World At War, The
HBO (1973)
Documentary, History, War
In Collection
#14252
0*
Seen ItYes
733961713749
IMDB   9.6
16 hr 39 mins UK / English
DVD  Region 1   NR
Stephen Ambrose Himself
Andre Beaufre Himself
David Belchem Himself
Christabel Bielenberg Herself
Sir Max Aitken Himself
Emmi Bonhoeffer Herself
Andr Beaufre Himself
Lord Boothby Himself
Albrecht Brauning Himself
Laurence Olivier Narrator
Eric Porter Narrator
Bruins Slot Himself
Director
Ted Childs
Michael Darlow
Producer Ted Childs
Peter Batty
Writer Neal Ascherson
Peter Batty


Originally broadcast in 1973 as 26 one-hour programmes, The World at War sets out to tell the story of the Second World War through the testimony of key participants. The result is a unique and unrepeatable event, since many of the eyewitnesses captured on film did not have long left to live. Each hour-long programme is carefully structured to focus on a key theme or campaign, from the rise of Naz
Episodes
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    10/31/1973  1.  A New Germany (1933 - 1939)
Germany, a nation stricken by humiliating defeat and emerging from crippling economic depression, looks to one man for a resurgence of hope and dignity. That man is Adolf Hitler…
Director:  Hugh Raggett  Writer:  Neal Ascherson 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    11/7/1973  2.  Distant War (September 1939 - May 1940)
In Eastern Europe, the full force of the Nazi machine rolls on - but in Britain, an uneasy calm settles on the nation. It is the 'phoney' war, with the sound of distant guns thundering ominously on the horizon…
Director:  David Elstein  / Hugh Raggett  Writer:  Laurence Thompson  / Neal Ascherson 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    11/14/1973  3.  France Falls (May - June 1940)
France discovers it is woefully unprepared for modern warfare as the Nazi war machine easily skirts around the Maginot Line. Britain retreats and prepares for invasion.
Director:  Peter Batty  / David Elstein  Writer:  Peter Batty  / Laurence Thompson 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    11/21/1973  4.  Alone (May 1940 - May 1941)
After Dunkirk, Britain faces the German onslaught. Although the Rap wins the Battle of Britain, the cities are blitzed and on the continent the last Allies are conquered. The outlook is grim.
Director:  David Elstein  / Peter Batty  Writer:  Laurence Thompson  / Peter Batty 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    11/28/1973  5.  Barbarossa (June - December 1941)
Hitler at last turns his tanks towards Russia. After a succession of devastating victories, the Germans delay and the fierce Russian winter takes a grip.
Director:  Peter Batty  / David Elstein  Writer:  Peter Batty  / Laurence Thompson 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    12/5/1973  6.  Banzai!: Japan (1931 - 1942)
At war since 1931 on the Chinese mainland, the Japanese hope for easy victories over the British and Dutch. And then on December 7th 1941, Japan makes their infamous attack on Pearl Harbour.
Director:  Peter Batty  Writer:  Peter Batty 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    12/12/1973  7.  On Our Way: U.S.A. (1939 - 1942)
Americans are divided between fighting the Japanese and the Nazis. Hitler solves the problem by declaring war on the U.S.A.
Director:  V  / Peter Batty  Writer:  Peter Batty 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    12/19/1973  8.  The Desert: North Africa (1940 - 1943)
For 2 years the 8th Army and Rommel's Afrika Corps fight in the wastes of North Africa. Finally the tide turns at El Alamein.
Director:  Peter Batty  / V  Writer:  Peter Batty 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    1/2/1974  9.  Stalingrad (June 1942 - February 1943)
Hitler's early successes in Russia made him reckless and he resolves to capture Stalingrad. The battle lasts six months with the Russians emerging as victors. The Wehrmacht never recovers.
Director:  Hugh Raggett  / Peter Batty  Writer:  Jerome Kuehl  / Peter Batty 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    1/9/1974  10.  Wolfpack: U-Boats in the Atlantic (1939 - 1943)
In a war of high technology and animal courage, the German U-Boats fight Allied merchantmen, hounding them in packs.
Director:  Ted Childs  / Hugh Raggett  Writer:  J.P.W. Mallalieu  / Jerome Kuehl 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    1/16/1974  11.  Red Star: The Soviet Union (1941 - 1943)
For two years the Soviet Army fights the Germans almost alone. After one of the greatest land battles in history, the nation survives and triumphs - but with a loss of no less than twenty million of its people.
Director:  Neal Ascherson  /  Ted Childs  Writer:  Neal Ascherson  / J.P.W. Mallalieu 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    1/23/1974  12.  Whirlwind: Bombing Germany (September 1939 - April 1944)
Bomber Command begin bombing German cities by night and the Americans reinforce the attacks by day; a whirlwind of terror and destruction that will win the war.
Director:  Ted Childs  / Neal Ascherson  Writer:  Charles Douglas Home  / Neal Ascherson 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    1/30/1974  13.  Tough Old Gut: Italy (1943 - 1944)
Churchill called Italy the 'soft underbelly of the crocodile' and thought the Allies could cut through it to the heart of Germany. By the soft underbelly turned out to be a 'tough old gut'.
