BBC History of World War II
starring: BBC History of World War II
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Product Description:
Studio: Warner Home VideoRelease Date: 07/18/2006Run time: 1870 minutesRating: Nr
Amazon.com:
With 30 hours of programming in 10 volumes and three full-length bonus programs, the BBC History of World War II goes beyond even The World at War for its depth of scope, its breadth of analyses, and the high quality of its production values. This ambitious project by producer Laurence Rees, which also features a collector's booklet, is full of startling archival footage and illuminating eyewitness interviews that bring to life some of the most monumental events from the most monumental war in human history.
The focus on this set is clearly the war in Europe (only one disc, Horror in the East, is dedicated to the war with Japan) as told from an even-handed British perspective: interviews with German citizens make it understandable how Hitler appealed to a shattered and defeated nation, for example, and the The Road to War scrutinizes how a British government was caught unprepared for a re-armed Germany bent on domination. The collection is filled with poignantly fascinating moments, such as when an aging American veteran revisits the Omaha Beach he stormed on D-Day, and meets the elderly German who, as a teenager, was defending that section of the beach with his machine gun, or footage of Hitler's early political speeches, raging promises of things to come.
Roughly chronologically arranged, the set starts with The Nazis: A Warning from History, and works its way through all facets of the war, including the legacy of the Holocaust. (Some of the titles were previously released as single DVDs.) The presentation is particularly impressive. Each series has its own style:Dunkirk is a drama-documentary structured like a miniseries and reenactments are deftly interwoven with archival footage in a convincing motif.In War of the Century: When Hitler Fought Stalin, German and Russian veterans recall with chilling candor their particular universe of battle, and rare color combat footage combined with newly declassified Soviet documents offer new perspectives on the subject.The collection succeeds brilliantly in making it clear to a modern-day viewer what it was really like to live through those times.
For the war buff, the history enthusiast, the educator, or someone looking for a gift for any of the above, the BBC History of World War II is a title to consider. Even dedicated viewers of the History Channel will find something new and fascinating here.--Dan Vancini
Studio: Warner Home VideoRelease Date: 07/18/2006Run time: 1870 minutesRating: Nr
Amazon.com:
With 30 hours of programming in 10 volumes and three full-length bonus programs, the BBC History of World War II goes beyond even The World at War for its depth of scope, its breadth of analyses, and the high quality of its production values. This ambitious project by producer Laurence Rees, which also features a collector's booklet, is full of startling archival footage and illuminating eyewitness interviews that bring to life some of the most monumental events from the most monumental war in human history.
The focus on this set is clearly the war in Europe (only one disc, Horror in the East, is dedicated to the war with Japan) as told from an even-handed British perspective: interviews with German citizens make it understandable how Hitler appealed to a shattered and defeated nation, for example, and the The Road to War scrutinizes how a British government was caught unprepared for a re-armed Germany bent on domination. The collection is filled with poignantly fascinating moments, such as when an aging American veteran revisits the Omaha Beach he stormed on D-Day, and meets the elderly German who, as a teenager, was defending that section of the beach with his machine gun, or footage of Hitler's early political speeches, raging promises of things to come.
Roughly chronologically arranged, the set starts with The Nazis: A Warning from History, and works its way through all facets of the war, including the legacy of the Holocaust. (Some of the titles were previously released as single DVDs.) The presentation is particularly impressive. Each series has its own style:Dunkirk is a drama-documentary structured like a miniseries and reenactments are deftly interwoven with archival footage in a convincing motif.In War of the Century: When Hitler Fought Stalin, German and Russian veterans recall with chilling candor their particular universe of battle, and rare color combat footage combined with newly declassified Soviet documents offer new perspectives on the subject.The collection succeeds brilliantly in making it clear to a modern-day viewer what it was really like to live through those times.
For the war buff, the history enthusiast, the educator, or someone looking for a gift for any of the above, the BBC History of World War II is a title to consider. Even dedicated viewers of the History Channel will find something new and fascinating here.--Dan Vancini
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- comprehensive history of the 'big 'war
An excellent,deeply researched video of a massive war. Giving all sides of the conflict adds a great deal of interest. Even those of us who lived through it can learn something new and enlightening.It isn't any more understandable for all of this insight.
Rating: 
- annoying anti-American viewpoints
The sections on "Battlefields" contain annnoying anti-American propaganda aimed at General Mark Clark, Fifth Army Commander in Italy, and General John Lucas, commander of the Anzio beachhead. Professor Holmes, who never saw a battlefield except from a safe distance, does NOT interview anyone to defend the actions of either General Clark or General John Lucas.
In the chapter on "Bomber", Professor Holmes presents only the story of British aircraft bombing Germany and completely excludes ... Read More
Rating: - A Saga of Gore and Guts plus the Inhunanity of War
They say that war histories are usually written by the victors not long after the event. Thus, earlierdocumentary histories of World War II failed togive much balance for telling the story from the viewpoint of theultimately defeated Axis powers, though the first successful attempt was in the excellent German TV series made intoa movie, Das Boot, based on the last voyage of aU-Boat submarine and its crew.
Also the furtheraway in time one gets from the actual series ofevents ... Read More
Rating: - Excellent historical summation
I'll try not to be too wordy. This is a 1st rate review and summation of WWII as well as it's causes and antecedents. Especially for American audiences the slightly British slant on events gives a well deserved perspective to those events. Of special interest is the disc covering the Eastern front. Since there was no American involvement we, as Americans, know very little about that "greatest conflict in the 20th century". Each disc is worth more than 1 viewing. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.
Rating: - BBC History of WWII
Very well done and informative.I found the difference perspective to history to be very interesting
- comprehensive history of the 'big 'warAn excellent,deeply researched video of a massive war. Giving all sides of the conflict adds a great deal of interest. Even those of us who lived through it can learn something new and enlightening.It isn't any more understandable for all of this insight.
- annoying anti-American viewpointsThe sections on "Battlefields" contain annnoying anti-American propaganda aimed at General Mark Clark, Fifth Army Commander in Italy, and General John Lucas, commander of the Anzio beachhead. Professor Holmes, who never saw a battlefield except from a safe distance, does NOT interview anyone to defend the actions of either General Clark or General John Lucas.
In the chapter on "Bomber", Professor Holmes presents only the story of British aircraft bombing Germany and completely excludes ... Read More
- A Saga of Gore and Guts plus the Inhunanity of WarThey say that war histories are usually written by the victors not long after the event. Thus, earlierdocumentary histories of World War II failed togive much balance for telling the story from the viewpoint of theultimately defeated Axis powers, though the first successful attempt was in the excellent German TV series made intoa movie, Das Boot, based on the last voyage of aU-Boat submarine and its crew.
Also the furtheraway in time one gets from the actual series ofevents ... Read More
- Excellent historical summationI'll try not to be too wordy. This is a 1st rate review and summation of WWII as well as it's causes and antecedents. Especially for American audiences the slightly British slant on events gives a well deserved perspective to those events. Of special interest is the disc covering the Eastern front. Since there was no American involvement we, as Americans, know very little about that "greatest conflict in the 20th century". Each disc is worth more than 1 viewing. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.
- BBC History of WWIIVery well done and informative.I found the difference perspective to history to be very interesting
