The First World War: The Complete Series

 

 

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There is a wealth of information in this series, and there is excellent narration. The series goes into considerable detail in many areas, and I learned much that was new to me. The WW I film quality in this series is very good indeed as I have seen some of the same original footage before, but not nearly as well restored. But there are concerns.

Firstly, the series could easily have been presented on 2 or 3 DVDs as the first DVD has 4 episodes, while the remaining 3 have only 2 50 minute episodes on each one. Certainly, the series would have been better had it had more episodes, with some very much needed additional information.

My biggest complaint about this series is its extremely pro-British bent. Let me explain. The first glaring problem I came across was with the coverage of the sinking of the Lusitania. There was no mention whatsoever of the very well known fact that the Lusitania was loaded with munitions and other war materials, and that German spies in New York knew this and sent word back to Germany. There is some serious thought among many historians that the British actually leaked this info so that the Lusitania would get torpedoed and thus bring the U.S. into the war on the Allied side. All this series presents is the nasty Germans sinking the innocent ocean liner.

The next thing that really got to me was the way that the series complimented the British General Staff and Officer Corps. Unbelievable! The Red Tabs, as they were known, were and are still considered to be some of the worst commanders ever, whose only real skill was sending millions of men to be senselessly slaughtered. There isn't even a critical comment on Douglas Haig, the British C-in-C. One suspects that the producer might be the grandson of a Red Tab who sees his mission to be glossing up their deservedly horrible reputation.

Then the series goes on to suggest that for much, if not most of the time, the British troops in the trenches were having a good time. My grandfather, who was seriously wounded at the Somme, would take great issue with that suggestion.

The series also minimizes the contributions of all the other Allies other than France, which would be hard for the series producers to ignore. The American contribution is seriously minimized, and Canada is mentioned twice, once in the context of a nurse. The battle at Paschendaele gets not quite 30 seconds of coverage, and only as a British victory. No Canadian contribution is mentioned at all.

The producers also try to tell us that World War I had many good reasons behind it, which is just a bunch of Hooey. It was a pointless and needless slaughter on all sides. There are a number of other problems, and you will find them all if you look.

All in all, it's still a good series, but you must be cognizant of its revisionist and very pro-British nature, which, if this was your first introduction to WW I history, might go unnoticed. Had this been a BBC production, it would certainly have been a much more accurate production, even though that would have meant casting a very critical eye upon the British government's motivations and policies.

I would strongly recommend that you purchase the Eagle Rock presentation of The Great War, narrated by Patrick Allen, along with this series, and watch it first. It gives a much better overview of the social issues and presents the story in an unbiased and realistic fashion, all in 90 minutes. And it's available at a bargain price.

This is an excellent and comprehencive review of all aspects of the First World War. The series of 10 episodes begins with a review of the reasons for the war starting and how the alliences were established. The following episodes cover much more than a study of the battle on the western front but also include the stories of the battles in eastern Europe, Turkey, Africa, the naval battles and blockades the eventual involvement of the Americans and the impact of the Russian Revolution.

High production qualities make this series very watchable.

This series provides a comprehensive story of the events leading up to WWI, the war itself and the aftermath. There are some very detailed episodes that you might not expect from a series like this, i.e, "Cry for Holy War", Destination Baghdad", Telegram to Mexico", etc., but they serve a purpose and fill in the minutia for those who are not war aficionados. Overall, it is a worthwhile purchase, but do not expect it to be a complete chronology highlighting each and every battle. Likewise, if you are hoping to get a comprehensive education on Canada's contribution, or for that matter that of any other of the Dominion countries, you may be disappointed. In regards to the latter I would highly recommend also purchasing "King and Empire".

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3.0 out of 5 stars WWI
It is a very well documented series.The only negative I would have is that it continuously jumps forward and backward in time while telling of the story, thereby breaking one's... Read more

Published on Jun 15 2009 by Henry Zaidan

4.0 out of 5 stars World War I...
The First World War: The Complete Series
Great historical series for thise not familiar with the Great War. Read more

Published on May 29 2009 by Paul Adams

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