Reel 3 of The World at War (1942) captures pivotal moments leading to the outbreak of World War II. It begins with the Spanish Civil War, highlighting the devastation caused by German and Italian support for General Franco’s forces. The reel transitions to the 1938 Munich Agreement, where leaders including Neville Chamberlain, Edouard Daladier, Benito Mussolini, and Adolf Hitler agreed to cede the Sudetenland to Germany in a failed attempt to secure peace. Scenes show German troops warmly welcomed in the Sudetenland before continuing their march into Prague and Albania with minimal resistance.
Adolf Hitler’s ridicule of President Roosevelt’s peace appeal in the Reichstag underscores Germany’s growing defiance. Key moments include Hitler conferring with Hermann Göring and German Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop negotiating the Nazi-Soviet Pact, securing a non-aggression agreement with Russia. The reel concludes with Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939, contrasting the overwhelming power of the Luftwaffe and German military with Poland’s defenses. Bombing raids and aerial footage of German planes in action mark the beginning of World War II in Europe.
The World at War (1942) - U.S. Government WWII Propaganda Film