidarity." The government imposed martial law and banned the union which continued its work underground until 1989 when it re-emerged as a revitalized political force, and won decisively in Poland's first free elections in 60 years. 31 min. DVD 1955; also VHS Video/C 7376
Chile: Defeat of a Dictator General Augusto Pinochet seized power in Chile in a 1973 military coup and banned political parties, closed newspapers, and spread fear throughout the country as disappearances, torture and imprisonment became common. In 1983, an economic crisis pushed many Chileans to oppose the dictator for the first time. Copper miners called for a nonviolent national protest day against Pinochet. Mainstream opposition parties re-ermerged after ten years and staged frequent non-violent demonstrations. They realized that the constitution Pinochet wrote in 1980 called for a plebicite--a chance for people to vote yes or no on another eight years of military rule. Pinochet had always assumed he would win but the opposition ran a bold, future-oriented "NO" campaign and in 1988 Pinochet was voted out. 34 min. DVD 1956; also VHS Video/C 7377
- The Fourth World War
- While American airwaves are crowded with talk of a new world war, the human face of war is rarely seen. This documentary weaves together the images and voices of the war on the ground - from the front lines of struggles in Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, Palestine, Korea, 'the North' from Seattle to Genova, and the 'War on Terror' in New York and Iraq. Spanning five continents, filming took over two years to document the story of how men and women are working to resist getting caught up in the current global conflict. [Cambridge, MA]: Big Noise Films, 2004. 76 min. DVD 2997
- The French Foreign Legion: The World's Most Legendary Fighting Force
- Established in 1831, the French Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère) is a unique unit of the French Army specifically created for foreign volunteers, to be commanded by French officers. This documentary presents a history of the Legion interspersed with present day experiences by two Legion veterans. Features archival film footage with commentary by former members of the Légion étrangère and historians. Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones. 2007. 28 min. DVD X235
- The Genocide Factor
- Originally produced in 2001. 57 min. each installment.
Genocide, From Biblical Times Through the Ages. In this program a variety of experts analyze Biblical accounts and some of the earliest documented examples of genocide, as in the Athenian siege of Melos in 416 B.C., to explore the psychology that motivates such violence. This grim survey looks at the extermination of Tasmanians, Native Americans, Namibia's Herero tribe, and the Armenians. DVD 4507
Genocide in the First Half of the 20th Century. State-sanctioned violence has always existed, but technological advances have facilitated its use as a viable means of exerting political power. This program ... focuses on the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot, the 1923 Rosewood Massacre, Stalin's forced Ukrainian famine, the Japanese Rape of Nanking, and the Holocaust. A host of survivors, experts, and scholars are interviewed. DVD 4485
Never Again?: Genocide Since the Holocaust. After the atrocities of World War II, the cry of conscience was "never again!" As this program demonstrates, that bitterly learned injunction went unheeded throughout much of the world. The chronicle of genocide continues with a look at Mao's purges in China, Cambodia under Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge, the Arab/Israeli conflict, border wars in Pakistan and Bangladesh, and killing in Central America. Video/C 8744
Genocide: The Horror Continues.
The late 20th century produced a sinister euphemism: 'ethnic cleansing.' This program presents a comprehensive survey of genocide by looking at the most recent examples in Iraq, Iran, and Turkey; Burundi and Rwanda; the former Yugoslavia; Indonesia and East Timor; and Chechnya. The role and efforts of the United Nations are discussed as well as what the future holds in trying to prevent genocide. Video/C 8745
- Good Times, Wonderful Times
- A semi-documentary on the senseless brutality of war and the folly of rationalized indifference to human suffering. Unscripted chatter on sex, war and politics at a London cocktail party is intercut with scenes from World War I and World War II footage, including the Warsaw ghetto, concentration camps, the training of Hitler Youth and Hiroshima. Directed by Lionel Rogosin. 1965. 67 min. DVD X4117
- Human Terrain
- Human Terrain' is two stories in one. The first exposes the U.S. effort to enlist the best and the brightest of American universities in a struggle for the hearts and minds of its enemies.... The other story is about a brilliant young scholar who leaves the university to join a Human Terrain team. After working as a humanitarian activist and winning a Marshall Scholarship to study at Oxford, Michael Bhatia returned to Brown University to conduct research on military cultural awareness. A year later, he left to become embed as a Human Terrain member with the 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan. On May 7, 2008, en route to mediate an inter-tribal dispute, his Humvee hit a roadside bomb and Bhatia was killed along with two other soldiers. Asking what happens when war becomes academic and academics go to war, the two stories merge in tragedy. Directed by David Udris, James Der Derian and Michael Udris. 85-min. version and 57-min. version (also with bleeped option). c2010. DVD X5102
Description from Bullfrog Films catalog
- Inside America's Empire
- The challenge of terrorism is likely to last for generations, and in a war without definable geographic borders or clear-cut victories, the threat may crop up anywhere. This documentary illuminates how the U.S. military is confronting this complicated challenge in unexpected and innovative ways, as chronicled by military correspondent Robert D. Kaplan of The Atlantic. Kaplan takes viewers to the Philippines, Mali, Colombia and the Republic of Georgia to meet the commanders and grunts on the ground who are waging the war on terror, often acting more as humanitarians than as warriors. Kaplan makes the case that this engagement with the peoples and cultures of the world -- offering logistical support, humanitarian aid and weapons training -- is integral to America's security and future prosperity. Originally broadcast as a segment of the PBS series America at a Crossroads. 2007. 60 min.
DVD X977
- Instant-mix Imperial Democracy: Buy One, Get One Free
-
"Two talks by Arundhati Roy, in conversation with Howard Zinn." In Instant-mix imperial democracy Arundhati Roy challenges Americans to reclaim democracy and resist the U.S. war machine and engages in a discussion with Howard Zinn. In Come September (delivered one year after the 9/11 attacks), Roy speaks about the U.S. government's war on terror, globalization, and the misuses of nationalism with commentary by Howard Zinn. Presented in New York City at the Riverside Church, May 13, 2003; Come September filmed at Lensic Performing Arts Center, Santa Fe, N.M., Sept. 18, 2002. 210 min. DVD X625
- The Language of War.
- Examines the government and military language used to discuss military actions and plans. 29 min. Video/C 2558
- The New Patriots
- Five U.S. military veterans, including a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and a female West Point graduate, speak out about terrorism, patriotism, and their transformation from warriors to peace activists. A veteran reminds us that the lives of the tens of thousands of people killed by SOA- and WHISC-trained terrorists in Latin America are no less precious than the thousands who lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the United States. Richter Productions, 2002. 18 min. Video/C 9595
 Description from Richter Videos catalog
- Love Amid the Ruins: Quaker Service After the War (In Trummern Liebe: Quakerhilfe nach dem Krieg)
- Tells the story of post-World War II Quaker relief work through German eyes. Also covers feeding programs after World War I and rescue efforts for Jews during WWII. The voices on the film include Germans who remember Quaker work, former volunteers from the U.S and England, and a man who escaped wartime Europe as a boy with the help of the American Friends Service Committee. English language version of a documentary originally released by ZDF, German Public Television. A film by Ingo Witt. 1996. 30 min. Video/C MM1107
- The Media and the Images of War
- Do violent images in movies and on TV provoke real violence? Movies and television have helped transmit from generation to generation a series of myths about war, peace, weapons and the use of force. The impact of such values are explored in this program. First broadcast as a segment of the television series: America's defense monitor on July 7, 1995. 29 min. Video/C MM916
- Militainment, Inc.: Militarism and Pop Culture
- A fascinating, disturbing, and timely glimpse into the militarization of American popular culture, examining how U.S. news coverage has come to resemble Hollywood film, video games, and 'reality television' in its glamorization of war. Mobilizing an astonishing range of media examples -- from news anchors' idolatry of military machinery to the impact of government propaganda on war reporting -- the film asks: How has war taken its place in the culture as an entertainment spectacle? And how does presenting war as entertainment affect the ability of citizens to evaluate the necessity and real human costs of military action? Contents: Introduction -- Spectacle -- Clean war -- Techno-fetishism -- Demonization -- Reality TV -- Sports -- Toys -- Video games -- Dissent -- Outro. Written and produced by Roger Stahl.
2007. 124 min. DVD X762
Media Education Foundation catalog description
- New American Solidier
- Follows three immigrant soldiers through training and deployment, as they take steps towards US citizenship. Examines two of the most debated issues in US politics today: immigration and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Filmed and edited by Emma Cott, Anna Belle Peevey. Produced in the Graduate School of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley. 2009. 24 min. DVD X4620
- No More War. Inside Red China. Committee on Un-American Activities
- No More War: Film of the speech "No more Hiroshimas" by Dr. Linus Pauling and his wife in McArthur Park, Los Angeles, and a 1961 Los Angeles peace demonstration (18 min.). Inside Red China: A documentary by the first American correspondent to film China under Communism. Examines China's culture, history, politics and the anti-American propaganda prevalent in China in the sixties. (Robert Cohen, 1957, 52 min.) Committee on House Un-American Activities: In 1960, the House Committee on Un-American activities produced a film "Operation Abolition," attacking its critics as disloyal. In 1962 Robert Cohen responded with a film questioning the activities of the Committee and, as a result, became an object of investigation himself. (Robert Cohen, 1963, 45 min.) Videocassette release of motion pictures originally produced in 1961, 1957 and 1963 respectively. 112 min. Video/C 6131
- Origins of Human Aggression: The Other Story
- Is human aggression a result of nature or nuture? Interviews with researchers from various fields shed light on the question. Startling footage of children acting out their aggressive impulses adds to this documentary that examines the complex factors that affect the socialization of aggressive behavior among humans. Biological, environmental and psychological components are addressed, and guidelines for the prevention of human violence are also provided. Directed by Jean-Pierre Maher. 2005. 50 min. Video/C MM931
- Peace & Conflict Resolution. [Part 1].
- First segment: Report on the 1995 Tomorrow's Leaders Conference held in Venice, Italy, and sponsored by Nobel Laureate, Eli Wiesel. Young people from Northern Ireland, the former Yugoslavia, Africa, the Middle East and the United States, join seasoned foreign diplomats in discussions about tolerance, dialogue and negotiations. Second segment: An interview with holocaust survivor Eli Wiesel, on the importance of dialogue. Third segment: A visit to elementary school PS 230 in Brooklyn, New York, where students learn conflict resolution techniques in an effort to prevent violence and promote tolerance.Segment from the television program Rights & wrongs broadcast June 21, 1995. Video/C 6727
- Peace & Conflict Resolution. [Part 2].
- A profile of three different programs which attempt to heal the conflicts in nations. First segment: Examines, through excerpts from the documentary film "Leap of faith," the creation of an integrated school of Catholics and Protestants established by parents in Northern Ireland to begin the process of religious and political reconciliation. Second segment: Investigates through excerpts from the film "Seeds of Peace," a unique summer camp in Maine, where young Israelis and Palestinians learn to understand each other and resolve differences constructively. Third segment: An interview with Archbishop Desmond Tutu about South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its mandate to expose the crimes of apartheid and to promote reconciliation. Segment from the television program Rights & wrongs broadcast June 19, 1996. Video/C 6736
- Peace Works!
- Presents ten different poems, performances and stories on the theme of peace and war. Performers: Thomas McGrath, Robert Bly, Joan Jubela, Libby Turner, Carol Bly, Susu Jeffrey, Thomas R. Smith, Mike Rivard, Mickey Chance, Roy McBride, Jim Northrup, Mike Hazard, Carol Masters. Produced by the Center for International Education, in association with the Minnesota Peace and Justice Coalition. Saint Paul, Minn.: Center for International Education, 1991. 30 min. Video/C 9700
- The Power Game: The Pentagon (The Power Game; 2).
- Based on the book, The Power Game: How Washington Works, by Hendrick Smith. Discusses the consequences at the Pentagon of power plays, service rivalry, career moves, coverups, pork barrel funding, whistle blowers, erroneous military test results, appropriations, etc. 58 min. Video/C 1334
- Rape in the Ranks: The Enemy Within
- This documentary explores the issue of sexual harrassment and rape of women in the United States military. The Pentagon has acknowledged receiving 3,000 reports of sexual mistreatment in one year alone. These female soldiers were not attacked by the Afghan or Iraqi "enemy," but by colleagues in their own platoons and sometimes by their own superior officers. Each year the number of reported sexual assaults has skyrocketed but not the number of convictions: only 2% of accused rapists are ever court-martialed. A film by Pascale Bourgaux. 2010. 29 min. DVD X4988
Description from Filmakers Library catalog
- Reporters at War: War, Lies, and Videotape
- It is said that in war, truth is the first casualty. This program examines the often-times confrontational relationship between America's media and the U.S. military and how, from the Vietnam War to Operation Iraqi Freedom, the two sides have tried to outwit and outthink eachother. Includes interviews with American journalists Walter Cronkite, Andy Rooney, and Peter Jennings and also with Jihad Ali Ballout, head of communications of Al Jazeera. 2003. 46 min. DVD 4098
- Reporting America at War
- Explores the role of American journalists in the pivotal conflicts of the 20th century--and beyond. From San Juan Hill to the beaches of Normandy, from the jungles of Vietnam to the Persian Gulf, tells the stories of the reporters who witnessed and wrote the news from the battlefield. Features profiles of such distinguished historical figures as Richard Harding Davis, Edward R. Murrow, Ernie Pyle, Robert Capa, Martha Gellhorn and Homer Bigart as well as conversations with some of the most influential correspondents of our time. Dist.: PBS. c2004. 180 min. DVD 5852
- Rumsfeld's War
- With the United States Army deployed in a dozen hotspots around the world, on constant alert in Afghanistan, and taking casualties every day in Iraq, some current and former officers now say the army is on the verge of being "broken." They charge that the army is overstretched, demoralized and may be unable to fight where and when the nation desires. This program digs into the aggressive attempts to assert civilian control and remake the military by the Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his allies. 90 min. DVD 3620
- Selling of the Pentagon
- Focuses on major areas of public relations activities of the Pentagon and questions the use of the taxpayers' dollars to provide extensive financial support for apparent propaganda purposes. Produced and written by Peter Davis. Originally presented as a segment on the television program CBS reports. 1971. 51 min. DVD 9385 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C MM361
Description of program from the Encyclopedia of Television

Rogers, Jimmie N. and Clevenger, Theodore, Jr. ""The Selling of the Pentagon": Was CBS The Fulbright Propaganda Machine?." Quarterly Journal of Speech 1971 57(3): 266-273.
Smith, F. Leslie.
"Selling Of The Pentagon and the First Amendment." Journalism History 1975 2(1): 2-5, 14 5p
- Say it LOUD! New Songs for Peace[Sound Recording]
- Music composed by D. Gomez of the musical group Slowrider, and Bulldog of Aztlan Undergound ; mixed and produced by Mark Torres.
"Drowning out the drums of war with the voices of reason." Presents new songs for peace in response to the revenge hysteria that went unchallenged after 9/11, with original music and beats set to historic audio clips of notable figures of the 20th century.
1. Ed Asner -- 2. I want all of my daughters to be like Maxine Waters / Maxine Waters ; National anthem / Dennis Kucinich. -- 3. Damn some money / Muhammad Ali -- 4. Bin Bush / Michael Moore -- 5. Father knows best / Gore Vidal -- 6. Problems have a history / Tariq Ali -- 7. Afrodiva / Angela Davis -- 8. Living in America / Fannie Lou Hamer -- 9. Gift / Thich Nhat Hanh -- 10. Silence of the media lambs / Greg Palast -- 11. Lily Tomlin -- 12. Stephen Rohde / Maxine Waters -- 13. Huey Newton -- 14. Dr. Helen Caldicott -- 15. Che Guevara, John Coltrane, Wounded Knee, George Jackson, Mumia Abu-Jamal -- 16. Malcolm X, James Baldwin, Adrienne Rich, Langston Hughes, Alice Walker, Angela Davis. -- 17. H. Rap Brown, Fannie Lou Hamer, Elijah Muhammad, Bayard Rustini, Rosa Parks, Paul Robeson, Jean-Bertrand Aristide -- 18. Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, United Farm Workers, Voice from the Chicano Moratorium -- 19. Lily Tomlin. Pacifica Radio Archives. Sound/D 228
- Shadow Company
- This year thousands of private soldiers will be deployed in conflicts worldwide. These individuals, known as private security contractors, are changing the face of modern warfare. Shadow Company is the groundbreaking feature-length documentary that reveals the origins and destinations of these modern-day mercenaries. 2006. 86 min. DVD 6246
- Soldier Girls.
- A documentary that captures the military experiences of a group of young women who have enlisted in the U.S. Army. Focuses on the women as they go through basic training and make, what is in most cases, a painful adjustment to military life. Producers and directors, Nicholas Broomfield and Joan Churchill. 87 min. DVD 5339; Video/C 1132
- A Soldier's Duty (Struggle for Democracy; 9).
- Nations facing the threat of foreign military invasion or insurrection from within are often those where democracy is in its most fragile state. This program explores the situation in three countries where democracy has been at various times, under fire: Argentina, France and Israel. 57 min. Video/C 1894
- Soldiers of Conscience
- "When is it right to kill?" A documentary made with official permission from the U.S. Army, this film features interviews with a broad spectrum of soldiers and new footage of basic training and the war in Iraq as it examines soldiers' moral concerns about killing in war. Directed and produced by Gary Weimberg and Catherine Ryan. Special features (44 min.): 7 excerpts for discussion (34 min. total); radio interview with Weimberg (5 min.); poster gallery (14 images); 2 trailers (5 min. total). 2007. 54 min. DVD X800
Description from Bullfrog Films catalog
- Stories from the War Zone: Modern Combat Journalism
- This program takes a gritty look at how news gets reported from the world's front lines. It follows Neil Macdonald, a 27 year veteran of TV journalism, in his daily coverage of events in Israel as Middle East bureau chief for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. While Macdonald discusses and demonstrates firsthand how to manage risk, deal with censorship, and meet ever-increasing demands for stories, other eminent journalists share their insights into combat reportage. Includes Morley Safer and Vietnam War correspondents Michael Maclear and Bill Cunningham. c2003. 55 min. DVD 3017
- The Tillman Story
- Pat Tillman chose to walk away from a multimillion-dollar football contract and join the military for no other reason than he felt it was the right thing to do. Documented are the facts surrounding the way the military manipulated his tragic death in the line of duty into a propaganda tool and his family's crusade to reveal the truth. Director, Amir Bar-Lev. 2010. 95 min. DVD X5213
Gettelman, Elizabeth. "The Tillman Story" Mother Jones, Nov/Dec2010, Vol. 35 Issue 6, p70-70, 1/3p
UC users only
Holden, Stephen. "When Heroism Means Finding Truth." New York Times, 8/20/2010, p1, 0p
UC users only
Noh, David. "The Tillman Story" Film Journal International, Aug2010, Vol. 113 Issue 8, p69-69, 2/3p
UC users only
- Under Orders, Under Fire. (Ethics in America; 6,7).
- Part I: Columbia University Seminars on Media. A panel of prominent Americans consider what course of action is demanded by loyalty to one's country. Each panelist is asked to respond to the following situation: You are the commander of a platoon under enemy fire and a soldier is trying to desert. What should you do? The panelists are also asked to discuss whether a soldier has the duty to follow orders no matter what. Video/C 1658. Part II: A panel of prominent Americans consider the ethics of confidentiality. Each panelist is asked to respond to the following situation: A chaplain hears a soldier's confession that the soldier was involved in a military atrocity. Is the chaplain required to keep this confidence? Or do the interests of military justice take precedence? Video/C 1659
- Waging Peace: The Rise of Pacifism
- A historical look at the development of the peace movement, pacifism and conscientious objection beginning during WWI, in which people in the U.S. and Europe tried to convince leaders of warring factions that war was senseless. The proponents of peace came to realize that it was not enough to simply fight war but to be successful one must "wage peace" through practical steps. Covers the "peace ship" of Henry Ford, and the influence of Frances Witherspoon, Mahatma Gandhi and Jessie Wallace Hughan in the development of nonviolent resistance. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians.
Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones, Volume 2, The war years. 2007. 26 min. DVD X234
- War
- 60 min. each segment. 1983.
The Road to Total War. Charts how the major social, economic and technological developments of the last 200 years have changed the methods and impact of modern warfare. Video/C 840; also vhs mm840
Anybody's Son Will Do Video/C 841
The Profession of Arms Profiles the professional soldier and includes interviews with career officers from Israeli, American, Soviet, and Canadian military forces. Video/C 842
The Deadly Game of Nations Explores reasons why national governments feel compelled to keep armies and to fight wars. Israeli and Palestinian struggles are used as a focus. DVD X3816 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 843
Keeping the Old Game Alive. A look at the annual war games excercises of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) combined forces with speculation about how the next world war might unfold. DVD X3817 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 844
Knife Edge of Deterrence. Political figures and military analysts discuss the strategy of deterrence; covers 1945 to the present. Video/C 856
Notes on Nuclear War. Follows the development of the nuclear arms race from Hiroshima to the nuclear stalemate of the present. The attempt is made to explain political doctrines and military strategies such as nuclear deterrence, mutual assured destruction, and limited nuclear war. Video/C 845
Goodbye War. Most wars start over a matter of principle, but the reality of war has little to do with justice. DVD X3818 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 846
- War at a Distance (Erkennen und Verlagen)
- With the aid of new and also unique archive material, Farocki sketches a picture of the relationship between military strategy and industrial production and shows how war technology finds its way into everyday use. Exploring the connections between machine-vision, violence, and capitalist production practices in the context of the Gulf War and the global economy, Farocki demonstrates that our naive anthropocentric notions of vision are obsolete in today's world. 2003. 83 min. DVD 6042
- War Crimes
- An exploration of the shaping of justice in times of war, through in-depth studies of history's most controversial trials. The film begins with an examination of the groundbreaking Nuremberg Trials and the impact they had on two other war crime trials, the disputed conviction of Lt. William Calley for the Vietnam My Lai Massacre and the trial of concentration camp guard John Demjanjuk. Originally broadcast in 1994 on the television program: American justice. 50 min. DVD 8603
- War Crimes
- An exploration of the shaping of justice in times of war, through in-depth studies of history's most controversial trials. The film begins with an examination of the groundbreaking Nuremberg Trials and the impact they had on two other war crime trials, the disputed conviction of Lt. William Calley for the Vietnam My Lai Massacre and the trial of concentration camp guard John Demjanjuk. 48 min. Video/C 5850
- War Crimes
- The first segment examines the establishment of the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal created to punish human rights abusers and how the Tribunal plans to deal with atrocities committed in the former Yugoslavia. Includes interviews with members of Human Rights Watch, a human rights group, that supports rape victims in Bosnia. The second segment presents a musical piece by Croatian musician and human rights advocate, Nenad Bach. Segment from the television program Rights & wrongs broadcast April 21, 1993. 27 min. Video/6688
- War Crimes Tribunal
- The UN voted to convene a war crimes tribunal to examine crimes against humanity in Bosnia/Herzegovina and other former Yugoslav republics. This segment investigates why a year later no investigations are underway. Segment from the television program Rights & wrongs broadcast April 2, 1994. 27 min. Video/C 6703
- War Letters: Stories of Courage, Longing and Sacrifice
- In every American conflict from the Revolution to the Persian Gulf War, American military men and women have captured the horror, pathos and intensity of battle by writing letters home. Collecting 50,000 war letters, using the most compelling and enlightening of the missives and newly discovered home movies, this tells the story of American wars from the viewpoint of the men and women on the frontlines and those who waited at home. Based on Andrew Carroll's New York Times bestseller "War letters: extraordinary correspondence from American wars." Readers: Joan Allen, Jordan Bridges, Chris Gehrman, Mike Hagiwara, Gerald McRaney, Esai Morales, Edward Norton, Bill Paxton, David Hyde Pierce, Giovanni Ribisi, Kyra Sedgwick, Kevin Spacey, Eric Stoltz, Lawrence Turner, Courtney B. Vance. 2001. 60 min. DVD 5611
- War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death
- An analysis of how governments bent on war-making have relied on a vast arsenal of propaganda techniques to overcome resistance at home and disapproval abroad ... Moving from Vietnam to Iraq, the film examines how news reports have become nearly indistinguishable from White House and Pentagon talking points, a problem that has become exacerbated by journalists who have grown accustomed to being fed information by official sources. Based on the book by Norman Solomon. written and directed by Loretta Alper & Jeremy Earp. 73 min. c2007. DVD 7751
Description from Media Education Foundation catalog
- War Requiem
- An extraordinarily powerful anti-war film using the emotional remembrances of an old World War I soldier combined with Benjamin Britten's War Requiem (opus 66) which was inspired by Wilfred Owen's poem and written for the reopening of war-ravaged Coventry Cathedral. Written & directed by Derek Jarman. 1988. 92 min. Video/C MM786
Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
- The War You Don't See
- Following his award-winning documentary The War on Democracy, John Pilger's new film is a powerful and timely investigation into the media's role in war. The War You Don't See traces the history of `embedded' and independent reporting from the carnage of World War I to the destruction of Hiroshima, and from the invasion of Vietnam to the current war in Afghanistan. As weapons and propaganda are ever more sophisticated, the very nature of war has developed into an `electronic battlefield'. But who is the real enemy today? Director & producer, Alan Lowery. 2010. 96 min. DVD X6817
Description from Bullfrog Films catalog
- Wartorn, 1861-2010
- Beginning with the first documented cases from the Civil War, the film examines occurrences of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through two World Wars and Vietnam, as well as more recent cases involving soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The stories are told through soldiers' revealing letters and journals; photographs and combat footage; first-person interviews with veterans of WWII, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom; and interviews with family members of soldiers with PTSD. Directed by Jon Alpert and Ellen Goosenberg Kent. Originally produced for television broadcast on HBO in 2010. 68 min. DVD X6530
- We Have Ways of Making You Talk
- The program examines the use of torture over the past half-century. It describes its horrific application in military and political settings and explores its profound human cost. Featuring interviews with confessed practitioners of the gruesome craft, the program exposes interrogation methods developed and carried out by French army officers against Algerian independence fighters, by British police against the IRA, by American troops against the Viet Cong, and other shocking occurrences in South America and South Africa. The employment of physical and psychological abuse as a weapon against guerilla and opposition groups parallels current dilemmas in Iraq and at Guantanamo Bay. Directed by Kae Townsend. Dist.: Films Media Group. 2005. 53 min. DVD 8697
- What I've Learned About U.S. Foreign Policy: The War Against the Third World
- A compilation of video segments seeking to prove that "the Central Intelligence Agency, the military-industrial complex, the Pentagon, the multinational corporations, the media and the government of the United States are responsible for the deaths of millions of people in the Third World, not to mention the poverty and oppression of millions more."
- Martin Luther King Jr. (Introduction, 3 min.) -- John Stockwell(6 min.) -- Bill Moyers (The secret government, 22 min.) -- Cover up: behind the Iran-Contra affair (21 min.) -- School of assassins
(14 min.)-- Genocide by sanctions (13 min.) -- Amy Goodman (5 min.) -- The Panama deception (22:0s) -- Ramsey Clark (8 min.) -- S. Brian Willson (9 min.). A video compilation by Frank Dorrel. 120 min. DVD 1910
- Where There is Hatred.
- In this examination of nonviolent movements in the Philippines, Chile and Israel, filmmaker Ilan Ziv portrays on Videotape his own awakening to the power of nonviolence after the carnage of violent struggles for overcoming oppression. Live footage of current nonviolent movements is interspersed with on-site interviews in the three countries, as well as with Gene Sharp of the Albert Einstein Institute. 57 min. Video/C 1757
- Why We Fight.
- Explores a half-century of U.S. foreign policy from World War II to the Iraq War, revealing how, as Dwight Eisenhower had warned in his 1961 Farewell Address, political and corporate interests have become alarmingly entangled in the business of war. On a deeper level, what emerges is a portrait of a nation in transition--drifting dangerously far from her founding principles toward a more imperial and uncertain future. Written and directed by Eugene Jarecki. Special features: Extra scenes; extended character featurettes; filmmaker TV appearances : The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Charlie Rose; audience Q&A with filmmaker; filmmaker audio commentary with Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson; theatrical trailer. 99 min. 2005. DVD 5766
Awards
American Library Association Video Round Table:
Notable Videos for Adults
Crowdus, Gary. "Why We Fight: An Interview with Eugene Jarecki." Cineaste, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 32-38, Spring 2006 UC users only
Katz, Wallace. "Hollywood Rarity: Imperialism Unmasked." New Labor Forum ; Fall2006, Vol. 15 Issue 3, p107-112, 6p UC users only
Ramsey, Joseph G. "From "Why We Fight" to Fighting Their "We": Zeiger's Sir No Sir Meets Jarecki's Why We Fight." Socialism & Democracy, Jul2007, Vol. 21 Issue 2, p145-156, 12p UC users only
- Wings of Glory: the Air Force Story. The Beginning 1914-1939
- Chronicles the story of the United States Air Force from before World War I to 1939. The story of the United States Air Force begins with the first flight of the Wright Brothers and evolves to the training of the first airmen and their first rudimentary steps in the swirling aerial combat of World War I in the skies over France. With the advent of World War II the need for a separate service was recognized and the United States Air Force is born. Contents: v. 1. The beginning, 1914-1918 -- v. 2. After the war, 1918-1923 -- v. 3. The struggle, 1924-1930 -- v. 4. Between the wars, 1930-1935 -- v. 5. Air power advances, 1935-1937 -- v. 6. Prelude to war, 1937-1939. Video/C MM1238
- Women--for America, for the World.
- Twenty-two prominent American women challenge the economic and political realities of the arms race. 29 min. Video/C 1550
- Women for Peace.
- Covers the founding of the organization, Women For Peace, and many of the first peace demonstrations that it sponsored. Film covers 1961 and 1962 anti-nuclear demonstrations in California and Nevada and other activities of the group. A film by Harvey Richards. 24 min DVD 4243; also VHS Video/C 2793
- Worse Than War: Genocide, Eliminationism, and the Ongoing Assault on Humanity
- Follows author Daniel Jonah Goldhagen's travels and offers insights into genocide's dimensions, causes, and patterns and the role it plays in politics and human affairs. Goldhagen speaks with killers, survivors, witnesses, journalists and political leaders whose stories provide insights into why genocides continue to plague our planet. Is it possible for us to prevent genocide and save millions of lives? Based on the book "Worse than war" by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen. Directed by Mike Dewitt. 2010. 2 hr. DVD X4440
- To the top
-
- The Americas in the Revolutionary Era.
- Lectures by Marshall C. Eakin. 120 min. each tape.
Lecture 1. Revolutions and wars for independence -- Lecture 2. Origins of revolution in the Atlantic world -- Lecture 3. Colonial empires on the eve of revolution -- Lecture 4. The North American revolution emerges. Revolutions and wars for independence: Sets the major themes of the video series, along with a discussion of the concepts of "revolution" and "wars for independence.". Origins of revolution in the Atlantic world: Looks at the most important transformations that shaped the Atlantic world by the mid-18th century, including the Enlightenment, developing commerce and trade, the industrial revolution and new political theories which ushered in an age of political revolutions. Colonial empires on the eve of revolution: Between 1492 and 1750, the Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English had carved out large colonial empires. This lecture surveys those colonial empires, their dimensions and characteristics in 1750. North American revolution emerges: In the dissimilar American colonies, a sense of unity emerged out of the colonial wars that the English fought, especially with the French in the 1750s and 1760s. These decades precipitated the emergence of a sense of an "American" identity among the English colonists, eventually resulting in a move towards independence in 1775 and 1776. Video/C MM283
Lecture 5. From Lexington and Concord to Yorktown -- Lecture 6. Radicalism of the American Revolution -- Lecture 7. Slave rebellion in St. Dominigue -- Lecture 8. Haitian Revolution. From Lexington and Concord to Yorktown: Covers the fighting during the American Revolution from Lexington and Concord to the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781, an extraordinary story of a small group of colonials challenging and defeating the most powerful empire in the world. Radicalism of the American Revolution: Discusses the "meaning" of the American Revolution. For some, it was a conservative effort by planters to sieze power and control the development of a society already divided between slaves and free men, white and non-whites, and the landed and landless. For others, it represented a radical break with a monarchical past and a move towards a republic and democratic politics. Slave rebellion in St. Dominigue: The Haitain revolution is the only successful slave rebellion in the Americas. This section and the next analyze the only case of slaves rising up, taking power, and creating an independent nation. Also looks at the French revolution and its influence on Saint Domingue, a classic example of the sugar and slave plantation complex in the Americas. Haitian Revolution: In 1791, thousands of slaves rose up in St. Domingue, in a war for their freedom. Amidst the violence, a group of black leaders emerged, the most famous the former slave Toussaint L'Ouverture. Over more than a decade the slaves defeated invading armies from France, England, and Spain, but the black leadership eventually turned against itself in a struggle for control of the revolution. Video/C MM284
- Freedom!
- A documentary series chronicling the epic journey of America's commitment to liberty and the idea of freedom. Based on the book series A History of US by Joy Hakim. Episode 1: The colonists in America decide to stake everything on an armed struggle for freedom and a chance to build a new kind of nation. c2003. 52 min. DVD 2196
- Mary Silliman's War
- Based on the memoir and letters of Mary Silliman, this film depicts the struggle during the American Revolutionary War, of Fairfield, Conn., a town deeply and bitterly divided over independence. After the kidnapping and imprisonment of her husband by the British, Mary Silliman managed to secure her husband's freedom while still handling domestic affairs and coping with the war. Based on The way of duty by Joy Day Buel and Richard Buel, Jr. (Main Stack CT275.F5586.B83 1984; Moffitt CT275.F5586.B83 1984) 1993. 94 min. Video/C MM117
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War Movies - Civil War
- The Battle of Gettysburg
- This film was shot entirely at the Gettysburg National Military Park, where the decisive battle of the American Civil War was fought. Leslie Nielsen narrates the story while contemporary songs and the sounds of battle are heard in the background. The sites of the various engagements, the statues of the leaders of the Northern and Southern troops, and the battlefield cemetery are featured. President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is read at the end. Directed by Herman Hoffman. 1955. 30 min. Included on DVD 9894
- The Civil War.
- A film by Ken Burns. Times vary; consult OskiCat.
The Cause. Begins with an introduction to significant people and the events that led to the beginning of the Civil War. Discusses various battles and their impact on a divided country. DVD X1626; vhs Video/C 1810
Awards
International Documentary Association - Best Documentary, Features
Emmy Awards - Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming; Outstanding Informational Series
Peabody Awards
Television Critics Association Awards - Program of the Year; Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials
A Very Bloody Affair, 1862.Covers the development of war technology and its effect throughout the world. Discusses various battles and the Union victories. Explores the life of the soldier and the beginning of conscription. Video/C 1811 Forever Free, 1862.Discusses the events that led to emancipation. Covers various battles including the second battle at Bull Run and Antietem. Explores the changes in military leaders. DVD X1626; vhs Video/C 1812
Simply Murder, 1863.Covers the Union defeat at Fredericksburg and other hardships. Discusses life in the camps. Explores the reaction of the North to Lincoln's emancipation proclamation. Covers the role of music in the camps. Discusses further Union losses. DVD X1626; vhs Video/C 1813
The Universe of Battle, 1863.Covers the march of the confederates into Pennsylvania and the battle of Gettysburg. Discusses the role of women in the war. Explores the federal draft and the establishment of the first black troop. Video/C 1814
Valley of the Shadow of Death, 1864. Covers biographical information of Generals Grant and Lee. Explores the Union's plan of attack on the confederacy in Atlanta and Richmond. DVD X1626; vhs Video/C 1815
Most Hallowed Ground, 1864.Discusses Lincoln's needs to be re-elected and Union plans. Covers the use of spies in the war. Explores the events that led to the capture of Atlanta. Discusses Lincoln's re-election and the establishment of Arlington National Cemetery. DVD X1626; vhs Video/C 1816
War is All Hell, 1865. Covers Sherman's march through Georgia and South Carolina. Discusses Lincoln's position and attitudes. Explores John Wilkes Booth and his band of conspirators. Covers the events that led to the end of the war and the surrender of Lee to Grant. DVD X1626; vhs Video/C 1817
The Better Angels of Our Nature, 1865.Covers the reaction across the nation of Lee's surrender. Explores the assassination of President Lincoln and the fate of those responsible. Discusses the fate of Jefferson Davis and a look at the effects of the war on the country. DVD X1626; vhs Video/C 1818
Ken Burns: The Historical Narrative on Television. 85 min. Video/C 4658
ABC-CLIO Video Rating Guide for Libraries
- Civil War
- Color film dramatizing the pivotal moments of the War Between the States with live action and animation. Powers of Congress: Famous Coronet Instruction Films presentation wherein a man dreams of a world without the interference of Congress ... and finds out that the world is awful without it. 1954. 15 min. DVD 2649
- A Firebell in the Night.(America)
- Discusses the causes and miseries of the Civil War and the racial wounds that still trouble the United States. With Alistair Cooke. 52 min. Video/C 1420
- Freedom!
- A documentary series chronicling the epic journey of America's commitment to liberty and the idea of freedom. Based on the book series A History of US by Joy Hakim. Episode 6: The most terrible war in America's history is fought over the future of slavery in our nation. Looks at the issue of slavery, the abolition movement and the Civil War. c2003. 52 min. DVD 2196
- Long Shadows.
- Through interviews this film explores the ways in which the Civil War can still be felt in American society. 89 min. Video/C 1232
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Documentaries about Theodore Roosevelt
- Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War
- Examines the colorful characters and historic events surrounding the Spanish-American war and its relevance through the 20th century. Using reenactments, interviews with noted authors and popular historians, and more than a dozen popular songs from the period, this documentary looks at the influence of race, economics, new technologies and the news media on America's decision to go to war. Filmed in Cuba and the Philippines it tells the story of the war from all perspectives, not just the American side. 1999 117 min. Video/C 6553
- Destiny of Empires: the Spanish-American War of 1898
- 1998. 52 min. each installment
Remember the Maine: The Roots of the Spanish-American War Using archival footage, newspaper excerpts, and historical documents, this program traces the roots of the Spanish-American War to Spain's quest to preserve its flagging empire, American imperialism, and the genuine desire on the part of Cubans to shake off the yoke of Spanish domination. It closely examines the role of Cuba's poet/patriot Jose Marti, exposes Roosevelt's expansionist policies and the efforts of William Randolph Hearst that contributed to the decision to enter the war and reveals Spanish attempts to thwart open conflict. DVD 1969
The Spanish-American War: A Conflict in Progress. Using archival footage, newspaper excerpts, and historical documents, this program examines the conduct of the Spanish-American War from Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders, to the defeatist attitude of Spanish commander Admiral Cervera to Cuban General Gomez and his decision to side with the Americans. Archival news footage of battles and photos and firsthand accounts of the war by William Randolph Hearst track the precise sequence of events leading to the Spanish defeat and the Treaty of Paris. DVD 1970
- This Bloody, Blundering Business; or, The Price of Empire.
- Traces the history of American intervention in the Philippines following the Spanish-American War until 1946, concentrating on the Insurrection of 1898-1901 and the period immediately following. Reveals the nature of American attitudes toward Third World peoples and cultures--from the racist brutality abroad to bitter controversy at home. Utilizing still photographs, early newsreels and the reporting of war correspondents, the filmmaker offers insights into the parallels of that period with contemporary American foreign policy. 1975. 30 min. Video/C 6080
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War Movies - Civil War
- America Goes Over
- The first official theatrical release depicting America's part in World War One. Shot by the U.S. Army Signal Corp, the film is entirely comprised of authentic footage taken under actual combat conditions in France between 1917-1918. Includes scenes of President Wilson signing the Declaration of War, the arsenal of weapons developed and used by the United States, German U-Boats sinking freighters, the retaking of Catigny, Chateau Thierry, Selleau Wood, Soissons, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, and the Southern rail line through the Sedan. "Especially released by the War Department to the Eastman Kodak Company for the Second A.E.F.". Originally produced as a motion picture in 1927; re-mastered and enhanced with voice track and music. 72 min. Video/C MM289
- America Goes Over: WWI Propaganda Film
- Originally produced in 1918 by the U.S. Signal Corps.
Edited from films shot by the Signal Corps, this film covers the entire scope of U.S. operations in World War I. Includes scenes of President Woodrow Wilson, General Jack Pershing, recruitment and training of soldiers, major land battles, naval and aerial operations, everyday life of the soldier, and the liberation of Paris. 64 min. DVD 3726
- Anthony Fokker: The Flying Dutchman
- Examines the life and career of Anton Herman Gerard Fokker, innovative pioneer in aviation and a Dutch-American aircraft manufacturer. Located in Germany, the German government took control of his factory at the onset of WWI. Fokker remained as director and designed and delivered about 700 military planes to the Luftstreitkräfte. After the war he immigrated to the U.S. where he continued to manufacture airplanes. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians.
Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones, Volume 2, The war years. 2007. 30 min. DVD X234
- The Archives of War
- A documentary series of 20th century wars using film shot by British Pathe News, from the trenches of World War I, through the destruction of World War II, to the Cold War's atomic arsenals and the horrors of the Korean and Vietnam wars. Disc 1. World War I and the interwar years ; World War II: The leaders -- Disc 2. World War II: The battles ; The Cold War -- Disc 3. Korea ; Vietnam. DVD 1704
- Are We Making a Good Peace?(Europe, Te Mighty Continent ; 6)
- Analyzes the considerations that affected the formulation of the Treaty of Versailles. Discusses the civil war and counterrevolution in Russia. 1988. 52 min. DVD X2803 [preservation copy]; Video/C 4888
- The Best Intentions: the Paris Peace Conference and the Treaty of Versailles
- Six months after WWI the Paris Peace Conference was convened to begin the daunting task of rebuilding Europe and making a lasting peace settlement with Germany. Only a few years later their plans for peace unraveled. Was it their fault or was it inevitable? Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians. Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones. 2007. 33 min. DVD X235
- Blood Red: The Life and Death of Manfred von Richthofen
- Presents a biography of Manfred von Richthofen, Germany's most celebrated fighter pilot of WWI known as the "Red Baron". He was the most successful flying ace of World War I, being officially credited with 80 confirmed air combat kills. Features extensive archival film footage of early aerial dogfights in World War I with commentary by authors, academics and historians.
Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones, Volume 2, The war years. 2007. 30 min. DVD X234
- The Civilians' Story (Albert Kahn's Archive of the Planet)
- In addition to documenting the Great War, Albert Kahn's team of photographers recorded the impact of the conflict on French civilian ife. This program explores both the propaganda value and the genuine emotional power in images of the war-torn French populace. French and Belgian refugees, ruined churches, and farms tended by women and the elderly are a few of the subjects rendered in exquisite and moving detail. Soissons smolders after a German retreat; Reims and its shattered cathedral hover on the edge of total destruction; and the Alsace region, Kahn's birthplace, regains its French identity. Originally released in 2007 as a series for BBC television. Dist.: Films Media Group. 52 min. DVD X5711
- The Days of Our Years
- A documentary written from the perspective of France that covers major world events of the first 50 years of the 20th century. Highlights include rare footage of 1900's Paris, attempts at air, sea and polar exploration, rare footage of artists including Renoir, Picasso, Shaw, Rodin, Sartre, Matisse and Colette. Includes the Paris Expositions of 1900 and 1937, films of World War I and World War II, the women's suffrage movement, and major figures in the world of art, sports, religion and government. 72 min. Video/C 3563
- Europe After the Fire (Albert Kahn's Archive of the Planet)
- Versailles, 1919: French banker Albert Kahn and his camera team are among the few photographers allowed inside the Hall of Mirrors for the treaty signing -- an example of Kahn's uncanny talent for documenting change. This program focuses on Kahn's pictorial record of the war's aftermath and the challenges of securing a true peace across Europe. Zeppelin-borne aerial footage conveys the scope of the destruction, while grave-digging and burial scenes evoke the staggering number of combatants killed. Other events and subjects include the influx of foreign workers that filled France's labor void; the French occupation of the Rhineland; German breadlines and Paris dance-halls; and war monuments in London and Verdun. 52 min. DVD X5712
- The First World War
- Originally broadcast as a television mini-series in 2003. DVD 5046
Episode 1: To arms 1913: origins of the crisis Explores the complex origins of the Great War, and how seemingly insignificant local tensions in the Balkans exploded into war.
Contents: To arms 1913: origins of the crisis -- death of an emperor -- mobilization -- Britian goes to war.
Episode 2: Under the eagle, 1914-1915 The German invasion of Belgium and France was brutal, and atrocities fanned the flames of war.
Contents: To win a quick victory -- a new Germany -- battle of the Marne-1914 -- life under German rule.
Episode 3: Global war 1914-1916
The European Empires clashed all across the world, from the South Atlantic Seas to the plains of Africa.
Contents: Global war, 1914-1916: the conflict escalates -- the jewel in the crown -- the empire rallies to the cause -- the dominions join Europe's war.
Episode 4: Jihad 1914-1916 The Ottoman Turkish empire proved a formidable foe, as the Allies found to their cost at Gallipoli and in the Middle East. Contents: The cry for the holy war -- Turkey attacks Russia -- Gallipolli-the soft underbelly -- destination Baghdad.
- Chasing the Phantom: Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck
- It was the end of September, 1916 in WWI. In East Africa the only undefeated German General of WWI, Colonel Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, was trapped by British troops. Unwilling to surrender he faded into the African bush where he continued to plague the British with Guerrilla warfare. Adapting his battle strategy to the African terrain, he used African natives as troops and after the War returned to Germany as a hero. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians. Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones. 2007. 25 min. DVD X234
- Flights of Courage: The Red Baron
- Tells the compelling story of the most legendary fighter pilot in the annals of aviation, the German air ace of WWI popularly known as "the Red Baron." 1988. 60 min. Video/C MM1240
- Flirting with Danger: The Fantasy of Mata Hari
- In 1917, the third year of WWI, France was loosing badly and looking for someone to blame. Spy mania swept across France. Then in mid-February exotic dancer Mata Hari was arrested and accused of spying for the Germans. Whether she spied at all is still subject to debate, although she was solicited as an agent by both Germany and France. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians. Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones. 2007. 30 min. DVD X234
- Flying High for France: The Lafayette Escadrille
- Presents the history of The Lafayette Escadrille, a squadron of the French Air Service during World War I composed largely of American volunteer pilots. The first major action seen by the squadron was at the Battle of Verdun where they suffered heavy losses which were rapidly replenished by other Americans. Also looks at the contributions of Eugene Bullard, the first African-American military pilot and other early American fliers. Features extensive archival film footage of early aerial dogfights in World War I with commentary by authors, academics and historians. Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones, Volume 2, The war years. 2007. 30 min. DVD X234
- General John J. Pershing and His American Army
- U.S. President Woodrow Wilson responded to the raid by Pancho Villa across the U.S. border by sending 6,000 troops under General John J. Pershing to Mexico to pursue Villa. At the same time, Villa was being sought by Carranza's army, as well. The U.S. expedition was eventually called off after failing to find Villa, and Villa successfully escaped from both armies. Includes archival footage and commentary by authors, academics and historians. Produced and written by Jennifer Petrucelli. Supplementary short accompanying: Young Indiana Jones. 28 min. DVD X233
- The Great War
- A comprehensive program that examines the events of World War I year by year, highlighting significant technological developments that ultimately brought the fighting to an end. Directed by Bruce Vigar. 2006.
Disc 1: [Episode 1]: 1914: To arms -- [Episode 2]: 1915: Death in foreign fields. [Episode 3]: 1916: Stalemate. 136 min. DVD X5835
Disc 2: [[Episode 4]: 1917: The breaking of armies -- [Episode 5]: 1918: Germany's last gamble. 98 min. DVD X5836
Disc 3: [Episode 6]: Land warfare technology ; [Episode 7]: Air power technology ; [Episode 8]: Sea power technology. DVD X5837
- The Great War--1918. (American Experience)
- Using archival film and photographs; interviews with veterans, nurses and other survivors of World War I; excerpts from letters and diaries from General John J. (Blackjack) Pershing, Sergeant Alvin York, and Sergeant Harry S. Truman; this film documents the history of United States and Allied soldiers in the Meuse-Argonne offensive of 1918 and other closing battles of World War I. Covers such topics as the Doughboys, trench warfare, poison gas, Armistice Day, and the Treaty of Versailles. 1989. 56 min. DVD X5850; vhs Video/C 1537
- Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century. 58 min. each
Explosion. The World War of 1914 to 1918, the Great War, was the first of the major catastrophes of the 20th century. This episode, the first of eight, examines the causes of World War I. The program affords coverage of the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the turbulent political climate throughout Europe as factors which led to the outbreak of war. Video/C 5256
Stalemate.This program examines the military operations of 1914, with emphasis on the Western Front. Almost from the outset, World War I became a stalemate with a line of trenches stretching from the Swiss Alps to the English Channel. This episode, the second of eight, explores why the war devolved into one of trench warfare. Video/C 5256
Total War. This episode of the Great War, the third of eight, examines the evolution of World War I from a conflict fought across the landscape of Europe to a global war. Coverage is afforded events in Great Britain and Turkey. The use of terror in modern war and the evolution of "total war" -- especially regarding aerial and chemical weapons -- is explored in this program. Video/C 5257
Slaughter. This episode, the fourth of eight, examines the military operations of the Western Front through the eyes of the soldiers who manned the trenches and fought the battles. Through study of the battles of Verdun, the Somme and Passchendaele, a social portrait of the common soldier is developed and analyzed. Video/C 5257
Mutiny. This episode of the Great War, the fifth of an eight part series, examines the toll that the war was taking on the soldiers and civilians by 1917. Unrest on the homefront and mutiny on the Western Front posed vexing problems for political leaders and military planners. On the Eastern Front, resentment toward the war effort would turn into rebellion and then revolution. Video/C 5258
Collapse. Episode six of the Great War examines the critical year of 1918. After the mutiny within the French Army and revolution in Russia, the Germans were still firmly entrenched on the Western Front. The arrival of the United States forces in Europe would determine the outcome of the war. This program probes the issue of American involvement as the deciding factor in Germany's defeat. Video/C 5258
Hatred and Hunger. Episode seven of the Great War examines the end of World War I with emphasis on unresolved issues from the Balkans to the Middle East. World War I brought the collapse of four empires, the death of nine million soldiers and the ruin of much of Europe. The struggle to rebuild lives, countries and governments would set the stage for an even greater catastrophe a generation later. Video/C 5259
War Without End. The final episode of the Great War explores the aftermath of World War I and the failed peace. For the "lost generation," the war would be without end as they struggled with broken hopes, broken families and broken lives. In Germany, the sense of betrayal and dishonor prompted some Germans to seek revenge. The man who rose up to lead them was Adolph Hitler. Video/C 5259

