Demonstrating Why "The World at War" is the Gold Standard of World War II Documentaries in 3 Minutes

[@tostie3110]

The haunting score is so classic. All older media used to have this

[@1800-REGICIDE]

In the early 2000's, before online shopping was really big, my Mother sent cash in the mail to a friend in the UK for them to buy the VHS box set of this and have it shipped to us in Australia. We still have it, and VHS player to play it.

[@adamaitouahmane6519]

W mother moment 🔥

[@JB-up8md]

I bought my father the DVD box set more than 5 years ago. I always thought Olivier used to specially enjoy narrating the fall of France. Unfortunately my father (84) has had a clearout and got rid of the set. And the full Seinfeld box set. Thank God I kept The Cruel Sea at my place.

[@jason-hy8ci]

"World at War".... one of the GREATEST Openings for a T.V. show. Opening with a short, maybe 5-second video of the shows subject matter, THEN.... with the muffled, rising roll of a bass drum that EPIC score begins while simultaneously showing stillshots of visuals only a war can create and only a war can explain..... Unforgettable.

[@seegurke93]

Never heard of it. Will be on my next watchlist :) thanks. Grüße

[@AE-wv8jd]

the whole of the first episode "new germany" is on youtube, but you didnt hear it from me

[@KevinSmith-yh6tl]

Shows how old I am, I remember watching this on TV as a kid when it first came out! Most importantly though, it's great to see this channel back downloading content again. THANKS HANDGRENADE DIVISION!👍

[@poil8351]

same although i first saw in the early 90s when i was a kid.

[@eaglesfly5236]

Lost count of how many times I have watched this series since first viewing on tv in the 1970s as a young lad. Another excellent short four volume series is "The Secret War".

[@trekkiepro]

Man, I really, really need to set aside a weekend to view this. I've heard nothing but praise.

[@BukharinStan]

The greatest, most in-depth documentary ever. Something of this importance really may never be produced again.

[@HochgeborenKlown]

I used to get up early on Sunday mornings to watch the weekly episode on The History Channel, when it came out in a boxed DVD set I brought it...Best of all time...

[@SebastianDeBeer]

Loved this series.

[@SebastianDeBeer]

And the theme music was haunting.

[@Invicta556]

There something that hits you in the chest about this documentary. It homes in the reality of war so well.

[@011258stooie]

First aired on 'Thames Television' in 82. I was at art college, but my dad faithfully recorded ( minus the adds) every single program.

[@terryvallis1436]

Watched this many, many times. Love it. There are now better ones, but this still sets the standard!

[@Gingerwhale]

Watched this series back in 1976 on a black and white 19 inch TV screen. It was presented on a weekly basis. Never missed an episode. The opening images, in particular the young boy in tears and the musical score always made me realize the horrors that this conflict had inflicted on the ordinary people of this planet. An incredible BBC documentary. Another great series by the BBC that came out shortly after this one was the three part series on the JFK assassination.

[@KevinSmith-yh6tl]

Way before the BBC went WOKE.

[@jason-hy8ci]

​@@KevinSmith-yh6tlMonetarily, or Character wise?

[@TOM-op2cp]

me too! but my Dad wouldn't let me see the genocide episode. And he didnt sleep well that night

[@justingiannace3577]

Glad to see you back!

[@bujler]

I vaguely remember that this started and ended in Oradour-sur-Glane, which I always found quite moving.

[@numinousbookofreview]

The format for The World at War was lifted wholesale from the BBC's 1964 documentary series The Great War, made to mark 50 years since the outbreak of WW1. If anything it's even better than the World at War. There was also a landmark series on the Treaty of Versailles called The Lost Peace but it hasn't been seen since it was originally broadcast.

[@franciszeklatinik889]

One of these days, I gotta finish up watching this series, and good to see you back HGD.

[@Briggattonii]

Somehow, the Hand grenade Division returned

[@jason-hy8ci]

Nice "Looking Out" Hand Grenade Division, giving respect and notoriety out to possibly The Grand Daddy of Them All. WELL DONE!

[@jason-hy8ci]

Couldn't have said any better myself..... I still remember watching "World at War on Sat. and/or Sun. afternoon's on my local UHF Channel's. To this day, even with the MANY combat Docs I've watched since, I have not seen anything better!

[@victorsegoviapalacios4710]

Other prime example would be the "BBC Battlefield Series" beginning on 1994

[@KingSNAFU]

When my dad was in college in the 80's, he took a history elective which basically watching this series. Decades later, the aspiring World War 2 history buff watched it on the Millitary Channel.

[@blackchakra10]

I first watched World at War on television in 1972. I have been an amateur military historian ever since.

[@johngaltman]

When I was in 3rd grade PBS would show this and Victory at Sea every Monday, so I would skip going to school to stay home and watch those, and Mysteries of the Unknown.. I did that for 10 Mondays in a row, until my dad found out and whooped my ass.. It was worth it though...

[@jason-hy8ci]

3rd Grade!!!!!.... Ha HAhA hA HaHA ha ha......... you've got Steel down there my friend. But hey, you learned just as much history at home then...... the other subjects took a vacation, but hey, you had YEARS to make that up.

[@nevermind-he8ni]

I remember watching this as a kid and thinking it was the greatest.

[@manilajohn0182]

"The World At War" remains the gold standard for military documentaries. The only other series that I've seen which come close are the first two seasons of "Battlefield" (and even it had errors in the videos covering the Pacific War) and the old black- and- white "The Commanders" series from the 1970s (and the latter is now unavailable quite unfortunately). EDIT: Also, "The Secret War" is FIRST CLASS.

[@SmittyMRE]

Oh nostalgia! I miss Actual History Channel.

[@angelogarcia2189]

Down this road, the soldiers came....

[@alexcc8664]

If you like this youll probably like ' the last tommy' on youtube. Some slight drama in it but it interviews the last ww1 british veterans

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Peter Jackson's film would be hard to beat, but I'll look for this - I appreciate the recommendation.

[@alexcc8664]

@@HandGrenadeDivision was done in about 2005. I've watched it several times due to having around 8 members ofy family fight during the great war

[@leewoods6777]

An analysis of Russian military ranks during WWII would be cool I think.

[@ruffian2952]

"Victory at Sea" set the standard for WWII documentaries.

[@jason-hy8ci]

Yes, you definitely have a point.

[@jjsmallpiece9234]

WatW was fantastic because the series still had the chance in the 1970's to interview the original commanders and other soldiers who had seen the action. No rubbish modern CGI graphics. No re-capping the story every 10minutes to allow for the short span of attention of Americans No so called modern 'experts' stating the obvious. 1st hand accounts

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Well said. Thanks for taking the time.

[@jjsmallpiece9234]

@@HandGrenadeDivision If you haven't already, take a look at 'The Secret War' series, made about the same time. All on KZbin

[@jason-hy8ci]

Yes, the interviews were excellent, being that many of those people weren't around very much longer, and for many, it was most likely their only interview, at least on video. Mind you, Americans Dont corner the market on attention difficulties, that is a problem that doesn't discriminate it's a worldwide epidemic like stupidity. Americans just seem to announce this shortcoming more than others.

[@L_Train]

I like the first season of Battlefield ww2. Mainly because of the maps and long length

[@johnappleby405]

I agree that it is unsurpassed but it was uneven. Some episodes notably Whirlwind and Inside the Reich were very good indeed. Others such as Red Star came close to repeating propaganda.

[@presidentmorsi4677]

thanks for the recommendation. this channel is truly based