The Crusade in Europe
Based on the title of General Eisenhower's book, combat film from from World War II. This was the first documentary series produced for television.
Prelude to War
The film dissolves from the surrender to Hitler in his early years of power, follows the rise of Nazism through the Munich Pact, the attack on Poland, the fall of France, and the Battle of Britain.
America's Unpreparedness
The draft law of 1940 is passed and American men are inducted into the Army. Large-scale maneuvers are held in 1941. Pearl Harbor is bombed and Franklin Roosevelt asks Congress for a declaration of war.
America Goes to War
President Roosevelt lectures Americans on their conduct. Churchill visits the U.S. American troops are deployed to England, and Eisenhower gets command of the European Theater of Operations.
Platform for Invasion
Americans arrive in Britain, try to get along with the British civilians, and are made ready physically and mentally to fight the Germans. The Eighth Air Force begins its bombing offensive, and the decision is made to invade French North Africa.
Africa: Our First Offensive
The Troops of Operation Torch come from the U.S. and Britain. U.S. industry is shown going to full war production. Equipment is shown being loaded up for transport to North Africa, and the landings are made successfully.
The Campaign
This episode will take you on a journey through the Allied campaign in North Africa, from the daring Operation Torch to the triumphant defeat of the infamous Afrika Korps.
Rommel Routed
Eisenhower describes how the Allies squeezed Rommel's forces in Tunisia. The Afrika Korps attacks to the Kasserine Pass but is pushed back thanks to Patton. Allied air power helps win the day, the U.S.
Sicily: Operation Husky
This episode takes you on the Allies' brave campaign to invade Sicily and defeat the Axis forces in July 1943.
Assault on Italy
General Montgomery attacks Italy across the Strait of Messina. A landing is made at Salerno to coincide with Italy's surrender, after Italy's fleet surrenders at Malta.
Rise and Fall of a Dictator
On July 25th, 1943, Benito Mussolini is ousted from power. We then flashback to his rise to power, including the Fascist march on Rome in November, 1922. In 1936 Ethiopia is invaded.
The G.I.: Hero of the War
In this compelling episode, join a GI as he reflects on his experiences during the toughest campaign of World War II, the Italian campaign.
Victory in Italy
This episode will take you on a brave campaign covering the Allied campaign in Italy from December 1943 to June 1944.
Preparation for Invasion
This episode takes you through the planning and preparation of the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe, which was codenamed Operation Overlord.
D-Day
This episode takes you through the tense hours of the largest seaborne invasion in history: Operation Neptune, often referred to as D-Day.
Beachhead and Breakthrough
Eisenhower inspects the landing beaches and we see the 'Mulberry' harbors put in place along the Normandy beaches. Airfields are built and supplies are offloaded. V-1 rockets attack London.
The Battle of Supply
This episode takes you through the challenges that the Allied forces had to overcome in order to continue their chain of supply through Europe.
The Air War
The episode explains how the Royal Air Force and the US Eighth Air Force helped win the war by bombing Germany day and night after the Battle of Britain.
The Battle of the Bulge
The episode explains the American capture of Strasbourg from the Germans followed by the German surprise attack on the Battle of the Bulge.
Crossing the Rhine
The Allies cross the Rhine River into Germany in the early part of 1945.
Overrunning Germany
The Western Allies entrap a large part of the German Army in the Ruhr Pocket, and captures some 325,000 enemy soldiers. The Americans and Russians meet at Torgau on the Elbe River.
Victory's Aftermath
This installment talks about the lessons learned, both military and diplomatic, about coalition warfare. It includes a reenactment of the Alamogordo atomic bomb test, as well as its use against Japan.
American Military Government
The post-war government of Germany is shown. The U.S. in Cologne puts things in order. The Potsdam Conference and Nuremberg War Crimes Trials are shown.
Russia
Russian and American attitudes about war are compared. The Germans surrender to Zhukov, and Eisenhower goes to Moscow. The Berlin Blockade is mentioned, and the UN founding conference is shown.
Review
This final installment is review of the entire series. Highlights deal with the rise of Naziism, concluding with the burning of London.
