TekPicks

I have always been fascinated with the history and stories of World War II. As a kid, some of my favorite books were true accounts of prisoner escapes from POW camps and secret special forces missions. Some of the best movies ever have based on WWII like The Bridge over the River Kwai, The Great Escape, Saving Private Ryan and my absolute favorite film Band of Brothers (which hits Blu-Ray 11/11).

Yesterday, The National Archives release the penutimate DVD collection for people like me.  WWII: A Filmed History is 24 discs – 26 hours of footage featuring everything from historical newsreel footage to documentary featurettes lensed and narrated by some of Hollywood’s greatest names.

From America to Europe, from the air to the sea, experience a war that spanned the globe: Set #1: War in Europe Explores the Nazi ambition for world conquest, featuring historical pre-cursors, artillery and infantry attacks, the invasion Poland, and the horrific concentration camps.

Set #2: War on the Homefront Takes you stateside to a time when gas rationing, food conservation, and the wartime efforts of civilian men and women occupied a nation. Features narration by James Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, and Humphrey Bogart, as wells as the acting talents of Susan Hayward, Alan Ladd, James Cagney, Margaret O’Brien and more.

Set #3: War in the Pacific Dramatic footage of U.S. Navy, Marine, and Army forces as they combat the Japanese military. Features amphibious landings, Kamikaze air attacks, post-war events, the surrender of Japan, and the Academy Award®-winning documentary from acclaimed Hollywood director John Ford.

Set #4: Why We Fight A thought-provoking collection exploring the wartime involvement of Russia, China, Italy, the United States, and Germany. Featuring the Oscar®-nominated documentary narrated by Walter Huston and footage featuring Edward R. Murrow and President Roosevelt.

Grab It: WWII: A Filmed History