Baggett, Blaine; Winter, Jay M. "The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century." Humanities, Nov/Dec96, Vol. 17 Issue 5, p10, 8p
UC users only
Bowman, James. "The pity of PBS's 'Great War.'" New Criterion, Jan97, Vol. 15 Issue 5, p54, 6p
UC users only
G.W.H. "Of many things." America, 11/9/1996, Vol. 175 Issue 14, p2-2, 1p
UC users only
Lord, Lewis. "A slaughter no one knew how to stop." U.S. News & World Report, 11/11/96, Vol. 121 Issue 19, p52, 2p
UC users only
Purcell, Hugh. "Television and The Great War." History Today, Aug94, Vol. 44 Issue 8, p9, 4p
UC users only
Stansky, Peter. "The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century." American Historical Review, 1997, Vol. 102 Issue 2, p593-594, 2p UC users only
- Hellfighters: Harlem's Heroes of World War One
- "For almost 300 years African Americans served a nation that would not serve them." This is the history of the 369th Infantry Regiment (the Harlem Hellfighters) the first Negro Regiment during WWI. As an American regiment they served under the French, compiling an astounding war record; the outfit was 191 days under fire, never lost a foot of ground or had a man taken prisoner. The regiment earning several unit citations along with many individual decorations for valor from the French government. The regimental band (under the direction of James Reese Europe) became famous throughout Europe, being the first to introduce the unknown music called jazz. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, historians and military leaders. Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones. 2007. 30 min. DVD X235
- Into the Furnace: The Battle of Verdun
- Looks at the Battle of Verdun, the longest battle of WWI, in which one million German Troops attacked 200,000 Frenchmen guarding the city. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians. Supplementary short on The Adventures of young Indiana Jones, Volume 2, The war years. 2007. 30 min. DVD X234
- Killing Fields, 1914-19. (People's Century).
- In August 1914, the people of Europe were swept into the first of the wars that would make this century the bloodiest ever. Seventy million soldiers from more than twenty countries marched off to do their duty. In this film soldiers from all sides give a personal account of the trenches and the tactics--and the terrible nature and scale of the slaughter that shattered the old world order. In the end, four empires collapsed and nine million gave their lives. Some became pacificts while others sought retribution and many found themselves fighting another war only two decades later. 1997. 56 min. Video/C 5543
- Lines in the Sand: The Middle East and the Great War
- At the outbreak of WWI, the Ottoman Empire allied itself with Germany and Austria, a decision that would lead to the final destruction of the Empire and the creation of the modern Middle East, a catastrophy in the sense of re-drawn boundaries which fuel conflicts to this day. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians.
Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones. 2007. 34 min. DVD X234
- Lost Peace, 1919-36: Ideals for a United World Fail.(People's Centuiry).
- After the First World War a whole generation was traumatized by the horror of war and vowed that war would be a thing of the past. This film revists the popular hopes and experiences in the years following World War I--and the looming threat of a new nationalism. Despite Woodrow Wilson's promise of a "people's peace", defeated nations were resentful and unreconciled. As fascism and militarism spread, worldwide pacifist movements fought an increasingly unsuccessful rearguard action to preserve the dream of peace. 1997. 56 min. Video/C 5547
- Official Battlefield Films of World War I
- Presents the frontline story of WWI through actual combat camera footage from the period when Americans entered into the Allied cause. Portrays the many dimensions of the Allied struggle with the enemy across the rolling plains of France. The scenes are the product of Allied and captured enemy combat films so the "war to end all wars" is seen from both sides. Since technology and machinery were primitive, the armies traveled mostly by horse, on foot and sometimes by motorcycle, slugging it out with artillery duels and attacks and counterattacks from trenches just yards apart. DVD 4416; vhs Video/C 5547
- Our Century. 1900-1914, Beyond the Front
- Second segment in a ten-part series that surveys historical events of the 20th century using Gaumont British newsreel footage. Covers major advances, trends, and tragedies, from political upheavals and passing social crazes to the role of technology, and examines their impacts on the future. This segment documents events from 1914 to 1918. A whole world erupts in a terrible war, which ravages Europe. In 1917 the U.S. comes to the rescue of democracy and takes part in the final victory. Deeply involved in war work, women are redefining their role in society. Contents Frivilous: Children's war games; women's war work; European fashions; dogs at war; food production and rationing -- Total war: Invention of sonar; women as soldiers -- The arts: Monuments to the dead; Picasso, cinema futurist movement -- Advances: Aviation; munitions -- Preparing: Evacuation of children and elderly; celebrity contributions to war -- To the front: War participation by colonies of England and France; U.S. prepares for war; Americans arrive in france; Pershing -- Social changes: Japan; South Pole exploration; Freud; women at work -- The Great War: Battle scenes; casualties; war memorials. 52 min. DVD X1249
- Paris 1919: Inside the Peace Talks That Changed the World
- At the end of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson took his dream of a League of Nations to Paris to seek "peace everlasting," joining over 30 international delegations who descended upon the city for the most ambitious peace talks in history. Helmed by the Big Four (the United States, France, Great Britain and Italy), the Paris Peace Conference ultimately and ironically sowed the seeds of resentment that led to World War II. Written and directed by Paul Cowan. Originally produced in 2008 and broadcast on television in 2009. 94 min. DVD X3001
- Paris pendant la guerre (1916)
- A rare comical look at Parisian life during wartime. These short vignettes feature several popular performers of the day (including: Félix Galipaux, M. Rablet, Marcel Simon, M. Boucot, Jane Faber) ; also includes Francois Poulbot's famous political cartoons. Included on DVD X665
- Reading the Enemy's Mind: Espionage in World War I
- Espionage and "modern" spying, born in World War I, was in a fledgling state. In the next few years a new kind of spy would learn how to gather the kinds of intelligence their countries needed to protect themselves in both war and peace. Looks at the role of the Belgian underground movement La Dame Blanche, the role of the Zimmermann telegram in bringing the U.S. into the war and the development of codes and codebreaking. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians. Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones, Volume 2, The war years. 2007. 25 min. DVD X234
- Shell Shock ( Century: Decades of Change. 2, 1914-1919 ).
- The psychological damage inflicted by the bombardments of World War I was called shell shock, a term that aptly described the feelings of the World War I world. This program illustrates America's reluctant emergence as a world power and analyzes the social impact of the wholesale loss of life, of husbands and fathers and of sacred ideals such as honor, patriotism and glory that sprang from "the war to end all wars." 45 min. Video/C 6355
- Siegfried Sasson: A War Poet's Journey
- Examines the life of British soldier and poet, Siegfried Sassoon who raged war against British authorities whom he felt deliberately prolonged WWI. Incarcerated in a mental hospital by these same authorities for "shell shock," he continued to write his poems that addressed the brutality of war. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians.
Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones, Volume 2, The war years. 2007. 30 min. DVD X234
- The Soldiers' Story (Albert Kahn's Archive of the Planet)
- As World War I engulfed his country, Albert Kahn struck a deal with the French army: his team of photographers would capture images and footage that helped the war effort in exchange for direct access to militarized zones. A century later, this program presents the results -- revealing the life and environment of the French soldier as recorded in Kahn's Archive of the Planet. The visual details of trench warfare and all its misery are combined with pictures from towns, hospitals , and barracks a few miles from the front -- evoking the humanity of the ordinary fighting man as well as the appalling devastation wrought by the era's instruments of death. Originally released in 2007 as a series for BBC television. Dist.: Films Media Group. 52 min. DVD X5710
- The Somme: Storm of Steel
- Looks at the battle of the Somme Valley in France during WWI, the first real test of the "modern" British Army in which tens of thousands of British soldiers were killed. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians. Supplementary short on The Adventures of young Indiana Jones, Volume 2, The war years. 27 min. c2007. DVD X234
- War in the Third Dimension: Aerial Warfare in World War I
- Presents the history of the development of airplane design and the use and impact of zeppelins and airplanes in World War I. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians. Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones, Volume 2, The war years. 2007. 32 min. DVD X234
- World War I
- Describes the domestic situation in the United States from 1914 to 1919, and how the United States, after vacillating between isolationism and involvement, finally for the first time plunged into a European conflict. Presents the efforts of President Wilson to enact progressive reforms and to stay out of the European war, and the effects of the war on the domestic program. Includes archival footage, photographs, advertisements and political cartoons. DVD X3544
- World War I
- A CBS News production; producers, John Sharnik, Isaac Kleinerman; written by John Sharnik. Originally produced by CBS Television in 1964-1965. 25 min. each installment.
Summer of Sarajevo. Reveals the chain of events following the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Serbia in 1914. Shows how the shooting provided the opportunity for Austria to seek revenge. DVD 9214
Clash of the Generals. Describes how the inflexible war plans of the European powers at the outbreak of World War I resulted in disappointing campaigns, despite long preparation and meticulous planning. DVD 9214
Episode 3, The Doomed Dynasties. Shows scenes of Russia's Czar, Germany's Kaiser, and Austria's Emperor, and discusses how their vanity and ambitions made them unaware of the changes taking place in their countries. Points out reasons why their decadent way of life became extinct after World War I. DVD 9214
Atrocity, 1914. Covers early events in WWI focusing on the German invasion and occupation of Belgium. DVD 9214
They Sank the Lusitania. Presents the story of the sinking of the Lusitania through newsreel footage, recounting how 1200 lives were lost and America was brought to the brink of war. DVD 9215
Verdun: The Inferno. Newsreel footage depicts the bloodiest battle of World War I, the Battle of Verdun in 1916, when French and German armies fought from Feb. to Oct., suffering casualties exceeding 5000,000 by each side. No appreciable strategic or tactical gain was achieved. DVD 9215
The Battle of Jutland. Describes, with newsreel footage, the events leading to the Battle of Jutland, the battle itself, the indecisive nature of its outcome, and the controversy surrounding the major British protaganists, Admirals Jellicoe and Beatty. DVD 9215
The Trenches. Through newsreel footage shows the use of trenches in World War I as well as air warfare, unusual weapons and the first armored tanks. DVD 9215
D-Day at Gallipoli. Winston Churchill believed the central powers could be defeated by a bold attack on Turkey. Through newsreel footage, describes the nearly successful land and sea invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula begun in March, 1915. DVD 9216
America the Neutral.The U.S. originally pursued a policy of isolationism, avoiding conflict while trying to broker a peace. Using newsreel footage, this episode looks at events that caused the United States to enter the war. After repeated sinkings of U.S. merchant ships by German submarines, President Woodrow Wilson and the Congress declared war on April 6, 1917. DVD 9216
Revolution in Red. Archival newsreel footage surveys the forces and factors leading to the Russian revolution and the role of Lenin and his diciplined Bolshevik Party. DVD 9216
Wilson and War. Through newsreel footage, continues to investigate events that forced the United States into participation in World War I: the loss of trade with Germany, suspected sabotage, and continued sinkings of ships. DVD 9216
Behind the German Lines. Depicts conditions in 1917 when Germany, on the verge of starvation, turned to unrestricted submarine warfare. DVD 9217
Year of Lost Illusions. Describes, with documentary footage, World War I events of 1917: shortages of food, Irish revolts on Easter Monday 1916, the stalled and costly advances, the rise of Winston Churchill and the use of the convoy systems. DVD 9217
Over There. Describes, with documentary footage, the preparations for war in the United States as 10 million Americans are drafted. Shows military training and deployment to the war in Europe. DVD 9217
Over Here. Documents how World War I brought about industrial growth and a more active role by the United States government in the national economy. Shows the erosion of principles when national security is threatened. Depicts how war stimulates change. DVD 9217
Daredevils and Dogfighters. Depicts the fighter pilots of World War I, who engaged in daily tests of courage and skill. Shows remarkable newsreel footage of aerial warfare. DVD 9218
The Agony of Caporetto. Through newsreel footage depicts the major attack at Caporetto in 1917 when the Austrians, reinforced by German units, defeated the Italian army. DVD 9218
Tipperary and All That Jazz. Newsreel footage of soldiers and entertainers singing American and French World War I songs to boost the morale of the troops. "Tin Pan Alley goes to war with a whole host of tunes." Features music by George M. Cohan, Erving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern and others. DVD 9218
The Promised Lands. Newsreel coverage of events in the Middle East theater during WWI, including conflicts in Turkey, Serbia, the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt. DVD 9218
The Battle of the Argonne. With archival newsreel footage describes the battle in the Argonne forest in 1918, one of the first decisive actions in World War I in which the American army participated and the beginning of the end of German resistance. DVD 9219
The Day the Guns Stopped Firing. Featuring archival newsreel footage describes Germany's armistice negotiations and reactions on the part of the Allies and Germany. DVD 9219
Wilson and Peace. Describes, with documentary footage, the end of World War I: the dismantling of the German war machine, the occupation by French, British, and American armies, and, in detail, the Treaty of Versailles Conference and Wilson's 14 points. DVD 9219
The Allies in Russia. Describes, with documentary newsreel footage, the interventions during WWI of Allied troops in the civil war in Russia. DVD 9220
Heritage of War. Newsreel footage of the signing of the Peace Treaty of Versailles, the social and physical devastation of Europe and the return of American troops from the war. DVD 9220
- World War I Films of the Silent Era
- These four silent films explain essential news and propaganda functions of the movies during the Great War of 1914-1918. In those days before television and radio, fiction films in movie theaters were the most widely shared public experience while news films presented the most detailed and potent images of military life and front line action. Some news films were faked but some was authentic, obtained at great risk by daredevil combat cameramen.
Fighting the war / photographer, Donald C. Thompson (1916) -- The log of the U-35 / Lothar von Arnauld de la Periere (combined 1919 British version and 1920 American versions of original 1917 German film titled: Der Magische Gurtel (The Enchanted circle) -- The secret game / William C. de Mille (Paramount) with Sessue Hayakawa, Florence Vidor, Jack Holt, Charles Ogle (1917) -- The moving picture boys in the Great War / narrator, Lowell Thomas (1975). 167 min. DVD 1016
- World War in Color
- This definitive history of World War I uses rare archive footage from worldwide sources, including Britain's Imperial War Museum. The original black and white archival film colorized using computer aided-technology, makes the past seem present and immediate. Includes interviews with WWI veterans, analysis by military historians, detailed maps, and excerpts from diaries and letters. Narrator: Kenneth Branagh. 2003.
Vol 1: Episode 1. Catastrophe -- Episode 2. Slaughter in the trenches -- Episode 3. Blood in the air. 142 min. DVD X4887
Vol. 2: Episode 4. Killers of the sea -- Episode 5. Mayhem on the Eastern Front -- Episode 6. Victory and despair. 142 min. DVD X4888
Vol. 3: Bonus features: Tactics & strategy -- Making the series -- Biographies -- Timeline of events -- General facts. 66 min. DVD X4889
- To the top
-
War Movies - Spanish Civil War
- Art in the Struggle for Freedom
- Profiles the role of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, an international force which assembled to aid Spain during the Spanish Civil War with special emphasis on the poetry, music and posters which were developed to support the struggle for freedom. 2000. 28 min. Video/C 7187
- Brother Against Brother: The Spanish Civil War
- This is the story of the war that altered Spanish history-- the struggle between the supporters and opponents of the Spanish Second Republic, which raged between 1936 and 1939. During the war, new names were written large in world history; names such as the Republican- supporting International Brigade and the Nationalist General Franco, who led his side to ultimate victory. Features large-scale reconstruction of key events, dramatized eyewitness accounts, plus rare archive film and period imagery. Directed by Mike Leighton. 1995. 50 min. DVD X4012
- Cara y Cruz de la Revolucion.
- An historical documentary, including interviews with many on both sides of the Spanish Civil War. This segment examines the conflicting political ideologies which caused so much internal strife during the war. Includes political posters created during the conflict throughout the film. In Spanish with occasional English subtitles. 1983. 53 min. Video/C 5232
- Caudillo: The History of the Spanish Civil War.
- Tells the story of General Franco's revolt and the ensuing Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939 from both the Republican and Falangist points of view. Includes documentary film footage, narrative excerpts from various well-known writers who reported on the war at first hand, and contemporary visits with surviving participants. Dist.: Films Media Group. 111 min. DVD 6257; Video/C 340
- Chants de la guerre d'Espagne (Songs of the Spanish Civil War) [SOUND RECORDING]
- Contents: Himno de Riego (1:58) -- Los cuatro generales (3:10) -- Somos los soldados vascos (1:16) -- Ya sabes mi paradero (2:56) -- La sardana de les monges (2:56) -- Que sera? (2:55) -- La Santa espina (2:30) -- El paso del Ebro (2:40) -- El tren blindado (2:59) -- Fuerte (cont'd) de San Cristobal (3:01) -- Marineros (3:19) -- El tragala (2:23) -- El pendon morado (2:52) -- Els segadors (1:57). Cobla de Barcelone; unnamed chorus and orchestra; Gustavo Pittaluga and Rodolfo Halffter, conductors of the chorus and orchestra. Sound/D 49
- ...De Toda la Vida (...All Our Lives)
- A documentary on the lives of women who participated in the anarchist movement during the Spanish Civil War. Through interviews, archival footage and still photographs, the program portrays a dynamic group of women, now in their eighties, who put the anarchist ideals of equality and self-management to work in their own lives. 1986. 54 min. Video/C 7809
- Defenders of the Faith
- Claimed to be the first picture of 'actual warfare ever to be made in natural colour', Defenders Of The Faith was made by American Russell Palmer, a committed Nationalist and shot entirely in colour making it possibly unique amongst all film records of the Spanish Civil War. From extraordinary air-to-air action footage of the Nationalist 'Flying Turkeys' squadron strafing enemy trenches and tanks, to rare film of the Spanish Foreign Legion and Moor Units, and from coverage of the assault on Castellon to Nationalist armoured cars and tanks at the Front, this truly extraordinary film reveals the war as it has never been seen before. Made by American businessman Russell Palmer 1936/1937. 153 min. DVD X6449
- The End of Silence
- In Spain, Martin önsson and Pontus Hjorthén meet Mari Carmen España. During the civil war, her grandfather was executed by Franco sympathizers and buried in a mass grave. With the current government's approval, Mari and others have been exhuming the grave. Jönsson and Hjorthén visit that effort. In later travels through Spain, the two Swedish men meet other people engaged in similar endeavors. Mari and the others hope by these efforts to help Spain break its silence toward the Franco atrocities. Dist.: The Video Project. 2009. 58 min. DVD X2473
- Exile
- 2002. 59 min. each installment
Escaping Franco: From Danger into Danger. Presents firsthand accounts of the Spanish Civil War from Spaniards who went into exile as a result of it. Newsreel footage accompanies their stories of destruction and escape: tales of separation, imprisonment, forced labor, and frontline action at the start of World War II, as well as, for some -- testimonials to the kindness of strangers. DVD 2301
Holding On, Fighting Back: The Long Road Home to Spain. During World War II the hardships of the Spanish Civil War refugees grew worse. In this program survivors talk of their ordeals and victories: repression and reprisals in Franco's Spain; suffering in French internment camps; deportation to Nazi concentration camps; meritorious service with the French Resistance and Allied forces; and after the war, their lives in exile, until, after Franco's death, they could finally go home. Newsreel footage places each story in context. DVD 2302
- Forever Activists: Stories From the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade
- The personal recollections of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade veterans are interspersed with historic footage of the events of the Spanish Civil War in which they took part. The film explores their long term commitment to political activism as many of these veterans have played significant roles in World War II, trade unionism, the McCarthy period, civil rights, the Vietnam anti-war movement, disarmament and peace efforts. Directed by Judith Montell. 1990. 60 min. DVD X4495; Video/C 6641
Barrett, James R. "Forever Activists." The Journal of American History Vol. 79, No. 3, Discovering America: A Special Issue (Dec., 1992), pp. 1278-1279 UC users only
- Form! Riflemen, Form! (Europe, the Mighty Continent; 8).
- Analyzes conditions in Europe that made Hitler's and Mussolini's rise to power possible. Discusses Stalin's five-year plans in the Soviet Union, the civil war in Spain, and the signing of the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939. 52 min. DVD X2805 [preservation copy]; Video/C 4890
- Fury over Spain
- "Chronicles 1936, the first bloody year of the Spanish civil war. Location filming by omnipresent government cameramen helps lend a raw, earthy feel to the desperate, life-and-death struggle against General Francisco Franco's Nationalist insurgents. Distributed as a propaganda film in the United States and England to help garner public and international support for the Republican-coalition forces, the narrator does not mention the word communism even once during the film, despite much evidence of its presence. The same narrator only alludes to "Franco’s unofficial allies"; neither Germany nor Italy is named. 55 min. DVD 8819
- The Good Fight: The Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the Spanish Civil War.
- The good fight explores a significant gap in our history through its use of archival footage, newsreels, still photographs, interviews with Lincoln veterans and other depression-era artifacts. The eleven surviving veterans of the war who appear in this tough, ironical film share a common pride in their sacrifices of 50 years ago when the rise of world fascism crushed the spirit of democracy in a tragic rehearsal of World War II. Noel Buckner, Mary Dore, Sam Sills, producers and directors; Studs Terkel, narrator. 1983. 98 min. DVD 9798; vhs Video/C 584
Crowdus, Gary. "The Good Fight." Cineaste, 1984, Vol. 13 Issue 4, p26-28, 3p
Doherty, Thomas. "The Good Fight." Film Quarterly Vol. 40, No. 3 (Spring, 1987), p. 58
UC users only
Murphy, William. "The Good Fight." Film & History, Sep1984, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p69-71, 3p
UC users only
Seitz, Michael H. "The good fight: the Abraham Lincoln brigade in the Spanish Civil War." The Progressive 48.(May 1984): pp38(2).
- La Guerra de los Idealistas.
- An historical documentary, including interviews with many on both sides of the Spanish Civil War. This segment focuses on foreign participation in the war with volunteer soldiers from all over the world who found an outlet for their passionate idealism in the revolution in Spain. In Spanish with occasional English subtitles. 1982. 54 min. Video/C 5233
- Heart of Spain
- A documentary account of the front line medicine practiced under Dr. Norman Bethune and volunteer medical personnel during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939.) Their work with 'blood banks,' transfusion and field surgery laid the groundwork for further medical advances in later years. 1933. Material scenarized and edited by Paul Strand, Leo Hurwitz. 33 min. DVD X336; vhs Video/C MM1225
Robé, Christopher. "The Good Fight: The Spanish Civil War and U.S. Left Film Criticism." Framework: The Journal of Cinema & Media; Spring2010, Vol. 51 Issue 1, p79-107, 29p UC users only
- Im Kampf den Weltfeind (1939)
- Directed by Karl Ritter. Documentary presenting the Spanish Civil War from the Nationalist (Nazi) perspective. The entire war is covered, from the initial German commitment in 1936 to the fall of Madrid in March 1939. The Legion's triumphant return to Germany is also shown including excerpts of speeches by Goring and Hitler. 45 min. DVD 3853
- Images Against Oblivion: Untold Stories About Francoism (Imágenes cóntra el olvido, lo que nunca se conto del Franquismo)
- 2005.
Disc 1- Santa Cruz... por ejemplo = Santa Cruz... for example / director, Gunter Schwaiger -- Presos del silencio = Prisoners of silence / directors, Mariano Agudo and Eduardo Montero.
Part of a series of documentaries that revisit the Spanish Civil War and Francoism. Santa Cruz, por ejemplo (Santa Cruz, for example) looks at facist repression during the first months of the military regime in the zones where there was no fighting, because from the first day, the inhabitants were affected by the participants of the coup. The film opens with consultations of the relatives of assassinated people, then examines the fear that still lives today in the rural areas in the wake of Francoism and at how the exhumation of the disappeared during the Franco regime affects the people and a town. Presos del silencio (Prisoners of silence) reconstructs the collective memory of some survivors, who between 1940 and 1962 participated in the construction of the Canal del Bajo Guadalquivir, what is known today as the Canal of the Prisoners, which, with its 150 kms of route, still continues watering the main agricultural arteries of Andalusia. In Spanish without English subtitles. 174 min. DVD 9780
Disc 2- La mala muerte = The bad death /directors, Jose Manuel Martin and Fidel Cordero (2005) = Los Alzados de la Palma = Uprising of La Palma / directors, David Baute and Cirilo Leal (2006).
Part of a series of documentaries that revisit the Spanish Civil War and Francoism. La mala muerte (The bad death) looks at the exhumations that have been undertaken in the last years by different associations mainly by ARMH (Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory). What happens when people begin to speak after 70 years of forced silence? What is the reaction of the descendants after so many years of the fear of repression? Alzados de la Palma (Uprising of La Palma) is based on the particular case of one week of resistance "Semana Roja" (Red week) on the island of La Palma (the only one that resisted the rise of facism), and later, the persecution and hunting of republicans. The town wishes to know the whereabouts of the disappeared in order to render a tribute to their memory. In Spanish without English subtitles. 171 min. DVD 9781
Disc 3- Muerte en El Valle = Death in the Valley / director, Christina Hardt-Redondo (1996) -- Los heroes nunca mueren = Heroes never died / director, Jan Arnold ; producer, Adrian Lipp.
Part of a series of documentaries that revisit the Spanish Civil War and Francoism. Muerte en El Valle (Death in the Valley) is an investigation that the director undertook in her own family, relating to the death of her grandfather. During the search she faced one of the assassins of her ancestor. Los heroes nunca mueren (Heroes never died) reflects on the controversy that arose around the famous photograph by Robert Capa of a soldier who was killed by an enemy bullet. The film also examines one of the fundamental tenants in journalism - the mechanisms of the construction of truth. 154 min. DVD 9782
Disc 4- España, ultima esperanza : apuntes de una odisea (Spain, last hope : notes of an odyssey) / director, Karin Helml and Hermann Peseckas = Una immensa prision (An immense prison) / director, Carlos Ceacero Ruiz and Guillermo Carnero Rosell.
Part of a series of documentaries that revisit the Spanish Civil War and Francoism. In Espa?na, ultima esperanza : apuntes de una odisea (Spain, last hope : notes of an odyssey) ... six protagonists described their experience in the Spanish Civil War. Their destiny took them to concentration camps in France with final extradition to Nazi Germany. Una immensa prision (An immense prison) is a tribute to the victims of Francoism, an attempt to investigate the shady foundations on which our present society has been built, almost without temporary transition from a Fascist dictatorship. 130 min. DVD 9783
Disc 5- La columna de los ocho mil (The column of eight thousands) / directors, Angel Hernandez Garcia ... [et al.] (2005) = La memoria es vaga (The memory is vague) / director, Katherine Halper (2005)
Part of a series of documentaries that revisit the Spanish Civil War and Francoism. La columna de los ocho mil (The column of eight thousands) narrates the story of thousands of republican civilians trying to travel through 100 kms of enemy territory, to find a safe place for their families. The column of republicans is attacked, and dispersed with the disappearance of many at the hands of the pro-Franco army... La memoria es vaga (The memory is vague) reviews the conditions in which the political prisoners constructed the greatest monument of Spain, Monumento Nacional de Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caidos (Valley of the Fallen). Includes testimony by those forced to construct the monument as public work prisoners and looks at the controversies surrounding the monument today. 146 min. DVD 9784
- Into the Fire: American Women in the Spanish Civil War
- Focuses on sixteen of the 80 or so American women who joined the International Brigade volunteers from fifty countries who came to fight for democracy in Spain in 1936. The film's narrative includes the words of Dorothy Parker, Josephine Herbst and Virginia Cowles, as well as the articles and letters exchanged by Martha Gellhorn and Eleanor Roosevelt during the war. The women's hearbreak at the refusal of the democracies including the U.S. to come to Spain's aid, is powerfully conveyed. Directed by Julia Newman. c2002. 58 min. DVD 8078; vhs Video/C 9782
- The Last Cause
- A documentary on the International Brigades which fought against the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. Includes interviews with 25 Canadian, American, and British volunteers interwoven with newsreel footage, still photographs, and songs recorded during the conflict. Directed by Alex Cramer and Stephen H. Franklin. 1976. 164 min. DVD X5612
- The Moroccan Labyrinth (Laberinto Marroqui)
- In 1898 Spain focused its colonial aims on northern Morocco, establishing a Spanish Protectorate in 1912. From 1920 to 1926, Spanish military attempts to conquer the territory were resisted by the guerrilla forces of Rif leader Abd el-Krim. The film reveals how this colonial conflict served as the prologue to the Spanish Civil War, with losses in the African war undermining the monarchy and politically emboldening the "African militarists," including generals such as Francisco Franco, who in 1936 launched a revolt against the Spanish Republic. Ironically, in order to escape famine and poverty, thousands of Moroccans enlisted in the Spanish Falangist movement and found themselves fighting for their former enemies in Spain against Republican forces. Directed by Julio Sánchez Veiga. 2007. 90 min. DVD X2321
Description from Icarus Films catalog
- The Origins of the Spanish Civil War[AUDIORECORDING]
- With: Raymond Carr, The politics of the Spanish civil war. Discusses the causes of the Spanish Civil War and the reasons for the Nationalists' victory. Sound/C 43; (NRLF B 4 304 604)
- The Politics of the Spanish Civil War[AUDIORECORDING]
- With: Raymond Carr, The origins of the Spanish civil war. Continues the discussion of the causes of the Spanish Civil War and the reasons for the Nationalists' victory. Sound/C 43
- Que mi nombre no se borre de la historia: el documental de las 13 rosas
- Documentary about 13 young ladies who were sent to the firing squad during the early years of the Franco regime, as punishment for a political crime they were not involved in. Depite attempts to erase them from history, they passed into legend, known as "the thirteen roses". They were all members of the JSU (Unified Socialist Youth), an antifascist organization. Relatives of the victims, JSU survivors and the General Secretary of the organization, Santiago Carrillo, tell their story. Directed by Verónica Vigil & José María Almela. 2006. 83 min. DVD X4108
- Songs of The Spanish Civil War.
- Himno de Riego (1:58) -- Los cuatro generales (3:10) -- Somos los soldados vascos (1:16) -- Ya sabes mi paradero (2:56) -- La sardana de les monges (2:56) -- Que sera? (2:55) -- La Santa espina (2:30) -- El paso del Ebro (2:40) -- El tren blindado (2:59) -- Fuerte de San Cristobal (3:01) -- Marineros (3:19) -- El tragala (2:23) -- El pendon morado (2:52) -- Els segadors (1:57). Performers: Cobla de Barcelone; unnamed chorus and orchestra; Gustavo Pittaluga and Rodolfo Halffter, conductors of the chorus and orchestra. Sound/D 49
- Spain in Revolt (c. 1938)
- Film summarizing events in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), aimed at American audiences. The film appears to use mainly silent newsreel and other footage, with music and obviously foleyed sound effects added. While the film is mainly from the Loyalists stand point, there is also a bit curious pacificistic slant to it, keeping with the mood of the US at the time. However, if that is case, why was the film put together in the first place? Without the first reel to put the whole thing in context, it is hard to say. DVD 7971
Watch a portion of this film online (via Internet Moving Image Archive) (Part II)
Watch Watch a portion of this film online (via Internet Moving Image Archive) (Part III)
- Spain Will Live (L'espagne vivra)
- A documentary by the French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson considered to be the father of modern photojournalism, an early adopter of 35 mm format, and developer of the "street photography" style that has influenced generations of photographers. L'espagne vivra is the second documentary by Cartier-Bresson on the Spanish Civil War. It looks at the war and its aftermath with commentary by Georges Sadoul. Originally produced in 1938 by Secours Populaire de France. 44 min. DVD 9934
- The Spanish Civil War.
- A documentary of the Spanish Civil War told primarily through archival newsreel footage, covering the electoral defeat of right-wing forces, the polarization of left and right, and the young officers' conspiracy that began the uprising in Morocco. Within days, the conflict had spread to Spain, and the bitter Civil War had begun. The program covers the course of the war: the battles, the human cost, the intervention of the totalitarian powers and the nonintervention of the democracies, until, at the end, the Soviet Union withdrew its support, the International Brigades were disbanded and Nationalist forces entered Madrid ending the conflict. 27 min. DVD X291
- The Spanish Civil War: Blood and Ink (Siglo XX: la Guerra Civil Espanola = The 20th Century: The Spanish Civil War).
- Examines the period of the Second Republic in 1936 and the Spanish army's mutiny that marked the beginning of a bitter civil war that lasted three years and cost one million Spanish lives. Dramatic readings are from those poets and prose writers who captured the period in their works: Rafael Alberti's "Romancero general de la guerra," Antonio Machado's "Muerte de un nino Herido", Jose Maria Peman's "De ellos es el mundo and Poema de la bestia y el angel", and Miguel Hernandez' "Viento del pueblo." 50 min. Video/C 4144
- The Spanish Civil War.
- Prelude to tragedy 1931-36 -- Revolution, counter-revolution, and terror -- Battleground for idealists -- Franco and the Nationalists -- The revolution -- Victory and defeat. The complete history of the Spanish civil war told through rare archival film and eyewitness accounts. 312 min. Video/C 4144
- The Spanish Crates (Las cajas españolas)
- Documents the heroic efforts to safeguard Spain's artistic heritage during the Spanish Civil War. The republican government established the Junta de Defensa del Tesoro Artistica during the early days of social upheaval in 1936, later succeeded by an international committee. Some 1,868 crates were eventually evacuated to safety, including much of the contents of the Prado Museum and the National Archeological Museum. The story of the massive undertaking was suppressed during the Franco regime but is preserved in the extensive historical footage assembled here. Directed by Alberto Porlan. 2004. 97 min. DVD X4428
Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
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The Spanish Earth (1937)
- Credits: Screenplay, Lillian Hellman, John Dos Passos, and Archibald MacLeish; photography, John Ferno; film editor, Helen van Dongen; music, Marc Blitzstein, Virgil Thomson; narrator, Ernest Hemingway (alternative track on DVD X1698 : Orson Welles). Written and narrated by Ernest Hemingway, this documentary was produced during the Spanish Civil War to dramatize the effect of the Fascist uprising on the ordinary citizen. Shows the struggle to protect Madrid from Francisco Franco's followers, the bombing of the city by German and Italian planes, and farmers trying to construct an irrigation system under the near-impossible circumstances of war. The author's only screenwriting effort and his only film appearance. 60 min. DVD 717; also on DVD X1698; DVD X6449; VHS 999:1131
Information about this film from the Internet Movie Database
- Spanish Revolution Anniversary Newsreel Footage
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Spanish Revolution Anniversary Newsreel: Franco looks on as they celebrate the 18th anniversary of the end of the Spanish Civil War. 1957. 2 min. DVD 7971
- Timeline 1937: A Historical Series
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Video chapter - Timeline 1937 (65 min.) -- Audio chapters: Music (27 min.) -- News (67 min.) -- Entertainment (60 min.)
Video section focuses on the year 1937. Vintage newsreels capture the Revolution in Spain, the crash of the Hindenburg, the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge, the fall of Shanghai plus feature stories on Franklin D. Roosevelt, Shirley Temple, Amelia Earhart, Joe Louis and more.
Audio section (Music): Swing School with Benny Goodman and his orchestra - featuring Martha Tilton, Gene Kropa, Teddy Wilson, Lionel Hampton (original broadcast Nov. 11, 1937)
Audio section (News): Radio broadcasts of a tribute to George Gershwin, the Hindenburg disaster, a speech by Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black regarding his membership in the Ku Klux Klan, a speech by Roosevelt warning of a coming world war.
Audio section (Entertainment): The Lux Radio Theatre presents "Captain Blood" (Feb. 22, 1937) starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone and Donald Crisp. DVD 1108
- The 20th Century: The Spanish Civil War (Siglo XX: la Guerra Civil Española)
- Examines the period of the Second Republic in 1936 and the Spanish army's mutiny that marked the beginning of a bitter civil war that lasted three years and cost one million Spanish lives. Dramatic readings are from those poets and prose writers who captured the period in their works: Rafael Alberti's "Romancero general de la guerra," Antonio Machado's "Muerte de un niño Herido", Jose Maria Peman's "De ellos es el mundo and Poema de la bestia y el angel", and Miguel Hernandez' "Viento del pueblo." Dist.: Films Media Group. c2003. 50 min. DVD 2293
- Victory of Life (Victoire de la vie)
- A documentary by the French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson considered to be the father of modern photojournalism, an early adopter of 35 mm format, and developer of the "street photography" style that has influenced generations of photographers. Victoire de la vie is taken during the civil war inside the hospitals of Republican Spain showing medical care of soldiers. 1937. 49 min. DVD 9934
- The Will of the People (1939)
- A striking account of the Spanish Civil War, made during the last, desperate days of the Republic. Drawn from the Republic's rich film archives, this documentary provides, in its partisan commentary and searing footage, a poignant epitaph to the dashed hopes of the Popular Front. 55 min. DVD 8818
- Witness to History: Days That Shook the World : 1930-1939
- Part of a documentary series covering milestones of the 20th century including political turmoil, the horrors of war, medical, scientific and technological advances and social upheaval that made this century. Part four covers key events in the decade of 1930-1939. 1930-1939: Introduction -- May 1,1931 - The Empire State Building Opens -- March 1,1932 - Lindbergh Baby Kidnapped -- May 21,1932 - Amelia Earhart Flies Solo Across the Atlantic -- November 8,1932 - The "New Deal" Begins FDR Elected President -- January 30,1933 - Hitler Becomes Chancellor of Germany -- December 5,1933 - Prohibition Ends -- August 8,1936 - Jesse Owens Dominates-The Berlin Olympics -- December 11,1936 - King Edward VIII Abdicates For Love -- May 6,1937 - The Hindenberg Disaster -- March 28,1939 - Franco Wins The Spanish Civil War -- August 27,1939 - First Jet Airplane Flight -- September 1,1939 - Hitler Invades Poland World War II Begins -- Epilogue. Dist.: Ambrose Video. 30 min. Video/C 8791
- To the top
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For videos on the Holocaust, see Jewish Studies videography
For videos on Japanese American internment see Japanese Americanvideography
For World War II movies, see Movie Genres: War Movies videography
For newsreel coverage of World War II era, see Newsreel videography
For WWII propaganda, see Propaganda videography
- 39/40, the war through a lens (39/40, la guerre des images)
- It took Hitler less than ten months to conquer Europe. This two-part series is an astonishing "play by play" told by three of its major players: France, England and Germany. Inspired by newsreels, each country reveals the "truth" to its citizens. Between September 1939 to June 1940, we view how each side saw the inexorable plunge Europe took into chaos. Contents: La Drôle de guerre = The Phoney war (53 min.) -- La Debacle = The debacle (53 min.) DVD X4944
- 731: Two Versions of Hell
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Version 1: The doorway to hell (15 min.) -- Version 2: War is hell (12 min.)
Documentary about Unit 731, Japan's secret World War II biological and chemical weapons facility in the Chinese town of Harbin where biological weapons were developed during the Japanese Occupation. The film uses the same footage as seen from two points of view. The first half gives the perspective of the Chinese government and describes the horrors and atrocities that occurred during World War II at the facility. The second half, using almost the exact same footage, describes Unit 731 from the Japanese revisionist perspective which is largely supported by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Japan. Although its cruel experiments on living people produced thousands of casualties, this activity is still denied by a number of Japanese historians and politicians. A film by James T. Hong. 2007. DVD X351
Description from Filmakers Library catalog
- 761st, The Story of the Black Panther Tank Battalion
- The 761st Tank Battalion, the first unit to enlist African-American soldiers to operate armored vehicles was activated on April 1, 1942, at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana and deployed to Europe, landing at Omaha Beach in France on October 10, 1944. Over the course of 183 days of continuous fighting (including action in the Battle of the Bulge) the "Black Panthers" became the first African-American armored unit to enter combat. With the motto "Come Out Fighting!" they faced racism at home and death overseas in a war for many freedoms they did not enjoy in America. Directed by Pete Chatmon. 200-? 72 min. DVD X5625
- Alliance of Shame.
- Examines Japan's experiments in germ warfare during World War II using American prisoners of war as subjects of experimentation. Surveys the history of Japan's germ warfare Unit 731, through interviews with survivors and members of Unit 731. Examines the policies and practices of the Japanese general who directed the experiments, General Shiro Ishii. 20 min. DVD X211 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 694
- America at War. 1995. 45 min. each installment.
Our Troops Train for War Two training films used to prepare the American soldier for the perils and dangers he faced when encountering the enemy. Baptism of fire: A drama designed to teach soldiers how to deal with their fears of going into battle for the first time. Jap Zero: An interesting film starring Ronald Reagan as a novice pilot trying to distinguish the Japanese Zero fighter plane from one of our own--with nearly disastrous results. Video/C 5701
Our Troops Under Fire Four films containing graphic historical footage of land, air, and amphibious assaults on enemy strongholds. Cameramen at war: Documentary on the cameramen of the British military film units and the newsreel companies that documented battles of both World Wars. 957th day: Shows the Pacific Fifth Fleet engaged in combat action on the 957th day of WWII. Mission completed: A film about American bombers returning to the ship after a bombing run. Battle for the beaches: Documentary footage examining Allied machinery and methods used to attack the Axis powers on the beach fronts. Includes the Battle of Dunkirk and amphibious assaults on Sicily, Salerno, and Dieppe, France. Video/C 5702
Preparing for War Contains an interesting, powerful look at various films produced to alert the American public about the looming threat of world war and to muster sentiment and support towards the effort. Hitler's ascent to power: Documents Hitler's chilling rise to power. Britain on guard: Shows how the British coped with German aerial attacks and the devastating VI rocket. All Hands: A British officer talks too much in a pub run by spies with disastrous results. Story of Corporal Jolley: A true first person account by an American soldier who survived a Japanese prison camp and the Bataan Death March. Video/C 5700
Show Business in WarThree films showing how Hollywood and the business community were involved in the war effort. War Bonds: Features Bette Davis selling war bonds. Hollywood Canteen: Dinah Shore takes the viewer on a tour of a typical war canteen where Hollywood stars mingled with the troops and special performances helpted lift morale. Strictly GI: Highlights the special radio show broadcast weekly for the enjoyment of troops worldwide. Video/C 5703
Victory Victory focuses on the reaction of America to the end of the war. D-Day minus one: Presents the saga of the paratroopers who dropped into Europe behind enemy lines five hours before the D-Day invasion. Focus on 1945: Features the victory of Allied troops as they reclaim Europe, the liberation of POW camps, the trial of General Yamashita of Japan for high war crimes, and footage of a top ranking Nazi leader on trial at Nuremberg. Japan surrenders: Looks at the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Japan's unconditional surrender to General MacArthur. Video/C 5704
- America in the '40s, A Sentimental Journey Part 2,; War Stories
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Focuses on riveting battle footage as the war accelerates, while veterans recount poignant tales of frontline terror and bonds of friendship that survive today. Includes archival footage of the war, of performances by USO troops, and of war plant workers at home, plus popular songs of the era. 57 min. Video/C 5808
- America, The War Years. Volume 1, 1941-1942.
- Newreel footage originally produced in 1941 and 1942 by Universal Newsreel and United News.
Newsreels and combat footage give glimpses of the United States during World War II, with reports on military campaigns, war production, and life on the home front during 1940-1941.
Contents: v. 1. 1941 (50 min.) New Years in N.Y. -- New Congress hears president pledge war aid -- Lease-Lend Bill passes -- Miami, Fla. -- Belmont Park, N.Y. -- Jitterbug and jive -- Stanley cup -- DeGaulle in England -- Women defense workers -- Seattle black-out -- French Indo-China -- Airplane manufacturing plant -- American troops in Newfoundland -- Libya -- U.S. to guard Greenland -- Yankees baseball -- Detroit Tigers baseball -- Washington Navy yard -- Paratroops at Fr. Benning, Ga. -- Carol exiled King of Romania -- Jack Benny -- Malta bombed -- Eritrea -- Churchill in England -- U.S. in move to halt Japs -- Hess flees from Reich -- 9th Army Corps -- Portsmouth, N.H. submarines -- Belmont Park -- First pictures of sea fight -- Haile Selassie returns to Ethiopia -- Speed boat races -- Aerial acrobats -- Nazis war in Russia -- Soviet-Japanese Friendship Pact -- 21-yr-olds drafted -- Army air force at Mitchel Field -- Siege of Tobruk -- Special report: Japs-U.S. at war -- America on the alert. v. 2. 1942 (50 min.) Movie stars join war effort -- U.S. motorcycle dispatch riders -- U.S. Navy pilots test flying boat -- Tennis match (Bobby Riggs) -- Gas shortages and food rationing -- G.I. mail call -- Who's on first? (Abbott and Costello) -- U.S. arms manufacturing plants -- Midway -- Horse races for Army relief fund -- America salutes women workers in war effort -- Private Snafu gripes -- Marines on Guadalcanal -- Jeep assembly plant -- Hollywood canteen -- Alaska Highway completed -- Warship production -- British pursue Rommel in Libya -- Rodeo thrills soldiers -- Ready made homes for war workers -- British sailors aid U.S. Harvest -- World's largest autobus tested -- RAF blasts Nazis -- U.S. Navy day -- New roles for women in war -- Soldiers get mail -- U.S. carrier beats off air attack -- Academy Awards, 1942 -- Plants speed anti-aircraft guns -- China plans army of 26 million -- N.Y. hails U.N. war heroes. 100 min. DVD 2499
- The Americas at War in World War II
- Presents eleven films of Latin and South American countries' participation in World War II. Ten out of the eleven films are produced by the U.S. Office of Inter-American Affairs, which was created to foster and report on relations between the United States and Latin American countries. Contents: Brazil at war (1943, 10 min.) -- Brazil gets the news (1942, 10 min.) -- Good neighbor family (1943, 17 min.) -- Gracias Amigos (1944, 16 min.) -- Housing in Chile: one government's plan to provide better homes (1943, 18 min.) -- Lima family (1944, 18 min.) -- Lima (1944, 16 min.) -- Roads South (1943, 17 min.) -- The day is new (1942, 10 min.) -- Silent war: Colombia's fight against yellow fever (1945, 10 min.) -- Young Uruguay (1943, 17 min.) DVD 5902
- Architecture Of Doom.
- Building upon the Nazi cult of the extreme aesthetic which aspired to return beauty to the world, film examines Hitler's eccentric cultural ambitions for the Third Reich, and the profound influence his obsession -- and personal failures -- with art played in the development of the Nazi Party. Film examines Hitler's propaganda which created a social climate which made brutality and murder an acceptable means to beautify the world. Producer/director/researcher, Peter Cohen, 1989. 119 min. DVD 453; also on VHS Video/C 3501
- Archives de guerre (1940-1945: ce que les Francais on vu dans les salles de cinema
- Five hours of French newsreels and propaganda films drawn from the archives of the Institut national de l'audiovisuel trace the history of World War II month-by-month and document life in France during the German occupation. 402 min. DVD 9247
- The Archives of War
- A documentary series of 20th century wars using film shot by British Pathe News, from the trenches of World War I, through the destruction of World War II, to the Cold War's atomic arsenals and the horrors of the Korean and Vietnam wars. Disc 1. World War I and the interwar years ; World War II: The leaders -- Disc 2. World War II: The battles ; The Cold War -- Disc 3. Korea ; Vietnam. DVD 1704
- Arsenal of Democracy.(Great Depression; 7)
- By 1939 Americans were still struggling to end the Great Depression. Their dreams of peace and prosperity were celebrated at World's Fairs in New York and San Francisco, but prosperity did not come in peacetime. Millions fled the "dust bowl" states to finally find work in new defense industries. While the New Deal changed America forever, it was war that ended the Great Depression. 60 min. DVD X1168 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 3177
- Atrocities of the Orient
- A Philippine produced "shockumentary" recreating the widespread rapes and murders of Filipino women by Japanese soldiers during the WWII Japanese occupation, just before the American invasion. Also chronicles efforts by Filipino citizens to combat the invaders. Directed by Carlos Vander Tolosa, William H. Jansen. Originally released as motion picture in 1948. 80 min. Video/C MM538
- Bataan Rescue
- Thousands of Allied soldiers faced death on the Bataan peninsula in 1941 and only 500 prisoners in the Cabanatuan prison camp lived to be rescued. With testimony from both captive and liberator, tells the valiant struggle of the elite 6th Army Ranger Batallion who sneaked 30 miles behind enemy lines and with the help of Filipino resistance fighters, mounted an astonishing successful rescue that was fraught with danger. Bonus features: On location : the producers, On location : the re-enactors, timeline. 2003. 55 min. DVD 5614
- Band of Brothers
- Featuring recent interviews with the real-life company members whose deeds are dramatized in the made-for-television docudrama "Band of Brothers." Combining rare archival photographs and film footage, these are the faces, the voices and the lives of the men dramatically portrayed on the screen. Through it all, each veteran recalls that his reliance on his brothers-in-arms is the reason any of them made it back alive. This documentary is a profound, powerful and poignant tribute to their valor. c2002. 80 min. DVD 1422
Band of Brothers (movie for TV) DVD 1421
- Battle of the Bulge
- In December 1944, Hitler waged a final desperate bloody attack striking back at the Allies in the Battle of the Bulge ... the single biggest and bloodiest battle U.S. soldiers have ever fought. Almost 80,000 Americans were killed, injured, or captured in an infernal test of courage and endurance that ultimately ended with a hard-won victory for the Allies. Told through the eyes of the U.S. soldiers and combat officers in the field. Originally broadcast on television as an episode of "American experience" in 2002. 86 min. DVD 3694
- BeFreier und Befreite
- Documents the 1945 mass rape of German women and girls by the advancing Soviet army. Contents: DVD #1. BeFreier und Befreite 1 (1991/92) (90 min.) ; BeFreier und Befreite 2 = Liberators take liberties, pt. 1-2 (1991/92) (102 min.) Directed by Helke Sander. 192 min. DVD X6587
- Berlin 1945
- This film is about the final Russian conflict, the fight to take Berlin. From Russian archive material witness probably the bloodiest battle of World War II. Over 40 Belorussian and 1st Ukranian Army camerament contributed footage to this remarkable documentary. 60 min. Video/C 1337
- The Black Fox: The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler
- This documentary of the Nazi leader reveals Hitler's ambition, demonic will, perverse passions, and his many murders. Told in part through the use of classical allegory comparing Hitler to the trickster in the story "Reynard the fox." Based in part on the 12th century folk tale "Reynard the Fox" as adapted by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.Directed by Louis Clyde Stoumen. 1962. 89 min. DVD X3032
Awards
Academy Award - Best Documentary Feature
- Black Sun: The Mythological Background of National Socialism
- Sheds new light on the sources of Nazi ideology by examining its occult roots in the world of myths, symbols and fantasies. Through interviews, rare archival footage and contemporary scenes shot in historic locales throughtout Germany it chronicles how the Nazis used these mythological foundations to develop Nazism as a political religion. The film also reveals the disturbing perpetuation of these mystical beliefs among certain cult groups in Germany today, reflecting an ongoing search for salvation, inspiration and messianic leaders. Directed by Rüdiger Sünner; Elizabeth Müller. 1997. 90 min. DVD X2388
Occult History of the Third Reich
Description from Icarus Films catalog
- The Blitz: London's Longest Night
- After two years of research and based on eyewitness testimony, tells the story of WWII's most concentrated aerial attack on London in 1941 and how the city nearly perished under the German barrage. Approximately 43,000 people died and over 1 million houses were destroyed during the blitz. 2006. 90 min. DVD 5157
- Blockade (Blokada)
- Created from archival footage of the siege of Leningrad found in Soviet film archives and meticulously reconstructed with a soundtrack added to the original silent footage. Hitler attempted to starve the Soviet city into submission resulting in the longest siege of World War II. The siege lasted for 900 days, with the blockade contributing to the largest-scale famine ever seen in the industrialized world. A Film by Sergei Loznitsa. 2005. 52 min. DVD 8922
Description from Icarus Films catalog
Osborne, Tony. "Blockade (2006)." Film & History, Spring2008, Vol. 38 Issue 1, p70-71, 2p UC users only
- The Bombing of Germany
- During World War II, bent on conquest, the German strategies became completely amoral, challenging and perhaps ending the concept of 'civilized warfare.' Through interviews with veterans, historians and ethicists from all the countries engaged in World War II, this documentary recounts the story of the Anglo-American bombing campaign against Germany, exploring the moral conundrums imposed by the reality of the war. Written, produced & directed by Zvi Dor-Ner. Originally broadcast as a segment on The American Experience in 2009. 60 min. DVD X3313
- The Borinqueneers
- A documentary on the all-Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment, the only all-Hispanic unit in U.S. Army history. The film focuses on the establishment of the Regiment and on their contributions during the Korean War through testimony by the regiment's veterans and rare archival footage. Written, produced and directed by Noemi Figueroa Soulet. Dist.: Cinema Guild. 2007. 78 min. DVD 8605
- Britain at War: The First Days
- The first days / producer: Alberto Cavalcanti ; directors: Humphrey Jennings, Harry Watt, Pat Jackson (1939, 23 min.) --The front line / director: Harry Watt (1940, 6 min.) -- Squadron 992 / producer: Alberto Cavalcanti ; director: Harry Watt (1940, 26 min.)
First days: Shows many actual and some reconstructed scenes of air raid precautions, military training and evacuations during the first days of the war.
Front line: For three months the town of Dover had been the frontier target for the Reich. There was only one hotel where the American correspondents stayed to record the fall of Britain.
Squadron 992: A compelling drama-documentary about the training of a balloon squadron and its first assignment to the Forth Bridge, which had just been unsuccessfully raided. DVD 6218
Aldgate, Anthony. Britain can take it : the British cinema in the Second World War 2nd ed. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, 1994.
(Main Stack D743.23.A43 1994; Moffitt D743.23.A43 1994; PFA PN1995.9.W3.A42 1994)
Chapman, James. The British at war: cinema, state, and propaganda, 1939-1945 N.Y.: I.B. Tauris Publishers; New York, N.Y.: Distributed by St. Martin's Press, 1998. Cinema and society.
(Main Stack D743.23.C45 1998)
- Britain at War: Under Fire
- The story of an air communique / Ministry of Information (1940, 7 mins.) -- Britain can take it / directors: Harry Watt, Humphrey Jennings (1940, 9 min.) -- Britain at bay / commentary written and spoken by J.B. Priestley (1940, 8 min.) -- Men of the lightship / producer: Alberto Cavalcanti ; director: David MacDonald (1940, 25 min.) -- Christmas under fire / director: Harry Watt (1941, 10 min.) Story of an air communique: Made for the Ministry of Information to show how accurately the figures for destroyed enemy aircraft were compiled and checked.
Britain can take it: American journalist Quentin Reynolds presented this despatch from London that gave Roosevelt the kind of material he needed to swing U.S. popular opinion behind Britain in the war.
Britain at bay: Nazi Germany has swallowed Czechoslovakia, invaded Poland and Norway, overrun Holland and Belgium. The French government had given in. Britain was alone, at bay... Men of the lightship: Reconstruction of events surrounding the Nazi bombing of the East Dudgeon lightship and the fate of those who manned it. Christmas under fire: Quentin Reynolds second film despatch from London to America shows Christmas 1940, the year of the blitz. DVD 6219
Watch Britain Can Take It online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
Aldgate, Anthony. Britain can take it : the British cinema in the Second World War 2nd ed. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, 1994.
(Main Stack D743.23.A43 1994; Moffitt D743.23.A43 1994; PFA PN1995.9.W3.A42 1994)
Chapman, James. The British at war: cinema, state, and propaganda, 1939-1945 N.Y.: I.B. Tauris Publishers; New York, N.Y.: Distributed by St. Martin's Press, 1998. Cinema and society.
(Main Stack D743.23.C45 1998)
- Britain Can Take It (aka London Can Take It)(1940)
- Directors: Harry Watt, Humphrey Jennings. American journalist Quentin Reynolds presented this despatch from London that gave Roosevelt the kind of material he needed to swing U.S. popular opinion behind Britain in the war. Britain at bay: Nazi Germany has swallowed Czechoslovakia, invaded Poland and Norway, overrun Holland and Belgium. The French government had given in. Britain was alone, at bay... Men of the lightship: Reconstruction of events surrounding the Nazi bombing of the East Dudgeon lightship and the fate of those who manned it. Christmas under fire: Quentin Reynolds second film despatch from London to America shows Christmas 1940, the year of the blitz. 9 min. DVD 6219; also on DVD 1279; vhs Video/C 5025
Watch Britain Can Take It online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)