Director:  Ben Shepherd  /  Ted Childs  Writer:  David Wheeler  / Charles Douglas Home 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    2/6/1974  14.  It's A Lovely Day Tomorrow: Burma (1942 - 1944)
Vera Lynn sang of a lovely day tomorrow, but the war in Burma was mud and monsoon. Britain's largest army learned to master the jungle and fought the Japanese to standstill.
Director:  John Pett  / Ben Shepherd  Writer:  John Williams  / David Wheeler 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    2/13/1974  15.  Home Fires: Britain (1940 - 1944)
Finding strength in unity at home in Britain during the war, it was a time of gas masks, Winston Churchill, Dig for Victory, evacuation, George Formby, the Land Army, ITMA, the Squander Bug and the Beveridge Report.
Director:  Philip Whitehead  / John Pett  Writer:  Angus Calder  / John Williams 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    2/20/1974  16.  Inside the Reich: Germany (1940 - 1944)
Initial victory in Europe turns sour after the defeat at Stalingrad, yet Germany prepares to fight to the end - even after an assignation attempt on the Führer.
Director:  Philip Whitehead  Writer:  Neal Ascherson  / Angus Calder 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    2/27/1974  17.  Morning (June - August 1944)
The Western Allies resolve to invade Europe. England becomes a floating supply dump and the British and Americans assemble the largest invasion fleet in history. It is June 6th 1944 - D Day.
Director:  John Pett  / Philip Whitehead  Writer:  John Williams  / Neal Ascherson 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    3/13/1974  18.  Occupation: Holland (1940 - 1944)
Through a neutral country, Holland is attacked by Germany without warning in 1940. During the next four years, life carries on seemingly without incident, but underneath resistance never dies.
Director:  Michael Darlow  / John Pett  Writer:  Charles Bloomberg  / John Williams 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    3/20/1974  19.  Pincers (August 1944 - March 1945)
The end of the war appears close at hand with the liberation of Paris in 1944, but the British and Americans disagree on how to advance. Meanwhile, Poland suffers devastating losses to achieve victory.
Director:  Peter Batty  /  Michael Darlow  Writer:  Peter Batty  / Charles Bloomberg 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    3/27/1974  20.  Genocide (1941 - 1945)
The Nazi's are racist; the Aryans are a master race, others, particularly the Jews are sub-human. Himmler's SS sets about ridding Europe of millions of Jews.
Director:  Martin Smith  / Peter Batty  Writer:  Charles Bloomberg  / Peter Batty 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    4/3/1974  21.  Nemesis: Germany (February - May 1945)
Hitler retreats to the Fuhrer bunker is Berlin as Germany crumbles around him and his lieutenants abandon him to a fate of suicide. Meanwhile, the Russians raise the red flag in Berlin.
Director:  Martin Smith  Writer:  Stuart Hood  / Charles Bloomberg 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    4/10/1974  22.  Japan (1941 - 1945)
Initially apprehensive about the outcome of declaring war, the Japanese quickly turn to celebration with early victory. In the end, their worst fears are unimaginably exceeded.
Director:  Hugh Raggett  / Martin Smith  Writer:  Courtney Browne  / Stuart Hood 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    4/17/1974  23.  Pacific (February 1942 - July 1945)
The Americans fight their way across the Pacific towards Japan and the Phillipines. Perhaps the bloodiest campaign of all, each island has to be taken by storm and the Japanese fight to the last man.
Director:  John Pett  / Hugh Raggett  Writer:  David Wheeler  / Courtney Browne 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    4/24/1974  24.  The Bomb (February - September 1945)
Western scientists have developed a new, immensely powerful weapon - the atomic bomb. On August 6th 1945, the Enola Gay delivers the world's first atomic bomb to Hiroshima. The world would be forever altered.
Director:  David Elstein  / John Pett  Writer:  David Elstein  / David Wheeler 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    5/1/1974  25.  Reckoning (April 1945)
The war ends slowly and messily. Britain is victorious but exhausted and the super-powers confront each other as they decide the fate of Europe.
Director:  Jerome Kuehl  / David Elstein  Writer:  Jerome Kuehl  / David Elstein 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    5/8/1974  26.  Remember
For many the Second World War was the most significant experience of their lives. Heartbreaking first hand remembrances from a vast array of survivors on both sides of the war.
Director:  Jeremy Isaacs  / Jerome Kuehl  Writer:  Jeremy Isaacs  / Jerome Kuehl 
    Seen it: Yes   1 hr 0 mins    5/8/1974  27.  Remember
For many the Second World War was the most significant experience of their lives. Heartbreaking first hand remembrances from a vast array of survivors on both sides of the war.
Director:  Jeremy Isaacs  Writer:  Jeremy Isaacs 
Edition Details
Edition 30th Anniversary Edition
Series The World at War
Distributor A&E Home Video
Release Date 8/24/2004
Packaging Custom Case
Screen Ratio Fullscreen (4:3)
Audio Tracks Dolby Digital Stereo [English]
Layers Dual Side, Single Layer
No. of Disks/Tapes 1

Features
Over 12 Hours Of Extras! The Making Of The World At War Bonus Documentaries: Secretary To Hitler, The Two Deaths Of Adolf Hitler, Warrior, Hitler's Germany: 1932-1939, Hitler's Germany: 1939-1945, The Final Solution, and From War To Peace 30th Anniversary Feature-Length Retrospective Film Biographies Gallery Of Photos From The Imperial War Museum Collection Interactive Menus Scene Selection