Why We Fight (1942) User Reviews

Capra assembles powerful argument for getting involved.

[st-shot · 8/10 · 8 December 2009]

The first an probably the best of the US Government's Why We Fight Series due to its overview of Democracy's three enemies Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Imperial Japan as opposed to concentrating on one theatre of War in subsequent series entries. Hitler, Hirohito and Mussolini need little makeover to demonize as their words and actions vividly captured and powerfully edited show a world on the brink of annihilation as the three war machines ratchet things up in the thirties.

Judged in hindsight Prelude packs vast amounts of information in its engrossing less than an hour running time about threats to the American way, soberly and effectively narrated by Walter Huston. Filled with charts and graphs it divides the planet in two ( the world of light and the world of darkness) as the iconic symbols of the axis powers advance across territories in black, inter cutting documentary footage of atrocity.

Over 60 years after it was made this documentary about world wide life and death struggle remains compelling viewing as the universe still wrestles with massive conflict today. I can only imagine the massive emotional weight this film must have had on an American film audience as the conflagration still raged in 1943. To sit in a darkened theater suddenly illuminated by blast and explosion viewing visions of civilian slaughter in city streets like ours must have shaken audiences to the core. Frank Capra made some classic films in his day but he never made more important ones than the Why We Fight series.

I enjoyed it

[a35362 · 7/10 · 24 April 2000]

I found this short film fascinating. It very clearly lays out to the "common man" the argument in favor of getting involved in WW II. Yes, the animation is crude by today's standards and the voice-over is melodramatic, but considering most people of fifty-odd years ago never got anywhere near a college campus and their lives stopped at the city limits of their hometowns, this film does a good job of spelling out what was going on around the world and what was at stake. The earnestness with which it is presented may be seen as campy today, but just imagine what it must have been like, trying to understand it all and trying to guess what it would mean to you and your family.

"This is a fight between a Free World and a Slave World". - VP Henry Wallace, 5/8/1942

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 24 May 2009]

With the Memorial day weekend upon us, I decided to take this World War II documentary series off the shelf and watch it in it's entirety. My father served in WWII, and in recent years I've become fascinated with the scope and dimension of the conflict, as it truly did engulf nearly the entire world of the 1930's and '40's. Directed by the legendary Frank Capra, the series of seven films was produced by the War Department in cooperation with the Research Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. They were intended to be shown to all new military recruits so that they would have an understanding of the enemy, and how urgent it was to halt the advancing march of Naziism and Fascism across the globe.

The first installment, "Prelude to War", discusses how Hitler, Mussolini and Emperor Hirohito used their demagogic influence to convince the people of their countries to give up their individuality and become part of a massive human herd, subject to the near god-like decisions of their leaders. It was particularly frightening to see young German grade school children singing "Our Hitler is Our Lord, Who Rules a Brave New World". Juxtaposing images of American school children at play with those of German youngsters marching in military youth camps drew a striking contrast in ideology and mindset of two vastly different societies, one devoted to freedom against one devoted to blind obedience to a Fuehrer bent on world conquest.

The film spends a good portion of it's run on that dichotomy - the notion of a Free World in conflict with that of a Slave World, before touching on the opening salvos of the conflict. The War officially began on 9/18/1931, when Japan invaded Manchuria in the northern reaches of China, followed by attacks on Shanghai in 1932. In 1935, Italy began it's imperialistic designs with an invasion of Ethiopia on the African continent. The segment defers Germany's entry into the War to the following chapter - "The Nazis Strike".

Should anyone doubt Adolf Hitler's resolve to subjugate the entire known world under his direct control, the film reminds us of that intent with Hitler's own words, describing how he would turn his defeated victims into slaves to enrich the German Master Race. Particularly chilling and even more haunting, Hitler proclaimed - "I want to see again in the eyes of (German) youth the gleam of the beast of prey".

"If you ever meet them, don't hesitate".

