Victory at Sea

Perhaps the most influential television documentary series of all time, Victory at Sea offered a groundbreaking overview of the nautical battles and challenges of World War II. Originally broadcast from 1952 through 1953 and then shown repeatedly over the years both in syndication and then again in primetime in the 1960s, the series laid the foundation for television documentary production. The 26 half-hour episodes, presented here on four discs, are culled from an archival wealth of Allied and Axis military newsreel footage, offering a unique overview of the war as seen from both sides. From the fight for North Atlantic dominance in the early days of the conflict through the official ceremony on the USS Missouri marking the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945, Victory at Sea provides a comprehensive look at the importance of naval power and the staggering logistics involved in moving military personnel and war machinery across dangerous stretches of ocean. While the series' narration by Leonard Graves and its music score by Richard Rodgers may seem bombastic by contemporary standards, they do not distract from the genuine and often tragic human drama preserved for posterity in this remarkable and invaluable set. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)