War Docos
Innovative German film-maker Leni Riefenstahl's pioneering masterwork epic "Triumph of the Will" (1934) was explicitly propagandistic yet historical in its spectacular yet horrifying documentation of the Nazi Party Congress rally in Nuremberg in 1934. It was a revolutionary film combining superb cinematography and editing of Third Reich propaganda. She also documented the 1936 Berlin Olympics in the stunning film "Olympia" (1938) - with graceful and beautiful images of 'Aryan' athletes in competition. To respond to the Nazi propaganda, Frank Capra was commissioned by the US War Department to direct seven films in a "Why We Fight" (1943) series of narrated WWII newsreel-style films. The first in the series, "Prelude to War," a look at the events from 1931-1939, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1942. These and many other truely great War Documentaries, including the BBC's brilliant "World At War" series, are available by scrolling below.
Right: William Wyler's Academy Award winning "The Memphis Belle"Â
The Guns of August (1964)
7.3/10
Director: Nathan Kroll
Starring: Fritz Weaver, (narrated by)
Using rare archive footage, this documentary tells the story of World War I. The film shows the rivalry between the various royalty in Europe leading... Read more
Mein Kampf (1961)
3.6/10
Director: Erwin Leiser
Starring: Claude Stephenson, Narrated by
The origins of Nazi Germany and Hitler's rise to power are covered in this engrossing documentary from Sweden that uses rare German newsreel footage,... Read more
Night and Fog (1955)
8.6/10
Director: Alain Resnais
Starring: Jean Cayrol
One of the most haunting documentaries ever made, director Alain Resnais' ("Hiroshima, Mon Amour") powerful examination of the horrors of the Holocaus... Read more
Crusade in the Pacific (1951)
7.7/10
This richly detailed, visually stunning documentary series covers the entire dramatic saga of World War II in the Pacific. Get a soldier's eye view of... Read more
World War II: Hiroshima/Nagasaki (1946)
7.9/10
The tragic story of the atomic bombing of two Japanese islands during World War II and the death of half a million people and two cities in a split se... Read more
The Stillwell Road - The Battle for Burma (1946)
After the invasion of China by the Japanese army, Burma became a vital land bridge and supply route for the allies in China. This great archival docum... Read more
Islands of Death: Volume 1 (1945)
Containing interviews from people who were there, this documentary series is a comprehensive guide to the battle that raged in the Pacific during the... Read more
Islands of Death: Volume 2 (1945)
The second volume of this excellent series continues its exposition of the battle that raged in the Pacific during the Second World War. Vintage foota... Read more
World War II: Vol. 4 - War Comes to America/D-Day The Normandy Invasion (1945)
7.9/10
Director: Frank Capra
Aka "Why We Fight". "War Comes to America" - Documents the gradual shift of opinion from isolationism to support of the U.S. entry into World War II.... Read more
The Memphis Belle (1944)
7.4/10
Director: William Wyler
Supervised by Lt. Col. William Wyler, director of such classics as 'Mrs Miniver' and 'Wuthering Heights', for the U.S. War Department. The film's subj... Read more