Immerse yourself in these impactful documentary films about wars and how they affect people. Whether you’re a history buff or just curious, these featured stories will definitely help you gain a new perspective on wars.
From the two World Wars to the Syrian civil war, there’s no shortage of stories about how wars can affect and alter the entire world. War documentaries and films are one of the most popular genres, as the cultural and historical impact of these films remain relevant throughout the course of time. The war film was once “one of Hollywood’s most cherished and prolific genres”, with over 60 American productions about World War II made between 1938 and 1941.
World War II is arguably one of the most influential wars in history, as the most powerful armies in the world grappled over who would win the peace.
1945: The Year That Changed the World is an insightful documentary series that examines the fight between the three big wartime allies: The Soviet Union, Britain and America. Each country and leader is embedded in each programme as central characters; we become familiar with their approach and their particular cocktail of double-dealing.
Each episode of 1945: The Year That Changed the World examines key events as the war unfolds, from following mounting tension between the Allies, to how the true horror of the Nazi regime is exposed as the Allies fight the Germans in their homeland and liberate survivors of the concentration camps, and charting how the future of the world would be shaped by the war, leaving Britain victorious but bankrupt, and America and the Soviet Union on the brink of the cold war.
While some stories about war often focus on the power struggle and politics across international boundaries, there are other stories that weave a more personal, intimate narrative from those close to the heart of the war. Goodbye Aleppo follows a team of four young citizen journalists who document their final days in Aleppo as the battle rages around them. The friends are trapped under a constant barrage of shells as government forces creep further into the flattened remains of East Aleppo. Uniquely told through first-hand accounts, this BBC Arabic documentary is a gripping and heart-wrenching story of defiance and vitality in the face of devastating loss – of family, friends, a city, and a dream.
However, whether wars are big or small, fought up in the air or down in the trenches, lasting just a few months or stretching out for years, there is one thing that they all have in common—they are never cheap.
Cost of War is a documentary series that examines several wars, from World War I and II, to the Vietnam War, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the global war on terror. The series takes a forensic look at the mechanics of war, uncovering the price that must be paid—and who will ultimately pay it—when our leaders choose conflict over peace. Combining dramatic recreations and archive footage with insightful interviews and cutting-edge graphics, each episode explores, investigates and exposes the economic and environmental costs, and social and human impacts of the various wars.
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3 Top War Documentaries to Start Streaming Today:
1. Goodbye Aleppo
52 min • History, Politics & World Affairs • 2017
A team of four young citizen journalists document their final days in Aleppo as the battle rages around them. The friends are trapped under a constant barrage of shells as government forces creep further into the flattened remains of East Aleppo.
Uniquely told through first-hand accounts, this BBC Arabic documentary is a gripping and heart-wrenching story of defiance and vitality in the face of devastating loss – of family, friends, a city, and a dream.
Emmy winner.
2. 1945: The Year that changed the world
46 min • History, Politics & World Affairs • 2005 • M
The series’ narrative thread is an examination of the power struggle over who will win the peace. The fight takes place between the big three wartime allies: The Soviet Union, Britain and America.
Each country and leader is embedded in each programme as central characters; we become familiar with their approach and their particular cocktail of double-dealing.
3. Cost of War
306 min • History, Politics & World Affairs • 2019
