WWII Diaries Complete

Good like spinach
The title is so voluminous and contains so much information that is new to me, that it warrants a five star rating. The prospective buyer, however, should be made aware of the set’s strengths and weaknesses so the decision whether or not to buy it is an informed one. This is a subjective matter, of course, and each person will have his or her own criteria for arriving at such. That is, what is a strength for me, may be a shortcoming for another. Here are mine.Strengths:Footage – Film footage from all theaters of battle, much of it new to me. Yes, there is some repetition of scenes in later episodes, but not to the point where I felt belabored by it. I’ve viewed all the major and many of the minor WWII series and there was a huge amount of new material here for me.Cost – Over 77 hours of WWII material at a cost of the low to mid $20 range is a bargain. Assuming I watch one hour a day/7 days a week, it will take me 11 weeks to complete the set. Another way of looking at it, on an hourly basis I have paid $20/(77X60), or less than 1/2 cent per minute.Volume of information – I’m learning a great deal of information in relation to the day to day progress of the war, which sets created for a larger, more general audience, cannot treat of due to their more specialized purpose. Absolutely immense and staggering in its scope.Script: The script, in spite of the lackluster narration is solid, well written and packs in a veritable tsunami of information. Now theWeaknesses:Narration – If you did not appreciate the oratorical ability of the narrator of the series “Fight for Freedom: Major Battles of WWII” and its predecessor “The Dawn of War,” take your cursor off the “buy now” button and surf elsewhere. Whereas the malapropisms and mispronunciations aren’t as egregiously rife and riotous as in the forementioned two series, they are present, and may occasion an irritable smile. The presentation is stolid and as emotionless as a wheelbarrow loaded with clay bricks.Volume of information – Yes, I have listed this a both a strength and a weakness. There is so much information that at times I glaze over and feel like a sub that spends too much time beneath the proverbial waves and must needs to come to the surface for some fresh air. If you are looking to be captivated, look elsewhere. If you seek facts – LOTS of facts and are less concerned with being entertained- you’re in the right place. Think newspaper headlines with lots of accompanying video footage.Format – Remember, this is a CHRONICLE. The unvariegated format is a little tedious, but it’s not a history and does what it does: relates facts and does not try to create interest.Not being familiar with the weaponry or uniforms or WWII minutiae, I can’t really say if any anachronisms or historical inaccuracies are present, but given the ambitiousness of the project I wouldn’t be surprised if there are so. The bottom line is that in spite of the shortcomings I see series as an indispensable part of my collection and as such recommend it. Any university library should be in possession of some such.

History In Detail
I purchased these DVDs to enrich my knowledge of the Second World War. First and foremost, they provide a rich and detailed history of WWII, day by day, month by month and year by year. I have studied the Second World War since the 1950s, and through this series, I learned things previously unknown to me. I enjoy watching a month each evening. Next, on the debit side, I believe this series was produced in Spain, and some translations are skewed. For instance, “Counter Admiral” for “Vice Admiral”. Pronunciations are off, as are certain facts. Film footage is occasionally repeated. But, all that aside, the production team has put a lot of research and editing effort into this fascinating documentary. I applaud their work and highly recommend this series.

Well worth the money.
This ten disc set covers every day of the war and beyond (trials/crimes) with a headline style format supported by video footage. I think I own/have seen all of the documentaries out there on WWII and this one is in my top three … Trying to wrap my head around a war that covered the globe. Lots of footage I haven’t seen before mixed with plenty I have … but even with some repeats, it didn’t matter. The information (war) just keeps coming at you and coming at you. I found it well worth the money. It’s like a giant history book with video ….

Excellent for WWII buffs!
Of course I wasn’t even born yet, but I imagine listening to these news feeds on the radio or going to the theater to watch them. News feeds are a running commentary from beginning of the conflict to the end in chronological order.Highly recommend for WWII buffs.

meets expectations