Peace & Conflict Studies

General

American Revolutionary War

American Civil War

World War I

Spanish Civil War (see Western Europe videography)

Civil War

World War II

Korea

Cold War / Nuclear Proliferation

Vietnam

Middle East

Croatia/The Balkans

Area Studies videographies

Global Issues videography

International Terrorism videography

U.S. Politics & Government videography

1960's videography

1950's videography

War movies in MRC

General and Miscellaneous

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

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 First Run/Icarus

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 MELVYL or GLADIS 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

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. 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. 2003. 107 min. DVD 2687

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

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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

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

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 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

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

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. 1971. 51 min. 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.

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

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

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. 87 min. Video/C 1132

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

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

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. 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. 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. 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

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.

Written and directed by Eugene Jarecki. 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. 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

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

To the top

American Revolutionary War

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

American Civil War

The Civil War.

A film by Ken Burns. Times vary; consult GLADIS.

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. Video/C 1810

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 Series)

A Firebell in the Night.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

Spanish American War

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

World War I

For World War I movies, see Movie Genres: War Movies videography

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

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 First World War

Originally broadcast as a television mini-series in 2003. DVD 5046

Episode 1: To arms 1913: origins of the crisis -- death of an emperor -- mobilization -- Britian goes to war. Episode 2: Under the eagle, 1914-1915: to win a quick victory -- a new Germany -- battle of the Marne-1914 -- life under German rule. Episode 3: 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 cry for the holy war -- Turkey attacks Russia -- Gallipolli-the soft underbelly -- destination Baghdad.

To arms 1914: Explores the complex origins of the Great War, and how seemingly insignificant local tensions in the Balkans exploded into war. Under the eagle 1914-1915: The German invasion of Belgium and France was brutal, and atrocities fanned the flames of war. Global war 1914-1916: The European Empires clashed all across the world, from the South Atlantic Seas to the plains of Africa. 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. 200 min.

Episode 5: Shackled to a corpse 1914-1916: the campaign in East Prussia -- the neutrals decide -- fighting in Russia-1915 -- Serbia collapses. Episode 6: Breaking the deadlock 1915-1917: stalemate -- live and let live -- pursuing the war -- the coming of the tank.

Shackled to a corpse 1914-1916: As the Germans and Austrians clashed with the Russians on the bitter Eastern Front, Italy became embroiled in a terrible slaughter...Breaking the deadlock 1915-1917: The Somme and Verdun saw carnage on an unprecedented scale, as armies fought to break the stalemate on the Western Front. 100 min.

Episode 7: Blockade 1916-1917: the submarines and wireless -- secrets of room 40 -- U-boat menace -- telegram to Mexico. Episode 8: Revolution 1917: the collapse of the Romanov Dynasty -- the French mutiny -- inciting an Arab revolt -- fanning the flames of home rule.

Blockade 1916-1917: The war at sea was every bit as bitter as the war on land. The battle at Jutland proved inconclusive, but the U-Boat menace threatened Britian as never before. Meanwhile America entered the war... Revolution 1917: The effects of the Great War shattered nations, inspired mass mutinies by desperate troops, caused great upheaval on the home front...and changed the world forever. 100 min.

Episode 9: Germany's last gamble 1918: The spring offensive -- momentum begins to fade -- peace overtures -- the Allies regain the initiative. Episode 10: War without end: the black day of the German Army -- Germany seeks an armistice -- the soldiers return -- aftermath.

Germany's last gamble 1918: Over one million German troops were committed to Kaiserschlacht - the last great offensive of the war - while conflict still raged on many other fronts. War without end: The dramatic Allied victory at Amiens led to victory in just 100 days - and the signing of a bitterly resented peace, while other nations stumbled towards their own ceasefire agreements. 100 min.

The Great War--1918. (American Experience)

Chronicles the story of United States soldiers in the closing battle of World War I as it was told through the letters and diaries of men including General John J. (Blackjack) Pershing, Sergeant Alvin York, and Sergeant Harry S. Truman. 58 min. 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 DVD 4332

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

Killing Fields, 1914-19. (People's Centuiry).

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

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

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

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

To the top

World War II

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

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. 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

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. 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. 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

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 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

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)

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 First Run Icarus catalog

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

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

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)

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

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)

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)

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: Axix 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

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

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

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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. (Main Stack PN1995.9.M56.C59 2001)

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. Academy Award for best feature-length documentary, 1943. 62 min. Video/C 5027

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. 1987. 122 min. DVD 7172

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 Petain'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. 1993. 110 min. Video/C 6983

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)

Co-directed with 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)

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

Franklin D. Roosevelt - Declaration of War (December 8, 1941)

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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

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

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

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

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. 51 min. Video/C 4363

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. 20