U.S. Office of War Information

On the 29th September 1945, the incomplete rough cut of a brilliant documentary about concentration camps was viewed at the MOI in London. For five months, Sidney Bernstein had led a small team – which included Stewart McAllister, Richard Crossman and Alfred Hitchcock – to complete the film from hours of shocking footage. Unfortunately, this ambitious Allied project to create a feature-length visual report that would damn the Nazi regime and shame the German people into acceptance of Allied occupation had missed its moment. Even in its incomplete form (available since 1984) the film was immensely powerful, generating an awed hush among audiences. But now, complete to six reels, this faithfully restored and definitive version produced by IWM, is being compared with Alain Resnais’ Night and Fog (1955).

This WW2 documentary centers on the crew of the American B-17 Flying Fortress Memphis Belle as it prepares to execute a strategic bombing raid on Nazi submarine pens in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.

Actual footage by the United States Signal Corps of the landing and attack on Arawe Beach, Cape Glouster, New Britain island in 1943 in the South Pacific theatre of World War Two, and the handicaps of the wild jungle in addition to the Japanese snipers and pill-box emplacements.

Tom Smith, an American pilot, is shot down and captured by the Japanese. While imprisoned and awaiting execution, he recalls his life at home in the USA.

Wartime documentary propagandizing for greater participation in the U.S. war effort during the Second World War.

A documentary account of the allied invasion of Europe during World War II compiled from the footage shot by nearly 1400 cameramen. It opens as the assembled allied forces plan and train for the D-Day invasion at bases in Great Britain and covers all the major events of the war in Europe from the Normandy landings to the fall of Berlin.

Short documentary film about the Dumbarton Oaks plan and the proposed formation of the United Nations.

Clark Gable stars in this propaganda short about the Officers Candidate School of the Army Air Forces.

U.S. Vice-President Henry Wallace narrates a patriotic, propaganda short designed to boost morale in the the early days of World War II.

1943 documentary with Ingrid Bergman.

Two young women, frustrated by war rationing, have a dream illustrating the likely results on prices in America should the measure were prematurely lifted. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2008.

Successful but costly invasions of the Japanese-held islands of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan, in the Mariannas chain.

Topical wartime short depicting the plight of civilians who must stay in shape in order to fight the good fight.

The Town was a short propaganda film produced by the Office of War Information in 1945. It presents an idealized vision of American life, shown in microcosm by Madison, Indiana. It was created primarily for exhibition abroad, to provide international audiences a more well-rounded view of America, and was therefore produced in more than 20 translations. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2012.

Documentary depicting and explaining the Allied campaign against the Germans in North Africa. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with the UCLA Film & Television Archive in 2013.

Documentary short film depicting government methods of detecting black marketeers during wartime rationing.

Documentary short film demonstrating the way wartime farming measures in 1943 resulted in the greatest American food crop in history. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2012.

Spencer Tracy narrates this MGM documentary on the rigorous process of selection and training of aviation students -- "Dodos" as one of them is forced to expatiate on to a sergeant.

Documentary short demonstrating American reasons for interning Americans of Japanese ancestry following the outbreak of war between the U.S. and Japan.

Documentary short film detailing the work on American black college campuses in response to the call for military recruits and trained workers.