Product Details

• Format: Box set, Black & White, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 7
• Studio: A&E Home Video
• VHS Release Date: March 4, 1997
• Run Time: 490 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 1.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303422861
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #212,141 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On April 24, 1947, more than a year after the end of World War II, 26 Japanese soldiers who had been holding out in the caves of Peleliu, in the Palau Islands, walked down to the U.S. airfield to surrender--to the astonishment of the Americans who had thought the island had been "secure" since 1944. The Battle of Peleliu was notably bloody: with a casualty rate of almost 50 percent, some 20,000 Marines died in a three-month ordeal that was supposed to be a quick, four-day operation on the way to liberate the Gilbert Islands. The Peleliu airfield was an essential and easy target to secure, but up in the rocky hills of the small island the Japanese had made a fortress of miles of interconnected caves--virtually impregnable. After the battle that more than a few soldiers wrote home to describe, literally, as hell, the lush, green island oasis had been charred bare by massive bombing and cave-clearing flamethrowers. Though not as widely known as the Battle of Guadalcanal, Peleliu was almost as significant a turning point in the Pacific theater.

A&E and the History Channel's War Chronicles includes fascinating documents of many understudied parts of World War II, such as the Battle of Peleliu. Each of the seven cassettes in this series produced for television carries two one-hour episodes, but the episodes are hit-and-miss for quality. The Peleliu episode "Island Hopping" is excellent: superb contextualization and background, use of maps, well-organized narration. Other episodes, such as "The Desert War," are wanting: no use of maps, film images that don't seem to connect to the narration, cursory historical information, lots of explosions but less substance. In the end there is some fascinating, well-written documentation here--just don't be afraid to use your fast-forward button when necessary. --Erik J. Macki

Product Description

From the beaches of Normandy to the sands of Iwo Jima, relive the drama and the intensity of history's greatest conflict in WORLD WAR II: THE WAR CHRONICLES. This extraordinary collection is the most complete account of World War II ever created. Combining graphic combat footage and expert commentary, it's a commanding view of the battles and strategy, the men and machines, and the horror and heroism that marked this epic conflict. Here are the blazing naval engagements, the hand-to-hand combat and the stupendous air battles. From North Africa to Italy, across Europe to Berlin, and from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo, see and experience World War II in these seven unforgettable volumes as it's never been captured before!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Embarrassingly awful documentary; utterly mindless, April 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: World War II: The War Chronicles [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have never seen such an awful documentary; the narration is a laundry list of random events, completely out of context, mumbled at high speed one right after the other in a monotone with no analysis at all. The video footage looks like an endless loop of the same footage and totally unrelated to the narration.

For example, the battle of Midway was a watershed in the struggle for power in the pacific arena, and was the result of a complex and dramatic combination and sequence of brilliant cryptanalysis, intrigue, wild luck, heroism etc.. This battle was covered in the A&E volume on air war in the pacific in what seemed to me like less than 30 seconds of shockingly simplistic and disjointed narration. I have a 1 volume book on the pacific war 1941-45 and the battle of Midway is alloted more than 40 pages of single spaced print without any pictures.

I threw the whole set down the trash chute, and I even feel sorry for the mice who are currently keeping it company.

I tried to give this 0 stars as a rating but it wouldn't have registered as a review.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great footage, very poor chronology, January 3, 2000

By 

Rida I. Morwa "Rida" (Beirut, Lebanon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: World War II: The War Chronicles [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I do not want to under-rate this video because the footage is outstanding, however the chronology of events are not up-to-date, it makes you miss the spirst of the war. I believe that most people who would like to view this video would like to understand the reason and the chronology of the facts that lead to this war, this is the reason I gave it only a **. Again I re-eterate the footage is great. From: Reda (Beirut, Lebanon) E-mail: [e-mail]

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very bad WWII Chronicles, August 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: World War II: The War Chronicles [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Horrible set. A waste of money. Coverage of the conflict is very simple, and most of the content related only to the American intervention. Very bad image reproduction.