Prelude to War (1942)

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52 min - Documentary | History | War - 27 May 1942 (USA)

7.2

Ratings: 7.2/10 from 468 users
Reviews: 13 user

The official World War II US Government film statement defining the various enemies of the Allies and why they must be fought.

Writer:

(uncredited) See more »

Stars:

Kai-Shek Chiang, Walter Darré and Otto Dietrich

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29 photos | | 2 news articles | full cast and crew »

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Cast

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Storyline

This famous propaganda piece, used as a U.S. Army training film in WWII before theatrical release, asks 'why we fight.' The answer compares the 'free' and 'slave' worlds. Included: development of dictatorships in Italy, Germany and Japan, while anti-militarism and isolationism rise in the USA; a look at enemy propaganda; and the first acts of aggression. Walter Huston narrates a combination of archival footage, maps, and other graphics. Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

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Genres:

Documentary | History | War

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

Release Date:

27 May 1942 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Why We Fight, 1 See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

U.S. War Department, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), U.S. Army Special Service Division See more »

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

52 min (copyright length)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

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Did You Know?

Trivia

This documentary is the first film in Frank Capra's seven-film 'Why We Fight' documentary film series. See more »

Connections

Featured in "The War: A Necessary War: December 1941 - December 1942 (#1.1)" (2007) See more »

Soundtracks

"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
(1850) (uncredited)
Music by Richard Storrs Willis
Lyrics by Edmund Hamilton Sears (1849)
Sung by an offscreen chorus See more »

Prelude to War (1942)

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Did You Know?

Trivia

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Soundtracks

Credited cast:
	Kai-Shek Chiang	...	Himself (archive footage) (as General Chaing Kai-Shek)
	Walter Darré	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Darré)
	Otto Dietrich	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Dietrich)
	Hans Frank	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Frank)
	Josef Goebbels	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Doctor Goebbels)
	Hermann Göring	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Goring)
	Rudolf Hess	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Hess)
	Adolf Hitler	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Hitler)
	Saburo Kurusu	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Kurusu)
	Robert Ley	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Ley)
	Lord Lytton	...	Himself (archive footage)
	Yosuke Matsuoka	...	Himself (archive footage)
	Frank McCoy	...	Himself (archive footage)
	Benito Mussolini	...	Himself (archive footage)
	Henry Pu-yi	...	Himself (archive footage)