The Nazi Strike
Chapter II of the Why We Fight propaganda film series, examines Hitler’s rise to power using captured enemy film footage. We see the events of Nazi Germany’s diplomatic and military acts of international aggression. One by one, we learn of the Nazi’s consistently underhanded and relenting violation of every promise of peace and exploitation of their foes’s attempts of appeasement until the invasion of Poland September of 1939 which led to Britain and France finally taking an armed stand against Hitler.
About the series
The seven part “Why we fight” series is considered the most powerful American propaganda ever produced and was the winner of an Academy Award in 1942 for Best Documentary. This outstanding and historic series traces the earliest beginnings of the second world war starting with Library of Congress National Film RegistryJapan’s invasion of China in 1931, to the Nazi’s march across europe. The series features extensive historic footage from both allied and axis sources. In 2000 the “Why We Fight” series was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry and remains a prime source of archival footage for the period.
Propaganda
The Why We Fight series was a massive effort on the part of the United States government to indoctrinate the millions of young men and women inducted into military service following the American entry into World War II. The making of this series and other large-scale information and education films, as they were called, was planned and supervised by Frank Capra. One of the most popular Hollywood filmmakers of the late 1930s, he had no prior documentary experience.
Concept & style
Why We Fight series was based on the assumption that servicemen would be more willing and able fighters if they knew the events that led up to, and the reasons for our participation in the war. It had to counteract the spirit of isolationism still strong in this country up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In this attempt it offered a gigantic historical treatise from a particular, “liberal” point of view that is to say, the New Deal viewpoint of the Democratic administration prevalent in the country at the time.
Social interest
The series was shown to the public in theatres to explain American policy and the war effort abroad. “Prelude to War” argues that freedom is a threat to the fascist dictators of the Axis powers, who claim that democracy is weak and must be eradicated. The film claims that the ultimate goal of the Axis powers is to enslave the nations of the “free world,” a desire made manifest in the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and Mussolini’s destruction of Ethiopia.
Historic Interest
Starting with Bismarck’s 1863 statement, “we will dominate the whole world,” the Nazi Strike continues through Germany’s rearmament and the outbreak of war and ends with America’s entry into the European fighting. As a propaganda film it is somewhat heavy-handed in its use of scenes from “Triumph of the Will” and portraits of Himmler and other Nazi leaders as bloody ax murderers. Yet, the documentary footage of the Nazis is well put together and assembled, especially the actions of Hitler at the start of war during the Czechoslovakian and Polish invasions.
Political interest
In short, The Nazi strike effectively shows how Hitler installed a dictatorship. The film artfully assembles existing stock footage to trace the rise of Adolf Hitler and his thirst for world conquest. Having subjugated the Jewish citizens in his own country, Hitler moves onto the Rhineland and Austria, and demands the annexation of Czechoslovakia. Despite his assurances of “peace in our time,” Hitler invades Poland in 1939.
Credits
- Producer: Frank Capra
- Screenplay: Anthony Veiller, Eric Knight and Robert Heller
- Director: Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak
- Editor: William Hornbeck
- Music: Dimitri Tiomkin
- Narrators: Walter Huston and Anthony Veiller
- Graphics and animation by Walt Disney Studios