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Best ww2 documentary?

Posted on 1/1/17 at 5:29 pm
Posted by SportTiger1
Stonewall, LA
Member since Feb 2007
28500 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 5:29 pm
I feel like I've watched most of them, but I'm sure there are others out there I've missed. Wondering what recs you guys have, and where I can stream it from.

I enjoy American perspective the most, but open to anything.

I've seen.. Ww2 in hd, ww2 in colour, color of war, world at war, etc etc etc.

Thoughts?
Posted by kilo
Member since Oct 2011
27421 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 5:32 pm to
quote:

world at war


This is clearly the best by a large margin IMO.
Posted by rebelrouser
Columbia, SC
Member since Feb 2013
10576 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 5:37 pm to
Read The Rising Sun and Helmet For My Pillow instead.
Posted by SportTiger1
Stonewall, LA
Member since Feb 2007
28500 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 5:38 pm to
quote:

Read


Might try that one day...lol
Posted by JumpingTheShark
America
Member since Nov 2012
22889 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 6:32 pm to
You've seen all the best ones IMO
Posted by SportTiger1
Stonewall, LA
Member since Feb 2007
28500 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 7:56 pm to
quote:

You've seen all the best ones IMO

Well that sucks lol.

TBH, color of war was the best if anybody missed it. I love The story of the logistics instead of actual battle.
Posted by geauxtigers87
Louisiana
Member since Mar 2011
25184 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 8:02 pm to
world war ii from space is on youtube, excellent overview.
Posted by Overbrook
Member since May 2013
6078 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 8:12 pm to
As per above, the World at War.
Posted by Ace Midnight
Between sanity and madness
Member since Dec 2006
89480 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 8:15 pm to
quote:

world at war


Impossible to beat, IMHO. Olivier narrating - first person accounts from folks who are long gone - as "contemporary" an account with a no-nonsense approach only the British could have pulled off and only in the 70s.

It's "grandmother" of a sorts, Victory at Sea is good. Almost everything else is a rehash or in the shadow of those two.

As always, JMHO.
Posted by tigger1
Member since Mar 2005
3476 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 8:48 pm to
One of the best documentaries isn't about the war, but the large Auschwitz camp: Auschwitz: The Nazi Final Solution

Blood Upon the Snow - Russia's War

Soviet Storm: WW2 in the East

Posted by NastyTiger
Hammond/Baton Rouge/Lafayette
Member since Jun 2005
11271 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 9:00 pm to
I love all the ones with David Reynolds. He has about 5 docs on netflix that are worth a watch.
Posted by GetCocky11
Calgary, AB
Member since Oct 2012
51241 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 9:23 pm to
For the US perspective, watch Ken Burns's The War.

It is Ken Burns, so you know it is excellent.
Posted by Radiojones
The Twilight Zone
Member since Feb 2007
10728 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 9:33 pm to
There is apretty good one on Netflix called Apocalypse World War 2.
Posted by HeadChange
Abort gay babies
Member since May 2009
43833 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 9:45 pm to
Ghost Army? You've seen all the great encompassing ones. It's on Netflix I think, or was.
Posted by Kafka
I am the moral conscience of TD
Member since Jul 2007
141660 posts
Posted on 1/1/17 at 10:30 pm to
Life Goes To War: Hollywood and the Home Front (YouTube) -- 1970s TV special hosted by Johnny Carson
quote:

this two hour documentary shows us how Hollywood went to war on the home front with their own army of technicians, special effects people, directors and of course, a gallery of stars who's deeds and actions during those bleak times not only helped lift the morale of the people, but packed a wallop with those serving overseas that was more powerful than any gun.
ETA: Web page on the WWII home front:

"Life Goes on Back Home"
This post was edited on 1/1/17 at 11:53 pm
Posted by SportTiger1
Stonewall, LA
Member since Feb 2007
28500 posts
Posted on 1/2/17 at 12:33 am to
quote:

Life Goes To War: Hollywood and the Home Front (YouTube)


YES! Thanks.

And ghost war was very good.
Posted by SportsGuyNOLA
New Orleans, LA
Member since May 2014
16970 posts
Posted on 1/2/17 at 10:02 am to
The only WWII documentary series I own on DVD is World at War. It's beyond comprehensive, and it never gets old.

For the Vietnam conflict, Vietnam: The 10,000 Day War is amazing. Watch it, and read Stanley Karnow's book on the war, and you'll never have another unanswered question about the subject.
Posted by Tom288
Jacksonville
Member since Apr 2009
20980 posts
Posted on 1/2/17 at 10:25 am to
Stalingrad

An excellent 3-part documentary detailing the Battle of Stalingrad.

Soviet Storm

Russian-made series focusing on the Soviet-German War from its outbreak to the final act in Berlin. Provides an interesting perspective that you usually don't get to see...that is, it focuses on the Red Army's role in taking down the Wehrmacht.

Japan's War in Color

Another great documentary focusing on the Pacific theater, particularly from the Japanese POV.

The Warlords

Focuses on the psychological duels that took place between the four great leaders; for example, Hitler vs. Stalin or Roosevelt vs. Churchill, and how these psychological duels shaped the war.

WW2: 1942 & Hitler's Soft Underbelly

British documentary examining Churchill's drastic miscalculation pertaining to the southern front and his desire to reach Germany via Italy.

1941 and The Man of Steel

Another British documentary that examines Stalin's role in the war, his early collapse and how he almost single-handedly lost the war for the Soviets, only to eventually lead the Red Army who would ultimately annihilate the German Wehrmacht, reshape Eastern Europe, and lay the foundations for the Cold War.

The Wehrmacht

A 5-part series that is based on the private conversations of captured German generals & other senior military personnel, in which they provide their personal views on the role of the Wehrmacht from the beginning of the war, to the catastrophe in the East, its role in the Holocaust, etc.

I know you said you prefer American-focused docs, but I recommend checking these out.
Posted by SportTiger1
Stonewall, LA
Member since Feb 2007
28500 posts
Posted on 1/3/17 at 5:05 pm to
quote:

Tom288


Thanks, some of those i haven't seen. Working through World at War again. But i think i may have too much going on to watch a 30 hour documentary at the moment. But it is incredibly insightful.
Posted by ChewyDante
Member since Jan 2007
16915 posts
Posted on 1/3/17 at 8:25 pm to
For a broad overview that maintains a pretty neutral take on events, WWII in Colour is hard to beat IMO (I know you've seen this one already):
LINK

Soviet centered and highly recommended, Russia's War:
LINK

On the Munich Summit:
LINK

On diplomacy and policy making of major powers behind the scenes, WWII Behind Closed Doors *Highly recommended:
LINK

Hitler's Bodyguard:
LINK

The Battlefield series. Great and detailed breakdown of battles:
LINK

The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler:
LINK

World at War of course is arguably the best synopsis of the entire war, though it's a little dated IMO and came out prior to the opening of Soviet archives.

Of course there are an infinite number of WWII docs that are broken down by subject matter, but these are some of my favorites.
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