Prelude to War (1942)
[Why We Fight: Prelude to War]
Director: Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak
Synopsis:
The first entry in the "Why We Fight" series, providing a basic overview of the Axis powers and making the case for why they must be opposed.
Impressions:
How do you make the case for war to a populace that had been largely indifferent to the conflict and particularly draftees who didn't ask to be in uniform fighting and dying in distant lands? Frank Capra made his stab with the seven-part documentary series "Why We Fight". This first entry is a fascinating study in propaganda techniques. What's really clever to me is the use of Axis propaganda against them. If you're really watching with a critical eye, you can see how carefully crafted it is to deconstruct the isolationist position and appeal to patriotic and Christian sentiments. So long as you recognize it for what it is, it's actually not a bad crash course in the the Axis powers and has genuine educational value beyond mere indoctrination. If you're a history buff, it's well worth a watch.
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