Why We Fight: Prelude to War

  • Documentary
  • War
5/27/1942
53

The US government puts the finger on the United Nations' enemies

Prelude to War was the first film of Frank Capra's Why We Fight propaganda film series, commissioned by the Pentagon and George C. Marshall. It was made to convince American troops of the necessity of combating the Axis Powers during World War II. This film examines the differences between democratic and fascist states.

Cast

Reviews

  • Geronimo1967

    Crafted by Frank Capra at the instigation of General Marshall, this is a bit more sophisticated that the usual propaganda exercise Hollywood produced following the raid on Pearl Harbour. This time it uses an effective array of archive to not so much extol the virtues of the great American war machine as to chronologically vilify the axis powers. Theres not so much actual footage of the Emperor but they still manage to illustrate the processes of Japanese expansion through Korea, Manchuria and eventually Shanghai. Mussolini and Hitler provide much more fertile territory for the filmmakers as they use film and animated maps to demonstrate the salami tactics of the Italians in Ethiopia and the Nazis in Austria and Czechoslovakia. By 1942 the w...

    October 26, 2025

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