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Reviews for the World at War

"The World At War was one of the greatest television series of all time. It demonstrated the potential power of history on television and inspired a generation - it certainly inspired me to make series like Nazis and Auschwitz. It is tremendously exciting that the complete interviews with the participants from The World at War are now published here for the first time. Most of the people who were interviewed for the series are now dead, but their vital history - thanks to this book - still lives" - Laurence Rees, author of Auschwitz

"Holmes has a sharp, knowing eye for anecdote and detail" - Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday

"What sets Richard Holmes apart is the sheer quality of his writing and his empathy with his subjects" - Independent

Part 1 - Disk One

THE MAKING OF THE SERIES

Filmed shortly after the series was broadcast, this is the story behind the production process and the challenges involved in summarising year of history and millions of feet of archive footage.

Presented by Jeremy Isaacs, Director Peter Tiffin,

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…

Written by Neal Ascherson, Directed by Hugh Raggett

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…

Written by: Laurence Thompson, Produced & Directed by David Elstein

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.

Written & Produced by: Peter Batty

Part 1 - Disk Two

ALONE: MAY 1940 - MY 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.

Written by Laurence Thompson, Produced & Directed by David Elstein

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.

Written & Produced by Peter Batty

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.

Written & Produced by Peter Batty

 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.

Written & Produced by Peter Batty

Series Producer, Jeremy Isaacs, Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier, Chief Historical Advisor Dr. Noble Frankland DFC, Music Carl Davis

DVD EXTRAS: Imperial War Museum Photo Gallery, Biographies, Brief History of The World at War, Episode Summaries, Speeches/Songs & Newsreels/Maps

Part 2- Disk One

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.

Written & Produced by Peter Batty

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.

Written by Jerome Kuehl, Directed by Hugh Raggett

WOLF PACK: U-BOATS IN THE ATLANTIC 1939 - 1944

In a war of high technology and animal courage, the German U-Boats fight Allied merchantmen, hounding them in packs.

Written by J.P.W. Mallalieu, Produced & Directed by Ted Childs

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 moss of no less than twenty million of its people.

Written by Neal Ascherson, Produced & Directed by Martin Smith

Part Two - Disk Two

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.

Written by Charles Douglas-Home, Produced by Ted Childs

TOUGH OLD GUT: ITALY NOVEMBER 1942 - JUNE 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'.

Written by David Wheeler, Produced by Ben Shepherd

IT'S A LOVELY DAY TOMORROW: BURMA 1942 - 1943

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.

Written by John Williams, Produced & Directed by John Pett

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.

Written by Angus Calder, Produced by Phillip Whitehead

Series Producer, Jeremy Isaacs, Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier, Chief Historical Advisor Dr. Noble Frankland DFC, Music Carl Davis

DVD Extras: Imperial War Museum Photo Gallery, Biographies, Brief History of The World at War, Episode Summaries, Speeches/Songs & Newsreels and Maps

Part Three - Disk One

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.

Written by Neal Ascherson, Produced by Phillip Whitehead

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.

Written by John Williams, Produced & Directed by John Pett

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.

Written by Charles Bloomberg, Produced & Directed by Michael Darlow

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.

Written & Produced by Peter Batty

Series Producer, Jeremy Isaacs, Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier, Chief Historical Advisor Dr. Noble Frankland DFC, Music Carl Davis

Part Three - Disk Two

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.

Written by Charles Bloomberg, Produced by Michael Darlow

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.

Written by Stuart Hood, Produced by Martin Smith

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.

Written by Courtney Browne, Produced by Hugh Raggett

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.

Written by David Wheeler, Produced & Directed by John Pett

Series Producer, Jeremy Isaacs, Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier, Chief Historical Advisor Dr. Noble Frankland DFC, Music Carl Davis

DVD Extras: Imperial War Museum Photo Gallery, Biographies, Brief History of The World at War, Episode Summaries, Speeches/Songs & Newsreels and Maps

Part Four - Disk One

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.

Written & Produced by David Elstein

RECKONING: 1945…AND AFTER

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.

Written & Produced by Jerome Kuehl

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.

