The World Wars

Cable mainstay History (formerly, the History Channel) continues its longstanding fascination with World War II in this three-part miniseries based on Winston Churchill's observation that World Wars I and II represented a single conflict interrupted by a temporary cessation of hostilities. Embracing the “great man” theory of history, The World Wars locates the roots of the horrendous chaos of 1939–1945 in the conflagration of 1914–1918—not merely the diplomatic fallout but also the personal demons that haunted leaders from their experience of the Great War. Pride of place goes to Adolf Hitler, wounded while serving in the German army in 1918 and driven by a desire to avenge his nation's humiliation, and Churchill, whose role as wartime Prime Minister redeemed his dismissal as First Lord of the Admiralty following the disastrous 1915 attack on Gallipoli. Mussolini, Stalin, Roosevelt, and Truman are treated in a more cursory fashion. Indeed, Gen. George S. Patton receives more attention than Stalin, whose early life is basically ignored, while the Japanese leaders are presented as stock villains. Directed by John Ealer, the series mixes archival footage, dramatic re-creations (marked by uninspired dialogue), simplistic narration delivered by Jeremy Renner, and banal comments from contemporary writers and politicians such as John McCain and Dick Cheney. Extras include bonus featurettes, deleted scenes, and character sketches. Despite its flaws, this ambitious undertaking is likely to be popular and should still be considered a strong optional purchase. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)