This documentary is awesome for people who would take everything for granted as it stands in the recent history, I for one don't.I don't really think it is that simple, I understand the climate that the world felt when the documentary was produced, but haven't you noticed that usually the winners write the history, haven't you noticed that the climate the world felt back in 70' even now even though we are entering some kind of enlightenment which still stands for conspiracy, was determined by the winners.First of all I am not pro Hitler, I try to be neutral and honest. But do you in a sane mind think that one person alone made one of the most populated countries to hate the Jews? I didn't see one episode where they explained how, why what is the real reason Hitler came to power.What about an episode where the truth was shown, where they show what the winning countries of WWI did to the Germans after the war, how they humiliated them (even on the streets) let's not talk about the global humiliation. The Jews role in all of this, why did the Germans hated them... I didn't see any explanation on how Mussolini was hanged by his own people, at the same time kids were dying in the name of Hitler how come.. I did not see explanations on how Germany from being a humiliated country and completely broke, rose up under Hitler to become as powerful as it became, alone to handle the war against the whole world.Other things, the climate of not being able to raise your hand, the idea of not being able to have Hitler as a surname, not being able to even QUESTION anything otherwise you are anti Jews you are a racist and all of these things are really making me think you are hiding something.. How come people like Genghis Khan, Roman empire Caesars, Alexander, Muhammed and who not... people who conquered killed thousands and millions are celebrated.. Filthy conquerors aren't they by today standards.. Well if i were a German id take some pride in this, won't let just to be humiliated, after all they fought the whole world, unjustly all the greatest countries in the world conspired against ONE countries alone. They barely won.This topic has no ending.. Jews: i have nothing, literally nothing against Jews, its inspiring to see the country of Israel where it stands among other Muslim countries and it looks like different planet blossomed flower in terms of development compared to the others, it's inspiring.. Jews have produced amazing scientist and people who contributed to the development of the world we see today, my personal hero Carl Sagan is a Jew i get inspired from him every day. I will never support what was done to the Jews.. I will question weather they were 6 million but even if they were 250th, nothing justifies it.. But did Hitler had any point on what was he doing, I guess he did just as Americans did with the Indians, some do it straightforwardly some do it secretly... But the winners write the history as I said...The treatment of Jews is nothing worse compared to the treatment of the Indians and the Africans in America.. If Germans won the war this would not be such a big of a deal.. I don't see people getting crazy on the Americans for what they did to the black people.. for me it has the same severity if not even bigger.. same goes for the Indians too. plus not to mention what destruction have the human races suffered in the past but nobody seems to care anymore.I am not sure that the Brits and USA choose the right ally but time heals everything. Brits lost their empire and the world domination..(Just as it was predicted in Hitler's book.( many things were predicted in that book but never mentioned in the documentary all that was mentioned was that "if germany lose the war it will take all the world with them, which was taken out of contest anyway) ). After all i didn't see one episode where it was shown how Germans spared the whole British army at Dunkirk, all i heard was that Nazis were insane killing machine... Overall there are some great episodes too, but overall highly biased. 5.7/10

I remember watching this with my parents when it was first aired in the U.S. It has certainly stood the test of time.Everything about it is absolutely top flight. The researchers are really to be commended above all others associated with this work.When it was released on VHS. I bought up the set; and when it was released on DVD, I replaced my VHS collection; with one exception: what seems inexplicable to me is what was left out of the DVD version of the episode "Genocide." This is the ONLY episode where Laurence Olivier comes in front of the camera, and issues a warning concerning the graphic content of the episode. He also warns all of us never to forget. As he says, "This happened in our time...."My VHS copy has this intro. But the DVD does not. Inexplicable.Needles to say, I saved the VHS copy, and watch it from time to time.

I am a World War 2 history fanatic and any series that show what life was like during the war I have to watch. This documentary produced by the BBC is in a class by itself. Narrated by the great British actor Sir Laurence Olivier he talks like your favorite college professor whose class you never wanted to miss. This 26 part series shows everything from the causes of the conflict to the celebration of the war's end. Using actual footage filmed in numerous nations we are living in that time. The interviews with actual military and political leaders give an incite into the thinking of why battles happened the way they did.Even though the series is 40 years old it still is the best of any WW2 documentary. I am so glad the military channel still shows episodes and I watch whenever I can.

I remember watching this series along with my parents in 1973-4, I was 19 at the time and had studied European History at A level. I still watch the series when it is repeated on cable TV in the UK, as it currently is. The only question I have is the episode regarding the occupation of Holland. and question "why Holland", why not France or Norway or Yugoslavia? or any other country occupied by the Germans. The timing some 30 years after the end of the war meant that many of the senior combatants where still alive and could be interviewed, be it from the axis or allied sides This is the ultimate record of World War 2