Keith David
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Episode Guide
- 1. A Necessary War Sep 23, 2007
- The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor thrusts the U.S. into World War II.
- 2. When Things Get Tough Sep 24, 2007
- In January 1943, the Germans continue to occupy most of Western Europe.
- 3. A Deadly Calling Sep 25, 2007
- The American public sees pictures and newsreel footage of troops killed in action.
Watch the full documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, which tells the story of the Second World War through the personal accounts of four American towns. Learn how the war changed the lives of millions of Americans and shaped the course of history.
- Overview
- The outbreak of war
World War II began in Europe on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. Great Britain and France responded by declaring war on Germany on September 3. The war between the U.S.S.R. and Germany began on June 22, 1941, with Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. The war in the Pacific began on December 7/8, 1941, when Japan attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor and other American, Dutch, and British military installations throughout Asia.
Read more below: Axis initiative and Allied reaction: The outbreak of war
Pacific War
Read more about the war in the Pacific.
What countries fought in World War II?
The main combatants were the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) and the Allies (France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China).
By the early part of 1939 the German dictator Adolf Hitler had become determined to invade and occupy Poland. Poland, for its part, had guarantees of French and British military support should it be attacked by Germany. Hitler intended to invade Poland anyway, but first he had to neutralize the possibility that the Soviet Union would resist the invasion of its western neighbour. Secret negotiations led on August 23–24 to the signing of the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact in Moscow. In a secret protocol of this pact, the Germans and the Soviets agreed that Poland should be divided between them, with the western third of the country going to Germany and the eastern two-thirds being taken over by the U.S.S.R.
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Pop Quiz: 17 Things to Know About World War II
Having achieved this cynical agreement, the other provisions of which stupefied Europe even without divulgence of the secret protocol, Hitler thought that Germany could attack Poland with no danger of Soviet or British intervention and gave orders for the invasion to start on August 26. News of the signing, on August 25, of a formal treaty of mutual assistance between Great Britain and Poland (to supersede a previous though temporary agreement) caused him to postpone the start of hostilities for a few days. He was still determined, however, to ignore the diplomatic efforts of the western powers to restrain him. Finally, at 12:40 pm on August 31, 1939, Hitler ordered hostilities against Poland to start at 4:45 the next morning. The invasion began as ordered. In response, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3, at 11:00 am and at 5:00 pm, respectively. World War II had begun.
The War is a seven-part TV mini series by Ken Burns that explores how the Second World War changed the lives of American families. It features interviews, archival footage, and music, and won three Primetime Emmys.
- (5.5K)
- Documentary, History, War
- TV-14
- 2007-09-23
The War is the story of the Second World War through the personal accounts of a handful of men and women from four American towns.
The War is a seven-part American television documentary miniseries about World War II from the perspective of the United States. The program was directed by American filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, written by Geoffrey Ward, and narrated primarily by Keith David. [1] It premiered on September 23, 2007.
No.EpisodeOriginal Air Date1"A Necessary War" (December 1941 – ...September 23, 20072"When Things Get Tough" (January–December ...September 24, 20073"A Deadly Calling" (November 1943 – June ...September 25, 20074"Pride of Our Nation" (June–August ...September 26, 2007- September 23 –, October 2, 2007
The War is a film series that tells the story of the Second World War through the personal accounts of a handful of men and women from four American towns. It explores the human dimensions of the greatest cataclysm in history and honors the bravery, endurance, and sacrifice of the generation of Americans who lived through it.
2 days ago · Learn about the nature, causes, conduct, and prevention of war, a conflict between political groups involving hostilities of considerable duration and magnitude. Explore the evolution of theories of war, from Clausewitz to peace research, and the role of war in history and society.
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