Enjoy the Show! _______________________ I Believe all media should be enjoyed ______________________ So here is a classic! _______________________ Title: Divide and Conquer Director: Frank Capra (uncredited), Anatole Litvak Narration: Walter Huston Writers: Eric Knight, Anthony Veiller Produced by: United States Army Signal Corps Studio: Office of War Information / U.S. War Department Runtime: Approximately 57 minutes Language: English Country of Origin: United States Format: Black and White Sound: Mono Release Date: 1943 Status: Public Domain Genres: War Documentary, Propaganda, Historical, WWII, Nonfiction, Government Film --- Series: Why We Fight (Episode 3 of 7) Preceded by: The Nazis Strike Followed by: The Battle of Britain --- Narrative Focus: This installment in the Why We Fight series examines Adolf Hitler’s military strategy of "divide and conquer" used during his invasions of Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France between 1939–1940. The film explains how Germany's rapid and methodical invasions shattered European defenses, sowed political division, and prepared for total war. It also highlights the failure of appeasement and the dangers of isolationism. --- Key Segments: Scandinavian Invasions: Analysis of the Nazi justification for occupying Denmark and Norway, highlighting the strategic importance of Norwegian ports. The Low Countries: Germany’s swift and brutal attack on Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg as a means to bypass France's Maginot Line. Fall of France: Detailed breakdown of how German Panzer divisions and air raids dismantled French resistance in weeks. Propaganda Techniques: Uses maps, animations, newsreel footage, and recreated battle scenes to communicate the Nazi threat. --- Themes & Analysis: Unity vs. Division: A warning against division and appeasement; it promotes allied unity in the face of fascist expansion. Historical Retrospective: Offers an American military and ideological lens on key European WWII events leading up to U.S. involvement. Moral Framing: Presents the war as a fight between democracy and tyranny, good and evil, order and chaos. --- Cultural and Political Context: Created under the direction of legendary filmmaker Frank Capra for the U.S. Army, the Why We Fight series was shown to soldiers and civilians to explain the necessity of American involvement in WWII. Divide and Conquer was heavily researched, using German footage, Allied reports, and military maps to lend authenticity. Designed to counteract isolationist sentiment and boost morale among troops and the general population. --- Historical Significance: Preserved: Recognized by film scholars as a landmark of wartime propaganda and documentary filmmaking. Educational Impact: Continues to be used in academic settings to explore media influence during wartime. Legacy: One of the most well-known and respected American propaganda films of WWII. --- Trivia: Uncredited Capra: Though Frank Capra oversaw the entire Why We Fight series, he rarely took screen credit. Enemy Footage: Includes authentic Nazi footage seized or licensed for American use to build credibility. Influence on Cinema: Helped pioneer the use of documentary film as a tool for mass education and psychological warfare. _______________________ Thank you for watching — feel free to like, comment, and subscribe for more classic movies and other content that might be of interest. _______________________ #PublicDomain #PublicDomainMovies #ClassicMovies #FreeMovies #VintageMovies #RetroCinema #OldMovies #FullMovie #MovieNight #FreeToWatch #ClassicCinema #MovieLovers #CinemaHistory #FilmHistory #TimelessMovies #MustWatch #OldSchoolCinema #CultClassic #HiddenGems #NowPlaying #GoldenAgeOfCinema #MoviesOnline #WatchFree #ClassicHollywood #RetroMovies #PublicDomainFilm #FreeFilm #ClassicEntertainment #WatchNow #StreamingFree #MovieArchive #HistoricCinema #LegendaryMovies #FilmBuff #MovieBuff #IndependentCinema #ClassicAdventure #VintageFilm #OldSchoolMovies #ReliveTheClassics #PublicDomainCinema #TimelessClassics #CinematicTreasures #GoldenOldies #MovieClassics #RetroFilm #ClassicScreen #OldMovieNight #CinemaLovers