Favorite WWII Documentary Film Series

I'm a big fan of these. Multi-volume war documentaries comprise most of my video collection. Wanted to share my favorites, and also get feedback if others have seen really good ones that I've missed.

Battlefield: Two ten-volume video sets, originally aired on PBS. I've also seen them more recently in an inferior, edited and re-narrated (American accent this time) format on The History Channel. Each major campaign of the war is covered in two one-hour videos: the first one lays out the background events, the political situation, the leaders and the weapons and forces involved, while the second intstalment goes through the events step by step and concludes with a summary of the long-term results. Broad overview with some over-simplifications, but generally a very good job (especially the maps and graphics). Same production team also did a quality series on Vietnam.

World At War: the classic of war documentary genre. Produced by the British Imperial War Museum, narrated by Laurence Olivier, originally aired in the US on PBS in the 1970's. Greatest asset of this series is that many of the major figures and participants were still alive to be interviewed. More of a personal "I was there; this is what it was like" angle than a pure military history approach. Now distributed by HBO Home Entertainment; one wishes they'd done a better job re-mastering the sound track.

Russia's War - Blood on the Snow: Excellent Russian-produced series; ten one hour episodes on five tapes. Somewhere between Battlefield and World At War, with a mixed emphasis on survivor testimony and academic-historical perspectives. Lots of quality inside info on the Soviet regime thanks to contribution of Stalin biographer and former Red Army general Volkugonov. Probably an eye-opener for most European and US viewers: when I was in school, we never learned anything like the true extent of what the Russians (and satellite peoples) went through in WWII. Very much worth seeing; changed my whole perspective on WWII and the Cold War that followed.

 

My votes are as follows.

1)Agreed, all the Battlefield Docs were excellent.
2)Battleline
3)World At War
4)((The original)) 20th Centure with Walter Kronkite.
5)War in the East
6)The Eagle and the Bear
7)Victory At Sea
8)Greatest Fighting Machines of WW2
9)Footsoldire
10)Greatest battles
11)Our Century
12)Revolutionary War

and a bunch of others.

 

From the German point of view I would highly recommend the Deutsche Wochenschau. Been translated into English sub-titels by Internatinal Films, Inc. out of Chicago, Illinois. some incredible footage. I personally own the 1945 reels that were done in France/Germany that had French commercials dubbed in. Makes for an intersting 6 hours of tape. Actually they interview around 4 German vets in French, which unfortunately I cannot understand.

E

 

Go for it Otto!! I have somewhere between 400 and 600 hours of Documentaries on tape, I lost count after about 400 documentaries. It really runs the gemut of Documentaries, but 99% are on ww2 or war or weapons etc.

You could start a Western movie page with what I have, and I lost count after 500 Western movies I have on tape.

I have no idea how many war movies I have, possibly 100 or so, I dont remember

Then we can talk about TV Series I have on tape like" Black Sheep Squadron, Combat (just 30 or so) Tour of Duty (most) The Rifleman (most) Wagon Train (some) Rawhide (some) and god knows WHAT else

IM LOOKING FOR HOGANS HEROES EPISODES-ALL OF THEM, any sources

 

dear Otto, Good show what? It will be a few months before I have access to alla my tapes. When I can, I will go through alla them and make you a list of what I have, if you want.

 

dear Otto, Good show what? It will be a few months before I have access to alla my tapes. When I can, I will go through alla them and make you a list of what I have, if you want.