[RussianPantyHog · 16 October 2004]

So says Walter Huston, speaking about Mussolini, Hirohito & Hitler. Prelude To War is the 1st in 7 information films collectively known as the Why We Fight series. Each film is a masterpiece and still, 60 years later, the benchmark of documentary film-making. This particular film shows how the Axis powers (Germany, Italy & Japan) destroyed freedom in their own countries and then set out to poison their youth and conquer the world. It shows why we MUST fight. I don't say "we" lightly. The movie is SO powerful that by the end I actually felt myself involved in the struggle. The film is beautifully narrated by 2 very unique voices who each bring a distinctive style and message. Walter Huston is the voice of experience, and Anthony Veiller's no-nonsense New York accent adds a sense of real urgency to what must be done. The various 'footage' clips are painstakingly collected to back up the narration and they really are chilling; particularly the shots of small children utterly brainwashed by the vicious poison of militarism. WE all know that good triumphed over evil, but it certainly was touch and go back then and this movie played a major role in showing American soldiers "Why We Fight". God bless them for their sacrifice. I bought the entire series on DVD and they are essential viewing.

Jingoistic and propaganda documentary co-realized by Frank Capra and Anatole Litvak

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 2 June 2010]

¨Why we fight ? ¨ , results to be a series of seven information films Special Service Division Information Film , produced by the War department , SOS , with cooperation of research Council Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . This film the first of a series has been prepared by the War Department to acquaint members of the Army with factual information as to the causes , the events , leading up to our entry into the War and the principles for which we are fighting.

E. G. Marshall chief of staff tells : ¨A knowledge of these facts in an indispensable part of military training and merits the thoughtful consideration of every American soldier ¨ . ¨We are determined that before the sun set on this terrible struggles , our flags will be recognized throughout the world as a symbol of freedom on the one hand , an overwhelming power on the other ; no compromise is possible and the victory of the democracies can only be complete with the latter defeat of the war machines of Germany and Japan¨. And Vice-President Henry Wallace says : ¨This is a fight between a free world and slave World ¨.

Meanwhile in Germany, Italy and Germany is prohibited the reunion , public assembly of more than five persons is strictly forbidden, violators will be prosecuted ; only the application of brutal force used continuously and ruthlessly can bring about the decision in favor of the side it supports : ¨Mein Kampf¨ . As foes of Putch slain in Munich, the ex-premier crushed Hitler's attempt to seize power in 1923 ; in Italy Giacomo Matteotti socialist leader murdered to silence him and slain by Italian Fascisti ; in Japan General Watanabe and Viscount Saito are assassinated by Tokyo clique and Japanese statesman murdered in bed by rebel force of Army officers, plus Inspector General of Military Education slain by group of young rebels and Inoyuye Minister of Finance is also slain . Furthermore in Germany Roehm assassinated in Nazi purge with hundreds dead . Hitler attempts the Christian cross is to be removed from all churches and cathedrals and is to be replaced by the immortal symbol of Germany, the swastika. Berlin , 1935, 700.000 members of the Protestant youth organizations were forced to disband , Nazis storm cardinal Faulhaber's palace and bricks and clubs are hurled at windows . Pastor Niemoller is sent to prison camp and other Pastors are imprisoned in homes ; Nazis jail priests , friars and nuns , arrest follows search and rampage of convents and monasteries. Nazis vent rage on Jews , riots all over Germany, mobs kill , loot and burn . The fascism , Imperialism and Nazism have their own slogans as Hitler says : ¨I want to see again in the eyes of youth the gleam of the beats of prey ¨ ; as Japanese Army slogan : ¨To die emperor is to live forever ¨; as Mussolini : ¨Three cheers for war , noble and beautiful above all ¨ .

The film terminates with a patriotic words : ¨Victory of the democracies can only be completed with utter defeat of the war machines of Germany , Italy and Japan ¨. The story is interestingly written by Philip and Julius Epstein , Casablanca's writers . This documentary-propaganda is well directed by Frank Capra and by Anatole Litvak , though uncredited .

Propaganda!

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 18 May 2016]

The official World War II US Government film statement defining the various enemies of the Allies and why they must be fought.

In the two decades following World War I and the failure of the League of Nations, a spirit of isolationism became prevalent throughout the United States that persisted up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The government needed to combat this feeling, and thus the birth of the modern American propaganda film.

The film examines the differences between the U.S. and the fascist states of Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler and Yamamoto, portraying the latter countries working together as gangsters to conquer the world. In order to do this, Capra made use of footage from "Triumph of the Will", but with different narration designed to support the Allied cause.

