World War II: When the World Went to War, Vol. 3 - 1940-1945 (1949) Reviews

As an Emmy-winning adaptation of General Dwight D. Eisenhower's bestseller Crusade in Europe, the series World War II: When the World Went to War explores some of the pivotal events which characterized the conflict that shook the world from 1939-1945, as the shadow of fascism loomed over the European continent. Subtitled "Allied Troops, Final Battles Parts 1 & 2," this tripartite volume begins with the segment "Dunkirk, North Africa, Italy" - a discussion of the three titular battles that took place during the first years of the war. Next up is "Battle of Nations at Monte Cassino, Battle of the Bulge, The Allies Cross Over the Rhine River," which tells how the Cassino engagements (intended to help the Allies capture Rome) led to an unholy number of casualties including over 54,000 Allied injuries and 20,000 on the German side; the episode then segues into a discussion of the bloody Battle of the Bulge, which cost 20,000 American soldiers, and the crossing of the Rhine, which led directly to the capture of Cologne. The final segment, "D-Day, Total War in Europe, German Surrender," discusses the events that immediately followed the Battle of the Bulge, including the two-sided Allied assault on Berlin, the push-back of the Nazis from the initial German frontiers, and ultimately, the surrender of Germany on May 7, 1945. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi