This is a very interesting documentary that focuses on little- acknowledged facts that may very well change the views of average Americans, if their teachers or the media ever bothered to delve into it. I always enjoy any piece like this that sheds new light on subjects of history, religion, or politics. The only reason I don't rate it as a 7 or 8 is simply because of my own in-depth studies of history and my knowledge of Oliver Stone's other works. While he provides a great deal of lesser-known facts regarding FDR's administration, the world wars, etc. he still seems to leave viewers with the impression that the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, and other areas under communist regimes were actually just nice guys with no real axe to grind. In leaving out the other hidden histories of what truly happened in many of these nations, leading up to the points where they intersect with US affairs, I feel it leaves the wrong impression that the US is solely to blame for multi-faceted problems and doesn't address the hidden hands of bankers and secret societies and communists who brought on many issues and atrocities. Similar to his treatment of the JFK saga, Stone gets some of it right, and does a good job of at least raising good questions and shedding light on obscure facts, but doesn't quite hone in on the full picture. Still, worth a watch, but I would suggest a much deeper study of the wars, ideologies, and other agendas at play.

Oliver Stone has done it again ! In the spirit of Howard Zinn's primer "The Peoples History of The United States " Oliver Stone has exposed the dark excesses of America's history of Militarism and Corporate Greed . Viewers will be educated and entertained while the real story of how US Presidents ,Bankers and the Military industrial complex conspired to fleece the American people and exploit the world's natural resources . This series covers important historical facts and political alliances missed by the majority of standard high school and College text books . This film series is a "must see" for those who wish learn the truth about war and peace .It will open the eyes of those who curiosity leads them to question the decisions our Federal government both past and current !

This is Oliver Stone's documentary about the United States from WW2 up until the Obama administration. It links the wars the United States has been involved in over seven decades and discusses with some depth the political tension behind the scenes between the Presidents and their cabinet, their spy agencies, their enemies, their allies, and the American people. There is also some mission critical storytelling about a few long forgotten historical figures that shed insight into our current geo-political landscape in the post 2016 Presidential election.One very interesting story is that in 1944 there was a progressive left wing VP candidate named George Wallace who had previously been the secretary of agriculture and vice president during the third term of President Roosevelt - but he was passed over in a controversial decision by right wing members of the financial sector and replaced by Harry Truman who served as VP during Roosevelt's fourth and final term. This becomes the first in a long series of progressive left wing politicians who are cast out - assassinated - or defeated and opportunities for our government to put people before empire become potentially lost.Roosevelt dies in office just prior to the end of WW2 and so an inexperienced and more simple minded President Truman was suddenly thrust into the Presidency. Truman knew nothing about the complex deals between President Roosevelt and Soviet Dictator Joseph Stalin - and this missed connection becomes a tragic spark that led to many of the anti-communist wars of the last century. What would follow is the construction of the Central Intelligence Agency and massive spending on military that would soon swell into what we call the Military Industrial Complex. The lives of millions would hang in the balance during a slew of close calls that nearly become a nuclear holocaust. One key thing this documentary does a very good job at is showing is that the Soviet Union did not seek global domination - rather they sought to secure their borders. The communists dictators tend to want their land - not global domination. It has been the United States in the post WW2 world has been responsible for the worst air strikes against civilian populations - used puppet governments in Latin America and parts of Africa - and the Middle East - to harness fuel and other supplies. We have done some terrible stuff in the name of empire - yet many of our choices are also rife with complexities that cannot be shunned simply as "America is evil."Perhaps the most interesting scenario of the documentary - is the epilogues that shows the financial history behind World War 1 and World War 2. In WW1 -JP Morgan's bank began to loan money to Britain because Britain was broke after so many years as a global empire and and there is a theory that to get their money back JP Morgan got President Wilson to send troops into the war. While that may have been one of many reasons behind the United States getting involved - including favorable market share with the favorable winners - there are some fascinating links between the banks - fascism - loans - and the war profiting of the financial sector. All of the people in this documentary are human beings - not omnipotent overlords of shadow conspiracies. They have great strengths and weaknesses. They posses terrifying power and humble traits. To understand the world we are in today - one needs to know as much history as possible - because this current geo-political climate was not created in the last decade - but over the course of the last century and this is a documentary that informs as much as it entertains and holds the audience on the edge of their seat.

As a history major, this is easily the worst hisdoc I've seen in my life. It's like Michael Moore and James Cameron screwed and had Oliver Stone as a baby, then got their historical facts from 1970s USSR libraries. I made it through 2 episodes on Netflix before having to just stop bothering. I probably should of started a counter or started tally marking off how many out-of-context events are covered. I don't think it got further than 2-3 minutes in before it started. I felt the need the write a review, because it's always such a pet peeve to see morons involve their delusional political views (right wing or left wing) in a HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY. As a moderate, the leftist propaganda is absolutely laughable. If if fits your historically inaccurate views, I'd suggest watching it, you'd probably like it. However, if you're actually trying to learn anything, or save brain cells, I'd suggest finding something else in your browse for indie films on Netflix.