Secrets of World War II

While the series title ("Secrets of World War II") is a bit melodramatic, the educational content of this documentary more than compensates for the hype. Each episode focuses on a key topic of the war from D-Day to Stalingrad to Germany's "secret weapons" (the V-1 and V-2 rockets, etc.). The topic is presented thoroughly and with painstaking accuracy. During the program the narrator poses (again, with melodrama) several poignant rhetorical questions, such as "Did Stalin use secret reserve army divisions to stop the Wehrmacht from taking Stalingrad?" And in regard to the heroic rescue at Dunkirk, "Did Hitler purposely order his Panzer divisions to stop their advance, allowing the British and French armies to escape, because he didn't want to go to war with Britain?" The casual viewer might find this material to be a little heavy, but the student of history, especially of WW II, will enjoy every minute.