World at War :: General Interest

Classic 50's and 60's Communism Films - an Exploration of Communism and Despotism in the Soviet Union and China and Other Totalitarian Regimes

Including a Look At How Atomic Submarines Operate and How Weapon System Like Polaris Work

Produced by the Department of Defense in 1980, this DVD introduces Air Force cadets to the science of Human Factors Engineering. The presentation examines the history and beginnings of human factors engineering and its importance in the military. The focus of the DVD is the application of HFE as it applies to human needs in the Air Force. It is a fascinating presentation of a little thought about science that affects all of us every single day - affecting the chairs we sit in, the machines we use and really just about every man made product we come into contact with every day.

Adjutant General's Report Containing the Complete Muster-Out Rolls of the Illinois Volunteers Who Served in the Spanish-American War, 1898 and 1899 is a collection of five volumes published by the State of Illinois. Each volume includes important biographical details of the men who served from Illinois during the Spanish American War. This is a great reference set for Spanish American War researchers and genealogists researching the Spanish American War era of Illinois.

Produced by the Department of Defense in 1976, this DVD is a celebration of America's 200th birthday. It serves as a reminder of the struggles we had as a nation during our first 200 years - the sacrifices and the opportunities afforded by those who came before us. Interspersed throughout the presentation are fantastic aerial clips of the Air Force Thunderbirds and the F-15 Eagle.

American Decorations : a List of Awards of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Distinguished-Service Cross and the Distinguished-Service Medal Awarded Under Authority of the Congress of the United States is a collection representing a main volume (from 1862 to 1926) and five supplements covering January 1927 to June 1941.

The American Decorations collection consists of the main volume American Decorations- A List of Awards of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Distinguished-Service Cross and the Distinguished-Service Medal 1862-1926 (which is over 800 pages in length) plus five supplements which cover from the end of the main book to the middle of 1941.

This documentary explores the armored tanks and their role in war. It explores its operation in both training and battle situations and is a great look at the wide variety of armored vehicles employed by the armed forces in the past.

Army ammunition trains were a key component of the success of World War I. Learn the history and participants of these brave Companies as they did their part to protect the lives of the oppressed during WWI. These men were responsible for transporting the artillery and infantry ammunition of each division from the ammunition refilling point to the area of conflict. Although referred to as a train, they rarely used a literal train - relying instead on mechanized military transport to get the ammunition where it needed to go.

Army Medicine from the American Revolutionary War to the Korean War is explored in this episode of The Big Picture. This fascinating look at the members of the Army Medical Service details the exploits and challenges of these brave men. Included is footage from World War I as well as the Normandy Beachhead and their work in WWII. What is fascinating in this presentation is the bravery of these professionals as they accompany the fighting men on the front lines of some of the most fierce wartime battles - being ever ready to lend whatever assistance they could at the risk of their own lives.

The Army Pathfinder Team has one mission: to furnish navigational guidance to army aircraft for tactical operations. They primarily infiltrate areas and set up parachute drop zones and helicopter landing zones for Airborne and Air Assault missions. This documentary details the brave and dangerous work the Army Pathfinder team performs on a day to day basis to ensure safe and accurate operations for the operational units during a war. This documentary was produced in 1959.

The Big Picture documentary Army Satellites is a fascinating look at the very early days of the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. This documentary tells the story of Explorers I and III. It details the crucial 84 days before launching Explorer I. The story begins on the morning of November 8, 1957, at Huntsville, Alabama. starting with a sudden meeting called by Major General John B. Medaris with his staff which included Dr. Wernher von Braun. The film the depicts the dramatic sequences leading into the final "countdown" in the blockhouse at Cape Canaveral, Florida. "Army Satellites" is an actual step-by-step documentary filmed over a five month period by Army Signal Corps cameramen and is narrated by Alexander Scourby.

Produced by the Department of Defense in 1978, this DVD tells the story of the Army Veterinary service. It details their role in the modern military and the steps that they take to safeguard the military food supply and ensure the health of our military men and women by being sure they are not exposed to products that have been contaminated or otherwise pose a danger to them in their day to day duties.

Produced by Department of the Air Force, this video provides newcomers and their families an overview of the organizations, housing, and community services available at Mildenhall, England. This film was produced in 1996 to help American soldiers adjust to life in and around Mildenall as quickly and comfortably as possible.

This classic collection of Civil Defense films were mostly created during the height of the cold war in the 1950's when there was a communist behind every bush and Nuclear War was going to happen at any instant.

This film, featuring Walter Matthau, discusses the life of the Mitchell family and how it turns into a nightmare when an atomic bomb is dropped on New York City, just 50 miles away. The film details the horrifying aftermath of this nuclear attack. The film was made during the Cold War era of the 50s to show the American population the dangers of a nuclear enabled Soviet Union.

The Atomic Battlefield is explored in this episode of The Big Picture. This film is a fascinating look at Desert Rock, Nevada and details the conditions that could be faced by the Army in the event of a nuclear blast in territory that must be taken and held. In this scenario, the Army actually performs a variety of tests with the soldiers during atomic detonation tests. By exploring the various scenarios that the men were run through and the results, the Army was able to learn enough to figure out deployment strategies and the structure of the combat force in the event of an atomic event.

This DVD is a collection of films on the B-17 Flying Fortress and includes the classic The Memphis Belle directed by William Wyler as well as many other excellent films of this classic plane. This collection also includes footage of the B-24 Liberator.

This DVD contains several films related to the famous B-29 and X-15 military planes. The films also include footage of several other classic military planes like the B-25 and the C-74 and many others.

Produced by the Department of Defense in 1980, this DVD tells the story of a nuclear weapons accident exercise in the Nevada desert. The exercise was sponsored by the Defense Nuclear Agency and all four armed services as well as the Department of Energy participated in the exercise. The exercise involves the simulated crash of a MAC Aircraft carrying nuclear weapons. The training exercise covers the period of the initial accident through Day seven after the accident.