Video Pick—World War I: American Legacy
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Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO -- School Library Journal, 3/13/2007
DVD. 1:52 hrs. Prod. by Inecom. Dist. by Library Video Co. (libraryvideo.com). 2006. ISBN 1-59218-040-X. $24.95.
Gr 7 Up–This introduction to America’s efforts in the First World War opens with a sobering recitation of the almost unimaginable human costs of the “Great War,” a clear overview of the often confusing series of events that led to its outbreak, and discussion of how the U.S. was gradually drawn into it. The remainder of the film is divided into a series of “chapters” that cover many aspects of America’s war experiences. Topics include profiles of those who fought in the conflict such as Alan Seeger, Quentin Roosevelt,“Wild Bill” Donovan, and poet Joyce Kilmer; histories of military units such as the Lafayette Escadrille, New York’s “Fighting Irish,” and the Harlem “Hell Fighters”; examinations of new technologies such as aircraft; information about how animals were used on the battlefield; and discussion about the role of women and African Americans in the conflict. The film is admiring of the American people and their war effort. Actor David Carradine’s very effective narration is supplemented with period music; visuals include period art and illustrations, still and moving images, and contemporary location footage. The chapters can be viewed as a single documentary or individually, and they collectively tell the story of how Americans fought and ultimately won the Great War. This film provides enough background information to make it useful with students with varying levels of prior knowledge about the conflict and it is a good choice for collections that need introductory or supplemental material about World War I.