Aldgate, Anthony. Britain can take it : the British cinema in the Second World War 2nd ed. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, 1994.
(Main Stack D743.23.A43 1994; Moffitt D743.23.A43 1994; PFA PN1995.9.W3.A42 1994)
Chapman, James. The British at war: cinema, state, and propaganda, 1939-1945 N.Y.: I.B. Tauris Publishers; New York, N.Y.: Distributed by St. Martin's Press, 1998. Cinema and society.
(Main Stack D743.23.C45 1998)
Cull, Nicholas John. "London Can Take It": British Propaganda and the Blitz, September to December 1940." In: Selling war : the British propaganda campaign against American "neutrality" in World War II / Nicholas John Cull.
New York ; Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1995.
(Full text available online [UCB users only]; Print: Moffitt D810.P7 G7248 1995)
Reynolds, Quentin James. Britain can take it; based on the film. New York, E.P. Dutton and company, inc., c1941.
(MAIN: D760.8.L7 R48)
Humphrey Jennings bibliography
- Calling Tokyo: Japanese American Radio Broadcasters During World War II
- Documentary about a group of Japanese Americans who were recruited by the British Political Warfare Mission and the U.S. Office of War Information to serve as hosts of Japanese-language radio propaganda broadcasts from Denver during WWII. c2002. 48 min. Video/C MM622
- Calling America: Axis WWII Radio Propaganda [Sound recording]
- Contains German and Italian World War II propaganda radio broadcasts. Contents: Station D.E.B.U.N.K. (1:17) -- Robert H. Best 420909 (4:10) -- Butchers / Ezra Pound (0:27) -- Paul Revere (Douglas Chandler) 410909 (15:16) -- Midge at the mike (Mildred Gillars AKA Axis Sally) 430518 (11:19) -- Power / Ezra Pound (12:50) -- Vision of invasion (infamous D-Day fantasy) 440511 / Axis Sally (22:17) -- Ezra Pound speakin' (0:02). 67 min. Sound/D 210
- Cameramen at War. (1943)
- Compiled by Len Lye. A tribute to the cameramen of the British military film units and the newsreel companies that sent back front-line reports. Most of the film shown is of World War II, with special emphasis on the European and North African combat areas. 15 min. Video/C 5027
- [Capra, Frank] Frank Capra World War II Documentaries
- SEE:
Here Is Germany
Know Your Enemy - Japan
The Negro Soldier
Tunisian Victory
Why We Fight series
- The Combat Film. (American Cinema; 6).
- Historians, directors and military leaders describe the evolution of the World War II combat film, the rise of the Vietnam film, the influence of factual newsreel documentaries on fiction film genre, and the narrative tradition linking such films as Bataan (1943) and Platoon (1968). 55 min. Video/C 3714
- Commanders
Douglas MacArthur, General of the Army U.S.A. NRLF Video/C 459 pt. 1-pt. 2
Dwight D. Eisenhower, General of the Army NRLF Video/C 457
Erwin Rommel, Field Marshal German Army NRLF B 4 175 256
Georgi Zhukov, Marshal of the Soviet Union NRLF B 4 175 262
Isoroku Yamamoto, Grand Admiral, Imperial Japanese Navy NRLF Video/C 463
Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris, Marshal of the Royal Air Force NRLF B 4 175 261
Sir William Slim, Field Marshal, British Army NRLF Video/C 460
- Corregidor: Fortress of Courage
- Through archival footage revisits the Battle of Corregidor and the battle in the Philippines during World War II. 2000. 22 min. Video/C 9501
- D-Day: 24 Hours[Sound Recording]
- Reporters: Bob Trout, Edward R. Murrow, Herbert M. Clark.
Contains CBS radio broadcasts of the unfolding Allied invasion on the northern coast of France through the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, the official public annoucement by the U.S. government of the Allied invasion, followed by a flood of reports from correspondents, some on the scene. Sound/D 211
- December 7th: the Pearl Harbor Story
- SEE John Ford WWII Documentaries
- Desert Victory (1943)
- Directed by Captain Roy Boulting. Documents the British Eighth Army's smashing victory at El Alamein in Nov. 1942, and its triumphant advance across the desert to Tripoli. 1943. 62 min. DVD 5802; Video/C 5027
Watch this film online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
Awards
Academy Award - Best Documentary, Features

Agee, James. "Films"
Nation; 3/25/1944, Vol. 158 Issue 13, p373-374, 2p
UC users only
Kuhn, Annette. "'Desert Victory' and the People's War."
Screen 1981 22: 45-68 UC users only
McDonald, Neil. "Authenticity and Re-enactment." Quadrant Magazine; Oct2005, Vol. 49 Issue 10, p74-77, 4p
UC users only
Rollins, Peter. "Document and Drama in Desert Victory."
Film & History, May1974, Vol. 4 Issue 2, p11-13, 3p
UC users only
- Die Deutsche Wochenschau [Nazi newsreels]
- SEE separate listing of individual installments
- The Double Headed Eagle: Hitler's Rise to Power, 1918-1933
- Charts the stealthy rise of the Nazi Party in the wake of World War I, as witnessed from the perspective of a neutral bystander. Rather than offering a contemporary interpretation of history, the film allows the disturbing saga to unfold on its own terms using footage from newsreels, home movies and extracts from musicals and documentaries from 1918-1933 to illustrate the end of the Weimar and the rise of Adolf Hitler and national socialism in Germany. 1973. 86 min. DVD 5809; vhs Video/C 7668
- Douglas MacArthur, General of the Army U.S.A.
- Focuses on Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander, Pacific Theater, his successful operations against Japan, in Korea and his confrontation with President Truman later. 62 min. Video/C 459
- East of War (Jenseits des Krieges)
- Using the exhibition "Vernichtungskrieg" (War of Extermination) as a background, Ruth Beckermann and cameraman Peter Roehsler have filmed former German soldiers talking about their experiences, beyond the bounds of "normal" warfare. 1996. DVD 7728
- Edward R. Murrow World War II Radio Broadcasts [Sound recording]
- Contains radio broadcasts by noted journalist Edward R. Murrow during World War II. 180 min. Sound/D 207
- The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On (Yuki yukite shingun)
- In this absorbing documentary, Kenzo Okuzaki--a veteran of Japan's WWII New Guinea campaign--painstakingly tracks down the former military officers responsible for the mysterious deaths of several fellow soldiers. Director Kazuo Hara not only captures the zeal of Okuzaki's mission but also exposes the atrocities committed by the Japanese military against its soldiers, resulting in a controversial film of undeniable power. Directed and photographed by Kazuo Hara. 1987. 122 min. DVD 7172

Seraphim, Franziska. "The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On (Yuki yukite shingun)" Japan Forum; Sep99, Vol. 11 Issue 2, p268, 3p UC users only
Ruoff, Kenneth J.; Ruoff, Jeffrey K. "Filming at the margins: the documentaries of Hara Kazuo." Iris, Spring 1993, Issue 16, p115-126, 12p
Ruoff, Kenneth J.; Ruoff, Jeffrey K. "Japan's outlaw filmmaker: an interview with Hara Kazuo." Iris, Spring 1993, Issue 16, p103-113, 11p
- Europe in Ruins
- Relying mostly on film sources made by the Allies for German audiences in the first months after the War (May to October 1945) these films were meant to serve as news reports about the situation in Europe, but especially Germany (though the Pacific War is covered also). Contents: Disc 1. May-June 1945 (109 min.) -- Disc 2. July-August 1945 (138 min.) -- Disc 3. August - October 1945 (145 min.) 392 min. DVD X6473
- Eva Braun: Her Home Movies. Volume 2.
- Home movies shot by Hitler's mistress and later wife (Eva Braun), presented in their entirety for the first time. This intimate footage shows the private life of Hitler, Eva Braun and the Fuhrer's inner circle. 104 min. DVD 6241
- The Eye of Vichy (L'Oeil de Vichy)
- A compilation of long forgotten film footage and newsreels, produced by the Nazis and French collaborators during World War II. From the small town of Vichy in Central France, Field Marshall Pétain's puppet government worked with their Nazi overlords in creating pro-Nazi propaganda. They skillfully produced a strange alternative history of the war years in order to turn public emotion against the Allies and the Jews. A film by Claude Chabrol. 1993. 110 min. DVD 9916; vhs Video/C 6983
Quart, Leonard. "The Eye of Vichy." Cineaste, Sep96, Vol. 22 Issue 3, p47 UC users only
Roth, Michael S. "L'oeil de Vichy." The American Historical Review. Oct 1994. Vol. 99, Iss. 4; p. 1242 (3 pages)
- The Fall of Berlin
- Uses firsthand footage to track the events that led to the conclusion of the war in Europe and the fall of Berlin on May 2, 1945. As the Americans create a bridgehead on the River Elbe, the Luftwaffe makes a last desperate attempt to counter the fury of the Allies bombing of Berlin. While Hitler visits the Eastern Front, the Hitler Youth builds barricades around the doomed city. But all is lost, as far as the Third Reich is concerned. The Russian Army launches an attack along the Oder River, only 40 miles from Berlin. The German surrender becomes inevitable, and the city is divided up among the victors. Directed by Yuri Raizman and Elizaveta Svilova. c2005. 75 min. DVD 8118
- Fire on the Mountain
- Drawing together an elite group of champion skiers, mountain climbers and European mountaineers, the U.S. Army during WWII created America's only mountain and winter warfare fighting unit, the 10th Mountain Division. This documentary follows the Division from intensive training atop the Colorado Rockies to the spectacular night climb of Italy's Riva Ridge where the 10th, despite heavy losses, scored their biggest victory against Hitler's troops. They returned to the United States to become the pioneers of its infant ski industry and conservation movements. Film includes archival footage and interviews with 30 veterans of the 10th Mountain Division. 73 min. Video/C 4742
- Fires Were Started. (1943)
- Directed by Humphrey Jennings and Harry Watt. Uses reenactment techniques to show the Auxiliary Fire Service in Action during the winter and spring of 1940/41, when the Blitz of London was at its height. 72 min. DVD 1279; also on VHS Video/C 5025
Information about this film from the Internet Movie Database

Colls, R. "Representing the Nation: British Documentary Film, 1930-45." Screen XXVI/1, Jan-Feb 85; p.21-33.
Richards, Jeffrey. "'Fires Were Started.' (portrayal of World War II by film director Humphrey Jennings)." History Today 45.n4 (April 1995): 29(6). UC users only
Sansom, William. "The Making of Fires Were Started." Film Quarterly, Vol. 15, No. 2, Special Humphrey Jennings Issue. (Winter, 1961-1962), pp. 27-29. UC users only
Stansky, Peter. London's burning : life, death and art in the Second World War / Peter Stansky and William Abrahams. Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press, 1994.
(Main Stack NX650.W3.S73 1994)
Humphrey Jennings bibliography
- Fools & Heroes
- George Rarey and Bob Harvey were artists in Greenwich Village before the United States entered World War II. Rarey was drafted and became a fighter pilot with the Army Air Corps. Harvey, a concientious objector, was assigned to a work camp. How the war changed both their lives forever is explored in this film.
Written, directed and edited by Ondine Rarey and Luigi Falorni. c1999. 60 min. Video/C MM655
- [Ford, John] John Ford WWII Documentaries.

Gallagher, Tag. "War, 1941-1945." In: John Ford: The Man and His Films / Tag Gallagher. Berkeley: University of California Press, c1986. (UCB Main PN1998.A3 F5698 1986)
Gallez, Douglas W. "Patterns in Wartime Documentaries."
The Quarterly of Film Radio and Television
Vol. 10, No. 2 (Winter, 1955), pp. 125-135 UC users only
Murphy, William T. John Ford and the Wartime Documentary. Film & History 1976 6(1) UC users only
December 7th: the Pearl Harbor Story- John Ford's uncensored version of "December 7th" was banned by the U.S. Government for nearly fifty years. This is the fully restored, 84-minute version, with subtitles added to the controversial Japanese language sequences and a special "behind the scene" introduction. (A completely censored 34-minute version of the film was released and earned John Ford his fourth Academy Award.) This full-length version stars Walter Huston as Uncle Sam and is set in Honolulu on the day before the Japanese attack. Uncle Sam vacations complacently in Hawaii, concerned with the on-going war in Europe. On Sunday morning, December 7th, air squadrons appear, "swooping down like flights of tiny locust". The attack on Pearl Harbor, America's first battle of World War II, is vividly presented. DVD 1090 (Feature film - 84 min.; Bonus materials - 76 min.); Video/C 3099 (84 min.); also on Video/C MM46
Awards
Academy Award - Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Watch this movie online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
Murphy, William T. John Ford and the Wartime Documentary. Film & History 1976 6(1)
Skinner, James M. "'December 7': filmic myth masquerading as historical fact." The Journal of Military History 55.n4 (Oct 1991): 507(10).
White, Geoffrey M.; Yi, Jane. "December 7th: race and nation in wartime documentary." In: Classic Hollywood, classic whiteness / Daniel Bernardi, editor. Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press, c2001. (Full-text available online [UC Berkeley users only]; Print: Main Stack PN1995.9.M56.C59 2001)
The Battle of Midway. A brief documentary including footage of naval and aerial operations. John Ford filmed the battle doing much of the camera work himself. During the action, Ford was seriously wounded. After his release from the hospital, Ford re-edited the film into its present form. Voices: Henry Fonda, Donald Crisp, Jane Darwell. 1942. 18 min. DVD 9371; DVD 5802; also on vhs Video/C MM464; also on Video/C 7627
Watch this film online (via Internet Moving Image Archive)
Awards
Academy Award - Best Documentary, Features
Konzetta, Delia. "John Ford's Vernacular Orientalism and Wartime Hawai'i."
Quarterly Review of Film and Video, Volume 26, Issue 4 July 2009 , pages 293 - 310
UC users only
"Reflections on the Battle of Midway : an interview with John Ford (August 17, 1943)" In: John Ford in focus : essays on the filmmaker's life and work / edited by Kevin L. Stoehr and Michael C. Connolly. Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Co., 2008. (Moffitt PN1998.3.F65.J645 2008)
Torpedo Squadron 8. Memorial film made for the families of members of Torpedeo Squadron 8. All but one of the members of the squadron perished in its first combat mission in the Battle of Midway. 1942, 8 min. DVD 9371
- Franklin D. Roosevelt - Declaration of War (December 8, 1941)
Listen to it with Real Audio
Also available at:
Listen to it with Real Audio
Transcript of Speech
- French Communiqué
- The overall purpose of this British film is to bring home to a British public the extent to which the French army is ready, prepared and able to defend France and, ultimately, Britain itself should the need arise. GPO Film Unit; director, Alberto Cavalcanti. 1940. 15 min.) DVD X4486
- George S. Patton: American Achilles
- Called the "most brilliant battlefield leader of World War II," George S. Patton was also the most controversial because of his all consuming thirst for recognition and difficulties with superiors and subordinates. Looks at the impact of his leadership during WWII. Includes archival footage and commentary by authors, academics and historians. Supplementary feature accompanying: Produced and written by Mark Page. 29 min. DVD X233
- The Goebbels Experiment
- Lets the Nazi propaganda mastermind and Hitler's henchman, Joseph Goebbels speak for himself (in the voice of Kenneth Branagh) via the extensive diaries that he kept from 1924-1945. 2004. 107 min. DVD 5612
- Good Morning, Mr. Hitler!
- Presents a newly discovered film of Adolf Hitler with nearly all the Nazi leadership, attending a three day celebration of Nazi art including music, dance and a mammoth parade. This archival footage, filmed in July 1939 by Hans Feierabend and members of the Bund Deutsche Filmamateure-Munchen six weeks before the start of World War II, presents an audience of aging Germans watching themselves in the 1939 footage, reliving the events of the festival and discussing political and social issues of that time period. 54 min. Video/C 7910
- "The Good War": An Oral History of World War Two[sound recording]
- Americans who were at home and abroad describe their lives during World War Two. "Abridgement of The Good War" by Studs Terkel. 175 min. Sound/C 958
- The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It
- Millions of Americans fought for the liberation of Europe from Hitler's grip during World War II. Yet 40, 000 Americans refused to shoulder weapons because their conscience would not allow them to kill another human being. In the face of criticism and scorn, these men challenged the limits of democracy in wartime. This is their story during the war and after, when many participated in the social movements that transformed America in the generations that followed. Directed by Rick Tejada-Flores. c2000. 57 min. Video/C 8872
- Good Work, Sister: Women Shipyard Workers of World War II, An Oral History.
- Women tell of their personal experiences in the shipyards at Portland, Or. and Vancouver, Wash., and the difficulties confronting them when they took over jobs during World War II which had traditionally been considered men's work in addition to their continuing responsibility for child-raising and housework. 20 min. Video/C 4065
- Great Generals. Vol. 1
- First segment in a two-part documentary series profiling America's greatest generals. Presented here are the careers of Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar N. Bradley and John J. Pershing. Also includes seven short WWII training/indoctrination films.
Bonus films: Movies at war: Entertaining the troops around the world. Autobiography of a jeep: Lighthearted look at America's four-wheeled wartime hero. In the wake of the armies: Dramatic propaganda film with confidential added footage. Conquer by the clock: One slip up on the home front assembly line can mean disaster on the battlefield. Gracias Amigos: Contributions to the war effort by Latin American neighbors. Air raid warning: Helmeted heroes of the home front "turn out that light." Our job in Japan: Orientation film intended for the American occupation troops in Japan after the war. [Dr. Seuss]: The Japanese are portrayed as victims of cynical leaders in this post-war GI indoctrination short. "Unlike its counterpart, Your Job in Germany, Our Job in Japan was probably never seen by either military or civilian audiences. By the time it was readied for release in March 1946, "peace" with Japan was a reality. Thus the approach to the Japanese is more magnanimous: they are portrayed as victims of cynical leaders who filled their minds with thoughts of world conquest. According to the film's director, Theodore Geisel, Our Job in Japan displeased General MacArthur and all prints of the film quickly disappeared." (Noontide Press catalog) (U.S.A., 1945) DVD 2064
- Great Generals. Vol. 2
- Second segment in a two-part documentary series profiling America's greatest generals. Presented here are the careers of Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, Joseph Stilwell, George C. Marshall and George S. Patton. Also includes six short WWII training/indoctrination films.
Bonus films: Soldiers in greasepaint: Stars of stage, screen and radio entertain the troops during WWII. The Fighting First: The 1st Infantry Division in eight campaigns and three invasions. Women in defense: Narrated by Katharine Hepburn and written by Eleanor Roosevelt, presents women worker's contributions to the war effort. Seeds of destiny: Hitler's grisly plan to starve his European neighbors. Your job in Germany: Bitter, angry view of the Germans designed to halt fraternization between U.S. troops and German civilians. Paris 1945: Postwar newsreel presenting resistance efforts by Parisians. Directed by Frank Capra; written by Thodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) DVD 2065