Although the goal was to get Americans unified for the war effort, it actually does this in a very welcoming way. Early on we see an appeal to people of different faiths -- including Muslims and Confucians -- that would seem very out of place today (2016). So, although this was a pro-war film, it was also very much a pro-melting pot film in its own way.

Difficult to watch/rate, but very interesting

[Jeremy_Urquhart · 6/10 · 25 July 2023]

Prelude to War's a fascinating historical document, but only works when watched today when looking at it critically. If I approached this like I would a normal movie, it probably would've driven me nuts, because it obviously feels manipulative, there are questionable claims, and time has not been kind to some of the pro-American statements made here.

But while emotionally I find this eye-rolling at best and uncomfortable at worst, I am appreciative of the techniques being used, and though they're obvious now, some 80 years later, you can see how it would have been ferociously effective back in 1942. Like anything with a strong political stance that I don't entirely agree with, watching this was challenging, but worthwhile from a historical perspective. I think anyone interested in the history of filmmaking/documentary filmmaking or just history in general should check it out.

Well-done and educational propaganda

[BrandtSponseller · 9/10 · 10 July 2006]

Prelude to War is the first in a series of well-made propaganda films that were co-directed by Frank Capra during World War II with the intention of educating new U.S. soldiers about the war while inspiring them to fight for "what's right". Watching them at this point in time, they are fascinating as a glimpse into more or less official propagandistic stances. Of course it's to be expected that the films go to pains to dehumanize, even demonize, then enemy cultures. Because this specific material is so far removed from our current stances and concerns, it's instructive to watch and especially to show it to students, because it's much easier to see through the propaganda tactics, enabling similar tactics to more easily be identified in modern politics.

But perhaps surprisingly, Prelude to War and the other films in the series also contain a good deal of accurate factual information, so that unless you're a World War II buff, you can learn quite a bit about how the war progressed and at least one side of why it progressed (one of many necessary sides)--if you watch the series with a critical eye.

The series also contains a lot of intriguing historical footage--including films of Axis military campaigns in execution, and some of the more typical newsreel-type shots of the three Axis leaders--Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito, their right-hand men and their military and civilian support systems. Just as notable now is footage of various aspects of American life that would have passed by without much thought in 1943--such as cars traveling on relatively sparse, newly built U.S. highway interchanges. You can gain as much from Prelude to War by simply watching the images and keeping in mind the historical context as you can by listening to the narration.

There are a couple rough spots--a montage of Axis armies marching like huge, well-oiled machines probably goes on too long 60-something years later, but surely the aim was to put just a bit of fear as well as an increased fervor to conquer into the new U.S. military recruits.

This film isn't crucial viewing for everyone, but for those who study history, politics, sociology, the military and especially World War II, it is essential.

Heavy-handed but effective

[grantss · 7/10 · 13 April 2018]

Directed by famed Hollywood director Frank Capra and Ukrainian director Anatole Litvak , a US documentary / propaganda film on the causes of World War 2. Shows Germany, Italy and Japan's build up to WW2, and how the tension escalated. Part of Capra's "Why We Fight" series.

One of the many documentary films made by the Hollywood directors employed by the US Armed Forces during World War 2. While a large amount of these felt more like pure documentaries, i.e. the jingoism was toned down, Prelude to War is much more in the propaganda camp. The anti-German/Italian/Japanese rhetoric is laid on very thick, and much chest-beating and sage-like quotations are used against the three belligerents.

While it feels overdone down, it must have been very effective at the time. The history shown is accurate and the arguments laid down are very sound. Furthermore, there is a gravitas to the tone that I imagine could only have made Americans feel more patriotic and compelled to fight.

Quite convincing and thus effective.

just hokey enough to be dated, but it never loses its forceful impact for showing why the war happened

[Quinoa1984 · 9/10 · 10 January 2010]

I usually don't watch old propaganda movies, unless it's meant for fun. The kind that they show on Mystery Science Theater before the main feature are some of those. But Frank Capra had an entire series of films in the second world war educating an American public, whether they knew it or not, about the reasons and and the current fighting conditions, of World War II. Granted, these were made more-so for the US Army as a training film, and in this particular case we get the not-so-subtle look at "Free" vs "Slave" states, the latter being those in Germany and Japan. Did you know, for example, that the Nazis make their schoolchildren pledge allegiance to Hitler every day before school starts and that the Japanese have an unyielding allegiance to their Emperor? It's that kind of movie.

