The World at War (TV Series) Nemesis: Germany - February-May 1945 (1974) User Reviews

Finishing the fight

[nickenchuggets · 10/10 · 30 August 2023]

Even though at the time it seemed like it might never end, this installment of World at War goes over how Nazi Germany paid the ultimate price for laying waste to Europe and ironically lasted only 12 years while Hitler said it would persist for a thousand. 1945 began disastrously for the Reich. In the west, Hitler's last chance to push Allied forces back to the sea and give Germany some breathing space had failed during the Battle of the Bulge. Having basically no reserves of fuel, soldiers, vehicles or aircraft left, the germans are subjected to one of the most horrific bombing raids of the entire war when hundreds of British and American planes attack Dresden, a city with basically no military significance. Around 25 thousand civilians were killed and burned alive as explosions triggered firestorms so large that drafts would literally suck people into them. In late March, the Rhine is crossed by british forces, and american forces cross further upstream. As allied forces advance, they begin to uncover evidence of Hitler's death camps. Many germans knew about them and others pretended not to know. Upon seeing what was going on in one of these places, the mayor of a certain town went home and hanged himself. Throughout all this, Hitler made no more public appearances. He was a heavily medicated and damaged person who had retreated to his underground bunker complex concealed beneath the Reich Chancellery since the bombing raids had become too frequent and destructive. Meanwhile, on April 16th (Lenin's birthday), the Soviet Union launches a huge artillery attack against german forces standing between them and the outskirts of Berlin. The Red Army crosses the Oder River and closes in on germany's capital. What german troops were still fighting attempted to make their way to the west and give up to the americans, rather than be captured by vengeful Russians who would likely work them to death in Siberia. Members of Hitler's staff (notably his valet Heinz Linge and secretary Traudl Junge) give anecdotes of the Fuhrer's final moments. Hermann Goering, leader of the air force, sends Hitler a telegram stating that he knows he is now unable to effectively govern germany due to being trapped in the bunker and is taking control of the reich whether he wants that or not. Hitler is incandescent with rage and orders his arrest. Some of his most trusted commanders begin secretly negotiating with the allies as well to make sure nothing bad happens to them after the war. As the russians push further towards the Reichstag, the german parliament structure, every single house and apartment building is used as a fortress against the invaders. Sexual violence committed by soviet enlisted men is widespread. Hitler tells Eva Braun and other female residents of the bunker to leave while they still can, but his soon to be wife doesn't want to desert him. By this point, soviet troops are practically right on top of the bunker or just a few hundred yards away. In Hitler's mind, he and the german state are one, and if he dies, it had to die too. After dictating his last will and political testimony to Traudl, he improvises a marriage service to Eva with assistance from a person working for the propaganda ministry. The next day, while Hitler and Eva Braun (now Eva Hitler) are in the former's private quarters, there's the sound of a gunshot. Linge is one of the only people to witness the following scene: Hitler had shot himself in the right side of his head with a Walther PPK handgun and had his head slumped down to the right while he sat on a sofa. Eva had both her legs on the sofa and had discolored lips indicative of cyanide ingestion. Linge and some other officers took the corpses, carried them into the the open area of the chancellery above, and burned them. So ends the life of arguably the most brutal dictator the world has ever seen. After this, soviet forces manage to raise a russian flag on the reichstag, and american and soviet forces link up in the heart of germany. While we are chronologically nearing the end of this incredible series, World at War shows that it doesn't drop in quality even in its later episodes. We finally get to see the allies finish what germany started, and with the discovery of the camps, everyone finds out the true evil of their conquest. Many important figures are interviewed, including the woman part of the flagbearer unit which raised the soviet flag on the reichstag. Another standout is a german teenage soldier who risked his life running to a frontline unit in order to supply them with weapons. He survived the war and was given the Iron Cross Second Class, the same medal Hitler had received during his time in World War 1 and would wear right up until the end of his life. Overall, World at War once again amazes me and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that it's the foremost series on the Second World War.

Insight

[slak96u · 10/10 · 26 September 2022]

Easily the most thorough account of the fall of Nazi Germany. The interviews by themselves are incredible, but to put them into a context that is so impactful, even in 2022 is rather remarkable. By herself, Traudl Junge is the most interesting and impactful interview from the entire series, someone who had obviously drank the kool-aid, but then left completely empty and meaningless, like so many Germans at that time. It's fantastic insight into how skewed the entire country was, even till the end.

The production is fantastic, the editing, narration, and footage are all as good as you would see present day.

What's so incredible, with the entire series really, is the lack of bias. The lack of a skewed agenda is what sets this series apart from any other WW2 documentary ever made, it's a thorough and thoughtful account of, up till now, the most impactful event in human history.

The best episode, IMHO, as the interviews are an incredible time capsule into the past. Honestly the best WW2 documentary ever made.