Watch Your Job in Germany online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
Watch Your Women in Defense online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
- He Called Himself Surava (Er nannte sich Surava)
- This documentary tells the story of Peter Hirsch alias Surava, editor in chief of the legendary German-language Swiss weekly "The Nation," who became the personification of anti-Nazi resistance in Switzerland. Arrested, sentenced, dragged into court time and again on the most absurd charges, he was a victim of antisemitism and an unprecendented campaign of defamation which reduced him to a life of poverty and suffering. 1995. 80 min. Video/C 8038
- Here Is Germany. (1945)
- Presented Army Pictorial Service Signal Corps. A propaganda film created by the U.S. government during World War II traces Germany's development as a military power from the time of Frederick the Great to the end of the Third Reich. Dramatically presents the threat of German militarism through scenes of goose-stepping soldiers, armies in combat, and victorious parades under the leadership of Bismark, the Kaiser, and Hitler. Originally produced in 1945 by the Frank Capra unit. War Department orientation film, official G.F.-11. 52 min. Video/C 5089
Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
Credits and other information from the American Film Institute Catalog (UCB users only)
Watch this movie online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
- The Hidden Army
(1945)
- Produced by the U.S. Army Signal Corps as an official war film in 1944. Using a mixture of dramatized events and newsreels, this film extols the work of women in industry during World War II. It was primarily made to get more women involved in the industrial sector of war work, since the number of women factory workers had actually declined in 1943. 17 min. DVD 8797; vhs Video/C MM494
- Hiroshima, the People's Legacy.
- Drawings and illustrations by survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bomb challenge viewers to evaluate the event's impact from a personal viewpoint. Recalls stories of the artists, often in their own words, translated by a narrator, and includes photographs and films of Hiroshima prior to and after the blast. 45 min. Video/C 536
- Historical [World War II] Recordings[Sound recording]
- Contains speeches and broadcasts that kept the world tuned in to their radios and riveted during newsreels, fascinated by the unfolding of great historic events of the 20th century. Contents: 1. Audio history: the digital record. -- 2. On the edge of two eras: The entire WJSV broadcast day, September 21st, 1939 / the Historical Broadcast Time Capsule Project recorded for the National Archives. The entire broadcast day of the CBS Radio Affiliate from Wash. D.C. at a pivotal moment when the Great Depression and World War II met in time. -- 3. World War II: an audio history: speeches and broadcasts that kept the world tuned in during WWII. Includes audio records from the U.S., Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, the Third Reich, Imperial Japan. -- 4. D-Day highlights: the day's news coverage as broadcast during the June 6th, 1944 Normandy landings. -- 5. D-Day songs (133 min.) -- 6. D-Day: 24 hours: Entire day's radio news coverage of D-Day. -- 7. WEAF false VJ day radio coverage: A broadcast by WEAF Radio, New York City when Japan first tried and failed to capitulate and end WWII.
Reporters: Charles Collingwood, George Hicks, Bob Trout, Quentin Reynolds. 168 hrs. Sound/D 249
- Hitler, A Career
- How did a provincial rabble-rouser from Austria rise to become Germany's messianic Fuhrer? Why did Germans from all walks of life embrace the fascist Nazi philosophy and willingly follow Hitler into a titanic conflict and utter destruction? This meticulously assembled film dissects the Third Reich with a keen analytical blade, charting Hitler's improbable rise, his mastery of imagery and crowd psychology, and his consummate skill in exploiting the weaknesses in others. Examining the public and private dynamics of Nazism's unhinged dictatorship by making use of an amazing array of never-before-seen film footage from secret archives and private collections, the film uncovers the deeper causes behind the rise and fall of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. A film by Joachim C. Fest; director, Christian Herrendoerfer. 1977. 151 min. DVD 8928
Jaehne, Karen. "Old Nazis, New Films." Cineaste; Fall78, Vol. 9 Issue 1, p32-35, 4p
Macnab, Geoffrey. "Hitler, a Career." Sight & Sound, Oct2007, Vol. 17 Issue 10, p86-86
UC users only
- Hitler and Stalin: Twin Tyrants
- This psychological dual biography exposes the chilling parallel and the glaring differences of these two powerful and bloodthirsty dictators. Features exceptional footage from film archives in Russia, Germany, East Europe, Great Britain and the USA including rare footage of Stalin's mother and of his funeral. 1999. 59 min. DVD 5028
Description from Filmakers Library catalog
- The Hitler Youth(1945)
- Examines the history of the Hitler Youth, the largest organization for young people in German history -- some 10 million strong at its height -- aided by films spanning 1920 to 1945. Includes excerpts from Philip Baker's book Youth led by youth. Directed by Robert Garofalo. 60 min. DVD X4657
- Hitler's Secretary (Im toten Winkel: Hitlers Sekretärin)
- The astonishing true story of Hitler's private secretary coming to terms with working alongside unspeakable evil after remaining silent for nearly sixty years. Shielded from the knowledge of Hitler's acts of atrocity, convinced she was in the centre of information, she was actually in a blind spot. As the Nazi regime teetered on destruction, Junge witnessed everything up to the final chaotic days in the bunker. Directed by André Heller and
Othmar Schmiderer. 2002. 86 min. DVD 7758
Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
- Holland and the War, The Dutch Tradition: Three Years of the Netherlands' Fight Against the Axis, 1940-1943
- In May 1940 Holland was overrun by the German Army in a few days. During early 1942 the Japanese overran the Dutch East Indies. Through original newsreels this film examines the background of the Netherlands and her colonies in the East and West Indies in times of peace, and points out their contributions to the fight against the Axis during World War II. Originally produced in 1944. 28 min. Video/C MM45
- The Homefront
- Chronicles the war effort in the United States from 1941-1945, using vintage newsreel footage and personal reminiscences of everyday citizens as the primary means of illustrating the social and economic forces that produced sweeping, permanent changes in American life. 1985. 87 min. Video/C MM4
- Homefront U.S.A.
- Series presenting newsreel footage of activities on the homefront in America during World War II. 55 min each installment. 1997.
America Goes to War. Presents an America directly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, retolling its industry for war with women entering the work force, the opening of day care centers, factories beginning to produce gun shells, ships, bombers, tanks and jeeps as military parades celebrate soldiers embarking for war. Video/C 9019
Home Fires. Portrays the sense of fear instilled in U.S. citizens following the attack on Pearl Harbor, patrols organizing across the nation and civil defense units preparing for attack. This segment also includes the trial of Nazi spies in the Supreme Court, Navy dirigibles being put into service and men joining up, among them Hollywood celebrities and other celebrities promoting bond drives, plus other features. Video/C 9020
The Land of Plenty Portrays America at the end of their first year in WWII, showing how Americans were united through shortages, rationing, buying war bonds, and for the first time in America, the distribution of food ration books. Includes footage of servicemen receiving decorations, the manufacture of prefabricated homes, families manufacturing machine tools in their homes, citizens donating blood, practice by coastal batteries and more. Video/C 9021
United We Win. Shows how those at home during WWII eagerly searched for ways to be useful and contribute to the war effort. They served on draft and rationing boards, stood watch as aircraft spotters or patrol coastal watchers until by mid-1943 civil defense volunteers numbered 9 million. Also includes coverage of vacant lots plowed into victory gardens, scrap metal drives, the building of tank destroyers, Mrs. Roosevelt opening a Red Cross blood drive, Winston Churchill meeting with President Roosevelt, Army nurses in training and the return home of the battle scarred Memphis Belle. Video/C 9022
Arsenal of Democracy. Presents the vast output of U.S. factories during the war including the manufacture of planes, tanks, naval vessels, landing craft, artillery pieces, millions of tons of artillery shells and rifles. With victory still a long way off, the army of the home front was united, strong and well prepared. Also includes footage of movie stars promoting war bonds, Margaret Truman christening the battleship Missouri, President Roosevelt announcing Italy's surrender and more. Video/C 9023
Rosie the Riveter. Focuses on the varied contributions of women during WWII from nursing to industry, signaling a significant change for women in American society. Also includes segments on SPARS, WAVES and WACS modeling their new uniforms, WAC mechanics servicing airplanes in Arizona and the presentation of Purple Hearts to parents of Japanese American soldiers. Video/C 9024
V for Victory. Presents the postwar hopes and dreams in American hearts and minds despite radio broadcasts and newsreels reminding them that the fighting and dying continues. It also presents segments on the preparation of parcels for American POWs, mail for U.S. Troops and the death of President Roosevelt just months after being re-elected by a landslide and the unprecedented outpouring of emotion it brings. Video/C 9025
- [Huston, John] John Huston WWII Documentaries
Edgerton, Gary. "Revisiting the recordings of wars past : remembering the documentary trilogy of John Huston." In: Reflections in a male eye : John Huston and the American experience / edited by Gaylyn Studlar and David Desser. Washington : Smithsonian Institution Press, c1993.(Main Stack PN1998.3.H87.R44 1993; Moffitt PN1998.3.H87.R44 1993)
Gallez, Douglas W. "Patterns in Wartime Documentaries."
The Quarterly of Film Radio and Television, Vol. 10, No. 2 (Winter, 1955), pp. 125-135
UC users only
Katz, Robert; Katz, Nancy. "Documentary in Transition, Part I: The United States." Hollywood Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Summer, 1948), pp. 425-433
UC users only
Let There Be Light. Made for the United States Army by John Huston that shows the treatment of combat neuropsychiatric patients in an Army hospital. The film follows 75 U.S. soldiers who have sustained debilitating emotional trauma and depression. A series of scenes chronicle their entry into a psychiatric hospital, their treatment and eventual recovery. Considered to be too controversial and disturbing, the film was suppressed by the military (confiscated by the Army Signal Corps), until it premiered in New York and at the Cannes Film Festival in 1981. 1946. 58 min. DVD X2866 (restored version); also DVD 5802; Video/C MM465; also on Video/C MM334
Watch this movie online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
Report from the Aleutians. Report from the Aleutians: Documents the daily lives of soldiers manning a remote outpost on the Aleutians during World War II. Shows the bad weather, boredom, and loneliness endured by the men, as well as a bombing raid on Japanese-held Kiska Island. Produced by the Army Signal Corps. 1943. 47 min. Video/C MM466; also on Video/C 7628
Credits and other information from the American Film Institute Catalog (UCB users only)
Watch this movie online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
The Battle of San Pietro. Examines the meaning of war and death, not only to the men engaged in combat but to the civilian population as well. Shows the people and children of San Pietro during World War II, too stunned to realize they have been liberated.
1945. 33 min. DVD 361; also on Video/C MM466
Credits and other information from the American Film Institute Catalog (UCB users only)
Watch this movie online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
- I Can Hear It Now[Sound recording]
- Edward R.Murrow, narrator. [v.1] 1933-1945: a chronicle of the war and the years of crisis, told in the authentic sounds and voices of the men who made this history.--v. 2. 1945-1949: a continuing chronicle of the years following the close of World War II up to the present time, told in the authentic sounds and voices of the men who made this history.--v.3. 1919-1932: voices and events, read and re-enacted, of a glamorous era.--v.4. Winston Churchill. Sound/C 804
Edward R. Murrow information (Museum of Broadcast Communications)
- In Our Own Hands: The Hidden Story of the Jewish Brigade in World War II.
- Personal reminiscences by veterans of the Jewish Brigade, a regiment of the British Army during World War II composed of Jewish men. Includes extensive historical footage of their activities and campaigns during World War II. 1998. 84 min. Video/C 5424
- In the Name of the Emperor.
- Presents Japanese war crimes and discusses the Nanking Massacre and comfort women who were forced into prostitution during World War II. Producer and director, Nancy Tong. 1996. 51 min. Video/C 4363
- In the Name of the Führer
- Presents World War II European war footage juxtaposed with words from Nazi publications, laws, announcements, directives, proclamations, war books, notices, school books and political documents that show the indoctrination of German children and the treatment of those children deemed non-Aryan. A film by Lydia Chagoll. Also presented in a 52 min. version titled "Children behind barbed wire". Dist.: Ciné Fête. 2008. DVD X1188
- Japan Invades China, Crisis in the Far East; War Comes at Pearl Harbor.
- Japan invades China: Encouraged by the lack of Western resistance Japan establishes an empire in the Pacific. This documentary follows the Chinese-Japanese War and the relations between Japan and the United States highlighting events preceding America's involvement in World War II. War comes at Pearl Harbor: Focuses on the diplomatic and economic pressure placed on Japan prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the consequences of the government's failure to reach an agreement, the last ditch attempts to gain peace and the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Originally presented in 1978 as two segments on the PBS television program Between the wars. 60 min. Video/C 9906
- Japanese Devils: Confessions of Imperial Army Soldiers from Japan's War Against China (Riben guizi)
- Fourteen veterans break Japan's unspoken code of silence, remembering their brutal war crimes as enlisted men in China from 1931 to 1945. Now in their 70s and 80, they tell the truth of the atrocities they committed as young soldiers in this harrowing contribution to the history of Japanese-Chinese relations. Written, edited, directed by Matsui Minoru. 2000. 160 min. DVD 5234
Center for Asian American Media catalog description

Hoaglund, Linda. "Stubborn Legacies Of War: Japanese Devils in Sarajevo" Critical Asian Studies, Sep2003, Vol. 35 Issue 3, p421-434, 14p UC users only
Wakabayashi, Bob Tadashi. "Japanese Devils" Journal of Japanese Studies, Summer2002, Vol. 28 Issue 2, p430, 6p
UC users only
- Japanese Americans
- Chronicles the role of the nisei soldiers of the 442nd Infantry Regiment in the Italian campaign. 1945. 7 min. Video/C MM177
- Journal de la resistance
- The only authentic and complete document of the intense drama of Paris between the 19th and the 24th of August, 1944. It was made by the Liberation Committee of the French Cinema. Teams of cameramen and technicians assembled by the Underground, while Paris was still under enemy occupation, risked their lives to make this record. 1944. 29 min. DVD X4486
- Know Your Enemy - Japan
- Producer/director, Frank Capra; co-director, Joris Ivens. Performers: Walter Huston, Dana Andrews. Produced in 1945 as a motion picture by the U.S. Army Pictorial Service, Signal Corps. Propaganda film made during World War II which was intended to acquaint the American with his Japanene counterpart. 63 min. DVD 5802; also DVD 613; DVD 1090; vhs Video/C 2906
Credits and other information from the American Film Institute Catalog (UCB users only)
- Latino Stories of World War II
- Although an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 American Latinos fought in World War II, their contribution is virtually unknown to the American public. This documentary is the first to tell their stories, which have been "missing in action" for far too long. Four surviving veterans describe their experiences in their own words. These veterans served in the Air Force, the Army and the Marines and fought in three different theaters of World War II: Europe, the Pacific and India-China-Burma. Director/producer, Mario Barrera. 2006. 60 min. DVD 6748
- Lest We Forget
- A powerful "gut-wrenching" overview of World War II as seen through the eyes of an American soldier, from the Allied invasion to Berlin. Immediately after the surrender of all the German Forces, General Eisenhower ordered a documentary produced honoring the outstanding and stunning accomplishments of the American foot soldier. Once produced, however, he ordered all known copies destroyed, due to the"negative tones" of the finished film. This film was made from the only surviving copy. 1945. 48 min. Video/C 8683
- Let There be Light.
- SEE John Huston WWII documentaries
- Liberation
- Presents the dramatic story of two very different battlefronts during WWII -- the Allied campaign to liberate Europe, and Hitler's genocidal war against the Jews. Using archival footage, contemporary radio broadcasts and enthralling first-person accounts, Liberation recreates the heady atmosphere of Europe emerging from Nazi domination -- in stark contrast to the horrific final days of the Final Solution. Performer: Narrated by Whoppi Goldberg, Miriam Margolyes, Jean Boht, Ben Kingsley and Patrick Stewart. 2004. 100 min. DVD 3081
- The Liberation of Paris (La Libération de Paris)
- La Libération de Paris is a documentary shot by the French Resistance during the battle of Paris in August 1944. On August 15, the French Resistance set an uprising in the capital of France then occupied by the German. On August 25, the partisan snipers received backup as the Free French 2nd Armored Division of general Leclerc enters Paris. Urban warfare ensues involving Free French Forces and the German garrison. German and Vichy loyalists are taken prisoners as general Von Choltitz surrenders to Leclerc on August 25. The US enter the city later and de Gaulle delivers a famous speech. Producer: Le Comite de Libération du Cinéma Français.
View this video online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
- Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II.
- Tells the unknown story of African-American battalions, focusing on the heroic actions of the 761st, which spearheaded General Patton's Third Army and helped liberate the concentration camps at Buchenwald, Dachau and Lambach. Directed by William Miles and Nina Rosenblum. c1992. 90 min. Video/C 2849
Awards
International Documentary Association - Best Documentary, Features
- Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter.
- Five women reminisce about their jobs and working conditions during World War II. Includes topics of sex discrimination, the women's movement, and the role of movies and radio in helping mold public opinion during World War II. Directed by Connie Field. Dist. Clarity Films. c1994. 65 min. DVD X1308; Video/C 1927
Devilbiss, M. C. "The life and times of Rosie the Riveter" Women's Studies International Forum; 1982, Vol. 5 Issue 3-4, p389, 2p
Fishbein, Leslie. "Rosie the Riveter: A Review." Film & History, Feb1982, Vol. 12 Issue 1, p17-20, 4p
UC users only
Frank, Miriam. The life and times of Rosie the Riveter : the story of three million working women during World War II. Emeryville, Calif. : Clarity Educational Productions, 1982.
(MAIN: D810.W7 F74; Storage Info: C 2 940 936 MORR: D810.W7 F74; MOFF: D810.W7 F74)
Kessler-Harris, Alice. ""Rosie The Riveter": Who Was She?" Labor History, Spring83, Vol. 24 Issue 2, p249, 5p
UC users only
"Life and times of Rosie the riveter." Labor History, Spring 1983, Vol. 24, p249-253, 5p
UC users only
"Life and times of Rosie the riveter." Film Library Quarterly, 1981, Vol. 14 Issue 1/2, p53-55, 3p
Milkman, Ruth. "The life and times of Rosie the Riveter" Labor Studies Journal, Fall83, Vol. 8 Issue 2, p162, 2p
Sorrel, Lorraine. "Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter." Off Our Backs. Washington: Jun 30, 1981. Vol. 11, Iss. 6; pg. 25 UC users only
Weisman, David. "The life and times of Rosie the Riveter" International Documentary, Dec2004, Vol. 23 Issue 10, p60-60, 1p,
White, Mimi. "Rehearsing Feminism: Women/History in The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter and Swing Shift." In: Multiple voices in feminist film criticism / Diane Carson, Linda Dittmar, and Janice R. Welsch, editors. Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press, c1994. Main Stack PN1995.9.W6.M82 1994; Moffitt PN1995.9.W6.M82 1994)
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Listen to Britain and Other Films
- Contents: London can take it (1940, 9 mins.) -- Words for battle (1941, 8 mins.) -- Listen to Britain (1942, 18 mins.) -- Fires were started (1943, 70 mins.) [also on VHS Video/C 5025]-- A diary for Timothy (1943, 39 mins.) [also on VHS Video/C 5026]-- Family portrait (1951, 26 mins.)[also on vhs Video/C 5026] -- Myra Hess, playing the first movement of Beethoven's Sonata in F Minor No. 57 (Apassionata) (1945, 9 mins.)
A collection of six films (and one bonus film) by one of the greatest figures in the celebrated British Documentary Film Movement. Humphrey Jennings is most remembered for the way his work reflects the concerns and conditions of the World War II era in the United Kingdom. These pictures document how Jennings's impressive aesthetic arsenal helped to expand the scope and vocabulary of documentary films. DVD 1279
Watch Listen to Britain online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)

Colls, R. "Representing the Nation: British Documentary Film, 1930-45." Screen XXVI/1, Jan-Feb 85; p.21-33.
Richards, Jeffrey. "'Fires Were Started.' (portrayal of World War II by film director Humphrey Jennings)." History Today 45.n4 (April 1995): 29(6). UC users only
Sansom, William. "The Making of Fires Were Started." Film Quarterly, Vol. 15, No. 2, Special Humphrey Jennings Issue. (Winter, 1961-1962), pp. 27-29. UC users only
Stansky, Peter. London's burning : life, death and art in the Second World War / Peter Stansky and William Abrahams. Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press, 1994.
(Main Stack NX650.W3.S73 1994)
Humphrey Jennings bibliography
- London Can Take It.SEE Britain Can Take It
- Loot
- A feature length documentary that follows two WWII veterans and a used car salesman across the globe in search of their buried wartime treasures. During WWII, Darrel was stationed in Europe. Andrew was in the Philippines. In the chaos of combat, they stole valuable treasures and hid them overseas before returning to civilian life in America. Sixty years later back in America, both men have gone blind with little hope of ever recovering their goods. Both want to recover the treasures that they feel are their own, but with their health failing, they need Lance's help to travel halfway around the world to find them. So with time, distance and the odds against them, Lance throws himself into their dubious quests to unearth the past, laying bare family secrets and dark wartime histories in the process. Directed by Darius Marder. 2008.
86 min. DVD X5775
- MacArthur, "I Shall Return"
- Presents a biography of the American military leader General Douglas MacArthur from the Philippine point of view, with emphasis on his service during World War II in the Philippines. 2001.
32 min. Video/C 9502
- March of Time
- Includes extensive newreel footage of World War II-era newsreels. See US History videography for complete holdings
- Marshal Pétain's Fall From Grace
- Examines and life of Philippe Pétain who had saved France on the battlefields of Verdun during WWI but was tried for treason in Paris, 1945. When his country turned to him during WWII, he failed spectacularly as prime minster accepting an amnesty with Hitler. Features archival film footage with commentary by authors, academics and historians.Supplementary short issued with: The Adventures of young Indiana Jones. 2007. 31 min. DVD X234
- Master Race, 1923-47: Nazism Overtakes Germany. (People's Centuiry).
- With a unique blend of nationalism, militarism, and racial theory, Adolf Hitler taught the German people to believe that they were the "master race". Stirred by the Fuhrer's rousing rhetoric during mass rallies, millions were swept along with the promise of national socialism. In this film Germans talk candidly about the initial allure of Nazism and German Jews recall their persecution and internment in concentration camps as Hitler's master race pursued its destiny--and descended to the greatest depths of barbarism. 1997. 56 min. Video/C 5548
- Memphis Belle
- SEE William Wyler WWII Documentaries
- Mein Kampf
- Mein Kampf (My struggle) is the book written by Adolf Hitler in which he laid out his political philosophy. Regarded inside Germany as the bible of National Socialism, it was an accurate blueprint of what he aspired to accomplish when in power. After its publication few believed that Hitler and his Nazi Party intended to carry out every phrase of his literal program. In this film everything is taken from original footage and tries to answer the burning questions, such as what exactly happened during this terrible time in our history and how it was made possible. c2006. 110 min. DVD X4735
- My Private War.
- An invaluable historical record of the journey of six German soldiers who took their amateur movie-cameras to the Russian Front in 1942 and who survived to tell their personal accounts of what went on during that campaign. This remarkably well-preserved footage offers a soldier's-eye view of the day-to-day workings of the Nazi war machine. The narrative voices are those of the soldiers who fifty years later, recall the pressures that coerced them into military service and the emotional repercussions they have experienced in the decades that followed. 1991. 90 min. Video/C 7025
- The Nazis, A Warning From History.
- A six-part indepth exploration of the rise and fall of the Nazi regime. 50 each installment. 2005. DVD 4173
Vol 1: Helped into Power Analyzes the social and political conditions in Germany that helped Hitler and the Nazi party come to power.
Vol 2: Chaos & Consent. Analyzes the ways in which Germany was ruled by the Nazi party and the chaotic terror they created in the country.
Vol 3: The Wrong War. Discusses how Hitler's philosophy of German superiority led him to the invasion of Poland and to the war with Great Britain.
Vol 4: The Wild East. Documents the first 20 months of the Nazi occupation of Poland and shows how Poland suffered more than any other country during World War II.
Vol 5: The Road to Treblinka. Documents the Nazi execution of Jews in Treblinka, one of their six killing factories. Discusses the Nazi policy towards Jews and how a place like Treblinka could come to exist.
Vol 6: Fighting to the End. Discusses why the Germans could not remove Hitler from power and why Germans chose to fight to the end when it became clear that the country was losing the war.
- The Negro Soldier (1943)
- Supervisor, Frank Capra; director, Capt. Stuart Heisler. Traces the role of the Negro soldier in American history from 1776 to 1944, and shows the accomplishments of Negro troops. Written by Carlton Moss. 49 min. DVD 8798; also DVD 8711; vhs Video/C 2176
Credits and other information from the American Film Institute Catalog (UCB users only)
Watch this film online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
- The 1940s House
- One modern family takes on the challenge of domestic life on Britain's home front in 1940s house, a re-creation of a World War II household. This time-travel experiment covers the period from the outbreak of war in 1939 to Victory Day in 1945, compressing the events of six wartime years into two months. Though the military threat is metaphorical, the privations are real and the pressures create tensions nonexistent in modern society. 2004. ca. 3 hrs. DVD 4662
- Nanjing
- Tells the story of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China in the early days of World War II and focuses on the efforts of a small group of unarmed Westerners who established a Safety Zone where over 200,000 Chinese found refuge. Told through deeply moving interviews with Chinese survivors, archival footage, and chilling testimonies of Japanese soldiers, interwoven with staged readings of the Westerners' letters and diaries. Directed by Bill Guttentag, Dan Sturman. 2007. 90 min. DVD 9884
- Nanjing: Memory and Oblivion (Nankin: la memoir et l'oubli)
- Although the Nanjing Massacre, a series a war crimes committed by Japanese troops in China's capital during the second Sino-Japanese War, occurred seventy years ago, the nature and extent of these atrocities remains the subject of continuing debate and the source of political tensions between China and Japan. This film uses archival footage and photos, interviews with Chinese survivors and eyewitnesses, former Japanese soldiers, and both Chinese and Japanese government officials, historians and lawyers, to document the events ... and to show how the interpretation of this history has become politicized. A Film by Michaël Prazan. c2006. 53 min. DVD 8649
- Nanjing Nightmares
- The Japanese subjugation of the capital of China in 1937-38 has been called "The Rape of Nanjing" or the "Nanjing Atrocity." It is considered one of the most brutal, sadistic acts of war in modern history and caused psychological repercussions to succeeding generations of Chinese. This documentary recounts the historical events leading up to the terrifying occupation: the growth of China's capital city, Nanjing; the expansionist ambitions resistance by the Chinese army in the defense of Shanghai. Archival film footage depicts the full horror of the genocide in Nanjing, in which some 300,000 people were killed and 80,000 women were raped, in a one month period. Director, Guo Fangfang 2000. 45 min. Video/C 8786
- Description from Filmakers Library catalog
- A Newsreel History of the Third Reich.
- The preponderance of this newsreel footage was seized from the S.S. by the Russians and provides a window into how WWII-era Germans perceived the events of the war, and how Hitler's government (Goebbels' ministry of propaganda), "spun" those events to them. 21 volumes. SEE separate listing of individual installments
- Nisei Soldier: Standard Bearer for an Exiled People.
- A look at Japanese Americans who fought in the U.S. Army during World War II while their families were imprisoned in internment camps. 29 min. Video/C 1190
- Occult History of the Third Reich (c1991)
Part 1: The Enigma of the Swastika. First adopted in 1920, the Swastika was at the very center of the Nazi Party's ideology. This film looks at the swastika's ancient roots in the mysterious
religious cults of India and Tibet and explores its adoption by European occultists, notably the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler. 50 min. Video/C 8063
Part 2: The SS, Blood and Soil. The most sinister of all Nazi creations was the black-clad SS. Using newly discovered archive footage, this film explores the world of the SS as its role changed from Hitler's loyal bodyguard into an elite racial aristocracy of unchallenged power in Nazi Germany, based on the doctrines of Aryan superiority. 55 min. Video/C 8064
Part 3: Adolf Hitler. Looks at the strange and terrifying beliefs of Adolf Hitler, his fascination with the origins and rise to power of Aryan man, his obsession with possessing the spear of destiny, and his own messianic plans for the world. 50 min. Video/C 8065
- Black Sun: The Mythological Background of National Socialism
- Now It Can Be Told
- Recreates the top secret missions of British agents behind enemy lines during WWII. The "stars" of the film are the real life secret agents Captain Harry Réne and Jacqueline Nearne, who recreate their wartime missions. In addition to real agents, the film also depicts real procedures and locations used in agent training. Filming began in 1944, although the film was not shown in the cinema before 1946 (as "School for danger"). 1946. 121 min. DVD X4486
- Occupation, September 1939-January 1945. (Struggles for Poland; 4)
- Documents through archival films, stills, interviews and readings the atrocities perpetrated against the Polish people during WWII. Special segments of this episode also set in relief the role and activities of the Polish Underground; the creation of the Soviet-inspired Communist resistance; and the 280,000 members of the Home Army in Warsaw, which led to an ill-fated uprising against the Germans in 1944. 58 min. Video/C 1247:4 pt. 4
- Our Century. Lost Paradise: 1939-1945
- Fifth segment in a ten-part series that surveys historical events of the 20th century using Gaumont British newsreel footage. Covers major advances, trends, and tragedies, from political upheavals and passing social crazes to the role of technology, and examines their impacts on the future. This segment documents events from 1939-1945. World War II instigates 6 years of violence, massacres and devastation. In many countries everyday life is reduced to hunger, escape and survival. Footage focuses primarily on the homefront and the resiliency and creativity of the citizens of Europe, Russia and the U.S. in meeting the challenges and heartbreaks of war. Contents Frivilous: Children's war games; women's war work; European fashions; dogs at war; food production and rationing -- Total war: Invention of sonar; women as soldiers -- The arts: Monuments to the dead; Picasso, cinema futurist movement -- Advances: Aviation; munitions -- Preparing: Evacuation of children and elderly; celebrity contributions to war -- To the front: War participation by colonies of England and France; U.S. prepares for war; Americans arrive in france; Pershing -- Social changes: Japan; South Pole exploration; Freud; women at work -- The Great War: Battle scenes; casualties; war memorials. 52 min. DVD X1252
- Over the Edge ( Century: Decades of Change. 5, 1936-1941).
- Safely watching Europe from across the Atlantic Ocean, many Americans observed the messianic popularity of Hitler and Mussolini and the subsequent outbreak of World War II with dismany. This program explores the six years preceding America's involvement in the war and explores the question: Could the U.S. have resisted involvement and why did American forces fight in another European war? 45 min. Video/C 6358
- The Occult History of the Third Reich: Himmler, the Mystic.
- Obsessed with astrology and spiritualism, Himmler transformed the SS from Hitler's bodyguard into a mystical order steeped in the Aryan cult and guided by ancient prophecies planned to create a city ruled by SS nobility and inhabited by racially pure Germanic peasant warriors. This extraordinary documentary explores the strange beliefs of the Reichsfuhrer SS and his black-uniformed elite and their origins in the shady world of secret societies, mystics and clairvoyants. 55 min. Video/C 7611
- The Pacific
- Tracks the extraordinary true-life WWII experiences of three men and their fellow Marines from the first clash with the Japanese in the haunted jungles of Guadalcanal, through the impenetrable rain forests of Cape Gloucester, across the blasted coral strongholds of Peleliu, up the black sand terraces of Iwo Jima, through the killing fields of Okinawa, and to the triumphant, yet uneasy, return home after V-J Day.
Disc 1. Part 1. [Guadalcanal/Leckie] / written by Bruce C. McKenna ; directed by Tim Van Patten ; Part 2. [Basilone] / written by Bruce C. McKenna ; directed by David Nutter -- Disc 2. Part 3. [Melbourne] / written by George Pelecanos and Michelle Ashford ; directed by Jeremy Podeswa ; Part 4. [Gloucester/Pavuvu/Banika] / written by Robert Schenkkan and Graham Yost ; directed by Graham Yost -- Disc. 3. Part 5. [Peleliu Landing] / written by Laurence Andries and Bruce C. McKenna ; directed by Carl Franklin ; Part 6. [Peleliu Airfield]/ written by Bruce C. McKenna and Laurence Andries and Robert Schenkkan ; directed by Tony To -- Disc 4. Part 7. [Peleliu Hills] / written by Bruce C. McKenna ; directed by Tim Van Patten ; Part 8. [Iwo Jima] / written by Robert Schenkkan and Michelle Ashford ; directed by David Nutter and Jeremy Podeswa -- Disc 5. Part 9. [Okinawa] / written by Bruce C. McKenna ; directed by Tim Van Patten ; Part 10. [Home] / written by Bruce C. McKenna and Robert Schenkkan ; directed by Jeremy Podeswa -- Disc. 6. Special features: Profiles of The Pacific ; Making The Pacific / executive producers, Chris Spencer, Karen Sands ; Anatomy of the Pacific War.
Cast James Badge Dale, Joe Mazzello, Jon Seda, Jon Bernthal, Joshua Bitton, Tom Budge, Linda Cropper, Caroline Dhavernas, Josh Helman, Ashton Holmes, Toby Leonard Moore, Henry Nixon, Keith Nobbs, Conor O'Farrell, Jacob Pitts, William Sadler, Ian Meadows, Nate Corddry, Matt Craven, Brendan Fletcher, Leon Willem Ford, Scott Gibson, Rami Malek, Martin McCann, Gary Sweet, Anna Torv, Dylan Young, Dwight Braswell, Annie Parisse, Noel Fisher, Betty Buckley, Josh Close, Brandon Keener ; narrator, Tom Hanks. HBO, 2010. 530 min. DVD X5043
Cunningham, Douglas A. "The Pacific." Journal of American History, Dec2010, Vol. 97 Issue 3, p897-900, 4p
UC users only
Brinkley, Douglas. "The World According To Tom." Time, 3/15/2010, Vol. 175 Issue 10, p40-45, 6p
UC users only
Frank, Richard B. "An Overdue Pacific War Perspective." Naval History, Apr2010, Vol. 24 Issue 2, p14-17, 4p
UC users only
Franklin, Nancy. "Hell on Earth." New Yorker, 3/15/2010, Vol. 86 Issue 4, p68-70, 3p
UC users only
- Pearl Harbor. 1996.
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Tora, Tora, Tora: The True Story of Pearl Harbor. In December of 1941, "tora, tora, tora" was the code phrase that unleashed one of history's most devastating surprise attacks. But the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor also awakened the "sleeping giant" of American military might, and in the process, sealed Japan's fate. This documentary presents the real story behind Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor as told through the unique perspectives offered by the vivid recollections of combatants on both sides. Special features: Pearl Harbor facts, interactive menus, scene selection. Programs originally aired on the History Channel in 1996. 100 min. DVD 794
Admiral Chester Nimitz: Thunder of the Pacific. Presents the life of Chester Nimitz, Fleet Admiral and leader of the campaign in the Central Pacific during World War II. In the wake of the devastating destruction of Pearl Harbor, he held the Navy together while America struggled to rebound. Taking command of the Navy in the Pacific he welded a shattered fleet into a hard-hitting force and eventually led the United States to victory in the Pacific. Special features: bonus program "America's five-star heroes: the Pacific Commanders" ; interactive menus; scene selection. Originally aired on the History Channel in 1996 as: Biography: Admiral Chester Nimitz. 50 min. DVD 795
- Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941. 2001.
Pearl Harbor, Volume 1. Contents: Kamikaze (IRJA Films; producer, Perry Wolff 1961, 86 min.): Documents the Pacific War through Allied and Japanese newsreel film, beginning with Japanese preparations before the bombing of Pearl Harbor and ending with the U.S. dropping the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Includes footage on the Japanese home front before Pearl Harbor and raises questions as to why the U.S. was not aware that Pearl Harbor might be bombed. Evidence is given that enemy planes were sighted earlier and messages were decoded, both in time to give plenty of warning. Know Your Enemy, Japan (Director, Frank Capra; 1945, 64 min.): An American propaganda film designed to give the American soldier a look into the mentality of the enemy in Japan. 152 min. DVD 613
Pearl Harbor, Volume 2. Contents: December 7, 1941 (U. S. War Dept., Special Service Division; director, John Ford; 1943, 34 min.): A recreation combining actual footage and historically accurate dramatized footage of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor Newsreel: Special report on the Pearl Harbor attack. Formal Japanese Surrender: Newsreel footage of the Japanese surrender from Tokyo Bay and the USS Missouri. Recognition of the Japanese Zero Fighter: An Air Force training film that dramatizes how to distinguish the Japanese Zero fighter plane from the American P-40 plane (U.S. Army Air Forces Motion Picture Unit; cast, Ronald Reagan; 1943, 18 min.). 74 min. DVD 614
Pearl Harbor, Volume 3. Contents: Appointment in Tokyo (Produced by Army Pictorial Service, the Army Air Forces and the U.S. Navy (1950, 55 min.): A documentary covering the entire American Pacific campaign under the leadership of General MacArthur from the Bataan retreat to the surrender of Japan. Many of the film's more unforgettable scenes are taken from captured official Japanese newsreels. Japan's Air War (30 min.): From the Asian mainland and newly liberated islands, American airborne firepower hammers at Japan itself. Dizzying film sequences include awesome bombing missions and aerial dogfights and the incredibly destructive weapon -- the atom bomb. 86 min. DVD 615; also on DVD 41 and DVD 5802
Watch Appointment in Tokyo online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
Appointment in Tokyo: Credits and other information from the American Film Institute Catalog (UCB users only)
Appointment in Tokyo: Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
Pearl Harbor, Volume 4. Contents: Iwo Jima: Invaluable as a forward U.S. airbase, the Pacific Island of Iwo Jima became the scene of earth-shaking bombardments and an epic bloody battle. A mountain redoubt, Kamikaze attacks and loose sand that bogged down troops and vehicles complicated the five week American assault against the Japanese defenders. Okinawa: American and Japanese footage provides a close-up view of another intense island battle. An amphibious landing of unprecedented size by American troops sought to claim a new base from which to disrupt Japanese supply lines. Ferocious combat sequences tell of the Okinawa offensive step by step, including Kamikaze raids and infantry action in atrociously difficult weather. (Film sources: U.S. Dept of Defense, Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps; script, Fred Feldkamp; producer, Arthur B. Tourtellot -- Okinawa) 60 min. DVD 616
Pearl Harbor, Volume 5. Contents: Rise of the Japanese Empire : In 1931 when Japan invaded Manchuria the Manchurians were forced to exploit their own nation's resources and infrastructure to the invaders' benefit. Meanwhile, the Japanese militarists eagerly planned the surprise bombing raid on Pearl Harbor that incited America to go to war in the Pacific. Surrender and Occupation of Japan: Extensive footage documents military, political and social events in Japan following the end of WWII. Sequences include Japan's formal surrender aboard the battleship Missouri, the war crimes tribunals in Tokyo and extensive changes in Japanese culture and politics. Both films include American and Japanese newsreel footage. (Film sources: U.S. Dept of Defense, Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps; script, Fred Feldkamp; producer, Arthur B. Tourtellot -- Surrender and occupation of Japan). 60 min. DVD 617
- The Perilous Fight:America's World War II in Color
- Brings America's World War II wartime experience, on the battlefield and at home, vividly and intimately to life. The series combines original color film footage with compelling passages from diaries and letters written by people who were part of an unforgettable period of history. Contents: Infamy: 1919-1942 / written & produced by Martin Smith -- Battlefronts: 1942-1944 / written & produced by Scott Pearson -- Wrath: D-Day to VE-Day / written & produced by Greg Palmer -- Triumph: The Pacific 1943-1945 / written & produced by Martin Smith. Special features: Excerpts from four original World War II documentaries including a Pearl Harbor re-enactment and "The Battle of Midway" by John Ford, and from "Meet the Enemy" and "The last bomb."
220 min. DVD 6614
- Priest of the Airwaves: Father Coughlin & His Radio Broadcasts[Sound recording]
- The excerpted broadcasts of Father Coughlin's regular Sunday program include his promotion of U.S. neutrality in the developing war situation in Europe, his stances against communism and Nazi-ism, and his response to charges against him of anti-Semitism. 22 hrs., 35 min. Sound/D 212
- Prisoners Among Us: Italian-American Identity & World War II
- Chronicles the experiences of Italian-Americans and Italian prisoners of war during World War II, and their into American culture. Includes historical photographs, archival footage, literature, music, poetry, and personal interviews. 2003. 110 min. DVD 2810
- The Rear Gunner (1943)
- Director: Ray Enright. Cast: Burgess Meredith, Ronald Reagan. Documentary-style drama on training of aerial rear gunners in World War II. Private PeeWee Williams, a Kansas farm boy, transforms his home-grown shooting skills into those necessary to an aerial gunner in the tail turret of: an American bomber.
20 min. DVD X2865
Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
- Reunion (Le Retour)
- An account of the liberation of French prisoners from Nazi concentration camps. Included is the removal of the prisoners to temporary hospitals and pictures of joyful reunions with families and friends in Paris. Produced by the U.S. Information Service, Paris, in cooperation with the U.S. Army; directed by Henri Cartier-Bresson. 1946. 21 min. Video/C MM470
- The Sorrow and the Pity.
- A film by Max Ophuls. A documentary examining the occupation of France by the Germans during World War II using reminiscences and interviews of individuals and officials involved in the events at the time. Concentrates on the themes of collaboration and resistance and shows antisemitism through stark, moving newsreel footage. 260 min. DVD 672; vhs Video/C 4280

- [Speer, Albert] Speer und Er: Hitlers Architekt und Rustungsminister.
- This German television docudrama is a reassessment of the role Albert Speer played in the Third Reich. Speer, who was ultimately convicted at the Nuremburg trials and served a 20-year prison sentence, was known for designing many of the Third Reich's buildings and for being Hitler's minister for war production.
Teil 1: Germania, der Wahn, erzahlt den Aufstieg und Fall von Hitlers Lieblingsarchitekten, der zu seinem Kriegsorganisator wurde und als Spitzentechnokrat die Dauer des Krieges wesentlich verlangerte.--Teil 2: Nurnberg, der Prozess, lasst das gesamte Personal der Nurnberger Kriegsverbrecher-Prozesse in einem spannungsvollen Nebeneinander aus authentischen Filmprotokollen und Nachinszenierungen auftreten.--Teil 3: Spandau, die Strafe, konzentriert sich auf Speers zwanzig Jahre im Spandauer Gefangnis.
Sebastian Koch, Tobias Moretti, Dagmar Manzel, Susanne Schafer.
Includes an additional 90 min. documentary film entitled "Nachspiel: die Tauschung" that follows Speer's life after his imprisonment.
Special features: Making of (89 min.); Interviews (28 min.); deleted scenes (32 min.)
In German. 270 min. DVD 5555
- Stalingrad
- Footage and eyewitness accounts from both the German and the Russian perspectives tell the story of the Battle of Stalingrad, which sealed the fates of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians, and marked the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany. Contents: The attack / written and directed by Jörg Müllner and Sebastian Dehnhardt (54 min.) -- The Kessel / written and directed by Christian Deick and Sebastian Dehnhardt (56 min.) -- The doom / written and directed by Sebastian Dehnhardt and Manfred Oldenburg (55 min.). Special features: "Recollections": deleted interview segments ; interview with Dr. Guido Knopp, professor and historian ; Stalingrad today: views of the city of Volgograd. 2003. 165 min. DVD X2849
- The Tanks Are Coming(1941)
- Directed by
B. Reeves Eason. Cast: George Tobias, Richard Travis, Gig Young, Frank Wilcox. In spring, 1941, President Roosevelt orders increased military readiness. Malowski, a good-humored New York City cabbie, drives his cab Betsy to Fort Knox, Tennessee, to enlist. He learns tank mechanics, driving, and weapons firing. On the eve of their first maneuvers, in mid June, a sergeant who used to be a traffic cop turns in Malowski for having the taxi on the base. The base commander tells Malowski he'll have to get rid of her. He stashes Betsy in an old shed, then the maneuvers begin. How will Malowski fare? What about Betsy? Behind Malowski's story, the narrator gives lots of information about the growing power of the U.S. armed forces. 20 min. Included as supplement on DVD X2865
Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
- The Summer of 1940: CBS European War News /[Sound recording]
- Contains WWII radio broadcasts by CBS during the summer of 1940 from the fall of France to the Battle of Britain. 420 min. Sound/D 208
- Swastika
- Uses home movie footage shot by Eva Braun, Nazi propaganda films, and other film footage of Germany in the 1930s and 1940s to document how Hitler and the Germans viewed themselves and wished themselves to be seen. Directed by Philippe Mora. 1973. 95 min. DVD X6018
- Target for Tonight. (1945)
- Released by the British Ministry of Information. Written and directed by Harry Watt. This exceptional British film was given special recognition by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the 1941 Academy Awards presentations. In documentary realism, it shows aBritish bomber attack deep into Germany and reflects the concerns and support for that attack. This film is the true story of themen and women who planned and executed the nightly bombing raids on Germany during World War II. 39 min. DVD 5802; Video/C 5026
Paris, Michae. "The RAF on screen 1940-42." History Today, Aug90, Vol. 40, Issue 8 UC users only
- Television Under the Swastika
- A fascinating look at the world's first broadcast TV network Deutscher Fernseh-Rundfunk (Greater German Television) during its operation from 1935 to 1944. Making use of 285 reels of film discovered in the catacombs of the Berlin Federal Film Archive, it explores both the technology behind this new medium and the programming the Nazis chose. Programing included interviews with high-ranking Nazis as well as "ordinary" people on the street, cooking shows, sporting events, cabaret acts and teleplays ... all of it propaganda. This film also features interviews with former reporter, Heinz Riek. Written and directed by Michael Kloft. 1999. 52 min. DVD X37
- The Third Reich in Color
- Rare color footage assembled from various private and state collections gives views of Hitler with his inner circle, Nazi festivals, rallies and pageants, and wartime coverage from almost every major campaign of the war -- the Blitzkriegs of Poland, Norway, Yugoslavia, the invasion of Russia, Afrika Korps troops in Tunisia, day to day life of German soldiers, D-Day and the final desperate defense of Germany and the fall of Berlin. Special features: Color feature: "Reichshauptstadt Berlin" showing rare scenes of Pre-World War II Berlin ; rare posters: "Night of the Amazons," and "1937 World exhibition in Paris." 100 min. DVD 1409
- This Film Is Restricted, World War II "Secrets" Revealed.
- Contains formerly classified U.S. government films of combat footage and other operations by the U.S. Armed Forces in World War II, originally produced for the information of commanding generals and their immediate staff. Originally produced between 1940 and 1945 as: Combat Bulletin: military operations on all fronts, U.S. Army Pictorial Service. c1997.
World War II "Secrets" Revealed: Volume 1. - Film subjects: Building pillboxes in Italy, operations at Los Negros, Phillipines, embarkation for Anzio, captured enemy tanks and landmines, the work of infantrymen, and beachhead operations. Contents: Battle of Cassino -- Japs and jungle (Philippines) -- Stop that tank (captured Japanese tanks) -- B29 bombers -- In the South Pacific -- New land mine problem -- Modern day specialists (Infantrymen) -- Beachhead operations (Europe). 62 min. Video/C 7738
World War II "Secrets" Revealed: Volume 2. - Film subjects: Combat footage and support services of Allied forces in France, Burma, the Pacific Islands, Italy, New Guinea, and Belgium. Contents: Invasion of Southern France -- Operations in Northern France -- Operations in Burma -- Japanese Attack on U.S. Task Force (Pacific Area) -- Progress in Southern France -- Activities in Italy -- Bridge over Salween River (Burma) -- Cleanup in New Guinea, France, Belgium and others. 58 min. Video/C 7739
World War II "Secrets" Revealed: Volume 3. - Film subjects: Siegfried Line, Rhine Bridge seized, Battle for Lorraine, the "Gothic Line" cracked, the Pacific War steps up, aerial bombing of German ships in the Channel, ordnance, support services, and Toulon Harbor installations. Contents: Mediterranean 5th Army pierces Gothic Line -- German Installations -- Invasion of Marotai Island -- B29s in operation -- Allies capture more French ports -- Allied Armies drive on Germany -- Channel coast activities (Allied aerial attacks on German ships) -- Ordnance repairs -- German frontline operations -- Additional film airborne operations -- Toulon harbor installations. 46 min. Video/C 7740
World War II "Secrets" Revealed: Volume 4. - Film subjects: Yanks in Germany, the Third and Seventh Army meet, the British take Antwerp, buzz bombs halted, Nazis give up, Glider pick-ups, the liberation of Greece, and other activities in the European Theater. Contents: Operations in France (Brest) -- 20,000 Germans surrender -- New flying bomb launching sites -- Allies move on Germany -- Nazis surrender -- Airborne operations -- Activities in European Theater of operations -- Glider pick-up at Eindhoven (Netherlands) -- Air Force fighter kills -- Liberation of Greece. 45 min. Video/C 7741
World War II "Secrets" Revealed: Volume 5.- Film subjects: Activities in the European theater of operations including front line steel production, bombed Belgium rail networks, the 1st and 9th Armies in Europe, the Italian front, Aachen, Vosges and Warsaw fighting, and on the Asian front training in jungle fighting and survival, activities in the Philippines in Ormoc and Manila Bay and operations in Burma. Contents: Activities in European theater: RAF sinks Tirpitz -- Front line steel production -- Bombed Belgium rail networks -- Allied armies face rain and snow -- Rain slows Allied armies -- Burma operations: building a board road -- Activities in European theater: Aachen front -- Vosges Mountain front -- Snapshooting course for jungle fighters -- Italian front -- Fighting in Warsaw suburbs -- School for jungle life (Burma) -- 509th and 1st Armies drive closer -- Pacific Island icebox -- Activities in the Philippines: Advance toward Ormoc Road -- Carrier strikes in Ormoc and Manila Bay. min. Video/C 7742
World War II "Secrets" Revealed: Volume 6.- Film subjects: The 9th Army in Germany, fighting in Antwerp, Malaria control in Corsica, B-29 and Black Widow bombers, operations in the Philippine Islands, the Mediterranean, Burma, the European theater and one seized German film on work mobilization in Germany. Contents: Activities in the European theater: 9th Army front -- Port of Antwerp -- 8th Airforce fighter kills -- Malaria control in Corsica -- B-29 crash in China -- Jap phosphorous bombs -- Capture Bhamo, Burma road link -- Japs raid Saipan B-29 base -- GI's get whole blood from states -- Black Widow bomber and "Jato" -- Activities in Burma -- Activities in China: Liuchow -- Operations in the Philippine Islands: Ormoc landings -- Troops land in Mindoro -- Mediterranean activities in Italy -- Seized German film on work mobilization -- First phase of German counter offensive. 59 min. Video/C 7743
World War II "Secrets" Revealed: Volume 7. - Film subjects: War footage in the Philippine Islands, Burma, France, Germany, Japan, Belgium and Italy. Also includes the air ferry route to Siberia, the Bailey assault bridge, captured Nazi films of action in the Baltic Coast area, and the meeting of Allied leaders in Malta and Yalta. Contents: Activities on Mindoro and Layte -- Air ferry route to Siberia -- Advance in Burma -- Nazi version of action in the East (Baltic Coast) -- Nazi factories in Paris subway -- Duran counter offensive -- Bomb damage in Strasbourg -- Additional films of Battle of the Bulge -- Meeting of Allied leaders (Malta and Yalta) -- Nazi shipping attacked along Norwegian Coast -- New aircrew oxygen problems -- St. Nazaire truce for civilian evacuation -- Capture of St. Vith -- Boots improved to fight trench foot -- Cub planes in snow -- Bailey assault bridge -- Activities in Burma -- Army-Navy planes hit Japanese installations -- Operations in the Philippines. 52 min. Video/C 7744
- Total War, 1939-47. WWII and the Home Front. (People's Centuiry).
- The Second World War was the first modern conflict in which millions more civilians died than soldiers. In this film, eyewitnesses from Britain, Germany, Russia, Korea, Japan and the United States tell the story of the civilians who suffered and died. Residents of Plymouth, Tokyo, and Hamburg remember the air raids; Russian peasants recall the siege of Leningrad; Japanese soldiers and Korean slave-laborers describe the brutality of war in Asia. 1997. 56 min. Video/C 5551
- True Glory
- Official War Department film documentary covering the World War II campaign in Europe from D-day to V-E Day, shot by combat cameramen of many nations and featuring personal stories told by civilians and soldiers about the war effort. Includes an introduction by Dwight D. Eisenhower. Originally released as motion picture in 1945 by U.S. Office of War Information and the British Ministry of Information. Directors, Garson Kanin, Carol Reed. Commentary: Carol Reed, Garson Kanin, Richard Attenborough, Arthur MacRae, Francoise Rosay, Jimmy Hanley, Frank Harvey, Peter Ustinov, John Laurie. 271 min. DVD 3009; also on DVD 5802
Awards
Academy Award - Best Documentary, Features