But there is more than I expected here, which is what is so fascinating and satisfying. Capra is a real filmmaker, he's not just some gun for hire that the Army would get to make something fast and message heavy without any artistic merit. So even when Capra's imagery and tactics of narrative devices beat the drum over the head- perhaps for good reason as it was, again, for the US Army- is really does drive the points home as solid propaganda. And, sometimes, as some decent history too about how Germany and Japan got to where they were in the lead-up into the war. On top of this is Capra's skill in combining documentary footage of Nazis and "the Japs" with various maps showing what the axis powers would do with their far-reaching goals in taking over the road (like an oil-slick it goes over the map), and there's even some really creative animation used. Plus, of course, some actual interviews and footage of politicians.

Overall, while not subtle in the slightest, Prelude to War is a fine piece of film-making that achieves its principle goal: get the soldiers (or the audience in general) riled up about what has happened up until this point in time, and, of course, to 'know-your-enemy' as it were. It's no less an artistic achievement really than anything else Capra was doing in the 1940's.

Truly shows the high stakes involved in World War II...riveting!

[jcapogrossi · 10/10 · 18 November 2009]

I originally heard of this film from watching a (now) favorite documentary about the history of editing ("The Cutting Edge")- I decided to watch "Why we fight" just to see it for it's artistic importance as an influential part of US film history.

It is- This film, even though from the 40's, is well made and is, without a doubt, NOT "boring" in any sense. This film moves forward and never lets up. I think what makes this film riveting moreso than other documentaries is that this one was made in the middle of the actual conflict. The outcome of world war II had not yet arrived at the time of this film...the Allies did not know if they would be able to win or not. The plan of attack of the Axis, as outlined in this film through well done animation from Disney, showed that if the U.S. didn't act quickly, soon it would be us versus the rest of the world, under the control of the Axis. Unlike other WWII documentaries, which tell the story from the perspective of history, this one is right in the middle of everything.

Especially this chapter, prelude to war, shows the terrifying history of the Nazi's rise to power, and the Imperialist Japan's rise as well. I think for all the danger the U.S. faced at that time, the most chilling, perhaps, to U.S. audiences would be the Nazi regime.

If anyone ever doubted how scary the Nazis were, just watch this film. Especially enlightening are facts that many of us likely didn't know or remember,-the fact that the Nazi's were not only anti-Semetic. Hitler's takeover of Germany soon became a decidedly anti-Christian "religion". The Nazi party actually removed crosses off of churches and replaced them with swastikas, and in speeches the Nazi's cast Hitler's words as "Germany's religion". Many Christian ministers and even priests and nuns were jailed.

The most eerie was the scene where the children in Germany were made to sing songs like "Hitler is our Lord" etc... CHILLING.

Many have called this film slanted, and U.S. propaganda, and this may be true...but I still think it's a great piece of historical film-making.

I feel more than other films I have seen, this one really makes us in 2009 realize the seriousness of World War II (The slave world of Hitler vs the free world), and how high the stakes were.

It makes me thankful to live in America, and for me also brings about a newfound respect for our senior citizens who lived through that very challenging era of history, especially those who served as soldiers.

By far the worst of the series

[name99-92-545389 · 4/10 · 13 February 2021]

The other movies in this series are genuinely interesting in terms both of how they explain the progress of the war and in what they emphasize as important (always bearing in mind that the war wasn't yet over...).

But this one is very different; the propaganda element is very obvious, and it's not even very interesting or interesting propaganda. Basically a series of uninspired "they do X whereas we do Y" where even an average teenager could point out some of the logic problems in the comparisons. (To this observer, not raised in the US, it was especially unclear to me why a country that has its students stating the pledge of allegiance every day should be so scandalized by the Nazi version of essentially the same thing.)

You keep hoping, based on the others in the series, that you'll catch some insight, learn something you didn't already know, but it never happens. Everything is exactly as you'd expect (including the very carefully constructed analogies and comparisons that manage to just keep Stalin and Russia from ever falling onto the "non-freedom" side of the ledger.)

