Why We Fight (1943) Battle of Russia I & II

[JohannGE]

Don't know if these films have been listed before. I did a quick search but didn't find them. Commisioned by US gov, directed by Frank Capra and animation by Disney, yet as pro Russia as could be. Quite a shock.
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Released two years before the start of the Cold War, the film portrays the Soviets as a diverse and freedom-loving people, in many ways similar to their then-allies, the people of the United States.

Why We Fight is a series (http://www.revleft.com/wiki/Film_series) of seven propaganda films (http://www.revleft.com/wiki/Propaganda_film) commissioned by the United States (http://www.revleft.com/wiki/United_States) government during World War II (http://www.revleft.com/wiki/World_War_II) to demonstrate to American soldiers the reason for U.S. involvement in the war. Later on they were also shown to the general U.S. public to persuade them to support American intervention.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_We_Fight

View or download here:-

http://www.archive.org/details/BattleOfRussiaI

http://www.archive.org/details/BattleOfRussiaII

Lots more good stuff on there too.

[LOLseph Stalin]

Interesting. I wonder if these films were banned or anything during the cold war?

[JohannGE]

Interesting. I wonder if these films were banned or anything during the cold war?

No need to ban, they would apparently vanish through lack of interest. ;)

[MarxSchmarx]

No need to ban, they would apparently vanish through lack of interest. http://www.revleft.com/vb/../revleft/smilies/wink.gif

at the time, it was pretty common for films like these to be shown at the movie theater before the main feature, kind of like previews today.

In many respects it was orwellian. One day movie-goers will hear about the heroic struggles of the Soviet partisans against German soldiers, the next day they'd here about the firefight of American soldiers by Korean partisans and not put 2+2 together.

Before home videos, films like these probably sat in vaults or were maybe shown on late night TV or something. So like many pieces like these, they were meant as one-time productions kind of like athletic competitions.

That's why, I think, the narration can be so superlative in pieces like these. I think if it weren't for the subject matter films like this would have gone the way of films on vacuum tube engineering.

[Martin Blank]

I've got the entire "Why We Fight" series on DVD. They are probably the best war propaganda films the U.S. made during WWII.

[mykittyhasaboner]

This film is absolutely amazing, and I haven't even finished watching it. The footage is just fantastic. I can't believe this was made in the US.

[JohannGE]

Update...

Just found a documentary released last year offering modern propoganda on why the US armed forces fight now. (more like why they claim to fight now)

"FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Oct. 2, 2008) — The United States Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) held a movie premier screening of a new documentary entitled, “Why We Fight Now - The Global War on Terror” last night, here at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.

About the Movie
Remembering the famed Director Frank Capras ground breaking World War
II film series, entitled "Why We Fight", this new program is an
original and innovative documentary produced for the United States
Army Special Forces by Frank Capra Jr. and Cape Fear Filmworks

This documentary was Capra, Jr.s last movie, as he died shortly after
production was complete. Prior to his death, he filmed an introduction
for the movie that details its link to his fathers film series, while
explaining how Army Special Forces are currently engaging Americas
enemies around the globe."

Available from all the usual sources.

I haven't watched it yet but it will make an interesting comparison with the original. I always think it a good idea to "know your enemy"

[JohannGE]

at the time, it was pretty common for films like these to be shown at the movie theater before the main feature, kind of like previews today.

My comment "No need to ban, they would apparently vanish through lack of interest. ;)" (note the smiley) reffered to the lack of interest shown here.

Have you watched the film? If so I would like to hear of any more "pretty common films like" you might suggest are like this one. I consider it rather uncommon myself.

btw... The ww2 Why We fight was not made to be shown in "movie theaters" but to be shown to GI's about to be sent to Europe.

[Hoxhaist]

the original is remarkable for being very anti-fascist, anti-militaristic, anti-nationalistic, and even slightly anti-capitalist in its criticism of german industrialists

[MarxSchmarx]

Have you watched the film? If so I would like to hear of any more "pretty common films like" you might suggest are like this one. I consider it rather uncommon myself.

As a matter of fact I have (almost a decade ago). I was referring to the wwii documentaries. can't think of any other specific names off the top of my head, though there are some that cover like the n. african campaign, an exactly analogous film for Chiang-kai Chek's china, that sort of thing.