Chapman, James. "'The Yanks Are Shown to Such Advantage': Anglo-American rivalry in the production of ' The True Glory' (1945)." Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Volume 16, Issue 4 October 1996 , pages 533 - 554
UC users only
Krome, Frederic. "The True Glory and the Failure of Anglo-American Film Propaganda in the Second World War." Journal of Contemporary History 1998 33(1): 21-34.
UC users only
- Tunisian Victory(1944)
- British Film Unit, U.S. Army Signal Corps; director, Frank Capra; with Burgess Meredith and Bernard Miles. 76 min. DVD 5802
Credits and other information from the American Film Institute Catalog (UCB users only)
Watch Tunisian Victory online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
Agee, James. "Films"
Nation; 3/25/1944, Vol. 158 Issue 13, p373-374, 2p
UC users only
Aldgate, Tony. "Mr Capra Goes to War: Frank Capra, the British Army Film Unit, and Anglo-American travails in the production of 'Tunisian Victory'." Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Volume 11, Issue 1 1991 , pages 21 - 39 UC users only
Krome, Frederic.
"Tunisian Victory and Anglo-American film propaganda in World War II." Historian, Spring96, Vol. 58 Issue 3, p517, 13p
UC users only
- Ultimate Power: The Race. (Century: Events that Shaped the World.)
- In a devastating instant at Hiroshima, the world was propelled into the age of nuclear armaments. This program, set against the backdrop of World War II, documents the race to invent the atomic bomb: the allied scientists who made it possible, the technological hurdles they overcame, the deep moral issues they confronted, and the responsibility they accepted knowingly or unknowingly for the fate of the free world. 42 min. Video/C 6345
- Uncle Sam: The Movie Collection (Volume I)
- Contents: To the shores of Iwo Jima / USA Information Service (1945, col., 19 min.) -- Divide and conquer / U.S. War Dept (1943, b&w, 14 min.) -- Private Snafu: The home front / Warner Bros. Cartoons (1943, b&w, 5 min.) -- You, John Jones! / starring James Cagney, Ann Sothern, Margaret O'Brien (10 min ; b&w, 1944) -- The house I live in / Frank Sinatra (1945, b&w, 10 min.) -- Rookie revue (1945, col., 8 min.) -- Thunderbolt / U.S. War Dept ; directed by William Wyler, John Sturges, narrated by Lloyd Bridges, Eugene Kern (1945, col., 40 min.).
To the shores of Iwo Jima: A documentary on the invasion of Iwo Jima. Divide and conquer: Examines Hitler's propaganda techniques. Excellent example of wartime propaganda films produced by major studios. Private Snafu: The home front: This WWII cartoon series has Pvt. Snafu homesick and imagining what might be happening on the home front. You, John Jones!: A starkly dramatic short portraying patriotism and duty on the American home front. The House I live in: Frank Sinatra's famous Academy Award winning short dealing with post-war racism and antisemitism. A young Sinatra gives street kids a pep talk and sings the title song. Rookie revue: A zany WWII cartoon spoofs basic training techniques as new recruits go through the drill. Thunderbolt: Gritty documentary chronicles the 57th Fightergroup and the air war over Italy showing P-47's destroying vital supply routes behind German lines. Video/C 7091 (Thunderbolt also on DVD 5802)
- Uncle Adolf
- More than any other historical documents, it is the personal private letters written by a people to 'their' dictator, Adolf Hitler, that provide the most intimate glimpses of the history of the Third Reich. A cache of more than 100,000 such letters was recently found, hidden in a secret Russian archive. The uncensored letters, which include declarations of loyalty, love letters and the occasional words of protest, reveal the true feelings of the German people - their hopes, longings and fears. Based on "Letters to Hitler" by Henrik Eberle. Directed by Mathias von der Heide, Michael Kloft. 2010. 60 min. DVD X6733
- Uncle Sam: The Movie Collection (Volume II)
- Contents: Battle of Midway / director, John Ford ; narrator, Henry Fonda (1942, col., 18 min.) -- Women in defense / written by Eleanor Roosevelt, narrator, Katharine Hepburn (1941, 13 min.) -- Private Snafu: fighting tools / Warner Bros. Cartoons (1943, 5 min.) -- White cliffs of Dover / sung by Sugar Kane (1942, 3 min.) -- Diary of a sergeant / starring Harold Russell (1945, 26 min.) -- Autobiography of a jeep (1943, 9 min.) -- This is Korea / directed by John Ford (1951, col., 49 min.).
Battle of Midway: Documentary on the Battle of Midway including footage of naval and aerial operations. Women in defense: A newsreel produced to promote the contributions of women in the U.S. war effort. Contains footage of women performing jobs traditionally reserved for men. Private Snafu: fighting tools: The World War II cartoon character gets a lesson on the importance of keeping his equipment in tip-top shape. White cliffs of Dover: Singer Sugar Kane delivers a patriotic performance concerning war sentiment abroad. Diary of a sergeant: An inspirational documentary about the treatment of an amputee in an Army hospital and his rehabilitation including his manipulation of artificial arms and hands. Autobiography of a jeep: Narrated by the jeep itself this is a lighthearted look at its design to meet military needs for maneuverability, light weight and compactness. This is Korea: A documentary made during the Korean War containing footage of rare aircraft and Marine Corps ground action. Video/C 7627
- Uncle Sam: The Movie Collection (Volume III)
- Contents: With the marines at Tarawa / combat photographers, 2nd Marine Division (1943, col., 20 min.) -- Hollywood canteen / Dinah Shore (1944, 5 min.) -- Jap zero / Ronald Reagan (1942, 17 min.) -- Japanese relocation / U.S. Office of War Information (1942, 9 min.) -- Private Snafu in the Aleutians / Warner Bros. Cartoons (1945, 4 min.) -- Report from the Aleutians / U.S. War Dept., producer, John Huston (1943, col, 47 min.)-- Newsparade of 1945 (1945, 9 min.).
With the Marines at Tarawa: Filmed by 15 combat Marines documents this bloody battle from original planning to final execution. Hollywood canteen: Dinah Shore parodies a popular song and rubs elbows at a Hollywood bash attended by prominent stars. Jap zero: A youthful pilot played by Ronald Reagan almost shoots down one of our own planes in a case of mistaken identity. Japanese relocation: An official government film that attempts to put a respectful spin on the removal of 110,000 persons of Japanese descent from the Pacific Coast to American concentration camps. Private Snafu in the Aleutians: Cartoon character Private Snafu endures the hardships of a hostile environment. Report from the Aleutians: Documents the daily lives of soldiers in the remote Aleutians during WWII, showing the weather, boredom, and loneliness endured by the men, as well as a bombing raid on Japanese held Kiska Island. Newsparade of 1945: Newsreel compilation of the decisive events leading to victory over the German and Japanese forces. Video/C 7628 (Report from the Aleutians and Jap Zero also on DVD 5802)
- Uncle Sam: The Movie Collection (Volume IV)
- Contents: United News of 1944 (1945, 8 min.) -- Private Snafu: Spies (1944, 4 min.) -- Japanese Americans (1945, 7 min.) -- Wings for this man (1945, 10 min.) -- Who died? (1945, 5 min.) -- V-1 (1945, 8 min.) -- Combat America (1945, 62 min.)
Private Snafu--spies: In this animated feature Private Snafu learns that "a slip of the lip" can indeed sink a ship, as he drunkenly tells all to the wrong person. Japanese Americans: Chronicles the role of the nisei soldiers of the 442nd Infantry Regiment in the Italian campaign. Wings for this man: Tells the story of the black Tuskegee Airmen and follows their training. Narrated by Ronald Reagan. Who died? Typical of the emotional short subjects produced to tug heartstrings, stir consciences and prompt contributions to the war effort. V-1: Depicts German use of V-1 rockets, devastating cities and raining death and destruction in a final effort to bring the British to their knees. Combat America: Clark Gable narrates and appears in this hour length documentary which chronicles activities of the 351st Bombardment Group, stationed in England. Video/C MM177
- Uncle Sam: The Movie Collection (Volume V)
- Contents: Freedom comes high (1943, 13 min.) -- So's your old man (1943, 6 min.) -- Ring of steel (1942, 9 min.) -- Wings up (1943, 21 min.) -- Army/Navy screen magazine (1943/44, 13 min.) -- Infantry blues (1943, 4 min.) -- Baptism of fire (1943, 36 min.).
Freedom comes high: Inspired story of a husband fighting in the Pacific while his wife works in a defense plant at home. So's your old man: Dramatization shows how age didn't matter on the home front, that the old man could still volunteer for homeland duty. Ring of steel: Directed by Garson Kanin and narrated by Spencer Tracy, presents a salute to the American soldier with a portrayal of soldiers down through history. Wings up: Narrated by Captain Clark Gable and featuring Robert Preston and Gilbert Roland, this documentary depicts the rigors of training at the Officer's Candidate School. Army/Navy screen magazine: G.I. Journal segment featuring Kay Kaiser, Lucille Ball, Jerry Colonna and Linda Darnell. Follow-the-bouncing ball in a Showtime segment starring Joy Hodges. Infantry blues: In this animated short Private Snafu contemplates what life might be like in the other branches of the military. Baptism of fire: Created specifically for war industry workers, portrays the brutal realities of blitzkrieg warfare. 1944 Oscar nominee for "best documentary.". Video/C MM178
- Uncle Sam: The Movie Collection (Volume VI)
- Contents: It's everybody's war (1945, 15 min.) -- Last will and testament of Tom Smith (1943, 11 min.) -- Truth about taxes (1939, 11 min.) -- Hell-bent for election (1944,13 min.) -- Tomorrow television (1945, 12 min.) --Olympics of 1936 (1936, 7 min.) -- Hollywood victory caravan (1945, 20 min.).
It's everybody's war: Henry Fonda narrates this reminder to the Americans to stay focused on the war raging in the Pacific. Last will and testament of Tom Smith: While awaiting execution, a captured American pilot recalls his life at home. Stars George Reeves, Lionel Barrymore and Walter Brennan. Truth about taxes: Made before the war, this Republican National Committee-produced short is an indictment of Roosevelt's "New Deal.". Hell-bent for election: Directed by Chuck Jones, this animated political cartoon is a Democratic party appeal to "get behind the president and stay the course to victory." Presents Franklin D. Roosevelt as a sleek express train and his rival Thomas Dewey as a worn-out old steam train. Tomorrow television: This postwar career opportunity film is a fascinating short providing a glimpse of the early days of television. Olympics of 1936: Presents newsreel highlights of the 1936 games, aka "The Hitler games," featuring American track star Jesse Owens. Hollywood victory caravan: A splashy star-studded musical fundraiser featuring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, Alan Ladd, Barbara Stanwyck and Humphrey Bogart. Video/C MM179
- The Unknown Soldier
- The crimes against humanity commited by the Nazi regime are often thought of as the work directed by leaders such as Himmler or Hitler. "Ordinary" German soldiers are not often seen as anything other than their pawns. Until now. Documents Germany's controversial Wehrmacht Exhibition, which for the first time ever reveals the personal letters, photographs and film footage implicating the common soldier of horrific acts. A film by Michael Verhoeven. 2007. 97 min. DVD X6000
- An Untold Triumph: The Story of the 1st & 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments, U.S. Army
- During World War II, 7,000 Filipino Americans volunteered their services to the U.S. Army and helped liberate their homeland from Japanese occupation. Director Noel M. Izon captures their stories through the voices of the verterans themselves-- only half of whom are still alive today-- and delivers touching personal accounts of the men's contributions and sacrifices during the war. Director, Noel M. Izon. 2005. 56 min.
DVD X3225
Center for Asian American Media catalog description
- Victory at Sea.
- Produced in cooperation with the United States Navy. Originally released by NBC in 1952-53 as a 26 part documentary TV series. DVD 3059
Design for war: Details the events occurring at the beginning of the war, including the German invasion of Europe, the spread of propaganda, and the development of American opinion about the European war. Focuses on the Battle of the Atlantic, 1939-1941, to emphasize the nature of fighting a war on and under water and the importance of the defense of Britian's waterways. Also examines the role that North American Armed Forces played in defending Britain, Greenland and Iceland. DVD 3059
Pacific boils over: Details the philosophy behind Japan's aggression on Pearl Harbor and examines the factors that allowed Japan to take the U.S. naval base by surprise. Discusses the breakdown of U.S. and Japanese negotiations before the attack. Shows the peaceful activities taking place at Pearl Harbor prior to the attack, the destruction of the attack and its impact on the war. DVD 3059
Sealing the breach: Rare live-action film footage from the Allied and Axis governments show American and Allied naval operations against Axis submaries in the Pacific from 1941-43.Midway is east: Describes Japanese victories at Hong Kong, Singapore, Bataan, Corregidor and the Philippines. Pictures Coral Sea and Midway Battles and explains the Allied strategy. DVD 3059
Mediterranean mosaic: Features the high points of the war on land and sea in Gibralter and Malta, as recorded in footage taken by Allied and enemy combat photographers. DVD 3059
Guadalcanal: Explains the strategic importance of Guadalcanal Island, the efforts of the Japanese to build a base to cut off supplies from the U.S. to New Zealand and Australia and the battle that allowed the U.S to secure the island as a supply base. Also illustrates activities that supported the war effort back in the U.S. including military training and industrial production. DVD 3059
Rings around Rabaul: Shows the bombing of Bougainville, the landing of the U.S. Marines, their victory and the follow-up of the CB's, whose motto was "battlefield today, airfield tomorrow." DVD 3059
Mare nostrum: Reviews elements in the struggle for control of the Mediterranean and of North Africa. Begins with Italy's entry into the war, attacking Greece. Covers the German offensive on Suez, including Rommel's Blitzkrieg in the desert and the eventual cutting of his supply lines, which turned the tide in favor of the Allied victory. DVD 3060
Sea and sand: Looks at the first major Allied victory in the war against the Axis. The showdown for the Mediterranean, Tunis, Bizerte, Suez and the end of Axis power in Africa. DVD 3060
Beneath the southern cross: Features the high points of the war on land and sea in the South Atlantic. DVD 3060
Magnetic North: Features the high points of the war in the North on land and sea from Murmansk to Alaska. DVD 3060
Conquest of Micronesia: Through U.S. Navy footage of the war on the small islands of the Pacific, shows how the islands were won by carrier based air squadrons and intense slow land battles. DVD 3060
Melanesian nightmare: Presents original footage of the effort to deny the Japanese a strong hold on New Guinea and to drive them from the Bismarck Sea north of New Guinea. DVD 3060
Roman renaissance: Highlights events of the Mediterranean fronts, including the battles of Salerno, Cassino and Anzio. DVD 3061
D-Day: Discusses the planning, execution and impact of D-Day. Illustrates how the Allied troops developed an air and amphibious strategy to break Germany's stronghold on Europe, and took over England as a camp from which they would carry out the invasion. Explains the challenges that the Allies had to overcome, including the military genius of the German army, weather and terrain. Also shows coverage of this event by the U.S. media. DVD 3061
Killers and the Killed: Through historical footage, looks at the Battle of the Atlantic, in particular the threat of the German U-boats which were met with a concerted air-sea counter-attack. DVD 3061
Turkey shoot: Looks at the high points of the conquest of the Marianas and in particular the island of Guam, which became an important staging base for the Pacific War. DVD 3061
Two if by sea: Tells the story of the landing and fierce fight to remove the Japanese from the rugged terrain of Peleliu and Angaur Islands. DVD 3061
Battle for Leyte Gulf: U.S. Admiral Halsey is lured from the main battle for the Philip Admirals Toyoda and Kurita, in this largest navalbattle in history that resulted in the defeat of the Japanese navy. DVD 3061
Return of the Allies: Shows the destruction and challenging terrain the Allies encountered when they arrived in the Philippines in 1945. Emphasizes the numerous, unrecognized battles that finally insured Filipinos their desired freedom. DVD 3061
Full fathom five: Focuses on the psychological aspects of living and fighting war in a submarine, as well as strategies behind submarine warfare. Explains thrios the submarines encountered and shows American submarines destroying Japanese merchant ships in the Pacific War. DVD 3062
Fate of Europe: Describes the Russian drive into the Crimean, the Allied invasion of Normandy and the advance up the Rhone Valley. Covers the surrender in Southern France and includes footage of the Yalta Conference. DVD 3062
Target Suribachi: Details the events of the battle at Iwo Jima, which had to be taken by the Allies to launch the final air attacks against Japan. Describes the most concentrated naval bombardment of the war and the great fire raids that consumed Japan. DVD 3062
- The War.
- A film by Ken Burns. Aeven part series telling the story of ordinary people during WWII in four quintessentially American towns - Waterbury, Connecticut; Mobile, Alabama; Sacramento, California; and Luverne, Minnesota. Narrated by Keith David, with Tom Hanks, Josh Lucas, Bobby Cannavale, Samuel L. Jackson, Eli Wallach, Adam Arkin, Kevin Conway, Rebecca Holtz, Carolyn McCormick, Robert Wahlberg. Originally broadcast by PBS in 2002. DVD 8536
Necessary War The first episode in a seven part series telling the story of ordinary people during WWII in four quintessentially American towns - Waterbury, Connecticut; Mobile, Alabama; Sacramento, California; and Luverne, Minnesota. This episode covers December 1941 through December 1942, as the tranquil lives of Americans are shattered with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the beginning of America's involvement in WWII. 145 min.
When Things Get Tough This episode covers January 1943 through December 1943. Americans mobilize for total war at home and overseas. Factories hum around the clock, while in North Africa and then Italy, inexperienced GIs learn how to fight. Meanwhile, in the skies over Europe, thousands of American airmen gamble their lives in daylight bombing runs. 117 min.
A Deadly calling. This episode covers November 1943 through June 1944. Americans are shocked by terrible losses on the Pacific atoll of Tarawa, while in Italy Allied forces are stalled for months at Monte Cassino, and a risky landing at Anzio fails utterly. At home, as overcrowded "war towns" boom, economic transformation leads to confrontation and ugly racial violence. 117 min.
Pride of Our Nation. This episode covers June 1944 through August 1944. On June 6, 1944, D-Day, 1.5 million Allied troops take part in the greatest invasion in history, but then bog down in the Norman hedgerows for weeks. Saipan proves the costliest Pacific battle to date, while back home dreaded telegrams from the War Department begin arriving at an inconceivable rate. 140 min.
FUBAR This episode covers September 1944 through December 1944. Victory in Europe seems imminent, but in Holland, the Vosges Mountains, and the Hurtgen Forest, GIs learn painful lessons as old as war itself -- that generals make plans, plans go wrong and soldiers die. Meanwhile, on the island of Peleliu, the Marines fight one of the most brutal and unnecessary battles of the Pacific. 128 min.
Ghost Front This episode covers December 1944 through March 1945. American's are shocked by Hitler's massive counterattack in the Ardennes Forest -- but by mid March, 1945, they are across the Rhine, while the Russians are 50 miles from Berlin. In the Pacific, after weeks of desperate fighting, Iwo Jima is secured, and American bombers begin a full-fledged air assault on Japan. 122 min.
World Without War This episode covers March 1945 through December 1945. A few weeks after the death of President Roosevelt shocks the country, Germany surrenders. Meanwhile, American sailors, soldiers and Marines endure the worst battle of the Pacific -- Okinawa. In August, American planes drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Japanese too, surrender. Millions return home -- to try to learn how to live in a world without war. 128 min.
- A War Films Anthology
- The world-renowned poet Dylan Thomas made a little-known but valuable contribution to Britain's war effort scripting powerful propaganda films for the Ministry of Information. This unique anthology collects together eight of his finest wartime works. Contents: These are the men (1943) -- Balloon site (1942) -- Wales - Green Mountain, Black Mountain (1942) -- New towns for old (1942) -- The battle for freedom (1942) -- CEMA (1942) -- A city reborn (1945) -- A soldier comes home (1945).
102 min. DVD X1230
- We All Came Home.
- Reveals the untold story of the first American women prisoners of war through moving interviews and period footage of the U.S. Army and Navy nurses who survived the WWII prison camps of Bataan and Corregidor. Produced by the U.S. Dept f Defense. 29 min. Video/C MM469
- The Weakly Reporter(1944)
- Directed by Chuck Jones. Warner Brothers. Animated short. This Chuck Jones animated short parodies the newsreels that were the standard fare for movie theater intermissions during The Second World War. Included are gags about the food and supply shortages civilians had to suffer through, as well as the increasing role women were playing in the American war effort. DVD 6281 (supplement with Passage to Marseille)
- Why We Fight
- Note: all DVD versions contain special features: Challenging triva questions and answers, biographies, chapter search, 2 war postures (including background on the poster itself, and the artist who created it), film reel: Inside the Nazi concentration camps.
Prelude to War (1942) Producer and director, Frank Capra. Photography, Robert Flaherty. Reviews events from 1933 to 1939, including the Japanese conquest of Manchuria, the Italian conquest of Ethiopia, and the rise of Hitler. Also discusses the Axis plan of World conquest. 54 min. DVD 37; Video/C 5434
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Awards
Academy Award - Best Documentary, Features
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The Nazis Strike (1943) Producer, Frank Capra; directors, Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak. A documentary film record of Germany's preparation for war, the conquest of Austria and Czechoslovakia, and the attack upon Poland. 41 min. DVD 37; Video/C 5435
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Divide and Conquer (1943) Producer, Frank Capra; directors, Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak. A documentary film record of the German attack upon and conquest of Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland, and France in 1940. 58 min. DVD 38; Video/C 5436
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The Battle of Britain (1943) Producer, Frank Capra; director, Anthony Veiler. Presents a documentary film record of the bombing of England by the German Luftwaffe in 1940 and the defense offered by the Royal Air Force. 55 min. DVD 38; Video/C 5437
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The Battle of Russia (1944) Producer, Frank Capra; directors, Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak. Shows the Russian defense against the Nazi invasion during World War II, focusing on the Battle of Stalingrad. 83 min. DVD 39; Video/C 5438
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The Battle of China (1944) Producer, Frank Capra; directors, Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak. Depicts Japanese aggression against China during World War II and describes Japan's plan for world conquest. Recalls Chinese development of the compass, printing, astronomy, gunpowder, and porcelain. 65 min. DVD 39; Video/C 5439
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War comes to America (1945) Producer, Frank Capra; director, Anatole Litvak. Briefly reviews the history of the United States and describes the characteristics, habits, and beliefs of the American people. Explains the events from 1931 to 1941 that caused the United States to enter World War II. 65 min. DVD 40; DVD 5802; vhs ; Video/C 5440
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D-Day and the Normandy Invasion (1945). Producer, Frank Capra; directors, Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak. Reviews the events of D-Day on the night and day of June 5-6, 1944 when the invasion of France occured by the Allies against the Axis powers. 51 min. DVD 40
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- Widerstand: German resistance to Hitler
- Extensive documentary with historical footage and interviews with German resistors concerning resistance movements against the Nazis in Germany during the reign of Hitler. Contents: 1. From leaflet to assassination attempt -- 2. Brown shirts and the class struggle -- 3. God and the Nazis -- 4. Portraits of civil courage -- 5. The hope of the democrats -- 6. The revolt of the officers -- 7. The end. Seven parts, on seven tapes. [?1994] Total running time: 210 min. Video/C 8067
- William L. Shirer World War II Radio [Sound recording]
- Contains radio broadcasts by renowned CBS News Berlin correspondent William L. Shirer during World War II. 180 min. Sound/D 209
- Winston S. Churchill; His Memoirs and His Speeches [1918 to 1945][sound recording]
- "An appraisal, by Arthur Bryant" (58 p. ports. (part col.) inserted in slipcase.
Pt. 1: Armistice 1918--Follies of the Victors, 1919-30--Lurking dangers--Crimes of war--Crimes against humanity--Crimes against peace--Adolf Hitler--Locust years--"St. George and the dragon"-- Locust years (cont.)--Air parity lost.--Pt. 2: Air parity (cont.) --Causes of war--Loaded pause--Mr. Eden's resignation--Collective security--Munich Winter--Broadcast to USA--Soviet enigma--War--1st months of war--Pt. 3: Liberation is sure--Navy is here--Before the storm--A sterner way--Narvik--Frustration in Norway--Fall of the (Brit.) government--The National Coalition--Commons: Prime minister's speech--Be ye men of valour.--Pt. 4: Battle of France & March to the sea--King Leopold capitulates--Deliverance of Dunkirk--A colossal military disaster--Deliverance of Dunkirk (cont.)--News is very bad-- Back to France--The finest hour.
Pt. 5: Home defense--French agony--Admiral Darlan & French fleet-- Unknown warriors--At bay--Commons: the first year--Crux of the whole war--Battle of Britain--Commons: Secret session--Desert victory--Pt. 6: Westward look, the land is bright--Until victory is won--birth throes of a sublime resolve--4th climacteric--Do your worst and we will do our best--Atlantic Charter--Meeting Roosevelt--Commons: We are still masters of our fate--These are great days--Resolution of the people is unconquerable.--Pt. 7: War with Japan--White House Christmas tree--Preparation, liberation, assault--Prime min. for two years--End of the beginning--To the U.S. Congress--Before the autumn leaves fall--Call for a three power talk--Pt. 8: Anglo-American unity--Commons: Rebuilding--Fruits of 1944--Thanksgiving day--Unconditional surrender--This is your victory. Sound/C 125; also Sound/C 1230
- Women at War, From the Home front to the Front Lines.
- Through selected newsreel footage details the vital contributions of American women to the war effort. Looks at the frequently forgotten history of WAC's, WAVE's and other all-women military units' work, nurses serving oversees and women workers in defense plants helping to perform America's miracle of war production. Hosted by Eric Sevareid and Edwin Newman. 1989. 45 min. Video/C MM478
- Words That Shook the World[Sound Recording]
- Winston Churchill's "Hands across the sea" message...
Address by Winston Churchill delivered to a joint session of the Congress of the United States, December 26, 1941--President Roosevelt's message to Congress calling for a declaration of a state of war, Dec. 8, 1941. Sound/C 898
- The World at War.Narrated by Laurence Olivier and others. 1973-1974 Thames Television production. 52 min. each installment.
A New Germany, 1933-1939. A documentary on the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party during the German economic crisis. Concludes with the threatened invasion of Poland by the new Germany. DVD 2736; also VHS Video/C 1602
Third Reich: Hitler's Germany.The makers of the award-winning World at War series return with an in-depth study of Hitler's Germany -- how its citizens coped with all-out war, mass bombings, invasion and defeat. With dramatic documentary footage, including Hitler's own home movies, the film tells the story in compelling words of ordinary people who survived this extraordinary time. DVD 2740
Distant War, September 1939-May 1940. A documentary on the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany and the entrance of England into the war. Also focuses on Winston Churchill's rise as prime minister. DVD 2736; also VHS Video/C 1603
France Falls, May-June 1940Describes the German occupation of Paris and the fall of France. Also looks at the British retreat to the Channel coast, as Hitler gets ready for the invasion of Britain. DVD 2736; also Video/C 1604
Alone, May 1940-May 1941. England prepares for war with Germany. The Germans begin air attacks over British cities including London, and the British gain a reprieve as Hitler's offensive turns to Russia. DVD 2736; also VHS Video/C 1605
Barbarossa, June-December 1941. A documentary on the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany. Footage on Russian defeats, and of the final defeat of the Germans outside Moscow. Background on Hitler's decision to put Operation Barbarossa in motion. DVD 2736; also VHS Video/C 1606
Banzai! : Japan 1931-1942. In this program, Japan, seeking unrestricted access to raw materials she needs for expansion, tires of negotiations and strikes at Pearl Harbor, inflicting a severe blow to American naval power. In a few months, Japan demonstrates how ill-prepared the Allies are, sweeping forward to capture Hong Kong, Burma, Malaya, Singapore, the Dutch East Indies, and the Philippines. DVD 2736; also VHS Video/C 1607
On Our Way: U.S.A. 1939-1942. Documentary footage, photographs and reminiscences of individuals involved shows the election of FDR on an anti-war campaign, events which drew the United States into conflict, preparation at home for full-scale war, and American forces surrender in the Philippines, December, 1941-August 1942. DVD 2736; also VHS Video/C 1608
The Desert: North Africa, 1940-1943. Describes the war in North Africa, which was fought and refought over the same 600 miles of desert between Alexandria in Egypt and Benghazin in Libya. DVD 2737; also VHS Video/C 1609
Stalingrad, June 1942-February 1943. A documentary on the defeat of the German army at Stalingrad--the first German defeat in the field. Also shows other German defeats in Russia. DVD 2737; also VHS Video/C 1610
Wolf pack: U-boats in the Atlantic, 1939-1944. German submarines called U-boats nearly wiped out Allied shipping in the Atlantic bringing deadly havoc by attacking in groups. The Battle of the Atlantic ended with the virtual extermination of German submarines. DVD 2737; also VHS Video/C 1611
Red Star: The Soviet Union, 1941-1943. Russia's spirit of fight was incredible to her adversaries. With twenty million military and civilian casualities, she stood firm. One German officer tells of repulsing a Soviet attack in 35-degree-below zero weather: "The Soviet soldiers remained motionless about two hours lying in the snow, and in the evening they again attacked with the same spirit." Incredibly the Russians not only survived but went on to rout the Germans. DVD 2737; also VHS Video/C 1612
Whirlwind: Bombing Germany, September 1939-April 1944. This program looks at the Allied bombing offensive in Germany, which left German cities in ruin at the end of the war, crippling it in its role as a major industrial power. Also looks at how the bombing affected both industry and civilians. DVD 2737; also VHS Video/C 1613
Tough Old Gut: Italy, November 1942-June 1944. This program looks at the Anglo-American advance into Italy, which eventually led to the conquest of the Axis forces between November 1942 and June 1944. DVD 2737; also VHS Video/C 1614
It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow: Burma, 1942-1944. Dramatic documentary footage review the difficulties of the Burma campaign, in which Allied troops suffered disastrous early defeats in jungle warfare at the hands of the Japanese. Includes interview with Lord Mountbatten, whose arrival to take over the British Southeast Asia Command in October 1943 marked the turning point of the war in that area. DVD 2737; Video/C 1615
Home Fires: Britain, 1940-1944 Looks at the civilian war in Britain and the intensive German bombing of London and the provincial cities during 1940-44. DVD 2737; also VHS Video/C 1616
Inside the Reich: Germany, 1940-1944. This program looks at civilian life in Germany from 1940, when the Germans thought the end of the war was close at hand, until 1944, when the Germans endured Allied bombing, defeats on the battlefield and Allied demands for unconditional surrender. DVD 2738; also VHS Video/C 1617
Morning: June-August 1944. This program looks at the events surrounding D-Day, June 6, 1944, when the Allies, under the command of Dwight Eisenhower, began their advance on Normandy. DVD 2738; vhs Video/C 1618
Occupation: Holland, 1940-1944. Documentary which focuses on the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. DVD 2738; also VHS Video/C 1619
Pincers: August 1944-March 1945. This program looks at Operation Anvil, when the Allies invaded the South of France and the Russians invaded from the east to drive the German army back across German borders and beyond. DVD 2738; also VHS Video/C1620
Genocide, 1941-1945. A documentary beginning in 1933 when Heinrich Himmler was already Reichsfuhrer of the SS and starting his plan of recreating an Aryan Germany which lead to the formation of the death camps and the ordering of massive extermination of Jews and other 'enemies of the state.' DVD 2738; also VHS Video/C 1621
Final Solution. Reveals how Hitler carried out the systematic extermination of millions of Jews in German death camps during World War II. Extensive use is made of period photos and shocking film footage, some filmed by the Germans themselves. Also featured are moving, personal stories, told by death camp survivors and in-depth interviews with former German participants. DVD 2740
Nemesis: Germany, February-May 1945. Looks at the period from February-May 1945, when Russia had captured Berlin and Germany's defeat was imminent. The end of the Third Reich was announced at Hitler's bunker headquarters where he ended his own life. DVD 2738; also VHS Video/C 1622
Japan: 1941-1945. This program looks at Japanese civilians who experienced the war a s a complete surprise. Looks at how successful the media was in persuading the public to support the war. DVD 2738; also VHS Video/C 1623
Pacific: February 1942-July 1945. This program examines the American island hopping strategy that captured islands one at a time across the Pacific, winning back the Philippines and bringing a striking force to Japan's doorstep at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. DVD 2738; also VHS Video/C 1624
Two Deaths of Adolf Hitler. First-hand accounts of Hitler's secretary and valet, interviews with the members of the Soviet medical team who autopsied Hitler's corpse and an interview with Hugh Trevor-Roper, author of the last days of Hitler. DVD 2740
The Bomb: February-September 1945. On August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber, the "Enola Gay" named after the mother of the pilot Paul Tibbetts, droppd the world's first uranium bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Four days later a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. DVD 2739; also VHS Video/C 1625
Reckoning: 1945--And After. This program looks at the occupation of Germany after World War II by the United States, Russia, Britain and France according to the arrangements made at Yalta. Also examines the beginnings and causes of the power struggle that ensues between the United States and Russia. DVD 2739; also VHS Video/C1626
Remember. This program looks at the personal experiences and reminiscences of soldiers and civilians who lived through World War II. DVD 2739; also VHS Video/C 1627
From War to Peace (A.K.A. Who won World War II)Discusses the transition in Europe from war to peace after World War II. DVD 2739
Warrior. Examines the psychological experience of war through first-hand accounts from solders who fought the war. DVD 2739
- World War II Films
Vol. 1. The world at war / U.S. Office of Emergency Management ; produced and written by Sam Spewack ; director, Lowell Mellett (b&w, 1942, 43 min.) -- Germany: 28 months after D-Day (col., si., 46 min.)
World at war: Documentary examining the events which led up to the Second World War. The material for this film which was taken from news reels and secret government archives presents President Roosevelt's Pearl Harbor "Day of Infamy" speech; interventionist and isolationist speeches by U.S. politicians, including Wendell Wilkie; a violent German-American Bund Rally at New York City's Madison Square Garden; the invasion and exploitation of China; the Italian invasion of Ethiopia; Italian Fascists at a Japanese rally; the Spanish Civil War; the signing of the Munich Agreement that divided Czechoslovakia; the Anschluss of Austria; the invasion of Czechoslovakia; Hitler mocking FDR from the Reichstag; the invasion of Poland; strafed refugees in Polish countryside; the destruction of Warsaw; German troops parading through Warsaw; the Maginot Line; the invasion of Denmark & Norway; the invasion of Holland and Belgium; the bombing of Rotterdam; the German breakthrough of Allied lines; Dunkerque; the Fall of France; the French surrender at Compiegne; the bombing of London; the invasion of Russia; the fall of the Philippines; Lend Lease; U.S. arms manufacturing; Pan-American opposition to fascism;
and more.
Germany: 28 months after D-Day: Documents the devastation of Germany two years after the war. These striking images, filmed almost entirely in color, of destroyed German cities and factories were taken by Mr. George T. Fonda of Weirton Steel Co., during an investigation of German industrial production two years after the devastation of World War II. The objective was to report on German industrial production and manpower problems and to determine the factors deterring maximum production. The result was an historic documentation of the awesome destructive force of air power. Shows scenes of bombed out buildings; devastation; Germans scrounging in the ruins; Schillstrasse; the Reichstag; Hitler's chancellery and office; the bunker where Hitler died; Goebbels propaganda radio tower; small shops emerging from the ruins; Cologne (80% destroyed); footage of the Rhine from a boat, farmland, castles, and other architecturally distinctive buildings; Beer garden in Munich where Hitler started out; food ration lines; Bavaria; animal drawn farm carts; German Tiger tank destroyed on Bavarian farm; American military headquarters in Munich; and more. DVD 8710
Vol. 2. Challenge to democracy (1944, 17 min.) -- Children of Japan (1941, 10 min.) -- Close harmony (1942, 11 min.) -- Farmer Henry Browne (1942, 11 min.) -- Japanese relocation (1943, 10 min.) -- My Japan (1945, 16 min.) -- Negro colleges in wartime / U.S. Office of War Information (1944, 8 min.) -- Our enemy: the Japanese (1943, 20 min.) -- Negro soldier (1943, 41 min.) -- Cartoon collage (1943-1945, 31 min)
Challenge to democracy: The internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II is here explained according to the government's point of view.
Children of Japan: An extraordinary, one-of-a-kind documentary of the life of a typical Japanese middleclass family, filmed earlier the same year as the Pearl Harbor attack.
Close harmony: A film sponsored by General Motors where, in the midst of this attempt to show the positive need for good labor/management relations in America's burgeoning arms industry, resort is still had to the tired old alienating "step 'n fetch it" characterization of black Americans.
Farmer Henry Browne: The U. S. Dept. of Agriculture shows how a black Georgian farmer does his part for the war, with his farm, his family and the service of his Tuskegee fighter pilot eldest son.
Japanese relocation: The Japanese internment issue is again explained according to government policy, especially intending to show the co-operation and satisfaction of the internees in terms of being relocated, re-employed, re-educated and interned.
My Japan: This is certainly one of the most agitating of anti-Axis films in general and anti-Japanese films in particular, utilizing the racial stereotypes common for the period, here used with special intensity, and put to the purpose of selling war bonds for the 7th War Loan.
Negro colleges in wartime: The U.S. Office of War Information's exposition of the teaching and training of Black Americans for war, science, industry, agriculture, husbandry, meteorology, medicine, engineering and technical trades at black colleges.
Our enemy: the Japanese.: Former Abassador to Japan Joseph C. Grew narrates this Navy film which purports to educate its audience about the Japanese, their culture and way of life in terms of their relevance to the war, but instead of enlightening the viewer with insights into the shortcomings of said aspects, it results in a recitation of a wide range of racial stereotypes, ethnic misrepresentations and hatred.
Negro soldier: The great film director Frank Capra's much acclaimed and respected recruitment film tailored to convince African Americans of the value the nation put upon their military service in the past and of the need the nation had of their good service in the second world war.
Cartoon collage: Includes Bugs, Elmer and Porky performing "Any Bonds Today"; Warner Brothers "Tokio Jokio" and "Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs"; "Bugs Bunny Nips The Nips"; Popeye in "You're A Sap, Mr. Jap". DVD 8711
Vol. 3. A ceiling on your home (1945, 11 min.) -- Brazil at war (1943, 10 min.) -- Brazil gets the news (1942, 10 min.) --Despotism (1946, 11 min.) -- Doctor in industry, Pt. 1 (1946, 19 min.) -- Good neighbor family (1943, 17 min.) -- Gracias Amigos (1944, 16 min.) --Homes for veterans, Pt. 1-2 (1946, 28 min.) -- Housing in Chile: one government's plan to provide better homes (1943, 18 min.) -- Lima family (1944, 18 min.) -- Lima (1944, 16 min.) -- Problems of housing (1944, 10 min.) -- Roads South (1943, 17 min.) -- Army nurse (1945, 16 min.) -- Silent war: Colombia's fight against yellow fever (1945, 10 min.) --To the people of the United States (1944, 21 min.) -- Wastage of human resources (1947, 10 min.) -- Young Uruguay (1943, 17 min.)
Presents eighteen films, with eleven of them focusing on the participation of Latin American and South American countries in WWII. Ten films are produced by the U.S. Office of Inter-American Affairs, which was created to foster and report on relations between the United States and Latin American countries. Also includes films addressing issues in America such as housing and employment for veterans, the increase in venereal diseases and other health issues. DVD 8712
Vol. 4. Tale of two cities (1946, 12 min.) -- Campus on the march (1942, 18 min.) -- Coast Guard spars (1943, 6 min.) -- Food for fighters (1943, 10 min.) -- Hemp for victory (1942, 14 min.) -- Highballing to victory (1943, 18 min.) -- Ring of steel (1941, 9 min.) -- Safeguarding military information (1941, 11 min.) -- Troop train (1943, 13 min.) -- U.S. News Review, Issue no. 3 (1942, 19 min.) -- What to do in a gas attack (1942-1943, 14 min.)
Tale of two cities (1946, 12 min.) -- Campus on the march (1942, 18 min.) -- Coast Guard spars (1943, 6 min.) -- Food for fighters (1943, 10 min.) -- Hemp for victory (1942, 14 min.) -- Highballing to victory (1943, 18 min.) -- Ring of steel (1941, 9 min.) -- Safeguarding military information (1941, 11 min.) -- Troop train (1943, 13 min.) -- U.S. News Review, Issue no. 3 (1942, 19 min.) -- What to do in a gas attack (1942-1943, 14 min.)
Tale of two cities: The U. S. War Department assesses the effects of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings on the cities themselves and their populations.
Campus on the march: An analysis of the contribution the nation's colleges and universities were making to the war effort.
Coast Guard spars: The story of the induction of women into the U.S. Coast Guard and their contributions.
Food for fighters: The importance of nutritious food and its logistical supply for the war effort.
Hemp for victory: While most folks attribute to hemp its use as a recreational drug under the name "marijuna", its usefulness for rope, parachutes, paper and much more was an integral and important part of wartime production.
Highballing to victory: The continuing story of wartime transportation, with special attention to the problems of the rubber shortage and its effect on wheeled transport.
Ring of steel: The U.S. Office of Emergency Management reassures the country with this illustration of the protection that American Armed Forces provide the country.
Safeguarding military information: A how-to guide in keeping loose lips from sinking ships and other careless talk from aiding saboteurs.
Troop train: All aspects of what a troop train is, does and is provided for to keep the nation's soldiers moving during wartime.
U.S. News Review, Issue No. 3: Produced by the U.S. Government Office of War Information. A newsreel on the progress of the war, including "A Plywood bomber" (the Mosquito); "A Report From New Guineau"; "Home Front Slogan: 'Fix It'"; "Liberators Blast Naples"; "A Letter From Hocking"; "The United States Coast Guard Song".
What to do in a gas attack: Information for the homefront on what a gas attack is, what it does, and how the simple household items of bleach and bicarbonate of soda can be employed against it. DVD 8713
Vol. 5.Presents sixteen films on American arms production and the efforts of American industry and labor to "back the attack" during World War II. Contents: All out for victory (1943, 20 min.) -- Close harmony / sponsored by General Motors (1942, 11 min.) -- Conquer by the clock (1943, 11 min.) -- Deadline for action (1946, 37 min.) / by the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers Union -- Manpower (1943, 9 min.) -- Men and jobs (1944, 9 min.) -- Oldsmobile "Playlets": 6 short films (1942, 5 min) -- Suggestion box (1945, 9 min.) -- Supervising women workers (1944, 10 min.) -- Test tube tale (1941, 10 min.) -- The arm behind the army (1942, 10 min.) -- The great swindle / recruitment film by the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers Union (1948, 32 min.) -- These people (1944, 15 min.) -- Three cities (1943, 10 min.) -- Victory is our business / General Motors (1942, 10 min.) -- When work is done (1943, 9 min.) DVD 8714
Vol. 6. Stillwell road (1945, 51 min.) / [produced by] the U.S. War Dept. ; narrator, Ronald Reagan -- Attack in the Pacific (1945, 60 min.) / [produced by] U.S. Dept of Defense.
Stillwell road: An overview of one of the most extraordinary achievements of military engineering of the second world war and as well as the twentieth century - the construction of a supply road through the mountains and jungles of Burma in World War II stretching all the way from India to China, cutting through dense jungle and blasting through impassable mountains - all while under constant threat of attack by the Japanese. The history of the Allies in Asia during the whole of the war is also analysed, specifically concentrating on the engineering and logistical on the one hand, and the constant battle and military campaigning on the ground and in the air on the other. Includes archival footage of Gen. "Vinegar Joe" Stillwell, Flying Tigers Gen. Claire Chennault, Pres. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Gen. Claude Auchinleck, Gen. George C. Marshall, Adm. Chester W. Nimitz & more.
Attack in the Pacific: Completed just after President Roosevelt died and the Battle of Okinawa began in April 1945, this Armed Forces Information Film documents the fierce battles that raged throughout the Pacific Ocean between the Americans and Japanese during World War II. Stark battlefield footage of both naval and ground operations, taken by American and Japanese cameramen alike, graphically illustrate the epic struggle for control of this bloody theater of operations and its context as the largest surface area within which the hostilities of the Second War War took place. DVD 8715
Vol. 7. A letter from Bataan (1944, 14 min.) -- Avenge December 7 (1942, 2 min.) -- D-Day minus one (1945, 17 min.) -- It can't last (1944, 18 min.) -- News Parade: Bombing of Pearl Harbor / the U.S. Normandie fire (1942, 10 min.) -- Oldsmobile 'Playlets' (1942, 5 min.) -- Pearl Harbor (1942, 3 min.) -- Remember these faces (1945, 17 min.) -- Tuesday in November (1945, 17 min.) -- What makes a battle? (1944, 16 min.)
Letter from Bataan: Pete and Johnny die in the jungles of Bataan because of night blindness caused by malnutrition. Pete's ghost makes sure to bring the news back to his family that what they do and the sacrifices they make to help them will save their lives and help win the war. Co-stars Susan Hayward.
Avenge December: A war bond trailer encapsulating all the angst and bitterness of an American public still smarting from the humiliation of the Pearl Harbor sneak attack.
D-Day minus one: An excellent chronicle of the famed exploits of the U.S. 82nd & 101st Airborne Divisions that parachuted into France to engage in special operations in preparation for and congress with the 1944 invasion of France.
It can't last: Pulitzer Prize winner Archibald MacLeish wrote this propaganda piece exhorting the American public to hang in there the best they could while our boys fought their way to victory.
News Parade: Bombing of Pearl Harbor / the S.S. Normandie fire: The power of and need for good hard labor from good hard laborers is explained and celebrated.
Oldsmobile 'Playlets': Six film shorts, five selling the last cars General Motor's Oldsmobile had available for sale "for the duration", and one proclaiming the company and worker's commitment to defense.
Pearl Harbor: Classic propaganda film inciting agression towards both Japan and Germany immediately following entering into a state of war with those two nations.
Remember these faces: Very intense, graphic, one-of-a-kind color film, created for the Seventh War Loan, of G.I.s in actual combat, intended to help sell war bonds. A classic production of the U. S. Treasury, War Finance Division.
Tuesday in November: The continuation of democratic processes while the republic is at war is touted in this John Houseman directed skillful propaganda piece on the 1944 presidential election.
What makes a battle? An excellent exposition of the Battle of the Marshall Islands, extensively supplementing strategic analysis with plentiful use animations and battle footage. DVD 8716
Vol. 8. As the twig is bent (1943, 11 min.) -- Every minute counts (1944, 10 min.) -- Freedom comes high (1944, 13 min.) -- It's everbody's war (1943, 15 min.) -- Mr. and Mrs. America (1945, 13 min.) -- That boy Joe (1944, 18 min.) -- The town / directed by Josef Von Sternberg (1945, 11 min.) -- These are the people (1944, 15 min.) -- Wartime nutrition (1943, 10 min.)
Presents nine morale films produced for the American homefront during WWII.
As the twig is bent: Anti-delinqency film made during the height of the national controversy over unsupervised juveniles during wartime.
Every minute counts: The wartime crush of time between work and family is explored with an eye to aiding the viewer in maximizing their time.
Freedom comes high: A young women finds that her husband has died in battle and finds the strength to understand the meaning of his sacrifice as well as the courage to carry on.
It's everbody's war: An exhortation to all Americans to recognize their common interests and mutual commitment to waging world war.
Mr. and Mrs. America: A propaganda piece to rouse the public to do their part in supporting the war effort, employing the services of veteran Eddie Albert and including one of the last filmed appearances of President Roosevelt.
That boy Joe: It's the demon rum at it again, messing with the youth of World War II America.
The town: Directed by Josef von Sternberg, presents a panorama of life during wartime in "Anytown, America."
These are the people: Kimberly-Clark shows off the efforts of its workers in Neenah, Wisconsin to meet the demands of wartime paper production.
Wartime nutrition: A production on the activities and responsibilities of public welfare agencies towards securing the nutritional needs of Americans. DVD 8717
Vol. 9.Giant killers (1944, col., 30 min.) -- Inside fighting China (1942, 19 min.) -- Target: Japan (1944, 13 min.) -- Fleet that came to stay (1946, 20 min.) -- The 957th day (1944, 10 min.)
Giant killers: The subject of this film is Elco, the Bayonne, New Jersey firm who made nearly 400 PT Boats during World War II. Their boats that were the largest PT boats manufactured, served all over the world and their construction was a model for others to aspire to, as was their plant and their labor force. This films sails through the manufacture of these fine machines, proudly showing off the plant and gratefully celebrating its workers.
Inside fighting China: Many history books continue to wrongly insist that it was the long-suffering Soviet Union who suffered the most amount of casualties during World War II. The fact is, China suffered far, far more in casualties, and fought for a far, far longer period of time on at least the same savage scale. This film intended to tell these facts as they had so far developed to a 1942 audience in order to get them to understand China's importance and contribution to the overall war effort.
Target: Japan: A March Of Time production illustrating the extraordinary leaps of military strength that the United States made from its low point after the Pearl Harbor attack to overpowering stamina and strength displayed in the Marshall Islands. Created with the intention of bracing an American audience to the hard, long-term task of advancing on the Imperial Japanese homeland.
Fleet that came to stay: A landmark film produced immediately after the end of hostilities detailing the herculean effort that went into the American naval campaign against the Japanese in the Pacific theater. Contains awesome combat footage with special attention on the horrific kamikaze attacks of the Battle of Okinawa and elsewhere. Produced by the Treasury Department in order to sell bonds to finance the enormous job left for the Navy to do.
The 957th day: Documents the first day of the Pacific 5th Fleet's bold Battle of the Marianas and the amphibious invasion of Guam in July of 1944. DVD 8718
Vol. 10. All American (1943, 27 min.) -- Film Communique, 8th issue (1944, 20 min.) -- Film Communique, 9th issue (1944, 21 min.) -- Life line (1943, 17 min.) -- The fight for the sky (1944, 19 min.) -- Price of victory (1942, 14 min.)
All American: A cavalcade of films produced by the Army Signal Corps to promote the achievements of the Army Air Force to America's industrial labor force. Includes an overview of the USAAF rank and file; fighter pilots in the Aleutians and the South Pacific; a bombing raid on Wegesak, Germany; air transport; more.
Film Communique, 8th issue: Includes Cape Gloucester: 7th Marines (New Guinea); Report from Britain (American and British air war against Germany); a 5th Air Force report from New Guinea, a few quick facts (supply line distances); a 5th Army report from the beachhead (Anzio).
Film Communique, 9th issue: Includes 15th Air Force report (A Liberator bomber completes 110 missions); Private Snafu: fighting tools (cartoon); Battle of the hills (Burma and the Ledo Road).
Life Line: Extraordinary film footage of the bloody amphibious invasion and seizure of Rendova Island in the Solomon chain from the Japanese, paving the way for the long range aerial bombardment of Japan by American B-29 bombers.
Fight for the sky: Future American President Ronald Reagan narrates this overview of air combat over Fortress Europe between American P-51 Mustangs, P-47 Thunderbolts and even the twin-tailed P-38 Lightning and the ME-109 Messerschmidts and F-190 Focke Wulfes of the German Luftwaffe. Filled with stunning gun camera footage of aerial combat.
Price of victory: American Vice President Henry Wallace explains to the greater American people in the first months of America's involvement in World War II what sacrifices were going to have to be made and the effort that was going to have to be spent to bring down and defeat the combined Axis forces of Germany, Japan and Italy. DVD 8719
Vol. 11. Combat bulletin no. 23 (1944, 25 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 24 (1944, 20 min.) -- It can't last (1944, 19 min.) -- Official war film W.F. 39: Battle wreckage (1944, 10 min.) -- The war speeds up (1942, 13 min.)
Combat bulletin no. 23: 5th Army pierces Gothic Line; German installations (Ostend beach fortifications and electronic aircraft jamming installation); Invasion of Morotai Island; C.B.I. (China, Burma, India): B-29S in operation; Allies capture more French ports: Boulogne, Capture of Le Havre; Allied Armies drive on Germany.
Combat bulletin no. 24: Channel coast activities (RAF raids on Dieppe, Boulogne and Calais); Ordnance repairs (in Aachen and Nancy); German frontier operations: Stolberg, Aachen, Metz, Nancy, Epinal, Belfort; Additional film airborne operations: Nijmegen, Arnheim, Eindhoven; Toulon Harbor installations; Invasion of Palau Islands.
It can't last: This cautionary drama interleaves a story about an fallen airman and the over-confidence of otherwise good man back in his hometown in order to illustrate the need not to become over-confident of victory before the war is won.
Official war film W.F. 39: Battle wreckage: A film "exclusive for the men and women of American industry" intended to provide such workers a view into where their labors were being employed in the war effort, with an eye to increasing production in order to make good losses in materiale.
The war speeds up: Jose Ferrer narrates this analysis of how hardware losses in battle and the logistical difficulties in replacing them should be expected to become more difficult as the pace of the war increases. DVD 8720
Vol. 12. Combat bulletin no. 30 (1944, 18 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 32 (1945, 13 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 33 (1945, 17 min.) -- Official war film W.F. l4: Film Communique (1943, 20 min.) -- Official war film W.F. l5: Film Communique (1943, 20 min.) -- U.S Coast Guard report No. 5: Story of a transport (1944, 20 min.)
Combat bulletin no. 30: Includes R.A.F. sinks "Tirpitz"; Front line steel production ; Bombed Belgium rail networks; Allied Armies face rain and snow; Mediterranean: Rain slows Allied Armies; Burma operations.
Combat bulletin no. 32: Includes Aachen front; Vosges Mountain front; Pacific: Sharpshooter course for jungle fighters; Mediterranean: Italian front (rain creates transport problems for advancing Allied armies); Fighting in the Warsaw suburbs (Russian offensive).
Combat bulletin no. 33: Includes School for jungle life; Activities in European theater of operations: Aachen, Liege, Sarrebourg, Strasbourg, Mulhous; Island icebox (a soldier's improvised personal refrigerator at Kwajalein); Advance toward Ormoc Road; Carrier strikes in Ormoc and Manila Bays.
Official war film W.F.14: Film Communique: Contains Hitting the beach (LST's and their use in amphibious invasions); Dog fight (P-47 Fighters in Britain); Sunday morning (A Catholic mass on a tropical isle "somewhere"); Casey Jones goes G.I. (Allied attacks upon Germany railroads prior to D-Day invasion); Hitting the silk (MacArthur organizes paratrooper operations in New Guinea).
Official war film W.F.15: Film Communique: Contains Aerial techniques (Southwest Pacific based bombers attack New Guineau and Rabaul, gun camera footage of aerial combat with Japanese planes); Roll of honor (the rebuilding of Munda airfield in the Solomon Islands after being reclaimed from the Japanese); Fifth Army (The Salerno front).
U.S Coast Guard report No. 5: Story of a transport: The remarkable story of the troop transport christened by Eleanor Roosevelt as USS Wakefield, formerly America's first great luxury ocean liner Manhattan until America's war declaration. DVD 8721
Vol. 13. Combat bulletin no. 42 (February, 1945, 29 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 5 (1944, 15 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 6 (1944, 22 min.) -- U.S. News Review issue no. 5 (1942, 16 min.) -- Official war film W.F. 13 (1943, 20 min.)
Combat bulletin no. 42: Includes Meeting of Allied leaders (Malta & Yalta Conferences); Nazi shipping attacked along Norwegian Coast; St. Nazaire truce for civilian evacuation; Boots improvised to prevent trench foot; Cub planes in snow; Baily assault bridge; Activities in Burma ; Army-Navy planes hit Japanese installations (Osaka, Formosa, Manila Bay, Saigon); Operations in the Philippines.
Combat bulletin no. 5: Includes Stop that tank! (Japanese tank strengths & vulnerabilities); Something new has been added! (The B-29); In the South Pacific - No field cable? Signalmen make their own; The Nettunia "Quads" - Home-made gadget steps up bazooka power; A new land mine problem; Modern day specialists (Infantry)
Combat bulletin no. 6: Includes Beachhead operation (Anzio - with pieces on field bakery, barrage balloon unit, engineers & other support operations)
U.S. News Review issue no. 5: Includes Safety styles (Veronica Lake's hairdo is removed for women's war work); Unmanned machines mean unarmed men; Our children: A war problem; 1000 plane raid (on Bremen); The Army Air Corps song.
Official war film W.F. 13: This film "exclusive for the Men and Women of American Industry", was intended to provide such workers with a view into where their labors were being employed in the war effort. Features "The chase of the tremendous trifle," the story of the U.S.'s strategic bombing campaign against Nazi Germany's ball bearing plants in general and the Schweinfurt manufacturing complex in particular. DVD 8722
Vol. 14. Combat bulletin no. 22 (1944, 26 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 28 (1944, 18 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 37 (1945, 22 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 4 (1944, 18 min.) -- U.S. News Review issue no. 2 (1943, 20 min.)
Combat bulletin no. 22: Includes operations in France: Capture of Brest/20,000 Germans surrender; New flying bomb launching sites; Allies move on Germany: American 3rd Army/British 2nd Army/American 1st Army; E.T.O.: airborne operations.
Combat bulletin no. 28 : Includes activities in the European Theatre of operations: Battle of the Netherlands/Glider-pick-up at Eindhoven/Air Force fighter kills; Mediterranean: Liberation of Greece; C.B.I.: Activities in Buma; the United States Navy presents: The Naval battle of the Philippines.
Combat bulletin no. 37: Includes Liberation of the Philippines; North America: Air ferry route to Siberia; India-Burma: Advance in Burma; Eastern Front: Nazi version of action in the East ; factories in Paris subway; Activities on the European Theatre of operations: Duren/bomb damage in Strasbourg/additional films: Battle of the Bulge. Combat bulletin no. 4: Includes Cassino; Japs and jungle: Southwest Pacific.
U.S. News Review issue no. 2: Includes survey finds much travel unneccesary; Mobile laundry for front line troops; Alcan Highway finished - New link with Alaska; Damien Parer, Australian cameraman reports jungle warfare in New Guinea. DVD 8723
Vol. 15. Combat bulletin no. 17 (1944, 37 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 34 (1944, 15 min.) -- T.F. 21 Official training film: Fighting men: baptism of fire (1943, 36 min.)
Combat bulletin no. 17: Includes Mediterranean: Invasion of Southern France; E.T.O.: Northern France; C.B.I.: Operations in Burma (features "The Chindits"); Pacific: Japs attack task force (Battle of the Marianas).
Combat bulletin no. 34: Includes activities in the European Theatre of Operations: 9th Army front/Port of Antwerp/Fighter kills; Mediterranean: Malaria control on Corsica; C.B.I.: B-29 crash in China; Pacific: Jap phosphorus bombs; C.B.I.: Capture Bhamo, Burma Road link.
T.F. 21 Official training film - Fighting men: Baptism of fire (1943, 36 min.): One of the most extraordinary movies of WWII. This film teaches the combat soldier how to deal with his first experience under fire, how to overcome his fears, how to kill without guilt and how to do better at all these things over time. DVD 8724
Vol. 15. Combat bulletin no. 21 (1944, 19 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 35 (1944, 19 min.) -- Combat bulletin no. 36 (1943, 22 min.) -- Official War Film: W.F. 16 (1943, 20 min.)
Combat bulletin no. 21: Includes Mediterranean: Progress in Southern France/activities in Italy; C.B.I.: Bridge over Salween River; Pacific: Clean-up at Aitape; E.T.O.: Northern France and Belgium/American 3rd Army.
Combat bulletin no. 35: Includes Pacific: Japs raid Saipan B-29 Base; Pacific: G.I.'s get whole blood from home; E.T.O.: "Black widow" and "Jato"; India-Burma: Activites in Burma; China: Activities in China; Activities in the European Theatre of operations: 1st Army: Duren, 3rd Army: Sarreguemines, 7th Army: Strasbourg.
Combat bulletin no. 36: Includes Pacific: Operations in the Philippine Islands: Ormoc landings/Troops land on Mindoro; Mediterranean: Activities in Italy: Bologna; E.T.O.: Seized German film on work mobilization/First phase of German counter offensive (Battle of the Bulge) /Stavelot/Malmedy/Saint Vith/Bastonge.
Official war film W.F. 16 (1943, 19:54): This film "Exclusive for the men and women of American Industry", intended to provide such workers a view into where their labors were being employed in the war effort, features P-47s come to town (P-47s shipped to Europe); Two million dollar hill (Supply Depots); A few quick facts (Air Transport, Chinese soldier wages; American naval war production); Hawaiian Jungle training; Bloody Tarawa. DVD 8725
- World War II in Color
- A three part series of recently re-discovered color film of WWII. 50 min. each installment.
A New World Order The year is 1937 and in the German heartland, a Nazi rally reveals pre-war passions being nurtured by Hitler's leadership which would soon unleash global conflict, as witnessed in color combat footage of the technology deployed by Hitler in his support of Franco's Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War. Includes footage of Stalin's Russia, the aftermath of the Allied retreat from Dunkirk, American factories churning out vital materials, and the home movies of Hitler's mistress. Concludes with color footage of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Video/C 9178
Total War. Roused by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, America mobilizes her industrial and military might while in the European arena, color footage records the advance of German troops towards Moscow, the execution of Serbian insurgents, and the inhuman conditions of the Warsaw ghetto. Combat action ranges from the Battle of Stalingrad to nightime bomber raids on German targets, while the fight for control of the Pacific gets underway as plans are laid for the D-Day invasion of Europe. Video/C 9179
Triumph and Despair. The landings on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day are revealed in color in all their chaos and heroism. Once ashore, the Allied forces are seen griding their way through the hard-fought "battle of the hedgerows" to the Battle of the Bulge, to Berlin's fall and the final disintegration of Hitler's Third Reich. Meanwhile, in the Pacific, some of the war's bloodiest battles are also being fought. Also includes rare footage of the war's aftermath -- from the liberation of the Nazi death camps to the global celebrations of V.E. and V.J. Days. Video/C 9180
- WW II in HD
- This first documentary to show original color footage of World War II in immersive HD, uses the journals and accounts of those who served in the war's biggest battles to create a personal, introspective, and detailed look at life on and off the front lines. Follow 12 unforgettable Americans, and experience the war as seen through their eyes, in their own words, and it really looked and sounded. Transforms their stirring journey into a tangible piece of history. Features the voices of: Josh Lucas (Bert Stiles), Amy Smart (June Wandrey), Rob Lowe (Robert Sherrod), Justin Bartha (Jack Werner), LL Cool J (Shelby Westbrook), Steve Zahn (Nolen Marbrey), Jason Ritter (Jack Yusen), Ron Livingston (Charles Scheffel), Tim Dekay (Richard Tregaskis), Mark Hefti (Archie Sweeney), James Kyson Lee (Jimmie Kanaya), Rob Corddry (Rockie Blunt). Disc 1. Darkness falls ; Hard way back ; Bloody resolve ; Battle stations -- Disc 2. Day of days ; Point of no return ; Striking distance ; Glory and guts -- Disc 3. Edge of the abyss ; End game. Special features: Character profiles; behind-the-scenes featurettes; "Finding the footage" featurette; "Preserving the footage" featurette. 455 min. DVD X2889
- World War II on the Air: Edward R. Murrow and the Broadcasts That Riveted a Nation
- CD track list: --Introduction --Edward R. Murrow --Edward R. Murrow --Edward R. Murrow --William L. Shirer --Edward R. Murrow,William L. Shirer --Mary Marvin Breckinridge --William L. Shirer --Edward R. Murrow --Eric Sevareid --Cecil Brown --Edward R. Murrow --William L. Shirer --William L. Shirer --Edward R. Murrow --William L. Shirer --Edward R. Murrow --Edward R. Murrow --Edward R. Murrow --Edward R. Murrow --Edward R. Murrow --Larry LeSueur --Eric Sevareid --Franklin Delano Roosevelt --Cecil Brown --Larry LeSueur --Charles Collingwood --Anschluss /Eve of war /War is declared /Peace of sorts /Phony war /Hitler's return /Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium invaded /Chamberlain resigns /German bombing of Paris /Italy to enter war /Dunkirk/Churchill : we shall never surrender /German troops enter Paris /France surrenders at Compiegne Forest /London after dark /Bombs over Berlin /London is burning /Few German pilots /Rooftop air raid /Christmas/so long and good luck /Bombing has been heavy /Big Ben bombed /Japanese embassy /Day which will live in infamy /Repulse sunk, Brown saved /Suicide job of the 1942 war /Algiers /Axis retreat in North Africa /Winston Burdett --Winston Burdett --Eric Sevareid --Winston Burdett --Edward R. Murrow --Winston Burdett --Edward R. Murrow --Edward R. Murrow --Richard C. Hottelet --Charles Collingwood --Richard C. Hottelet --Larry LeSueur --Edward R. Murrow --Richard C. Hottelet --Howard K. Smith --Bill Downs --Edward R. Murrow --William L. Shirer --Edward R. Murrow --Edward R. Murrow.Invasion of Sicily /Chinese situation /Race for the possession of Italy /Orchestrated hell /Capture of Rome /Sterner stuff lies ahead /Eisenhower's Order of the day/D-Day /Flying over Normandy /Utah Beach /Liberation of Paris (premature report) /Paris not yet free /Market Garden/parachute drop /Street fighting /Crossing the Rhine /Paratroopers /Buchenwald /V-E Day in New York /V-E Day in Piccadilly Circus /9:15 over Hiroshima /
Sound disc presents 50 actual radio broadcasts during World War II by Edward R. Murrow and other American war correspondents and reporters. Accompanied by a text covering the history and biography of these radio correspondents who reported directly to the American public as news unfolded. 66 min. Sound/D 180
- WWII, An Audio History[Sound recording]
- Spans the globe to document the audio records of the United States, Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, the Third Reich, Imperial Japan and more... to present the key moments of World War II. Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Josef Stalin, Harry S. Truman, Mildred "Axis Sally" Gillars, Neville Chamberlain, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ezra Pound, William "Lord Haw Haw" Joyce, Hermann Goering, Joseph Goebbels, Hideki Tojo, King George VI, Charles Lindbergh. 78 hours. Sound/D 206
- WWII, The Ultimate collection
- DVD 5802
Disc 1:Side A: The true glory (1945, b&w, 84 min.) / U.S. Office of War Information, Great Britain Ministry of Information ; writers, Peter Ustinov, Eric Maschwitz, Guy Trosper ; narrated by Dwight D. Eisenhower -- Side B: Know your enemy: Japan (1944, b&w, 63 min.) / Army Pictorial Service ; producer, Frank Capra -- Target for tonight (1941, b&w, 50 min.) / Central Office of Information, Middlesex, England ; writer/director, Harry Watt.
True glory: Documentary assembled from actual footage of the WWII Allied invasion of Europe, captured by thousands of different camera operators. Starting with D-Day, the film covers the major battles all the way to the fall of Berlin. Narrated by Dwight D. Eisnhower.
Know Your Enemy: Japan: Frank Capra created this film for the U.S. government in which viewers are introduced to the Japanese, explaining how the religious, political, economic and cultural history of Japan contributed toward making her a formidable foe during WWII.
Target for tonight: Follows a single Royal Air Force Bomber and its courageous crew during some of the earliest Wellington bomber raids against Nazi Germany.
Disc 2: Side A: December 7th (1944, b&w, 34 min.) / director, John Ford -- Campaign in Europe (aka Feldzug in Polen, the Polish Campaign) (1939, b&w, 34 min.) / director, Fritz Hippler -- Side B: DZ (i.e. Dropzone] Normandy: the employment of troop carrier forces (1945, b&w, 75 min.) / U. S. Army Air Forces -- D-Day (1944 [i.e. 1953?] , b&w, 28 min., episode of the television series The big picture) / U.S. Army ; narrated by Paul Newman.
December 7th: A docudrama reconstucting the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Also depicts the recovering of the ships, the improvment of defenses in Hawaii and the U.S. efforts to beat back the Japanese enforcements.
Campaign in Europe (aka, Feldzug in Polen, the Polish Campaign): An English language version presenting the German account of the Polish campaign of 1939, from the fierce fighting in Danzig, to the struggles along the Visula, to the Siege of Warsaw.
DZ Normandy (aka Dropzone Normandy): A detailed account of combined glider operations on D-Day from preparation to final outcome, including actual invasion footage, with a brief analysis of the failures and successes of this operation.
D-Day: Examines the preparations for the Normandy invasion, with an indepth look at the 84th Infantry Division fighting in Belgium.
Disc 3: Side A: Prelude to war (1942, b&w, 52 min.) / Special Service Division of the Army Service Forces ; produced and directed by Frank Capra ; writers, Eric Knight, Anthony Veiller -- Side B: Adolf Hitler (1948, b&w, 80 min).
Prelude to war: A WWII propaganda film directed by Frank Capra, demonstrates how the diplomatic and political blunders made in the wake of WWI led inexorably to WWII. Includes the Japanese conquest of Manchuria, the Italian conquest of Ethiopia and the rise of Hitler. Throughout the film the lies of fascism and totalitarianism are contrasted with the ideals of democracy.
Adolf Hiter: A feature length documentary that chronicles the life of Adolf Hitler from youth through his rise to power. Filled with historical newsreels and an assembly of footage, this is one the most thorough biographies of Hitler's life.
Disc 4: Side A: Battle of Midway (1943, col. 20 min.) / U.S. Navy Dept. , directed by John Ford ; narrators, Donald Crisp, Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell -- The fighting lady (1945, col. 60 min.) / produced by Louis De Rochemont ; narrated by Robert Taylor -- Side B: Desert victory (1943, b&w, 60 min.) / Royal Air Force Film Production Unit ; directed by Roy Boulting ; writer, J. L. Hodson ; music, William Alwyn.
Battle of Midway: A documentary on the Battle of Midway, directed by John Ford with narration by Hollywood actors.
Fighting lady: Follows the exploits of the Yorktown aircraft carrier and her crew. Cameras mounted on the wings of aircraft captured spectacular fighter combat footage and the first pictures ever of the Japanese Imperial Naval Fleet.
Desert victory: A British documentary tracing the struggle between the opposing forces of generals Rommel and Montgomery in North Africa, from the defeat at El Alamein to the ultimate British victory at Tripoli.
Awards
Academy Award - (Fighting Lady) - Best Documentary, Features
Disc 5: Side A: Nuremberg [trials] (1946, b&w, 75 min.) / Central Documentary Film Studios, Moscow ; director, C. Svilov ; producer, Roman Karmen -- Side B: The great generals: General Omar N. Bradley (1948, b&w, 28 min.) -- The great generals: General George S. Patton (1947, b&w, 27 min.) -- The great generals: General Dwight D.Eisenhower (1953, col., 25 min.)
Narrators (Great Generals series): Walter Cronkite, Lorne Greene, Walter Matthau, Ronald Reagan, Mike Wallace.
Nuremberg: This Russian documentary was assembled the same year that the Nuremberg War Crimes trials began. While many of the issues raised and fates of the defendants were unresolved at the time of production, filmmaker C. Svilov presents propaganda on behalf of the victorious Soviet forces. Includes trial footage and film used by the prosecution to show the Nazi's various crimes.
Great generals: General Omar N. Bradley: General Bradley considered himself to be a failure during WWI when he was kept stateside but during WWII he commanded a division, a corps, an army and finally a group of armies.
Great generals: General George S. Patton: This film profiles the egotistical, bullish and always controversial General Patton, a true icon of WWII, hero of the Battle of the Bulge and commander of the Allied advance into Germany.
Great generals: General Dwight D. Eisenhower: This film chronicles the achievements of General Eisenhower, the man with many titles including soldier, statesman, president, beloved hero of D-Day, the Invasion of Normandy and the defeater of Germany at the Battle of the Bulge.
Disc 6: Side A: Appointment in Tokyo (1945, b&w, 55 min.) / Army Pictorial Service, Signal Corps, with the Army Air Forces and the U.S. Navy, directed by Jack Hively. -- Side B: The Memphis Belle : [a story of a flying fortress] (1944, col., 42 min.) / produced by U.S. War Dept. under the supervision of Wlliam Wyler.
Appointment in Tokyo: Covers the entire American Pacific campaign under the leadership of General MacArthur from the Bataan retreat to the surrender of Japan. Many of the film's more unforgettable scenes are taken from captured official Japanese newsreels.
Memphis Belle: Portrays a bombing misson over Germany during WWII. Follows the "Flying Fortress" (B-17 bomber) Memphis Belle as it leads a squadron of bombers on a daring daylight attack on the submarine pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The entire mission is documented, including preparations, the bombing action and the return to base.
Watch this movie online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
Disc 7: Side A: Nazi concentration camps (1945, b&w, 60 min.) / produced by the U.S. Council for the Prosecution of Axis Criminality -- Side B: Smashing the Reich (aka: Smashing of the Reich) (1961, b&w, 83 min.) / producer, Perry Wolff.
Nazi concentration camps: The official film record of the Nazi death camps as photographed by Allied forces advancing into Germany. Shows graphic footage of half-dead prisoners, victims of medical experiments, gas chambers and open mass graves. Entered as evidence during the Nuremberg War Trials.
Smashing the Reich: Describes the fall of the Nazi war machine, from the daylight and night bombings of German industry and cities to the Normandy invasion. Includes scenes of the meeting of Russian and American troops at the Elbe River and the liberation of prisoners in concentration camps.
Disc 8: Side A: Tunisian Victory (1944, b&w, 76 min.) / British Film Unit, U.S. Army Signal Corps ; director, Frank Capra ; with Burgess Meredith and Bernard Miles -- Side B. Thunderbolt (1945, col., 45 min.) / U.S. Army Air Forces ; directors, John Sturges, William Wyler ; with James Stewart and Lloyd Bridges -- Recognition of the Japanese Zero (1942, b&w, 24 min.) / U.S. War Dept., First Motion Picture Unit, Army Air Forces ; with Ronald Reagan.
Tunisian Victory: A propaganda documentary covering the length and breadth of the allied invasion of North Africa commencing in 1942, from first landings to final triumph.
Thunderbolt: Documentary following the 47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft and its use in missions over Europe and in the Pacific theater. Recognition of the Japanese Zero: Ronald Reagan stars as an American flier in the Pacific who almost shoots down another P-40 instead of the Japanese Zero. Originally produced to illustrate the differences between the two planes for American fliers.
Krome, Frederic. "Tunisian Victory and Anglo-American Film Propaganda in World War II." Historian 1996 58(3): 517-529.
Disc 9: Side A: Combat America (1944, col., 61 min.) / narrator, Clark Gable -- War comes to America (1945, b&w, 67 min.) / U. S. Army Pictorial Service, Army Signal Corps ; producer, Frank Capra. -- Side B.: Warsaw Ghetto (1969, b&w, 51 min.) / written and produced by Hugh Burnett -- Let there be light (1946, b&w, 60 min.) / U. S. Army Pictorial Service, Army Signal Corps ; director, John Huston ; narrator, Walter Huston.
Combat America: Clark Gable narrates this documentary recounting the experiences of the 351st Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Forces, based in England. Personal accounts of pilots and infantrymen, along with commentary by military historians and journalists, give insight into America's first real look at the combat missions in Europe and the South Pacific.
War comes to America: Begins with a focus on the things "worth fighting for." With that established, looks at the history of shifting public opinion in America towards siding with the Allies against the Axis until the attack on Pearl Harbor which brought America into full scale involvement in the war. Warsaw ghetto: Presents actual photographs and films which were taken by cameramen of the German Army, the Secret Service and the Gestapo who were assigned to record life and death in the ghetto of Warsaw. Shows Jews entering the Warsaw ghetto in November 1940 and reveals the horrors of disease and hunger and deportation to the death camps. Also reconstructs the 10-day resistance of half a million Jews cut off in a half mile city area by Nazi forces. Let there be light: A wartime documentary of the emotionally disturbed war veterans being treated at Mason General Hospital. Observes various methods used to pull these shattered-in-spirit men out of their mental anguish, ranging from shock treatment to hypnosis. (Let There Be Light is also included on DVD X2866 (restored version); also DVD 5802; Video/C MM465; also on Video/C MM334
Disc 10: Side A: Kamikaze (1945, b&w, 100 min.) / produced and written by Kevin Watson and Ed Topor. -- Side B: Battle of San Pietro (1945, b&w, 43 min.) / U. S. War Dept., directed and narrated by John Huston -- Report from the Aleutians (1943, col., 47 min.) / U.S. Army Signal Corps ; directed, written and narrated by John Huston.
Kamikaze: A wartime tribute to the Japanese suicide pilots of World War II and their missions against U.S. sea power. Photographed in the final year of the war the film has an air of desperate bravado, which now serves as a record of a long-defunt Japanese cultural mindset.
Battle of San Pietro: Largely comprised of on-the-spot combat footage, concentrates on a grueling battle in the Italian stronghold of San Pietro. Examines the meaning of war and death, not only to the men engaged in comabt, but to the civilian population as well.
Report from the Aleutians: Details the day-to-day activities of protecting Alaska's Aleutian Islands from Japanese attack, concentrating on the personal element, stressing the courage under stress of the regular Joes assigned to this bleak part of the world during WWII.
- A World Without Bodies
- Documents the horror of the Nazi regime with respect to its treatment of disabled people. Beginning with an overview of eugenics ideology, the filmmakers delve into the instruments of mass murder developed first on the bodies of people with disabilities and later transferred to concentration camps. The film provides a haunting glimpse into the medical and social mindset that led to the systematic slaughter of more than 270,000 disabled individuals during World War II. The documentary ultimately asks us to contemplate the impact of these events on our attitudes toward people with disabilities in our own era. A film by Sharon Snyder & David Mitchell. 2001. 35 min. DVD 6859
- [Wyler, William] William Wyler WWII Documentaries
Edgerton, Gary. "Revisiting the recordings of wars past : remembering the documentary trilogy of John Huston." In: Reflections in a male eye : John Huston and the American experience / edited by Gaylyn Studlar and David Desser. Washington : Smithsonian Institution Press, c1993.(Main Stack PN1998.3.H87.R44 1993; Moffitt PN1998.3.H87.R44 1993)
Gallez, Douglas W. "Patterns in Wartime Documentaries."
The Quarterly of Film Radio and Television, Vol. 10, No. 2 (Winter, 1955), pp. 125-135
UC users only
Katz, Robert; Katz, Nancy. "Documentary in Transition, Part I: The United States." Hollywood Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Summer, 1948), pp. 425-433
UC users only
Marcus, Daniel.
"William Wyler's World War II Films and the Bombing of Civilian Populations." Historical Journal of Film, Radio & Television, Mar2009, Vol. 29 Issue 1, p79-90, 12p
UC users only
The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress. Portrays a bombing mission over Germany during World War II. Follows the "Flying Fortress" (B-17 bomber) Memphis Belle as it leads a squadron of bombers on a daring daylight attack on the submarine pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The entire mission is documented, including preparations, the bombing action itself, and the return to base. 1944. 42 min. DVD 5802; vhs Video/C MM467
Credits and other information from the American Film Institute Catalog (UCB users only)
Affron, Charles. "Reading The Fiction of Nonfiction: William Wyler's Memphis Belle." Quarterly Review of Film Studies, Winter1982, Vol. 7 Issue 1, p53-60, 8p
Thunderbolt. A documentary film record of the American 57th Fighter Group participating in Operation Strangle in Italy in 1944 while flying P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers from bases in Corsica. Includes film footage taken by bomber-mounted cameras showing the destroying of supply routes deep behind German lines. Narrator: James Stewart. 1944. 45 min. Video/C MM468; also on Video/C 7091
Credits and other information from the American Film Institute Catalog (UCB users only)
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- The Archives of War
- A documentary series of 20th century wars using film shot by British Pathe News, from the trenches of World War I, through the destruction of World War II, to the Cold War's atomic arsenals and the horrors of the Korean and Vietnam wars. Disc 1. World War I and the interwar years ; World War II: The leaders -- Disc 2. World War II: The battles ; The Cold War -- Disc 3. Korea ; Vietnam. DVD 1704
- The Best of See It Now
- Contents: Korean War -- Desegregation in the South --Eisenhower/Taft election -- Quality of American schools -- Peacetime uses of atomic energy -- Discussion with the scentists who discovered nuclear energy -- Flying into the eye of Hurricane Edna -- Flooding of the Missouri River -- Conversation with Carl Sandburg -- Marian Anderson's goodwill tour of Asia -- Two American originals: Grandma Moses and Louis Armstrong.
Edward R. Murrow; host, Mike Wallace.
Hosted by Mike Wallace, this documentary presents original footage from the CBS See It Now television series in which Edward R. Murrow documented the news of the previous week, inviting viewers to witness history and to meet the people directly shaping events.
Originally broadcast in 1991. 90 min. DVD 4010; also VHS Video/C 7182
See It Now website (Museum of Broadcast Communications)
Edward R. Murrow information (Museum of Broadcast Communications)
See It Now website (Museum of Broadcast Communications)
Edward R. Murrow information (Museum of Broadcast Communications)
- Douglas MacArthur, General of the Army U.S.A.
- Focuses on Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander, Pacific Theater, his successful operations against Japan, in Korea and his confrontation with President Truman later. 62 min. Video/C 459
- Grilled Rice (Gao Rang)
- A study on the North Vietnamese combat cameramen who filmed the Indo-Chinese and Vietnam Wars and founded Vietnamese cinema. Mai Loc and Khoung Me, two veterans from the French war, tell of acquiring their first cameras and instruction manuals. Mr. Xuong, a traveling projectionist during both wars, recalls projecting films along the 17th Parallel and public reaction to the films. Tran Van Thuy and Le Man Thich screen some of the material that they shot and describe the hardship and fear they faced in combat and during American bombings. For all of them, "to make propaganda was obvious." But they also discuss their regrets. Thuy says "If we had had a more critical historical awareness, we could have left much better images." They didn't film enough of the hard daily life, and regret the many "heroic deaths that were not filmed, "but it would have been "useless," as the footage would not have been used. 2001. 52 min. Video/C 8806
 Description from First Run/Icarus catalog
- Historic Time Travel: When the Guns Fell Silent
- A compilation of six 1950s newsreels presenting footage of events during and directly after the Korean War. News magazine of the screen (Vol. 1, Issue 6, 1951, 22 min.) -- News magazine of the screen, March (1952, 22 min.) -- News Magazine of the screen (Vol. 4, Issue 2, 1953, 24 min.) -- News magazine of the screen (Vol. 2, Issue 9, 1952, 24 min.) -- News magazine of the screen, October (Vol. 4, Issue 4, 1953, 23 min.) -- News magazine of the screen (Vol. 4, Issue 9, 1954, 23 min.) DVD 5151
- Korea: War, Prosperity, Democracy.
- Part 1 is a documentary film covering the major events in the Korean War. -- Part 2 describes recent industrial and agricultural advances of the Korean nation -- Part 3 and 4 examine current cultural conditions in Korea including performances of court dance and music, art exhibits and the performing arts. 1995. 93 min. Video/C 3983
- Korean War: Fire and Ice
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- A 4 part documentary on the military history of the Korean War. A&E, 1999. 45 min each installment.
Part 1: The Making of a Bloodbath. When North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, a disastrously downsized, Post-WWII American military acted swiftly to stop this first instance of armed Communist aggression but the U.N. contingent soon found itself thrown back into disarray. Bottled up with their backs to the sea at Pusan, America and her allies now faced a humiliating evacuation. Video/C 6636
Part 2: Triumph to Tragedy With the U.N. forces on the verge of being pushed into the sea at Pusan, victory was within the grasp of the surrounding North Korean army, but General Douglas MacArthur executed a high-risk amphibious landing at Inchon. Within months, MacArthur's men would drive the North Koreans almost to the Chinese border. But their victory would turn to devastating defeat, as a huge wave of Chinese troops took the U.N. contingent by surprise, forcing a retreat back into South Korea. Video/C 6637
Part 3: Retreat from Hell. Nearly overrun by the hordes of Chinese troops pouring across the Yalu River, American forces experienced defeats at the Chosin Reservoir and the evacuation of forces from the port of Hungnam. By December of 1950, the communists had recaptured the North Korean capital, Pynongyang; a month later, the southern capital of Seoul also fell. Now, with the war becoming increasingly costly for both sides, the two adversaries dug in and consolidated their forces at the 38th Parallel. Video/C 6638
Part 4: Bitter Standoff. As American casualties mounted, U.S. President Harry Truman came under increasing military and political pressure finally resulting in MacArthur's dismissal and the arrival of General Matthew Ridgway. After retaking Seoul the U.N. forces confronted the re-grouped enemy in the biggest battle of the war. But by now, U.S. policy had shifted from liberation to containing the communists at the 38th parallel. The war raged on until the armistice of July, 1953, a tenuous unstable cease-fire that continues to flare into violence even today. Video/C 6639
- Korean War Films
- Presents twelve 1950s newsreel and government information films reformatted for classroom presentation concerning the Korean War.
Back to Freedom: More war prisoners return to America (1953, 1 min.) -- Getting ready physically (1951, 11 min.) -- News magazine of the screen, March: War maneuver in Korea/Australia: Ally in the Pacific (1952, 21 min.) -- Orphaned Korean boy arrives in San Francisco (early 1950s, 1 min.) -- Relief supplies for Korea (early 1950s, 1 min.) -- Service and citizenship (1951, 11 min.) -- Starting now (1951, 11 min.) -- Crime of Korea (1950, 15 min.) -- News magazine of the screen, Vol. 1, Issue 6 (1951, 22 min.) -- News magazine of the screen, October, Vol. 4, Issue 2 (1953, 23 min.) -- News magazine of the screen, April (1951, 19 min.) -- News magazine of the screen, April: "Another version" (1951, 19 min.) -- News magazine of the screen, March: "Another version" War maneuver in Korea/Australia: Ally in the Pacific (1952, 21 min.) DVD 4453
- This is Korea.
- Producer, John Ford. This is Korea is a documentary of U.S. propaganda to bolster sagging morale during the Korean War. Video/C 3099; also on vhs Video/C 7627

