Axis Aggression and Allied Resolve in a 1942 Government Documentary
About This Footage
The World at War (1942) is a World War II documentary produced by the U.S. Government’s Office of War Information, Bureau of Motion Pictures. Created to strengthen public support for the war effort, it presents a sweeping account of the global conflict, tracing the rise of Axis powers in Europe and Asia and their aggressive expansion. Using archival footage, maps, and authoritative narration, the film emphasizes the stakes of the war and the necessity of Allied unity. Both a historical record and a wartime propaganda piece, The World at War offers valuable insight into U.S. government messaging and the mobilization of the American public during World War II.
Explore Individual Reels & Previews
- The World at War Reel 1: Pearl Harbor & Japan’s Aggression
- The World at War Reel 2: Japan, Italy & Germany Expansion
- The World at War Reel 3: Spanish Civil War & Poland Invasion
- The World at War Reel 4: Poland’s Fall and Germany’s Blitzkrieg
- The World at War Reel 5: Belgium’s Fall & Dunkirk Evacuation
- The World at War Reel 6: Fall of France & Britain’s Defiance
- The World at War Reel 7: Russia’s Scorched Earth & U.S. Lend-Lease