Written & Produced by Jeremy Isaacs

Series Producer, Jeremy Isaacs, Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier, Chief Historical Advisor Dr. Noble Frankland DFC, Music Carl Davis

Part Four - Disk Two

SECRETARY TO HITLER

Traudl Junge found herself in Berlin during the war because she wanted to be a ballet dancer. A friend told her about a job vacancy in Hitler's chancellery; she applied for it and looking like Hitler's mistress Eva Braun, she became one of his private secretaries. Traudl Junge saw Hitler at close quarters, shared his public life and was with him in the bunker at the end.

Produced by Susan McConachy

FROM WAR TO PEACE

Renowned historian Stephen Ambrose examines the aftermath of World War II. Was peace truly gained? Or did a new war with weapons of policy take its place?

An Interview with Prof. Stephen Ambrose, Produced by Jerome Kuehl

WARRIOR

REFLECTIONS OF MEN AT WAR compiled from interviews and archive film obtained for The World at War series.

A measured and decidedly unromantic look at the heat of battle, WARRIOR weaves together eyewitness accounts and rarely seen archive footage to reveal the deadly realities of combat.

Edited/Produced by Alan Afriat, Poems by R.N. Currey, Sean Jennet, Ruthven Tod, Executive Producer Jerome Kuehl, Production Manager Liz Sutherland

Series Producer, Jeremy Isaacs, Narrated by Eric Porter, Chief Historical Advisor Dr. Noble Frankland DFC, Music Carl Davis

DVD Extras: Imperial War Museum Photo Gallery, Biographies, Brief History of The World at War, Episode Summaries, Speeches/Songs & Newsreels and Maps

Part Five - Disk One

HITLER'S GERMANY: THE PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY 1933 - 1939

The harsh outcome of the First World War left Germany ripe for Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party's swift rise to power, promising a devastated nation's return to international prominence. See how the Germans worked, played and organised themselves for war as the Third Reich set the stage for the second world war.

Written by Jerome Kuehl, Produced by Raye Farr, Production Manager Liz Sutherland, Associate Producer Alan Afriat, Executive Producer Jerome Kuehl

HITLER'S GERMANY: TOTAL WAR 1939 - 1945

Continuing the in-depth look at Hitler's regime through the lives of ordinary citizens, this special presentation shows how they coped with mass bombing, invasion and ultimately defeat.

Written by Jerome Kuehl, Produced by Raye Farr, Production Manager Liz Sutherland, Associate Producer Alan Afriat, Executive Producer Jerome Kuehl

TWO DEATHS OF ADOLF HITLER

Years after his death, mystery still surrounds the circumstances under which Adolf Hitler ended his life. Did he die from a self-inflicted gunshot? Or did he swallow cyanide with his recent bride Eva Braun?

Executive Producer Jerome Kuehl, Produced & Directed by Martin Smith, Production Manager Liz Sutherland, Associate Producer Alan Afriat

Series Producer, Jeremy Isaacs, Narrated by Eric Porter, Chief Historical Advisor Dr. Noble Frankland DFC, Music Carl Davis

Part Five - Disk Two

THE FINAL SOLUTION PART 1

Examining the growth of the Nazi racial doctrines from their origins to 1939, we see the terrifying and unforgettable stories as told by death camp survivors and also compelling interviews with German participants.

Written & Directed by Michael Darlow, Associate Producer Jerome Kuehl, Production Manager Liz Sutherland

THE FINAL SOLUTION PART 2

Archive photographs and shocking footage filmed by the Nazis themselves, capture the full horror of Germany's systematic extermination of millions of Jews and other non-Aryan civilians. Unflinching and often disturbing, this is a profound and necessary examination into the darkest corners of humanity.

Written & Directed by Michael Darlow, Associate Producer Jerome Kuehl, Production Manager Liz Sutherland

Series Producer, Jeremy Isaacs, Narrated by Eric Porter, Chief Historical Advisor Dr. Noble Frankland DFC, Music Carl Davis

DVD Extras: Imperial War Museum Photo Gallery, Biographies, Brief History of The World at War, Episode Summaries, Speeches/Songs & Newsreels and Maps

30th Anniversary Disk

Making Of The Series

In this 2 hour 30th Anniversary retrospective, we commemorate the original 1973 broadcast with new interviews with the makers of the programme.

Experiences Of War

Prominent scholars and military figures recount specifics of the war, from first hand accounts of Okinawa to the D-Day landing and analyse key wartime actions in these previously unseen and extended interviews taken from the archives at the Imperial War Museum.

Produced by Fremantle Home Entertainment, Music Carl Davis