An excellent example of propaganda

[tombeaman · 14 March 2002]

This is Frank Capra's classic first installment from the seven film series entitled, "Why We Fight." It is a masterpiece of US propaganda, shown first to soldiers, later to the US public, and eventually to our allies (including the Soviet Union). With dramatic narration and musical score, it drives home the point that "Our World, the free world" must fight "That other world." Capra's idea was to use the film archives of Japanese, German, and Italian propagandists against them with, of course, careful editing and translating.

If you are looking to buy a copy, CARE SHOULD BE EXERCISED due to the existence of a fraudulent film by the same title. The original is a classic, starting with a lively series of shots, often employing double exposures and fading edits, listing the fallen nations to the axis powers. One poorly done fraud, sold in a set of four with three of the original series titles, has a narrator reading a textbook or encyclopedia and turning the pages...

Very good to get an idea of perceptions at that time

[rvosa · 8/10 · 7 May 2006]

The series "Why we fight" was US government propaganda to explain to American soldiers, and later the public, why the US was involved in WWII. It is very interesting to watch, and a good way to learn what Americans thought (or were supposed to think) at the time - but on its own this series does not provide an accurate account of the war.

Obviously, this was made before political correctness existed, and you can tell: there is talk of 'Japs', the Holocaust is largely ignored. Also, the movie is necessarily ambivalent about the Russian role, who were allies at the time. For example, the Molotov-Von Ribbentrop pact (especially the annex about the division of Eastern Europe) goes virtually unmentioned, and the Red Army's reasons for showing up in Eastern Poland are nebulous.

On the other hand, the movies are quite detailed about the people involved, the various Nazi leaders and so on - who would have been household names at the time, but would probably be left out of present day WWII documentaries. Also interesting is that one of the reasons, apparently, why Nazism must be fought was their union busting - surely a reflection of the post-Depression Roosevelt era.

All in all, well worth watching. I rate this highly both because it is essential viewing as an historical document, and because it is very well done propaganda (Frank Capra, animations by Disney)! Note that the US government has placed these movies in the public space, which means that perfectly legal, digital versions can be found on the internet.

Capra's critical contribution to America's war effort

[nickenchuggets · 10/10 · 30 June 2021]

Frank Capra was one of America's most famous and well-liked directors, and for good reason. He won a number of awards for his amazing movies produced in the 1930s, such as "It Happened One Night" and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town". Early in the 40s, when it looked increasingly more likely that America was going to involve itself in yet another European war, Capra was given a special assignment by the US government he now served. His task was to make a number of films that would eventually be seen by american servicemen, telling them why the war was being fought and what their jobs were supposed to entail. While basically the definition of propaganda, Capra insists it wasn't because he didn't want to be accused of using the same tactics the nazis did. The series itself consists of 7 films, of which I have seen all (except one centered on asia): Prelude to War, The Nazis Strike, Divide and Conquer, The Battle of Britain, The Battle of Russia, The Battle of China, and War Comes to America. Although not really considered part of Why We Fight, Capra also was responsible for making films that told GI's about their opponents they would meet on the battlefield. He made one entitled Know Your Enemy: Japan that tells about why the japanese were fighting the US and how America's oil embargo on the country may have contributed to their attack at Pearl Harbor. Capra also planned to make a Know Your Enemy film on the germans, but it took a very long time to make and was eventually released after the war with a different title (Here Is Germany). Capra wasn't a person to shy away from more sensitive issues in the US Armed Forces at the time either. He made a film depicting the troubles and hardships faced by african servicemen in the united states and how the french built a monument dedicated to their courage in world war 1 (which was later blown up by the germans). Even watching these things from a modern perspective makes you realize how turbulent the world was back when history like this was being committed. I think the most important part of all is how most of these films (except the germany one) were made during the war, so it gave american troops real insight as to why they were in europe or the pacific. Many high ranking officers in the army also thought Capra's work was amazing, and there is even a photograph of General Marshall (one of very few men to hold a 5 star rank) awarding Capra with a distinguished service medal. It should come as no surprise that an excellent director like Capra was also capable of producing something that the US military thought was useful, and is still seen as important 80 years later.