Murphy, William T. John Ford and the Wartime Documentary. Film & History 1976 6(1)
- The Weapon of Choice
- (War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; 2) Against the backdrop of the Cold War and the development of the hydrogen bomb, the growing reliance of superpowers on nuclear weapons is explored. The Korean War and its impact on U.S. nuclear weapons decisions is also examined. 60 min. Video/C 1282
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- 24 Hours After Hiroshima
- On August 6th, 1945 a weapon unlike any other was unleashed on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Four days later, the Japanese surrendered, having been subjected to horrors and devastation previously unknown and unimaginable. This film tells the second-by-second story of that tragic day as seen through the eyes of those in the air and on the ground, including the last interview with the weapons test officer who armed the bomb. 50 min. DVD X4599
- The Bomb: February-September 1945 (World at War; 24).
- On August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber, the "Enola Gay" named after the mother of the pilot Paul Tibbetts, dropped the world's first uranium bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Four days later a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Narrated by Laurence Olivier. 52 min. Video/C 1625
- Brotherhood of the Bomb: Interview with Gregg Herken
- Author Gregg Herken discusses his book, "Brotherhood of the Bomb," and the backgrounds and relationships of Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Robert Teller,the three physicists who were responsible for the creation of the atomic bombs used in World War II. Includes slides of the three scientists and their colleagues during the developmental stages of the atomic bomb and cyclotrons in Berkeley, California. Recorded Oct. 17, 2002 at Black Oak Books, Berkeley, California. 56 min. Video/C 9859
- The Day After Trinity: J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb.
- People who worked with J. Robert Oppenheimer discuss the man, his role in the development of the atomic bomb, his fall from grace during the McCarthy era, and his desire to see nuclear proliferation controlled. 90 min. DVD 1245; also vhs Video/C 242
Clip 1 Clip 2
Clip 3
Digitized and mounted with the permission of Jon Else
- Euromissles: Lectures by E.P. Thompson.
- The British author and disarmament leader addresses the nuclear arms issues concerning Europe and the probability of a nuclear disarmament agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union. Video/C 502:1-2
- Fallout, 1945. (People's Century, 1997.)
- Tells of the impact of nuclear energy upon the world starting with the first use of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and covering nuclear testing, the "arms race", protest movements against nuclear armaments and nuclear power and the nuclear power plant accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Video/C 6432
- Hellfire: A Journey from Hiroshima
- Captures the artists Iri and Toshi Maruki in their decades long collaboration to create a monumental testament to the effects of the atomic bomb - the Hiroshima murals, which have been viewed by over 100 million people around the world. Engaging interviews and extended sequences of the Marukis at work are shown. Directed by John Junkerman. 58 min. DVD 4139
- Hiroshima
- A dramatized documentary exploring the humanity and the horror of the first atomic attack. 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 in Hiroshima. Narrator: John Hurt. 2005. 92 min. DVD 5808
- Hiroshima no pika
- An animated film based on the award winning children's book by the Japanese artist Toshi Maruki. Through Maruki's hear-rending but beautiful water color illustrations, the film tells the story of a young girl and her family who live through the horrific bombing of Hirsohima. Based on the book "Hiroshima no pika " by Toshi Maruki. Directed by Noriaki Tsuchimoto. 25 min. DVD 4139
- Hiroshima, the People's Legacy.
- Drawings and illustrations by survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bomb challenge viewers to evaluate the event's impact from a personal viewpoint. Recalls stories of the artists, often in their own words, translated by a narrator, and includes photographs and films of Hiroshima prior to and after the blast. 45 min. Video/C 536
- I Am Become Death: They Made the Bomb.
- Here six of the experimental physicists involved in the creation of the atomic bomb speak about their experiences at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. As their lives and work at Los Alamos are revealed, they relate stories of contradictons and jealousies and how each came to terms with the atomic era's most immediate consequence: the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Commentary: Edward Teller, Hans Bethe, Robert Wilson, Robert Serber, Robert Christy, Harold Agnew, Paul Tibbets. 1995. 55 min. Video/C 9856
Description from First Run/Icarus catalog
- J. Robert Oppenheimer: Father of the Atomic Bomb
- xamines the life of controversial physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer who led the Manhattan Project in 1942 and came to be known as "Father of the atomic bomb." Although he served as a government adviser on nuclear weapons, he eventually campaigned against further development of nuclear arms. Broadcast as an episode of the A&E Network television program A&E Biography. c1995. 46 min. Video/C MM31
Day After Trinity. DVD 1245; also VHS 242
- The Mushroom Club
- A filmmaker's journey to Hiroshima, sixty years after the bomb. The film features ten hibakusha or atomic bomb survivors. The oldest was a 25 year old newlywed and the youngest weren't born yet when the atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. On that day, all of their lives were unalterably changed, beyond what most of us can image. Produced, written, directed, filmed and edited by Steven Okazaki. c2005. 35 min. DVD 6621
- Nagasaki Journey = Nagasaki Jani.
- A look at the immediate and continuing aftermath after the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The film tells personal stories of two Japanese survivors of the bombing and a U.S. marine who was one of the first American troops to occupy the city after thewar ended. Features recently discovered film footage shot by Marines during their occupation, as well as striking photos taken the day after the blast by Japanese Army photographer, Yosuke Yamahata. 28 min. Video/C 4060.
- No More Hibakusha.
- This powerful and moving documentary focuses on a few of the 80 hibakusha who journeyed from Japan to New York in June, 1982, to take part in peace demonstrations held to coincide with the United Nation's Second Special Session on Disarmament. The film reveals the mental anguish of the hibakusha who are still haunted by nightmares. Director, Martin Duckworth. 1983. 56 min. DVD 8198; vhs Video/C 849
- Original Child Bomb: Meditations on the Origin of the Atomic Age
- Combines declassified footage, photographs, drawings and animation to re-imagine the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from the perspective of the victims. Use of the testimonies of soldiers and ordinary people who witnessed that day. Questions the political rhetoric surrounding concepts of "security" and "weapons of mass destruction" as they relate to nuclear weapons. Inspired by the poem by Thomas Merton. Director, Carey Schonegevel. 2004. 57 min. DVD X2957
- Rain of Ruin: The Bombing of Nagasaki.
- Film presents an examination of the political and military history of the weeks leading up to the atomic bombings of Japan. Top historical scholars present the principal theories which explain why the bombing occurred, revealing it to be a more complex event than normally believed. The program draws on previously unpublished, declassified documents from American, Japanese and Soviet archives, as well as remarkable film footage. Also features interviews with members of the U.S. bomber crew, Nagasaki survivors, and other key participants. 56 min. Video/C 4059.
- Survivors.
- Survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb holocausts reveal their fears and profound traumas, including recurring nightmares, radiation-related ailments, and community ostracism, and describe their fight for government medical insurance coverage. Interviews with thirty Japanese Americans who have either returned or immigrated to the United States are augmented with archival and newsreel footage and commentary by medical and psychiatric professionals. 58 min. Video/C 1242
- Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie
- Chronicles the top secret history, design, production and testing of atomic and hydrogen bombs by the United States and other countries. Incorporates rare previously unreleased and classified government footage of these weapons and interviews with Edward Teller and Frank H. Shelton. 120 min. DVD 2090
- White Light, Black Rain
- Directors of photography, Takafumi Kawasaki, Steve Condiotti, Masafumi Ichinose.
In August 1945, the world was transformed in the blink of an eye when American forces dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and then Nagasaki. The destruction was unprecedented and the bombings precipitated the end of World War II. Contains archival footage and stunning photography. Interviews are from both Japanese survivors and the Americans who believed that their involvement would help end a brutal conflict. Produced, directed & edited by Steven Okazaki. Originally produced as a documentary film in 2007. 86 min. DVD 8412
- Witness to Hiroshima
- Japanese citizen Keiji Tsuchiya uses 12 powerful watercolors to tell the story of his experiences in Hiroshima as a 17-year-old soldier immediately following the dropping of the atomic bomb. While the film addresses a horrific moment in history, it emphasizes how Mr. Tsuchiya has directed his life toward purpose and healing through lifelong commitments to advocating for atomic survivors, opposing nuclear weapons, and preserving the horseshoe crab. Director, editor, Kathy Slonae. c2008. 16 min. DVD X1205
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Cold War Propaganda and Atomic Hysteria
War and War-Era Movies: Cold War & World War III
- The Archives of War
- A documentary series of 20th century wars using film shot by British Pathe News, from the trenches of World War I, through the destruction of World War II, to the Cold War's atomic arsenals and the horrors of the Korean and Vietnam wars. Disc 1. World War I and the interwar years ; World War II: The leaders -- Disc 2. World War II: The battles ; The Cold War -- Disc 3. Korea ; Vietnam. DVD 1704
- Are We Winning, Mommy?
- An examination of the historical roots of the Cold War and its effects on American life. The film features a wealth of images and historical footage from both European and American archives as well as revealing interviews with some of the key players on both sides. A primary focus is on the role of the mass media in shaping attitudes and controlling American anti-communist feeling about the Cold War, with illustrations, simultaneously comic and chilling, from Hollywood features, TV programs, and animated cartoons. 1986. 87 min. Video/C MM1001
- A is for Atom, B is for Bomb: A Portrait of Edward Teller (Nova series).
- A composite portrait of Edward Teller, assembled from interviews with the nuclear scientist, with his associates, and with his opponents. Also gives a history of nuclear weapons research in America. Video/C 135
- America in the Second Nuclear Age
- A conversation with: Jonathan Schell, Frances FitzGerald, Michael Nacht, Mark Danner
Sponsored by the Goldman Forum on the Press & Foreign Affairs and UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. Co-sponsored by The Commonwealth Club of California. The live event took place on April 30, 2003 in Sibley Auditorium, UC Berkeley. 1 hour, 35 minutes
View it with RealPlayer
- The Arsenal (America; 11).
- Deals with the American way of war from colonial Williamsburg to the modern sentimental traditions of the armed forces. 52 min. Video/C 1425
- Ashes of the Cold War.
- Chronicles the recent history of two American military contractors. General Dynamics, once the country's largest defense manufacturer, and Hughes Aircraft Company, the largest supplier of military electronics,as each tries to carve out a future in a radically changed defense environment. 56 min. Video/C 3065
- Atomic Attack.
- 1960's documentary which shows a typical American family coping with the crisis that occurs when an atomic bomb is dropped on a nearby city. 60 min. Video/C 2292.
- The Atomic Cafe
- A documentary exploration of the United States government's propaganda promoting the atomic bomb. Relies on film clips of the 1940's and 1950's, including bits and pieces of propoganda films, newsreels, popular songs, and defense training films. Includes such issues as bomb shelters, atomic fallout and teaching children to "duck and cover." 1982. 92 min. DVD 1133; Video/C 1025
Public Shelter
- Atomic Newsreels, or Pathetic Atomic Tests
- Contents: News magazine of the screen: Atomic energy / Warner-Pathe News (1950s, 22 min.) -- News magazine of the screen, Vol. 2, issue 6 / Warner-Pathe News (1952, 23 min.) -- News magazine of the screen, Vol. 5, issue 10 / Warner-Pathe News (1955, 22 min.).
News magazine of the screen: Atomic energy: Excellent compilation of 1950s newsreel stories on atomic weapons testing, civil defense and nuclear energy. News magazine of the screen, Vol. 2, issue 6: Edited for use in schools this collection of newsreels includes the Frenchman's Flat, Nevada nuclear test. Also includes other events of the time. News magazine of the screen, Vol. 5, issue 10: Edited for use in schools, a collection of newsreels which includes civil defense drills for a nuclear attack. Also includes other events of the time. DVD 2660
- Atomic Propaganda Films
- Contents: About fallout / U.S. Office of Civil Defense (1955, 9 min.) -- About fallout / U.S. Office of Civil Defense (1963, 23 min.) -- Hanford Science Forum / sponsored by General Electric (1957, 10 min.) -- Stay safe, stay strong: the facts about nuclear weapons / produced for the U.S. Air Force (1960, 23 min.).
About fallout (1955): The U.S. Office of Civil Defense produced this film to "debunk" popular beliefs about nuclear fallout. Features a segment on how to simply "wash and wipe" contaminated foods to make them safe for eating after a nuclear attack. About fallout (1963): The U.S. Office of Civil Defense found its earlier film by the same name so good, and that so much more needed to be told, that they took the film and expanded it by nearly twice its original length to dispel many of the "common myths and fallacies" about radioactive fallout. Hanford Science Forum: General Electric sponsored this television piece of residential propaganda to assure the residents of Richland, Washington that the Hanford Plutonium Plant was not poisoning the Columbia River with radioactive agents. Stay safe, stay strong: the facts about nuclear weapons: In animated format, a splendid piece of interdepartmental propaganda, produced for the U.S. Air Force, seeking to instruct their personnel about the power, physics, testing, delivery and handling of nuclear weapons. DVD 2659
- Atomic Scare Films. Volume 1
- Contents: Survival under atomic attack / U.S. Federal Civil Defense Administration (b&w, 1951, 9 min.); Duck and cover (b&w, 195-?, 10 min.); American cities atomic fallout strategy / U.S. Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization (color, 195-?, 27 min.); The Atom strikes / U.S. Army Pictorial Service (b&w, 195-?, 30 min.); You can beat the A-Bomb (b&w, 1950, 20 min.); Two Civil defense commercials / U.S. National Guard (b&w, 3 min.); Radioactive fallout and shelter (color, 20 min.).
Motion pictures produced by various agencies of the U.S. government that explain the perils of atom bomb attack and precautions to be taken during a raid. They show where to go and what to do when a bomb explodes, what protective measures to employ against radiation, the building and use of fallout shelters, the use of geiger counters, and how to provide emergency medical treatment when no assistance is available. Duck and cover uses animation to teach elementary school children how to protect themselves. The Atom strikes gives views of the Hiroshima bombing and closeup shots of devastated areas. Also includes two TV commercials concerning the readiness of the National Guard in time of attack. 120 min. Video/C 4868
- Atomic T.V.
- Contents: Duck and cover (10 min, 1950); Survival under atomic attack (9 min., 1952); The Future is now (14 min., 195-?); Five promotions for science fiction films which involve nuclear energy (11 min., 195-?); A Captain Midnight promotion featuring the ballplayer, Duke Snider (2 min., 195-?); Captain Midnight: Atomic proving grounds (14 min., 195-?).
Two documentary films produced by the U.S. government focus on how to survive an atomic attack. Duck and Cover teaches elementary school children how to protect themselves during an atomic attack while Survival under Atomic Attack explains the dangers of the atom bomb and survival skills to adults. The Future is Now focuses on technological advances in the early '50's predicting the invention of new electronic household devices, computers and demonstrates future uses of nuclear power and solar energy. The Captain Midnight episode demonstrates how this superhero survives an atom bomb explosion by hiding in an air raid shelter. 60 min. Video/C 4803
- Bay of Pigs Declassified
- Drawing extensively on documents that were kept under wraps for nearly 40 years, this documentarty tells the complete story of the ill-fated invasion. Scholars and historians examine its place in the drama of the Cold War, and reveal how it still colors U.S.-Cuban relations. Originally broadcast on television program History undercover in 1996. 50 min. DVD X747
- The Bikini Atoll
- On July 1, 1946 the United States military began twelve years of nuclear testing at Bikini in the South Pacific's Marshall Islands. This video includes archival footage of the nuclear explosions, interviews with the scientists in Los Alamos who developed the bombs used at Bikini, firsthand accounts from Bikini islanders who were forced to leave their homes, and views of sunken ships offshore that now attract undersea wreck divers. Produced and directed by Nick Versteeg. c1997. 49 min. Video/C MM885
- Birth of the Bomb.
- Tells the story of the atomic bomb, from the race between the U.S. and Nazi Germany to develop it, to its use against the Japanese. 50 min. Video/C 801
- Bound by the Wind
- Discusses the effects of nuclear weapons testing, especially the effects on the human population. Features victims of radioactive fallout from these tests. Includes interviews with victims who live near the test sites as well as those who live downwind of the sites, the "downwinders." Produced by David L. Brown. 1993. 59 min. DVD 8976
- Brave New World, 1945-62: Cold War Begins.(People's Centuiry).
- Just over fifty years ago, Soviet and American troops met at the River Elbe and rejoiced at the defeat of Nazi Germany but their optimism was short lived. This film tracks the building tensions between these two superpowers, from the post-war world of the late 1940s through the early 1960s, as the hope for peace swiftly disintegrated into a "cold" war. Here eyewitnesses recall the meeting on the Elbe, the impact of Stalin, Churchill and Khrushchev, propaganda wars between the two nations, the Berlin blockade, the Hungarian uprising and the installation of the Berlin Wall. 1997. 56 min. Video/C 5552
- Building Bombs
- Profiling a diverse cast of outspoken community members, from a physicist-turned-peace-activist, a politician who speechifies on the good jobs created by the plant, and a worker whose body courses with radioactive particles, Building bombs artfully grapples with the profound realities of a world filled with nukes by listening closely to those who must live day-to-day in the shadow of the H-bomb. Extras (ca. 105 min.): Filmmaker interviews ; short films from the Atomic Energy Commission ; discussion of the PBS censorship controversy ; photo gallery ; theatrical trailer ; filmmaker biographies. Produced and directed by Mark Mori and Susan Robinson. 1989. 55 min. DVD X460
- Clouds of Doubt.
- Explores the issue of the safety of atomic bomb tests conducted by the United States in Nevada in the 1950's. Official denials of health hazards are contradicted by the comments of scientists such as Linus Pauling, John Gofman, and Richard Mancuso who insist the Atomic Energy Commission knew the risks involved. 50 min. Video/C 213.
- The Cold War. 1998. 47 min. each installment.
Comrades, 1917-1945. Though ideological enemies, the Soviet Union and the United States are allies against Hitler during WWII. At the end of the war, Europe is divided, and the one-time allies now confront each other knowing that the United States has the atomic bomb. Video/C 5735 Iron Curtain, 1945-1947. The Soviet Union dominates Eastern Europe. Churchill warns of the consequences. Stalin insists that the governments of the Soviet Union's client states be pro-communist. Impoverished after the war, Great Britain opts out as a world power. The United States assumes the mantle of world leadership. Video/C 5735
Marshall Plan, 1947-1952. The United States adopts the Truman doctrine, pledging to defend freedom worldwide. Secretary of State George Marshall plans to bolster economic recovery in Europe. Seeing this as a threat, Stalin forbids his satellites to participate. The world effectively divides. Video/C 5735
Berlin, 1948-1949 In Berlin, the American, British and French sectors form a Western enclave in the Soviet zone of divided Germany. In June 1948, the Soviets blockade the city, but the Western allies successfully airlift in supplies. In August 1949, Soviet scientists explode an atomic bomb, establishing nuclear parity between the two superpowers. Video/C 5736
Reds, 1947-1953. Following Stalin's domination of Eastern Europe and the loss of China, American democracy falls victim to anti-communist hysteria, but survives it. Eisenhower is elected President. In the Soviet Union, Stalin reinforces the climate of terror on which his rule is based. When he dies in 1953, the Soviet people mourn the end of an era. Video/C 5736
Korea, 1949-1953. In June 1950, North Korea invades the South, with Stalin's blessing. The United States, backed by the United Nations, defends South Korea, and then is confronted by communist China. In mid-1951, the war grinds to a bloody stalemate but eventually an armistice is signed. Aggression has been contained. Video/C 5736
After Stalin, 1953-1956. Thaw is conceivable with Stalin's death. Khrushchev outmaneuvers Malenkov for power and visits the West. Germans, Poles and Hungarians attempt to rise against Soviet rule. In 1956, an uprising in Hungary is ruthlessly crushed by Soviet tanks. The United States, pledged to contain rather than overthrow communism, does nothing. Video/C 5737
Sputnik, 1949-1961. In the mid-50s, the Soviet Union seems to be forging ahead. In October 1957, the first Soviet satellite Sputnik orbits the earth--to the dismay and fear of the United States, frustrated by its own ineffectual space program. In 1961, the Soviets launch Yuri Gargarin into space. America will have to meet the challenge. Video/C 5737
The Wall, 1958-1963. The fate of Germany remains unresolved. West Germany has been admitted to NATO. Within East Germany, Berlin is divided between East and West by an open border. Thousands seize the chance to flee the communist system. To keep their people in, the East Germans, with Soviet backing, build The Wall. Video/C 5737
Cuba, 1959-1962. Khruschev decides, with Castro's agreement, to install short-range and medium-range missiles in Cuba, only 90 miles from the U.S. The United States detects the missile sites and blockades the island. The superpowers confront each other; but rather than embark on nuclear war, they each step back. Video/C 5738
Vietnam, 1954-1968. Vietnam has been divided since the end of French colonial rule. The North is run by communists, the South by anti-communists. Ignoring warnings against involvement in a nationalist struggle, the United States commits its armed forces. American protests against the war mount as the U.S. begins to realize this is not a war it can win. Video/C 5738
MAD, 1960-1972. Throughout the 60s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union are locked in a nuclear stand-off; each realizes that bombing the enemy could provoke retaliation and self-destruction. Nuclear strategy evolves into Mutual Assured Destruction, or MAD, in which both sides are guaranteed certain annihilation in the event of nuclear war. Video/C 5738
Make Love Not War, The Sixties. Western economies grow and prosper, fueled partly by armaments production. Rejecting their parents' affluence and the Cold War, many of the young protest and rebel. There is racial violence in U.S. inner cities while rock music comes to express the mood of a disenchanted generation. Video/C 5739
Red Spring, The Sixties.In the Soviet bloc, communist rule stifles ambition and achievement. Soviet defense expenditure cripples economic growth. The young lust for totems of America's youth culture--blue jeans and rock-n-roll. In Czechoslovakia, Dubcek attempts limited reform, but in 1968, Soviet force crushes the Prague Spring. Video/C 5739
China, 1949-1972. Chinese communists win the longest civil war in 20th century history. Mao's land reforms are popular but in 1958, he embarks on a series of catastrophic changes. China maintains an increasingly uneasy relationship with the Soviet Union. In 1960 the Sino-Soviet split paves the way for President Nixon's historic visit to Beijing. Video/C 5739
Detente, 1969-1975. North Vietnam launches a new offensive against the South. The U.S. steps up its bombing campaign but seeks peace through diplomacy. Nixon and Brezhnev sign the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT). The U.S. finally withdraws from Vietnam. Detente culminates in the Helsinki Declaration of 1975. Video/C 5740
Good Guys, Bad Guys, 1967-1978 The superpowers use surrogates to wage ideological and often physical conflict. In 1967 and 1973, American backed-Israel triumphs over Soviet-backed Egypt and Syria. In Africa, the Soviets exploit nationalist, anti-colonial struggles. The U.S. supports South Africa in its battle against communism. Video/C 5740
Backyard, 1954-1990. The U.S. has always regarded Latin America as its own backyard. Fearing the spread of communism, it seeks to destabilize leftist governments. In 1973, the CIA helps overthrow the Chilean President Salvador Allende; in the 1980s, it supports right-wing extremists in Nicaragua and El Salvador. Video/C 5740
Freeze, 1977-1981. Concern for human rights in the East grows; detente ebbs. The Soviets arm Eastern Europe. The U.S. threatens to site missiles in Western Europe. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan ends detente. Promising tougher measures against Moscow, Reagan defeats Carter for the presidency. In Poland, martial law is imposed. Video/C 5741
Soldiers of God, 1975-1988. Afghanistan is a war that costs the lives of almost 15,000 Soviet conscripts and an estimated one million Afghans. The U.S. supplies billions of dollars of weapons to unlikely allies--Islamic fundamentalists. The result is a Vietnam-style conflict which takes its toll on the Soviets and hastens the end of the Cold War. Video/C 5741
Spies, 1944-1994. Early CIA attempts to penetrate the Iron Curtain are thwarted. The U.S. reacts with increasingly sophisticated technological intelligence--the U-2 spy-plane, satellite reconnaissance and electronic eavesdropping. Yet human spies remain important. Sometimes betrayers, sometimes betrayed, many spies pay with their lives. Video/C 5741
Star Wars, 1980-1988. Reagan boosts U.S. defense spending and proposes the Strategic Defense Initiative, an anti-missile system in space. New premier Gorbachev knows the Soviets can't match the U.S., and wants to liberalize and reconstruct the Russian economy. After summits in Geneva, Reykjavik and Washington, the leaders agree to drastic arms cuts. Video/C 5742
The Wall Comes Down, 1989. Incredibly quickly, the Soviet bloc is breaking up, virtually without bloodshed. First Poland, then Hungary, then East Germany slip away from communist control. Gorbachev makes no effort to hold them back with force. Amid scenes of jubilation, the hated Berlin Wall comes down. Video/C 5742
Cold War. ConclusionsThe U.S. proves the stronger, the Soviet Union implodes. Germany is reunified. Shorn of its empire and communist domination, Russia faces its future with its economy in chaos. The balance of terror that has kept the peace for more than 40 years vanishes. The Cold War has ended without the use of nuclear weapons. Video/C 5742
- Countdown to Zero
- Tracing the history of the atomic bomb from its origins to the present state of global affairs: nine nations possessing nuclear weapons capabilities with others racing to join them, with the world held in a delicate balance that could be shattered by an act of terrorism, failed diplomacy, or a simple accident. The film makes a compelling case for worldwide nuclear disarmament, an issue more topical than ever as over 40 nations have the technical capacity to construct nuclear weapons. Written and directed by Lucy Walker. c2010. 89 min. DVD X5006
- Cuban Missile Crisis Tapes
- An analysis of the debates and strategies discussed by Kennedy and his closest advisers during the Cuban Missile Crisis taken from the recently released audio tapes from the Kennedy Library. Commentary by Robert McNamara. Originally broadcast on the television program Nightline, on October 24, 1996. 23 min. Video/C 5948
- Dark Circle.
- A documentary that follows the trail of plutonium from the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons facility in Colorado, to the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in California, to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Produced and directed by Chris Beaver, Judy Irving, Ruth Landy. DVD special features: "Nagasaki journey; Hidden voices" -- the true story of Karen Silkwood (8 min.) ; interview with the filmmakers; filmmaker biographies. 82 min. DVD 7505; vhs Video/C 1556
- Everyman.
- The boat Everyman was built by peace groups in the San Francisco Bay Area for the purpose of protesting nuclear testing by sailing into Pacific Ocean nuclear test zones. The film covers Everyman's first and only voyage on May 27, 1962 when it sailed twenty miles out to sea, only to be stopped by the U.S. Coast Guard, which arrested the crew and impounded the boat. Protests included sit-in demonstrations at the U.S. Marshal's office, in which Joan Baez took part, singing "We Shall Overcome." The crew was sentenced to 30 days in jail. A film by Harvey Richards. 1962. 21 min.
DVD 4242
- Fallout, 1945. (People's Century, 1997.)
- Tells of the impact of nuclear energy upon the world starting with the first use of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and covering nuclear testing, the "arms race", protest movements against nuclear armaments and nuclear power and the nuclear power plant accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Video/C 6432
- The False Frontier.
- The Strategic Defense Initiative is quickly becoming one of the largest research and development programs in the United States. This provides an overview of the key issues central to the debate over Star Wars. 12 min. Video/C 1270
- Fatal Competition
- (Age of Uncertainty series). Features economist John Kenneth Galbraith discussing some of the ideas and views that are presented in his book of the same title as the series. Investigates the origins and development of the military and industrial economy as a result of the Cold War and the continuing rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. 60 min. Video/C 484
- Fate of the Earth (Planet Earth series).
- Charts the birth of life on earth and traces the evolution of life today. Discusses the human role as caretaker of earth and all life on it. Discusses the issues nuclear warfare. 58 min. Video/C 888
- Free Zone: Democracy Meets the Nuclear Threat.
- Shows how local communities over the world have put into place nuclear free zones and are trying to change from a weapons to a peace economy. 44 min. Video/C 1553
- The Future of Physics and the Military with Charles Schwartz.
- Series organized by the U.C. Berkeley Society of Physics Students. Video/C 1339
- Half Life: A Parable for the Nuclear Age
- Using archival footage, explanatory headlines, and up-to-date interviews, this documentary examines the effects on the people of Rongelap, the Marshall Islands atoll where the U.S. testing of the atomic bomb in 1954 created devastating fallout. Produced and directed by Dennis O'Rourke. 1986. 86 min. Video/C MM246
- How are the Mighty Fallen (Europe, the Mighty Continent; 11).
- Discusses the post-World War II establishment of the Iron Curtain and the beginning of Cold War tensions which reached a climax with the 1948-49 Russian blockade of West Berlin. 52 min. DVD 2808 [preservation copy]; Video/C 4893
- How Much is Enough?: Decision Making in the Nuclear Age
- Produced, written and reported by Andrew Stern ; director, Samuel R. Shore. 1982. 52 min. Video/C 404 NRLF #: B 3 969 298
- How Well We Meant.
- A documenatry showing what happens when the creators of the atomic bomb meet four decades after their collaborations and how they view their personal contributions. 28 min. Video/C 722
- In Case of Nuclear War
- A compilation of short films on the atom bomb and hydrogen bomb, originally produced primarily in the 1950s. Contents: Fallout : when and how to protect yourself against it / presented by Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization ; produced by Creative Arts Studio Inc. (14:10) -- Warning red / Norwood Studios presents ; director, Nicholas Webster ; producer, Philip Martin ; script, Kirby Hawkes (1956, 13:42) -- Atom bomb newsreel (20:23) -- Town of the times / a Wilding production presented by the Department of Defense Office of Civil Defense (25:01) -- Rural civil defense t.v. spots (2:00) -- A New look at the H-bomb / a Federal Civil Defense Administration presentation (10:09) -- The Atom strikes! / produced by Army Pictorial Service Signal Corps (30:41) -- Self-preservation in an atomic bomb attack / the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project presents ; produced by Cascade Pictures of California Inc. (1950, 17:39) -- Let's face it / Federal Civil Defense Administration presents ; produced by United States Air Force Lookout Mountain Laboratory ; Air Photographic & Charting Service (1954, 13:27) -- The House in the middle / produced by the National Clean Up Paint Up Fix Up Bureau with the cooperation of the Federal Civil Defense Administration (1954, 12:09) -- Bomb experiment, poetic vision (7:44). DVD X5432
- Japan & the Atomic Bomb (The Course of our Times; 23).
- Dr. Abram Sachar lectures on Japan's involvement in World War II, and on the development of the atomic bomb that brought about surrender. He discusses the controversy that preceded and followed the decision to use the bomb. Finally, he deplores the failure of the major world powers to establish control over nuclear power. 29 min. DVD 9623 [Preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 23
- The JFK Tapes: [Eavesdropping on the Cuban Missile Crisis].
- The John F. Kennedy Library recently released tapes of dicussions held on October 22, 1962, debating the actions that the U.S. should take to counter the Soviet missiles based in Cuba. The Senators advocated air strikes but others thought that the preparation time needed would jeopardize U.S. security. As it turned out, the U.S. underestimated the size of the Soviet presence in Cuba. The discussions concluded just 45 minutes before President Kennedy went on national television to announce the blockade of Cuba. Moderator and interviewer, Cokie Roberts; interview with Robert S. McNamara alternates with excerpts of taped discussions between John F. Kennedy, Robert McNamara and Dean Rusk and the National Security Council and Senators Richard Russell and J.W. Fulbright. Broadcast as a Nightline program December 24, 1994. 33 min. Video/C 6261
- Last Empire.
- A documentary looking at history and analyzing the reasons for United States political and military interventionism in other countries. 30 min. Video/C 1138
- Losing Control?
- Examines the role of computers in nuclear arms control and nuclear warfare. 58 min. Video/C 1555
- The Loss of an Enemy.
- Produced by the Center for Defense Information. Examines the gains and costs of the cold war to Americans. 29 min. Video/C 2559
- Messengers from Moscow.
- In this four part history of the Cold War told from the Soviet point of view, Soviet political leaders, military personnel and spies who ran their country speak candidly about what the Soviet Union really wanted during the 40-year-long Cold War. c1995. 53-55 min. each installment.
Program 1, The Struggle for Europe. Recounts the story of Stalin's attempt to take control of Germany and Western Europe in the aftermath of World War II. Soviet agents and communist officials tell of their efforts to seize political power in the war-torn European states, a goal frustrated by Western resolve and Stalin's own ruthless methods. Video/C MM68
Program 2, The East is Red. Looks at how the dream of a growing communist power bloc uniting the Soviet Union and China turned into Moscow's biggest nightmare. This program offers new evidence that points to Stalin as the key to the outbreak of the Korean War -- part of his strategy to keep communist China in line. Video/C MM69
Program 3, Fires in the Third World. Features the testimony of top administrators of Soviet policy, as well as KGB agents and military leaders, who reveal the Kremlin's hand in Cuba and Vietnam -- the two most explosive crises of the Cold War. This episode includes rare home movies from the Khrushchev family personal archives, and new insights into controversial events like the Cuban Missile Crisis. Video/C MM70
Program 4, The Center Collapses. In this final segment pivotal figures from the last decade of Soviet power recount the startling collapse of the empire, even as it bristled with military might. Soviet political, military and KGB officials reveal how Lenin's idea of world revolution led to the growth of a military-industrial complex that ultimately, proved to be the revolution's undoing. Video/C MM71
- Missle
- A film about the 4315th Training Squadron of the Strategic Air Command at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California which trains Air Force officers who, if ordered, will launch the nuclear firepower of the Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. Sequences include discussion of the moral and military issues of nuclear war; the arming, targeting and launching of the missile; codes; communications; protection against terrorist attack; emergency procedures; staff meetings; tutorial sessions. The film follows the trainees through the various stages of the 14-week training through graduation and assignment to staff Launch Control Centers. A film by Frederick Wiseman. 1976. 115 min. Video/C MM1075
- No First Use: Preventing Nuclear War.
- This program makes a case against the policy of possible first use of nuclear weapons. 30 min. Video/C 531
- No More War.
- Film of the speech "No more Hiroshimas" by Dr. Linus Pauling and his wife in McArthur Park, Los Angeles, and a 1961 Los Angeles peace demonstration. 16 min.
Video/C 9343
- The Nuclear Cold War: Phases and Transitions (Emilio Segre lecture; 3).
- American physicist, former UC chancellor and director of the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory at its inception, Herbert F. York, discusses forty-five years of his involvement in the development of nuclear power, nuclear weapons, the cold war, and attempts to limit atomic weapons.
82 min. Video/C 3844
- Nuclear Strategy for Beginners (Nova series).
- Looks back over the four decades of the atomic age to try to understand how the modern world has acquired an arsenal of over 50,000 nuclear weapons;. Also explores the continuing debate about whether nuclear weapons deter war or only make it more likely. 57 min. Video/C 910
- Nuclear Winter: Changing Our Way of Thinking.
- (Educational Film & Video Project, 1986) From the Natural Resources Defense Council, 1985 Marshall Lecture. Dr. Carl Sagan explains the theory of nuclear winter and describes the catastrophic consequences of nuclear winter for the entire earth. Discusses the insanity of American and Soviet military policies and strategies which, if carried through, would result in nuclear winter. 58 min. Video/C 1557
- Physics and National Security .
- Part 1: The Role of Academics in National Security by Richard Muller. Part 2: U.C. Management of Weapons Laboratories and the Reliability of the U.S. Nuclear Arsenal by Hugh Dewitt. Video/C 1338 Security of Our Space-based Assets and Arms Control in Space by Michael May. Video/C 1339
- Plutonium: Element of Risk.
- A presentation of KCET, Los Angeles. 60 min. Video/C 30
- Public Shelter.
- This CD-ROM inspired by Jayne Loader's The Atomic Cafe, contains 30 min. of video, 400 photographs, 18 original songs, 12 hours of audio and 1500 text files all pertaining to atomic weapons and energy, from the Trinity test to the present. Most of the documents have been recently declassified by the U.S. government and deal with nuclear accidents, nuclear waste, atomic testing and government-sponsored radiation experiments on humans. Also includes apocalyptic science fiction by Vonda McIntyre, Mary Rosenblum, John Stith, Joe Haldeman, David Brin and scenes from J. Loader's The Atomic Cafe. Compu/D 304
- Race for the Superbomb
- Featuring newly discovered archival sources from Russia, civil defense films, and recently declassified military footage, this Cold War epic documents the struggle to create the hydrogen bomb, a weapon that could save the world from a devastating war -- or doom it to annihilation. Based in part on Rhodes, Richard. Dark Sun: the making of the hydrogen bomb / Richard Rhodes. New York: Simon & Schuster, c1995.
(Main Stack UG1282.A8.R46 1995) 1999. 113 min. Video/C 7460
- Radio Bikini (American Experience).
- In July 1946 on Bikini Atoll, the United States tested two atomic bombs--code named "Operation Crossroads". This incident was the biggest nuclear catastrophe in history before Chernobyl. Features interviews with Kilon Bauno, Chief of the Bikinians, and John Smitherman, veteran of the tests. 56 min. Video/C 1527
- Sputnik Mania
- On Oct. 4, 1957, the USSR announced to an unsuspecting world that it had launched the first man-made object ever to successfully orbit earth. Americans were stunned and then terrified. Americans asked themselves what had happened to our academic and technological superiority; could the Soviets overtake us; could their satellites be used as weapons of mass destruction? Recalls the impact the satellite had on the American psyche, and how the shock catapulted the nation from complacency into action. [Disc 1]. Feature film (87 min.) -- [Disc 2]. Bonus. Alert today, alive tomorrow (16 min.) ; Yankee go home (36 min.) ; Communist society (30 min.) ; Laica (6 min.) ; Missiles, missiles, missiles (7 min.). Directed by David Hoffman. c2008. 87 min. DVD X1116
- Star Wars.
- Discussion of the Star Wars defense program and the arms race in development of space weapons between the United States and Soviet Union. 29 min. Video/C 293
- The Strangest Dream
- Tells the story of physicist Joseph Rotblat, the history of nuclear weapons, and the efforts of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs --an international movement Rotblat co-founded --to halt nuclear proliferation. The story takes us from the site of the first nuclear test, in New Mexico, to Cairo, where contemporary Pugwash scientists meet under the cloud of nuclear proliferation, and to Hiroshima, to meet survivors of the first atomic attack. Contents: 1. Trinity intro -- 2. Title sequence -- 3. Cairo Pugwash -- 4. Rotblat remembered -- 5. World War II begins -- 6. Los Alamos -- 7. Rotblat leaves Manhattan Project -- 8. Hiroshima -- 9. Cold War beginnings -- 10. Medical physics -- 11. Nuclear testing -- 12. Lucky dragon -- 13. Russell-Einstein manifesto -- 14. Pugwash -- 15. Khrushchev supports Pugwash -- 16. The Cuban missile crisis -- 17. Vietnam -- 18. Gorbachev -- 19. Russia and the U.S. -- 20. Rotblat final years -- 21. Us and them -- 22. Hiroshima lanterns. Director, Eric Bednarski. 2008. DVD X2143
Description from Bullfrog Films catalog
- Strangelove Revisited: How We Were Taught to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
- Clips from recently declassified motion pictures originally produced by the U.S. government in the early 1950s for the benefit of U.S. military personnel and politicians intended to set people's minds at ease about the production and testing of nuclear weapons. Commentary br Harold Agnew, Richard Rhodes. Originally broadcast on the television program Nightline, on January 15, 1997. 23 min. Video/C 5954
- To What End?
- Discusses the history of nuclear warfare and weapons and the nuclear arms build-up. 58 min. Video/C 1437
- Vent de sable: Le Sahara des essais nucléaires
- On Frebruary 13, 1961 in the Algerian Sahara, fifty miles from the town of Reggane, France exploded its first atomic bomb during the war of independence. Former conscripts, soldiers, civilians and ordinary workers who have stayed at nuclear sites in the Sahara explain the human and environmental impact which still affects the lives of Algerian and French families today. A film by Larbi Benchiha. In French without English subtitles. 2008. 58 min. DVD X4904
- Visions of Star Wars.
- Bill Kurtis hosts this documentary which reports on the controversy surrounding the Strategic Defense Initiative Program. Includes excerpts from Presidential news conferences, interviews with military and other experts, and a brief history of the evolution of nuclear weapons. 118 min. Video/C 1237
- War and Peace (Jang aur Aman)
- Filmed over three years in India, Pakistan, and Japan, this documentary examines the militarization of India and analyzes the human cost that is extracted from its citizens in the name of national security. It examines peace activism in India in the face of global militarism and war, the political turmoil between Pakistan and India, the 1998 nuclear tests on the Indian subcontinent and the plight of residents living near the nuclear test site, the horrendous effects of uranium mining on local indigenous populations and interviews with Japanese survivors of Hiroshima. 2002. 170 min. Video/C 8957
 Description from First Run/Icarus catalog
- War and Peace in the Nuclear Age
- [each segment is 60 min.] For a more detailed description of each segment check on the MELVYL or GLADIS on-line catalogs using the long display format.
Program 1: Dawn. Video/C 1281.
Program 2: The Weapon of Choice. Video/C 1282
Program 3: A Bigger Bang for the Buck. Video/C 1283
Program 4: Europe Goes Nuclear. Video/C 1284
Program 5: At the Brink. Video/C 1285
Program 6: The Education of Robert McNamara. Video/C 1286.
Program 7: One Step Forward. Video/C 1287.
Program 8: Have and Have-nots. Video/C 1288
Program 9: Carter's New World. Video/C 1289.
Program 10: Europe in the 1970s and 1980s. Video/C 1290
Program 11: Missile Experimental. Video/C 1291
Program 12: Reagan's Shield. Video/C 1292
Program 13: Visions of War and Peace. Video/C 1293
ABC-CLIO Video Rating Guide for Libraries
- Weapons in Space: An Overview.
- An overview in response to President Reagan's call for research into a space defense against nuclear missiles. 7 min. Video/C 1269
- The Weapon of Choice
- (War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; 2) Against the backdrop of the Cold War and the development of the hydrogen bomb, the growing reliance of superpowers on nuclear weapons is explored. The Korean War and its impact on U.S. nuclear weapons decisions is also examined. 60 min. Video/C 1282
- Yuri Kochiyama: Passion for Justice.
- Biography in political and social context of Yuri Kochiyama, an Asian American woman and humanitarian civil rights activist who first became aware of social injustice in the United States during her time in a Japanese-American interment camp during World War II. She stresses the need for members of all races and ethnicities to work together for common goals, and for a fundamental change in political power structures. Includes interviews with Kochiyama and with members of her family. 58 min. Video/C 4542
Women Make Movies catalog description
- To the top
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Anti-Vietnam War Protests in the San Francisco Bay Area & Beyond (online media archive)
War Films: Viet Nam
The Sixties
Area Studies: South/Southeast Asia
Bibliography of relevant books and articles on the Vietnam war in the movies
The Vietnam Project (Texas Tech University)
Sounds of Vietnam
- [Abbot, Helen] Interview with Activist Helen Abbott.
- Interviewer: Harold Adler ; interviewees, Tarnel Abbott, Helen Abbott. An interview with Helen Abbott, founder of the Vietnam Day Committee which consisted of students and activists and other members of the Bay Area community opposed to American intervention in Vietnam. 2002. 112 min. Video/C MM503
- The Activist: Hell No, Nobody Goes.
- A Dramatization which examines the philosophies and activities of student draft resisters to the Vietnam War situated on the University of California, Berkeley campus in the 1960's. 51 min. DVD 9813 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 3797
- The Affects of War: The Indochina Refugee Experience.
- A brief historical overview of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam and the transitional stages common to the refugee experience. 58 min. Video/C 1851
- America Against Itself
- Presents interviews recorded in 1968 with students, delegates, reporters, ministers, etc. who were at the 1968 Democratic Convention, concerning their attitudes towards the convention and riots, police response and political situation. Interspersed with segments of news footage of the Convention and riots. 1968. 45 min. Video/C 9430
- America, Love It or Leave It
- During the Vietnam War the largest ever exodus of political refugees took place. 125,000 Americans fled to Canada as draft resisters and deserters. Now twenty years later this documentary examines the impact of this migration on both Canada and the United States. 1990 57 min. Video/C 8163
- America's Chief Moral Dilemma [sound recording]
- Martin Luther King criticizes the Vietnam war and the injustices it has imposed on Negroes as well as whites. 72 min. Sound/D 203
- Amerika
- Documentary about the escalation and diversity of the anti-Vietnam War protest movement on the homefront. Includes conversations with Vietnam vets, teenagers, and Afro-American militants. Graphically depicts the hightened incidents of mass protest and police repression. 1969. 33 min. Video/C 5854
- The Anderson Platoon.
- Follows the "Anderson Platoon," a racially integrated combat unit, for six weeks during the Vietnam War, as the soldiers eat, sleep, fight, gamble, pray and die together. 64 min. Video/C 3507
Awards
Academy Award - Best Documentary, Features
- Anti-war Films of the 1960s
- Universal Newsreel: Peace march: thousands oppose Vietnam War (4/18/67, 3 min.) -- Universal Newsreel: Protests galore (5/5/67, 3 min.) -- Universal Newsreel: Anti-war demonstrators storm Pentagon (10/24/67, 2 min.) -- The seasons change (1968, 45 min.) -- Columbia revolt (1969, 49 min.)
Universal Newsreels: Three newsreels showing demonstrations against the Vietnam War in the United States, Spain, Italy, and London with some coverage of the "March on the Pentagon."
Seasons change: Details the events and issues involved in the violent Chicago Police crackdown on anti-war demonstrators during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Includes interviews with demonstation participants, the Chicago 7 and an official statement of the Youth International Party (Yippies).
Columbia revolt: This documentary of the student protests and riots at Columbia University in 1968, presents the events as they happened from the perspective of the students, from the early stages of what originally began as a demonstration but quickly became an occupation by students of campus facilites, setting off a chain of events that ultimately resulted in a two month long, violent siege. DVD 5960
- The Archives of War
- A documentary series of 20th century wars using film shot by British Pathe News, from the trenches of World War I, through the destruction of World War II, to the Cold War's atomic arsenals and the horrors of the Korean and Vietnam wars. Disc 1. World War I and the interwar years ; World War II: The leaders -- Disc 2. World War II: The battles ; The Cold War -- Disc 3. Korea ; Vietnam. DVD 1704
- As Seen by Both Sides: American & Vietnamese Artists Look At the War.
- This program examines the history and tour of the remarkable exhibit of the same name, and features paintings, rare Vietnamese and American archival footage, and interviews with artists, writers, scholars, veterans and students. The program offers insight into the role which the arts play in chronicling and shaping popular and historical interpretations of the war. 58 min. Video/C 3936
- As the Mirror Burns.
- It is estimated that over 70% of guerilla forces in the Vietnam War were women. This is the story of the vietnamese women who lived in the underground tunnel systems and raised their children while their land was being bombed; women who were not victims but who were active participants in the war and in efforts to restore peace to their land. 58 min. Video/C 3410
- Berkeley Teach-in: Vietnam [sound recording]
- Disc 1. -- Professor Staughton Lynd (10:15) -- Professor Aaron Wildavsky (5:15) -- Robert Scheer (5:45) -- Paul Potter (9:45) -- Paul Krassner (4:55) -- Bob Parris (3:55) -- Dr. Benjamin Spock (3:45) -- I.F. Stone (6:20) -- M.S. Arnoni (5:30) -- Disc 2. -- Norman Mailer (14:35) -- Mario Savio (9:15) -- Dick Gregory (7:05) -- Senator Ernest Gruening (10:50) -- Isaac Deutscher (22:40).
Recorded at the Berkeley campus of the University of California by Radio Station KPFA in 1965.
Presents speeches from a 1965 Berkeley teach-in with speakers opposed to American involvement in Vietnam. "Teach-ins" were developed as a form of politico-educational protest in response to a general need for organized dissent and opposition to a course of government policy abroad.
Listen to these recordings online
- Berkeley Veterans Day Celebration
- Michael Blecker, Country Joe McDonald, Tom Bates, Dona Spring, David Gan, Bill Mitchell. Coverage of the Veterans Day celebration on November 11, 2005 in Berkeley, California. A film by Harold Adler. DVD 4674
- The Betrayal
- The epic story of a family forced to emigrate from war-torn Laos after the chaos of the secret air war waged by the U.S. during the Vietnam War, to the mean streets of New York City. Kuras has spent the last 23 years chronicling the family's extraordinary journey in this deeply personal, poetic, and emotional film. Directors, Ellen Kuras, Thavisouk Phrasavath. Dist. Cinema Guild.
c2008. 96 min. DVD X357
- The Bloods of 'Nam.
- Black Vietnam War veterans talk candidly about the discrimination and prejudice they faced from fellow soldiers, their war experiences, and their disillusionment upon returning to the United States.
Based on the book "Bloods: an oral history of the Vietnam War" edited by Wallace Terry (Main Stack DS559.5.B56 1984; Moffitt DS559.5.B56 1984). 1986. 60 min. Video/C 9996
- The Burning of Cam Ne
- SEE Vietnam War with Walter Cronkite
- Cambodia.
- Contents: Pt. 1. Traces the history of Cambodia, focusing on the rule of Norodom Sihanouk, his overthrow in 1970, and the chaos following his fall from power. (78 min.) Pt. 2. Continues the history through the Pol Pot years, the Vietnamese takeover, and up to the present. 58 min. Video/C 1477 :1-2
- Cambodia's Killing Field
- This program scrutinizes U.S. violence against technically neutral Cambodia during the Vietnam War, attacks carried out in an effort to deny a haven for communist forces. The decade of upheaval that followed what has been called the low point in American diplomacy, is also addressed as an allegedly U.S.-backed coup drove Norodom Sihanouk into the arms of China and opened the door to the ruthless Khmer Rouge. Commentary by Emory "Coby" Swank and Noel Deschamps, former U.S. and Australian ambassadors to Cambodia; David Whipple, CIA station head in Cambodia; Lao Mong Hay, of the Khmer Institute of Democracy; and historian Stephen Heder is featured. 2003. 56 min. DVD 2028
- The Camden 28
- Camden, New Jersey, summer, 1971. Protests against the Vietnam war are spreading across America. A group of 28 non-violent activists plan to break into a local draft board office and destroy records in an attempt to strike a blow against the 'system.' But a mole has infiltrated their operation and within hours of beginning their mission they are rounded up and arrested by the FBI, under the personal authority of J. Edgar Hoover. Produced, written and directed by Anthony Giacchino. 2006. 83 min. DVD 8472
- Casino Cambodia.
- A personal perspective on the history and social conditions of Cambodia as seen through the eyes of a Thai woman who once worked in a Cambodian refugee camp. Program includes interviews with tourists concerning their impressions of Cambodia, interviews with physicians who were relief workers during the Cambodian conflicts, interviews with Cambodian citizens, soldiers and the actor, Haing Ngor, who played in the movie, The Killing Fields. Follows a team of French de-miners through a minefield and examines the atrocities perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge during the Pol Pot regime and looks at the root causes of war and the obstructions to peace in the area. 105 min. Video/C 4061 Pt. 1-2
- The Catonsville Nine: Investigation of a Flame
- On May 17, 1968, three Catholic priests, a nurse, an artist and four others walked into a Catonsville, Maryland draft board office, grabbed hundreds of selective service records and burned them with homemade napalm. This poetic act of civil disobedience helped galvanize an increasingly disillusioned American public against the Vietnam War. This documentary examines this Sixties protest within our current times, when foes of Middle East peace, abortion, and technology resort to violence to access the public imagination. The film combines long-unseen archival footage with interviews with members of the Catonsville Nine, encouraging viewers to ponder the relevance of civil disobedience and the implications of personal sacrifice today. Produced, directed, photographed and edited by Lynne Sachs. 2001. 45 min. DVD X3157; Video/C 8582
Description Icarus catalog
- The Century: America's Time. 11, Unpinned
- Riots and protests intensified in the U.S. as the war in Vietnam dragged on, with anti-war and civil rights activists seeking violent ways to agitate for peace and equality. This program presents the unrelenting rage that divided the nation during those perilous years, as the Watts race riots, the assissinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, and the Kent State killings made headline news. c1999. 45 min. Video/C 6364
- The Century: America's Time. 12, Approaching the Apocalypse.
- The one bright spot of the 1970's was Nixon's opening of China to the West while the riots at Attica prison and Kent State University, the trauma of the war in Vietnam and the Watergate scandal, left Americans exhausted, embittered and disillusioned. This program appraises the effects of those blights on the political landscape and their impact on the trust between the government and the governed, so vital to the well-being of a representative democracy such as the United States. c1999. 45 min. Video/C 6365
- Century: Events That Shaped the World; 6: No Man's Land: The Fall.
- During the Vietnam war the image of desperate people clinging to an evacuation helicopter atop the U.S. embassy, only hours before North Vietnamese troops arrived is seared into the American consciousness. This program uses the story of South Vietnam's last days as a prism through which the dark side of American foreign involvement can be seen. How did the White House and the Pentagon so completely misjudge America's ability to thwart a people's revolution in Southeast Asia? 1999. 43 min. Video/C 6347
- The Cold War Series. 47 min. each installment. 1998.
- (See MRC East/West Europe videography for complete series listing)
Vietnam, 1954-1968. Vietnam has been divided since the end of French colonial rule. The North is run by communists, the South by anti-communists. Ignoring warnings against involvement in a nationalist struggle, the United States commits its armed forces. American protests against the war mount as the U.S. begins to realize this is not a war it can win. 47 min. Video/C 5738
Make Love Not War, The Sixties. Western economies grow and prosper, fueled partly by armaments production. Rejecting their parents' affluence and the Cold War, many of the young protest and rebel. There is racial violence in U.S. inner cities while rock music comes to express the mood of a disenchanted generation. Video/C 5739
- The Court-Martial of Lt. Calley
- The Vietnam War was fought not only in Asia, but also in America. One of the biggest shocks was the realization that American soldiers, and not just distant enemies, were capable of war crimes. The court-martial of a young platoon leader accused of murdering Vietnamese civilians brought a confused nation face to face with this devastating fact. This documentary includes commentary by soldiers in Calley's platoon, archival footage of the atrocities and his court-martial trial. Originally produced as a segment on the television program Court TV in 1998. 37 min. Video/C 7950
- Dawn of the Eye. 4, The Powers That be, 1960-1975
- In the 1960s, television had become the dominant source of news in North America, and proved to be instrumental in revolutionizing the democratic process by showing the forces of protest and political opposition. It is said that the civil rights movement and anti-war movements could not have succeeded if it were not for television. Includes a look at failed government efforts to control television news. 47 min. Video/C 5945
- Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam.
- An authentic account of the Vietnam War from the actual letters of the men and women who served there. The harsh realities of life and death, friendships made and lost - these letters home tell it all, with newsreel and home-movie footage shot by the servicemen themselves. These are the authentic voices of war, some who survived, many who never made it home. Based on the book: Dear America : letters home from Vietnam / edited by Bernard Edelman [Main and Moffitt, DS559.5 .D431 1985] Performers: Includes the voices of Tom Berenger, Ellen Burstyn, Willem Dafoe, Robert DeNiro, Brian Dennehy, Kevin Dillon, Matt Dillon, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael J. Fox, Mark Harmon, John Heard, Harvey Keitel, Elizabeth McGovern, Judd nelson, Sean Penn, Randy Quaid, Martin Sheen, Kathleen Turner, Robin Williams. Director, Bill Couturié. Originally shown on television in 1987. 87 min. DVD X2641; vhs Video/C 1230
Awards
Emmy Award - Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming; Outstanding Informational Special
International Documentary Association - Best Documentary, Features
Sundance Film Festival - Special Jury, Documentary; Grand Jury, Documentary
Television Critics Association Awards - Program of the Year; Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials

