I Was There...The True Story Of Churchill's War DVD

A man made for the situation in which he took charge, Winston Churchill effectively coordinated the Allied victory in World War II. Inevitably, I Was There... The True Story of Churchill's War gives just an overview of a complex and intensive process where instinct often won out over strategy, and luck could count for more than judgement. Where this documentary is particularly impressive is in conveying the tone--stoical and resolute--of Churchill's speeches to the nation, with numerous excerpts reproduced here. Also, his continual emphasis on intelligence work, namely... the cracking of the Nazi's "Enigma" Code, after which the Allies were at least in a position to compete on equal strategic terms. The initially taciturn, isolationist role of the US is carefully handled, while the debatable success of Churchill's advance through Southern Europe is at least dealt with objectively. Churchill as an unflinching opponent of tyranny is impressively put across. The documentary footage, compiled from a range of sources, is generally well reproduced, though better-quality coverage of the war on the Eastern Front can be found elsewhere. Unlike the companion Dunkirk, there are no contributions from service personnel to complement the chronology. Yet, in a tightly drawn 53 minutes, the significance of Churchill as a war leader comes through powerfully, making this a good introduction to a fascinating and still-controversial figure. --Richard Whitehouse [show more]

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