A Propaganda Film Which Succeeds In Convincing Viewers The Need For USA To Fight The Axis

[bellabanana93 · 9/10 · 24 October 2017]

Prelude to War (1942) is a Historic War Documentary which is a famous propaganda pieced used to train the U.S. Army during World War 2. The main message of the film is why America is at war. The film begins with war footage while naming countries and asking which one is to blame for this war.

The film convinces viewers of the importance of war by naming America 'the land of the free' and other countries 'slave countries'. The narrator highlights growing fascism, socialism, and militarism in other countries and states that America is the free world where individual rights are cherished. The narrator uses music and quotes that Americans will recognize such as "Give me liberty or give me death"-all to convince viewers that this fight is one for liberty.

The narrator criticizes Japan by calling Japanese people a human heard because they refer to their leader as "God Emperor". They talk about fascism in both Italy, Germany, and Japan and discussed the symbols that were worn and what the narrator wants to think the citizens of these countries were hoping for and what they got in return. The narrator tells audiences that all media is controlled by the government and freedom of speech and association is going away.

The footage is clear and concise. The editing is great. The message is clear. The film succeeds in convincing Americans of their importance World War 2 and making America look great. All in all, a good watch for any history nut.

A great look at American propaganda

[Cookie003 · 9 November 2002]

This film is a great opening to the entire series convincing and American public why they are entering WW II. This film shows the viewer much more about American ideals right after the events of Dec 7th 1942.

Some of the language is a little hard to handle and the overt nature makes the viewer laugh more than once, its great to look at old training videos as the try and instill a sense of pride in America and hate over the enemy. Recommended viewing for anyone looking into WW II propaganda, also used as a good counter argument to Triumph of the Will.

A different time

[kyivguy · 8/10 · 15 July 2022]

1942 was an epic year in the US. In February, Japanese Americans including citizens were ordered into detention camps. Italian Americans were considered enemy aliens, until October of that year. The military was still segregated thanks to Woodrow Wilson until Truman issued a desegregation order six years later. African Americans were made give up their seats to German POWs. Despite all of the injustice US citizens of Italian, African, Japanese and German decent fought and died for freedom. Thankfully we've come a long way.

Good

[Cosmoeticadotcom · 8/10 · 24 September 2008]

There has been a political documentary, of recent vintage, called Why We Fight, which tries to examine the infamous Military Industrial Complex and its grip on this nation. It is considered both polemical and incisive in making its case against both that complex and the war fiasco we are currently involved in in Iraq. Yet, a far more famous series of films, with the same name, was made during World War Two, by Hollywood director Frank Capra. Although considered documentaries, and having won Oscars in that category, this series of seven films is really and truly mere agitprop, more in the vein of Leni Reifenstal's Triumph Of The Will, scenes of which Capra recycles for his own purposes. That said, that fact does not mean it does not have vital information that subsequent generations of World War Two documentaries (such as the BBC's lauded The World At War) lacked, nor does that mean that its value as a primary source is any the less valuable. They are skillfully made, and after recently purchasing some used DVDs at a discount store, I found myself with the opportunity to select a free DVD with my purchase. I chose Goodtimes DVD's four DVD collection of the series.

Rarely has something free been so worth invaluable. While there are no extras on the DVDs, and the sound quality of the prints varies, these films provide insight into the minds of Americans two thirds of a century ago, when racism was overt (as in many of the classic Warner Brothers pro-war cartoons of the era), and there was nothing wrong with blatant distortion of facts. The seven films, produced between 1942 and 1945, are Prelude To War, The Nazis Strike, Divide And Conquer, The Battle Of Britain, The Battle Of Russia, The Battle Of China, and War Comes To America.

Overall, the film series is well worth watching, not only for the obvious reasons, but for the subtle things it reveals, such as the use of the plural for terms like X millions when referring to dollars, rather than the modern singular, or the most overused graphic in the whole series- a Japanese sword piercing the center of Manchuria. Yet, it also shows the complexities of trying to apply past standards to current wars. The lesson of World War One (avoid foreign entanglements) was not applicable to World War Two, whose own lesson (act early against dictatorships) has not been applicable in the three major wars America has fought since: Korea, Vietnam, nor Iraq. The fact that much of this series teeters on the uncertainties of the times it was made in only underscores its historic value in today's information-clogged times. It may not help you sort out the truth from the lies and propaganda of today, but at least you'll realize you are not the first to be in such a tenuous position, nor will you be the last.