Greenberg, James. "Theatrical Warfare." (production battles over "Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam") American Film v13, n7 (May, 1988):44.
Johnson, Brian D. "Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam." (movie reviews) Maclean's v101, n41 (Oct 3, 1988):54E (2 pages).
McIntire, Anthony A. "Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam." (movie reviews) Journal of American History v77, n3 (Dec, 1990):1126 (2 pages).
- Do you Remember Vietnam?
- In 1978, three years after the fall of Saigon, John Pilger went back to Vietnam to find out what had happened under the new regime. He talks with a young tour guide at a war crimes museum, who had been imprisoned in the infamous US tiger cages. He follows a former North Vietnamese soldier into the underground base where he spent 20 years crawling through tunnels undetected. He visits the street in Hanoi that was the target of the largest single aerial bombardment in history. And he shows us the re-education camps where former drug addicts, prostitutes, South Vietnam soldiers, and others are being taught what to think. Originally released in 1978 by ATV Network Limited. 52 min. DVD 8404
Description from Bullfrog Films catalog
- Ecocide: A Strategy of War.
- Dr. E.W. Pfeiffer talks about the effects of war on the environment in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Indochina. 3/4 in. Video/C 329
- The End of the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
- Oliver Todd, French journalist; Jim Lehrer, NPACT correspondent and Julian Pettifer, BBC correspondent. A revealing special report on the effect of the Vietnam War on three countries: South Vietnam, North Vietnam and the United States. Rare Video segments of life in Hanoi, filmed by a Swedish TV crew, are shown. 90 min. Video/C 84:1-2
- A Face of War.
- For 97 days, producer/director Eugene Jones filmed the day-to-day encounters of a single Marine company on patrol in the hearland of Vietnam. Here is what the American soldier saw, heard and felt on the front lines. We see him planning, patrolling, attacking, interrogating, and waiting. We see his humor, his anguish, his fear and his courage. Here is the true Vietnam in all of its vividness and brutality--the memory our men brought home. 77 min. Video/C 5116
- Filmer la guerre d'Indochine
- Follows French photojournalists into the battlezones as they film the Indochinese War. réalisé par Cedric Condom In French without English subtitles. DVD X4217
- First Kill
- Documentary about the line between good and evil, focusing on the contradictory emotions that war evokes, such as terror and anger, but also seduction, fascination and excitement. Includes interviews with journalist and author Michael Herr, war photographer Eddie Adams, and other Vietnam veterans. They discuss their aversion and attraction to war and killing. These interviews are juxtaposed with scenes from the war and images of young Vietnamese and foreigners in present day Vietnam who continue to show a fascination with the war and its memory as they tour former battlefields. 2001. 54 min. Video/C 9769
 Description from First Run/Icarus Films catalog
- Fog of War
- The story of America as seen through the eyes of the former Secretary of Defense, under President Kennedy and President Johnson, Robert S. McNamara. McNamara was one of the most controversial and influential political figures of the 20th century. Now, he offers a candid and intimate journey through some of the most seminal events in contemporary American history. He offers new and often surprising insights into the 1945 bombing of Tokyo, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the effects of the Vietnam War. A film by Errol Morris. 2003. 107 min. DVD 2687
- From Hollywood to Hanoi.
- Tiana (Tiana Thi Thanh Nga) was born in Saigon, Vietnam, where her father was Minister of Information for South Vietnam. In 1966 he moved his family to the U.S. and told Tiana she would never see Vietnam again. Against the wishes of many of her family, she did go back. This video is an account of her journey home and what she discovered in Vietnam. 80 min. Video/C 4200.
Canby, Vincent. "From Hollywood to Hanoi." (movie reviews) Migration World Magazine v21, n5 (Nov-Dec, 1993):42.
Elley, Derek. "From Hollywood to Hanoi." (movie reviews) Variety v349, n5 (Nov 23, 1992):51.
Fairclough, Gordon. "Home Movies: Vietnamese-American Film Maker Proves You Can Go Home Again. (profile of Tiana Alexandra). Far Eastern Economic Review v157, n36 (Sept 8, 1994):78.
Feng, Peter. "Lost in the Media Jungle: Tiana Thi Thanh Nga's Hollywood Mimicry." Amerasia Journal v23, n2 (Fall, 1997):81 (6 pages).
Gitta, Reddy. "From Hollywood to Hanoi" (review and interview with Tiana Thi Thahn Nga ) Cineaste v20, n3 (Summer, 1993); v20, n3 (Summer, 1993):46 RaySircar, Pritha. "From Hollywood to Hanoi." Sojourner, vol. 18 no. 5. 1993 Jan. pp: 30-31.
- Front Line.
- Australian television cameraman Neil Davis chronicles his observations on the front line of the Southeast Asian war from 1964 to 1975. 55 min. Video/C 351
- F.T.A.!
- A documentary about a political troupe headed by actors Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland which traveled to towns near military bases in the U.S. in the early 1970s. The group put on shows called "F.T.A.", which stood for "F**k the Army", and was aimed at convincing soldiers to voice their opposition to the Vietnam War, which was raging at the time. Various singers, actors and other entertainers performed antiwar songs and skits during the show. Director: Francine Parker. Cast: Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Holly Near, Paul Mooney, Len Chandler, Michael Alaimo, Pamela Donegan, F.T.A. Troupe. 1972. 96 min. DVD 8677
Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
Anderegg, Michael. "Hollywood and Vietnam: John Wayne and Jane Fonda as Discourse." In: Inventing Vietnam : the war in film and television / edited by Michael Anderegg.
Philadelphia : Temple University Press, 1991.
Main (Gardner) Stacks and Moffitt DS557.73 .A5 1991)
Shiel, Mark. "Hollywood, the new left, and FTA." In: "Un-American" Hollywood : politics and film in the blacklist era / edited by Frank Krutnik ... [et al.]. New Brunswick, N.J. : Rutgers University Press, c2007. (Main (Gardner) Stacks PN1995.9.P6 U5 2007)
- General Wastemoreland, Interview, 1998.
- An interview with Vietnam War protestor General Wastemoreland (Tom Dunphy) as he recalls his friendship with General Hershey Bar (Calypso Joe) and their experiences in the 1960's protesting against the Vietnam War in Berkeley, San Francisco and Los Angeles through "guerrilla street theater." 48 min. Video/C 5673
- Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry.
- Takes an inside look at Senator John Kerry's tour of duty in Vietnam, his contributions to the peace movement that followed, and how these experiences came to shape his future political career. Loosely based on the book Tour of Duty by Douglas Brinkley. 2004. 88 min. DVD 3076
- The Ghosts of My Lai
- On March 16, 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War, American soldiers killed 504 unarmed civilians in the village of My Lai. This program seeks to understand the massacre and its aftermath through the interwoven narratives of three U.S. soldiers--radioman Fred Widmer, helicopter crewman Larry Colburn, and photographer Ron Haeberle--who were present on that horrific day. The first participated in the slaughter; the second intervened in it; and the third revealed it to the world. In a Pittsburgh classroom and in present-day My Lai, these deeply scarred veterans tell their unforgettable stories with candor, grief, and insight. Directed by Jean Crépu. Dist.: Films Media Group. 53 min. DVD X3060
- Hearts and Minds
- Examines the American consciousness that led to involvement in Vietnam. Includes the interviews with General William Westmoreland, former Secretary of Defense Clark Clifford, Senator William Fulbright, Walt Rostow and Daniel Ellsberg. Directed by Peter Davis. 112 min. DVD 1184; Video/C 875
Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
Awards
Academy Award - Best Documentary, Features
- Heart of Darkness: The Vietnam War Chronicles 1945-1975.
- Experience the real story of the Vietnam War as told by those who understood it best - the men who fought it. The longest military conflict in U.S. history, the Vietnam War claimed the lives of more than 58,000 Americans in addition to nearly 6 million Vietnamese, Laotians and Cambodians. Featuring rare footage and exclusive interviews, Heart of Darkness is an in-depth look at a war that has left us with many unanswered questions to this day. DVD 6684
Disc 1: Episode 1: Dominoes (1945-1964) -- Episode 2: American boys (1965-1966). Dominoes (1945-1964): The buildup to war began with the French attempting to reestablish control of Indo-China after World War II. For eight years this stuggle continued until 1954 when the battle of Dien Bien Phu marked defeat for the French Legionnaires and began the longest foreigin conflct in America's history.
American boys (1965-1966): An attack on the USS Maddox on August 2, 1964, known as the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, led to the escalation of the United States involvement in the war. 170 min.
Disc 2: Episode 3: LBJ's war (1966-1968) -- Episode 4: Dark days (1968-1970) -- Episode 5: Was it worth it? (1969-1972). LBJ's War (1966-1969): Examines air reconnaissance and tactics to tip the balance in the war including Operation Blackjack, a mission designed to drive the Viet Cong from the Mekong Delta, destroy enemy encampments, capture weapons and crush defenses.
Dark days (1968-1970): The Tet Offensive was a coordinated surprise attack launched on January 30, 1968 to paralyze the South Vietnam government and its army in an effort to ignite an uprising among the Vietnamese people.
Was it worth it? (1969-1972): One of the most controversial battles of the Vietnam War, Hamburger Hill was a 10 day battle designed to destroy the North Vietnamese base areas in the A Shau Valley. It became a turning point for American involvement in the war as President Nixon began announcing the first troop withdrawals. 128 min.
Disc 3: Episode 6: Last man to die (1971-1975) -- Episode 7: In love and war (1964-1973). Last man to die (1971-1975): Features interviews with the medics, nurses and helicopter pilots who strived to save as many lives as possible while witnessing the daily carnage of the war.
In love and war (1964-1973): Reveals the torture of American POWs as described by Rear Admiral James Stockdale who was captured by the North Vietnamese and held captive for nearly 8 years. 121 min.
- Hoa Binh: Vietnamese for Peace.
- Peace and healing is what these veterans of the Vietnam War sought when they returned to Vietnam to help build a health clinic for war amputees. As they worked side by side with former enemies they hoped to make peace within themselves for their individual decisions regarding the war, for what they saw and did then, and to help, in some small way, to make restitution for what both Vietnam and the United States suffered as a result of that war. As they prepare for their return the vets openly discuss their 20 years of painful memories, nightmares and guilt and the healing experience of civilian relief work in Vietnam. 44 min. Video/C 4347
- Hot Damn!
- Film contains unique footage of the Bay Area peace movement at a time when the Vietnam War was escalating rapidly. Segments include the Berkeley troop train demonstrations; peace marches from Berkeley to Oakland, ending in massive confrontation with local police; the Oakland Army Induction Center draft protest, draft card burnings, and the sit-ins of 1964-65. 17 min. DVD 4240; also VHS Video/C 2797
- In the Year of the Pig (1968)
- With palpable outrage, Emile de Antonio assembles period interviews with journalists, politicians, and key military personnel and international newsreel and archival footage to create a scathing chronicle of America's escalating involvement in the Vietnam War. Produced at the height of the war, the savage and horrific images speak for themselves in perhaps the most controversial film of de Antonio's career. Special DVD features: Selected audio commentaries with director Emile de Antonio ; Archival interview with Emile de Antonio by professor June Perry Levine ; theatrical trailers ; liner notes by de Antonio scholar Dan Streible. 105 min. DVD X21; also DVD 4431; also VHS Video/C 1052
Information about this film from the Internet Movie Database
Emile de Antonio bibliography
- Inextinguishable Fire (Nicht loschbares Feuer)
- A film by Harun Farocki. Made during the height of the Vietnam War, this film attempts to make "visible" the physical properties of Napalm B, developed by Dow Chemical in Midland, Michigan for use in the Vietnam War. By questioning civilian responsibliity for the production of this horrific chemical weapon, Farocki offers a parody that questions our values. 1967. 25 min. DVD 9979
- Interviews with My Lai Veterans
- Interviewer: Richard Hammer.
Shows interviews with five American soldiers who are My Lai veterans about the March 6, 1968 massacre of the Vietnamese village of My Lai by U.S. armed forces, what occurred there and how they feel about it. Directed by Joseph Strick. 1970. 22 min. DVD 5469
Awards
Academy Award - Best Documentary, Short Subjects
- Kent State: The Day the War Came Home
- This program looks back on the reasons for the violent attack on anti-Vietnam-war student demonstrators on the Kent State University campus in 1970. Shows the build-up of the protest against the Vietnam War, especially by the youth of the country and the Black Panthers, and follows the stories of the four students who were killed by National Guardsmen. Includes interviews with former students who witnessed the events including a wounded student-activist, a now paralyzed student, a former National Guardsman and a sociology professor. 2001. 47 min. Video/C 7906
- Kim's Story: The Road From Vietnam.
- This is the story of Kim Phuc, who was photographed as a nine year old girl running naked down a road in Vietnam, screaming in agony from napalm burns. Now, in order to confront her past, Kim comes to America on a remarkable odyssey to Washington's Vietnam War Memorial wall, as part of Veterans Day ceremonies. There she makes it clear that her mission is one of forgiveness and a wider healing. Directed, produced and written by Shelley Saywell. 1996. 48 min. DVD X3434; Video/C 4955
Description from Icarus Films catalog
- Know Your Enemy: The Viet Cong
- An Army information film which uses captured newsreel footage produced by the Central Office of North Vietnam, the communist organization and command headquarters directing the war effort against the Republic of Vietnam. These rare films provide a comprehensive report on Viet Cong activity in South Vietnam. 20 min. Video/C 5115
Watch this movie online (via the Internet Moving Image Archive)
- Kontum Diary.
- Following a battle in Vietnam, American soldier Paul Reed found a diary of a North Vietnamese soldier he presumed was killed. When he learned years later that the Vietnamese soldier was still alive, he returned to Vietnam to meet him and return the diary. Film documents the emotional meeting of these two former enemies, who revisit their field of battle to reflect on the war and its impact on their lives. 57 min. Video/C 4113
- The Last Ghost of War
- Thirty years after the end of the Vietnam War, children at the Tu Du Hospital in Saigon are among several millions diagnosed by the Vietnamese as victims of Agent Orange. In this documentary, we meet several who are plaintiffs in a class action suit against 32 U.S. chemical companies. Attorneys, activists, scientists, and a military historian take us to a new battlefield. These Vietnamese victims are seeking compensation and justice. The question is were these dioxin-laden herbicides chemical weapons? And if so, who should be held accountable in the wake of what was allegedly the largest chemical warfare operation in history? Director, Jane Gardner. c2007. DVD X1314
Filmakers Library catalog
- Letter to the Next Generation.
- Result of the producer's research on college students today at Kent State University which was the site of the killing of four students by the National Guard on May 4, 1970. Comparison is made with student attitudes and behavior during the 1960's and 1970's. Includes interviews with students, faculty and administrative personnel. 73 min. Video/C 1909
Bhule, P. "Letter to the Next Generation." Cineaste, 1992, V19 N1:65-66.
Canby, Vincent. "Letter to the Next Generation." (movie reviews) (Living Arts Pages) New York Times v139 (Thu, May 17, 1990):B4(N), C19(L), col 1
Germani, Clara. "Letter to the Next Generation." (movie reviews) Christian Science Monitor v82, n130 (Fri, June 1, 1990):14, col 1
Klawans, Stuart. "Letter to the Next Generation." (movie reviews) Nation v250, n24 (June 18, 1990):871.
- Letters from Vietnam
- This pioneering documentary follows a young veteran of sixty helicopter combat missions in Vietnam into battle, presenting the first synchronous sound helicopter combat footage ever shot. The film also delves into a more personal side of the pilot's life as he discovers through tape recorded letters to his wife and through a visit to a Vietnamese orphanage that he has a responsibility that goes beyond his military duties. Producer, Robert L. Drew. 1965. 52 min. Video/C 8989
- Little Dieter Needs to Fly
- A film by Werner Herzog with Dieter Dengler. Growing up in post-WWII Germany, all Dieter Dengler, the son of a Nazi slain during the war, dreamed about was becoming a pilot. At age 18 he emigrated to the United States and worked odd jobs until he was accepted into the Navy and began pilot training. He was sent to Vietnam around 1966 and on his first mission was shot down and taken prisoner. There, the Vietcong tortured him until Dengler engineered a hair-raising escape and eventually returned to the U.S. His story is recounted here via interviews with Dengler, archival footage and new footage seamlessly spliced together. 2000. 74 min. DVD 994
Awards
International Documentary Association - Best Documentary, Features
San Francisco International Film Festival - Golden Spire Award
Gerhardt, Christina. "The Allied Air Bombing Campaign of Germany in Herzog's Little Dieter Needs to Fly." In: Bombs away! : representing the air war over Europe and Japan / herausgegeben von Wilfried Wilms und William Rasch. Amsterdam ; New York, NY : Rodopi, 2006. Main (Gardner) Stacks PN56.W3 B66 2006
- The Long-haired Warriors
- Vietnamese women have a long and legendary tradition of fierce warriorship -- a tradition exemplified in recent history by their wholehearted participation in the struggles against the French, the South Vietnamese Regular Army, and the American military. Ultimately, they shared in all those victories, but none came without painful losses and sorrows. This provocative documentary introduces a number of Vietnamese women who were active in the National Liberation Front, or Viet Cong, and shows how their wartime experiences shaped the rest of their lives.
A highlight of the film is an emotional visit with four former prisoners to the infamous Con Dao prison camp where, from 1968 to 1975, they were among 600 women -- some as young as 15 years old -- kept in "tiger cages" and subjected to frequent torture and abuse by the American-supported South Vietnamese military forces. From disparate perspectives, these women universally express the conviction that their stories can provide a common thread of compassion to bind the wounds that divide people in the U.S. and Vietnam. They feel a bond with American wives and mothers who have also suffered profound losses.
This engaging film examines the lives of some of America's former enemies and illuminates some surprising parallels and contrasts between their world and the world of the American filmmaker who seeks to discover their stories. It will stimulate discussion in a variety of courses in women's studies, Asian studies, and history. Produced by Mel Halbach. 1998. 60 min. Video/C MM549
- MLK, A Call to Conscience
- Delves into one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s greatest speeches, Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence, which Dr. King delivered on April 4, 1967. Today this speech is acknowledged to be one of the most powerful ever written by Dr. King. Tavis Smiley deconstructs the meaning of the speech, and puts it in a contemporary context, particularly in light of our nation's current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Directed by Allan Palmer. 2010. 60 min. DVD X3771
- Making Sense of the Sixties.
- Part 4, In a dark time. Focuses on 1968. It follows the escalating Vietnam War, the anti-war movement's explosive growth, and the riots and rebellions in almost all of America's cities. It ends with the tragic assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. 59 min. DVD 1808 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 1953:4
- The Mills of the Gods: Viet Nam.
- "As direct cinema evolved, so did its commitment to supporting social change. The Canadian Broadcasting Company did much to encourage and extend direct cinema's impact by creating television series devoted to direct cinema films engaging social issues. The most influential among these was the program "This Hour Has Seven Days." The Mills of the Gods, a shocking look at the early stages of the Vietnam War, was the show's most controversial and influential production. Beryl Fox, who had already established herself as a prolific filmmaker committed tosocial change in films such as Summer in Mississippi (1965) about American race relations, takes her camera to the Vietnam War to record the conflict and allows viewers to witness, first-hand, the sorrow, futility, and inhumanity at itscore. The film reveals the horrors of the war: the wide-scale destruction, thebrutal civilian casualties, and the torture of prisoners of war. These scenes are contrasted with quiet shots of everyday life in Vietnamese villages, and with candid interviews with enthusiastic American soldiers and pilots, who allseem to love their work. The films most shocking sequences come from filming with an American pilot on a bombing raid. The pilot is overjoyed at his successful napalm drop. Fox then takes her camera down to the village that was bombed, and shows us the horrific carnage the joyful pilot had caused. The Millsof the Gods caused both an immediate sensation and outrage when it was broadcast. The BBC aired the program, and the film circulated widely in the US, mainly on college campuses. The CBC had to run disclaimers before the film thatit did not present the viewpoint of the broadcaster. The US was so outraged that it basically blacklisted the CBC from any important news event in Washington, DC. The film caused diplomatic tensions to rise between Canada and the US, and led the Canadian government to pressure the CBC, which cancelled "This Hour Has Seven Days" in 1966. The Mills of the Gods is a perfect example of direct cinema's ability to go deeply into divisive issues and of the reaction of the establishment to its unconventional style of reporting events. Fox made two more acclaimed films about Vietnam (Saigon, 1967; Last Reflections on a War, 1968).The Mills of the Gods stands as one of the most important films on that tragic conflict." [from One World Film Festival web site] 56 min. DVD 3056

Description of "This Hour Has
Seven Days" from the Encyclopedia of Television
- The Most Dangerous Man in America
- In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg, a high-level Pentagon official and Vietnam War strategist, concludes that the war is based on decades of lies and leaks 7,000 pages of top secret documents to The New York Times, making headlines around the world. Tells a riveting story of how one man's profound change of heart created a landmark struggle involving America's newspapers, the president and Supreme Court--a political thriller whose events led directly to Watergate, Nixon's resignation and the end of the Vietnam War. Based in part on: Secrets : a memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers / by Daniel Ellsberg (2002) (Main (Gardner) Stacks & Moffitt DS558 .E44 2002). Produced and directed by Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith. Dist.: New Day Films. 2009. 94 min. DVD X2484
- My Lai
- The words 'My Lai' are seared into our memories of the Vietnam War, but few know what really happened in the small Vietnamese village on March 16, 1968. Now, drawing on 400 hours of recently discovered audio recordings and new interviews with participants, eye witnesses, and investigators, the complete story can finally be told about one of the most shocking atrocities in modern times, and about lesser-known acts of remarkable courage. Originally broadcast as an episode of "American Experience" on PBS. Directed by Barak Goodman. c2010. 90 min. DVD X3889
- No Game (Pentagon, 1967)
- Newsreel footage of an October 10, 1967 demonstration for peace against the war in Vietnam. Includes interviews with protesters who refused Selective Service. 17 min. Video/C 5858
- No Greater Cause.
- Film chronicles the height of the anti-Vietnam war movement in the Bay Area. Footage shows the massive confrontations in Oakland between police and anti-draft protestors in 1967; the rally of 100,000 against the war at Kezar Stadium in April, 1967 including the keynote address by Vietnam veteran, David Duncan. A film by Harvey Richards. 20 min DVD 4241; also VHS Video/C 2801
- No Man's Land: The Fall. (Century: Events that Shaped the World; 6.)
- During the Vietnam war the image of desperate people clinging to an evacuation helicopter atop the U.S. embassy, only hours before North Vietnamese troops arrived is seared into the American consciousness. This program uses the story of South Vietnam's last days as a prism through which the dark side of American foreign involvement can be seen. How did the White House and the Pentagon so completely misjudge America's ability to thwart a people's revolution in Southeast Asia? 42 min. Video/C 6347
- No More Mountains: The Story of the Hmong.
- A documentary concerning cultural and social adjustment of the Hmong people who after the end of Vietnam War emigrated from their homes in the mountains of Laos to settle in California and other parts of the world. 60 min.
Video/C 271
- No Vietnamese Ever Called Me Nigger.
- Documentary footage of Harlem's 1967 protest march against America's involvement in the Vietnamese Conflict. Includes interviews with three Black Vietnam veterans who discuss the relationship between racism and war and their experiences with racism in the United States. 1968. 68 min. Video/C 4971
- Pentagon Peace March, October 1967.
- An impressionistic study of the major anti-war demonstration held in Washington, D.C. in 1967. Filmmaker utilized optical printing method to modify the movements and colors of the original images. The sound of helicopters which patrolled the event are heard on the soundtrack. 10 min. Video/C 3259
- People's War.
- Documentary filmed in North Vietnam during 1969 presenting the Vietnam Conflict from the viewpoint of the North Vietnamese. Includes interviews with North Vietnamese civilians and soldiers. ("This film was shot ... in the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam, July-August 1969, with the cooperation of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries."--Closing credits). 39 min. Video/C 5859
- Prelude to Vietnam
- Details the rise and fall of French imperial ambitions in the 18th and 19th centuries in Indochina and the political outcome of the battle of Dien Bien Phu. 1984. 56 min. DVD 4314
- The Quiet Mutiny
- In this, the first of his documentary films, John Pilger combines candid interviews and amazing frontline footage of Vietnam to portray a growing rift between the US military bureaucrats -- "lifers" -- and the soldiers who physically and mentally fight the war on the ground, the "grunts." By 1970, it is an internal sense of disillusionment and frustration born from this rift that is triggering the withdrawal of US forces from Vietnam. Pilger finds himself unable to glean significant information from the military and so it is with the grunts, that he finds a very human side to the US presence in Vietnam -- soldiers who are at once ready to serve their country and doubtful of their purpose there. They experience the war in a way many of their superiors do not. Filmed at Camp Snuffy in 1970, this film presents a character study of the common soldier during the Vietnam War, revealing for the first time the shifting morale and open rebellion of Western troops. Produced by Jeremy Wallington; reported by John Pilger ; directed by Charles Denton.
Originally released in 1970 by Granada International Productions Limited. 26 min. DVD 8402
Description from Bullfrog Films catalog
- Radio First Termer: Vietnam's Only psychedelic FM Sterio Multiplex Radio Station[Sound recording]
- Complete 1972 broadcast of the historic, unparalleled pirate radio show hosted by Dave Rabbit, and directed towards fulfilling the anti-establishment needs of the "first termers and non-reenlistees in Vietnam." The unauthorized broadcasts flouted every Air Force and civil broadcast regulation and its acid-rock music (Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Cream & more), its ideology and language are still more than an earful today. 190 min. Sound/D 204
- Regret to Inform
- Filmmaker, Barbara Sonneborn, makes a pilgrimage to the Vietnamese countryside where her husband died. She explores the meaning of war and loss on a human level and weaves interviews with Vietnamese and American widows into a vivid testament to the personal legacy of war. 1998. 72 min. DVD 5428; vhs Video/C 6746
- Regret to Inform
- Filmmaker, Barbara Sonneborn, makes a pilgrimage to the Vietnamese countryside where her husband died. She explores the meaning of war and loss on a human level and weaves interviews with Vietnamese and American widows into a vivid testament to the personal legacy of war. 1998. 72 min. DVD 5428; vhs Video/C 6746
- Remembering My Lai
- Through interviews with the villagers and former soldiers the 1968 massacre at My Lai is discussed. Directed by Kevin Sim. c1989. 58 min. DVD X1411 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 1760
- Riding the Tiger
- Voices: Bettina Aptheker, David Dang, Nolan Grayson, William Hodge Jr., Frank McCulloch, Henry Morillo, Thai Nguyen-Khoa, Pham Thanh, Pham Van Tich, Ruth Rosen, Jesse Salcedo, Christopher Upham, Vo Ly, James Whitman.
A haunting and lyrical evocation of the hubris, despair and devastation of the American war in Vietnam. Archival film -- both gorgeous and chilling -- and footage of a B-52 graveyard are combined with the voices of GIs, Vietnamese villagers, and journalists, which add human counterpoint to the remarkable images onscreen. Not a treatise, not a polemic, but an artful reminiscence that makes eloquent sense of a dark and troubling time. Produced and directed by John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson. Cinematography, Jon Else. 1999. 34 min. DVD 9574
- Samsara.
- Documents the suffering, loss, and rebirth of the Cambodian people in the aftermath of the take over of Cambodia by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge revolutionary forces and the subsequent invasion of Cambodia by Viet Nam. 28 min. Video/C 1847
- The Secret Agent.
- Looks at dioxin, the deadly contaminant of the defoliant code-named Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War. Uses rare archival footage, war footage, and interviews with Vietnam veterans and officials of the Veteran's Administration and Dow Chemical Company to document the history of chemical warfare and agricultural herbicides. 57 min. Video/C 727
- The Sensational 70's.
- Newsreel and TV footage of various events and personalities of the 1970's. 60 min. Video/C 6766-6774
- Sex in the Vietnam War
- Focuses on the sexual behavior of soldiers during the Vietnam War and its consequences. Originally broadcast in 2002 as a segment of the television progroam "XY factor" on the History Channel. 50 min. DVD X748
- Silent Sentinels, Coward's War
- In a post-Khmer Ro
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