Horror Film of ALL Horror Films

[whpratt1 · 8/10 · 29 August 2006]

If you like Horror films, this one is full of hatred, brutality and things done to humanity that will never be forgotten. America did not want to get involved with War and the U. S. Government stayed as isolationists until Britian & France went to War because of Poland being bombed. Hitler thought he could conquer the world and in some ways he almost did, Japan & Italy also had the same idea, which was lead by a bunch of lunatics. This film breaks down this World War II Documented Footage concerning the Prelude to War, The Nazi Strike, The Secret Life of Hitler and the famous Nuremberg Trials. Even though this film shows the worst real horror film of them all, people still today want to wear their uniforms and their symbol of hatred and death. This is a film that will be viewed by many generations and very Well Remembered.

Very educational

[oscar-35 · 20 September 2012]

*Spoiler/plot- 1942, A film showing and speaking of the conditions that made WW2 to many perceptive folks, inevitable. This film is often called- "Why We Fight, Part 1"

*Special Stars- Narrator: Walter Huston

*Theme- War comes to a country when it's least prepared.

*Trivia/location/goofs- Public domain film, no copyrights left, never renewed. Free.

*Emotion- An enjoyable documentary made up of live action combat or newsreel footage. But it is extremely educational and does what a narrative simulated war film can do.

When Socialists weren't in the White House!

[artpf · 9/10 · 19 October 2013]

This famous propaganda piece, used as a U.S. Army training film in WWII before theatrical release, asks 'why we fight.' The answer compares the 'free' and 'slave' worlds. Included: development of dictatorships in Italy, Germany and Japan, while anti-militarism and isolationism rise in the USA; a look at enemy propaganda; and the first acts of aggression. Walter Huston narrates a combination of archival footage, maps, and other graphics.

Wasn't WW2 great? We actually fought the socialists instead of putting them in the White House! This is a neat documentary. Some people call it propaganda but is it propaganda when there are real bad guys? Obviously 70 years later the socialists are re-writing history!

Classic of propaganda - powerful filmmaking

[Groverdox · 8/10 · 1 September 2022]

"Prelude to War" is a very powerful documentary. I suppose that the American citizenry, reluctant to enter another war when still scarred by WWI, required some convincing about why they needed to enter.

And convince them they did. "Prelude to War" basically sets the blueprint for how a propaganda documentary should be done. It's punchy, quick, to the point. It engenders all kinds of emotional responses from the viewer, including shock, horror, sadness, and lastly, triumph, as the filmmaker and narrators convince you that this war is inevitable and just, and also totally winnable.

The documentary provides a broad overview of the enemies, Mussolini, Hitler, Toho. It shows their movements overseas and makes a compelling case for the US's involvement.

It's easy to imagine what it would have been like for Americans watching this back in the '40s. I imagine it would have filled them with fervor.

I wanna know how many episodes does this documentary have?

[ThisisJimik · 9/10 · 4 March 2024]

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Please tell me if you know.. Thank you

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Good Start to the Series

[Michael_Elliott · 16 August 2018]

Prelude to War (1942)

*** (out of 4)

Walter Houston narrates this documentary, which was the first of seven in Frank Capra's "Why We Fight" series. The series was produced by the U.S. Government to explain WWII people who might not understand why we were going to war.

When viewing these films today it's important to remember that they were propaganda movies that were meant to gain support for WWII. I'm sure many people could look at these movies today and see various flaws and issues with them but when reviewing them I keep in mind when and why they were made.

This documentary starts off talking about what it was that made America get into the war. Obviously Pearl Harbor is mentioned and we also learn about what is going on overseas. From here we learn about the enemies that we are fighting and we also ehar from some Americans on their thoughts about the war.

There's certainly nothing ground-breaking about this film or any others in the series but for the most part this here was entertaining enough to make it worth watching. It will probably appeal to history buffs more than film buffs but it's still a good start to the series.