Watch Between the Wars(1978) Online Free, Between the Wars All Seasons

Seasons & Episodes

EP1 Versailles: The First Peace Apr 05, 1978

President Woodrow Wilson's idealistic hopes for world peace through collective security clash at Versailles with the harsh old-world real-politik of Europe, which wanted to punish Germany. The resultant punitive treaty, in effect, sows the seeds of World War II. Mini-biographies of Wilson and his mysterious behing-the-scenes advisor, Colonel Edward House, who compromised Wilson's ideals. The startling effects of Wilson's bout with influenza struck him down during a critical period of negotiations. Wilson was forced to compromise his ideals, but he returned home to fight for ratification of the League of Nations.

EP2 Return to Isolationism Apr 12, 1978

The ultimate failure of Woodrow Wilson destroys himself in his desperate struggle for the League of Nations. The President and the Senate fight for control of American foreign policy: the Senate wins. Wilson is opposed by a powerful coalition of conservatives like Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge, and his case to the people embarks on a grueling 8,000 mile train trip and suffers a stroke. During his illness, Mrs. Wilson acts as regent, or caretaker president for 17 months. Wilson refuses to compromise on the League of Nations and ironically is responsible for its defeat.

EP3 The First SALT Talks Apr 19, 1978

The forces favoring peace through disarmament clash with the forces for peace through military strength. In 1921, the world's first major disarmament conference limits the post war arms race, and the most important strategic weapon of the times – the battleship. General Billy Mitchell demonstrates the superiority of air power by bombing obsolete battleships in Chesapeake bay. While the American military remains unconvinced, Japanese observers were extremely impressed as they would later demonstrate at Pear Harbor.

EP4 Radio, Racism and Foreign Policy Apr 26, 1978

Disillusioned by the horrors of World War I, the U.S. tries to isolate herself from the rest of the world. Strict immigration quotas are imposed and a mistrust of foreigners and minorities ushers in an ugly period of racism and ethnic discrimination. The advent of radio helps to project a standard image of the "good American" but at the same time lets in news of foreign nations.

EP5 The Great Depression and Foreign Affairs May 03, 1978

The Depression is a traumatic national experience which shatters U.S. self-confidence and paralyzes foreign policy, thus leading to further isolationism. The world-wide depression gives rise to national dictators, but we are so preoccupied with domestic problems that we ignore the threat. President Hoover is not equipped to deal with the national crisis. The London Naval Conference insults Japan and when the Japanese invade Manchuria, a preoccupied United States does nothing.

EP6 FDR and Hitler: the Rise to Power May 10, 1978

"The individual does matter in history" -- a contrast of the style of FDR and Hitler shows how technological change and individual charisma can change history. FDR uses a new medium (radio) to political advantage; Hitler utilizes the new sound movies. This episode contrasts their economic programs which deal with the Depression and show how each used propaganda (Nazi propaganda and New Deal propaganda). The careers of both men culminated in 1933. Hitler, representing a minority party, was appointed Chancellor and rapidly consolidated his power through propaganda and terrorism. President Roosevelt stood prepared to try new methods of attacking the economic crisis.

EP7 FDR and Hitler: The Dynamics of Power May 17, 1978

Both Hitler and Roosevelt appreciated the value of mass communications. FDR began his series of "fireside chats" to reassure and inform the people while Hitler assigned Josef Goebbels as Minister of Propaganda to control the public through radio and rallies. F.D.R. wished to stabilize the economy and restore confidence to the people. Hitler began extensive rearmament in hopes of national expansion.

EP8 America in the Pacific: The Clash of Two Cultures May 24, 1978

This overview of U.S.-Japanese relationships from the turn of the century until 1933 is a story of conflict. Japan emerged from World War I as a major power, but American diplomats made little effort to understand the Oriental mind. Our Japanese foreign policy, including immigration quotas and protective tariffs, does little to improve relations.

EP9 The Recognition of Russia: A Climate of Mutual Distrust May 31, 1978

From the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 until the Roosevelt administration officially recognized the U.S.S.R. in the first detente in 1933, American relations with the Soviet Union were mistrustful and hostile. Cold War attitudes can be traced back to this period and the national paranoia over Bolshevism.

EP10 Latin America: Intervention in Our Own Backyard Jun 07, 1978

FDR's "The Good Neighbor Policy", his greatest foreign policy success, was a key development in reversing the U.S. imperialistic attitude toward Latin America. For over a century, the Monroe Doctrine had been invoked to justify intervention in the Caribbean, Central, and South America. Pan-American relationships deteriorated rapidly until 1933, when the policy in intervention was abolished.

EP11 The Italian-Ethiopian War: Africa in World Affairs Jun 14, 1978

The short-lived but brutal Italian-Ethiopian War leads to an examination of Italian Fascism, the character of Mussolini and how he came to power. Mussolini ruled with apparent effectiveness and was hailed by leaders of the anti-Communist world until his dreams of empire led him to invade Ethiopia. The incident was one of the chief episodes paving the way for World War II.

EP12 The Spanish Civil War Jun 21, 1978

The Spanish Civil War was a microcosm of the ideological conflict of this century. When Spanish fascists under Franco rebel against the republican government, full-scale civil war erupts. Mussolini and Hitler send troops to Franco's aid. Soviet support of the Loyalists lends credence to the fascist claim that it is communism they are fighting, and the American public is confused over issues of fascism and communism.

EP13 The Phony War Jun 28, 1978

Hitler's assumption that England would not go to war to defend Poland triggers World War II. As the Nazis sweep over Europe and launch their air attack on Britain, American public opinion waivers between desire to help Britain and fight to maintain neutrality. The thirties ended with America still unconvinced that its destiny was intertwined with the rest of the world.

EP14 FDR and Churchill: The Human Partnership Jul 05, 1978

The close personal friendship between Roosevelt and Churchill had a profound effect on the history of the Western world. Roosevelt posted "lend-lease" as the most practical means of allowing the U.S. to remain neutral while arming Britain and her allies. Due to the political wiles of the of the two leaders, the bill was passed against bitter opposition and British morale received en enormous lift.

EP15 Japan Invades China: Crisis in the Far East Jul 12, 1978

In 1937 Japan was bent on establishing an empire. Encouraged by lack of Western resistance, Japan took control of French Indochina, the Dutch Indies, Burma, Malaya, and the Philippines. By mid-1941, Roosevelt had enforced a total embargo, freezing all assets originating in Japan. In the face of this economic pressure, the Japanese government decided to force the United States into war.

EP16 War Comes to Pearl Harbor Jul 19, 1978

Some of the great questions that arises from WWII is: Did FDR know in advance about Pearl Harbor? Was the Japanese attack unprovoked? FDR knew that he could not lead a divided nation into war, that the only was the United Stats could enter the war to aid Britain was to be attacked. To the end, the President created an "incident" in the Atlantic over German U-boat attack on the American destroyer, the USS Greer. It pursued the U-boat, reporting its position to the British. Meanwhile, after Japan's invasion of the Dutch Indies, Roosevelt cut off the American oil supply and imposed a total embargo. On November 5, 1941 General Tojo sent two peace options to the United States with the ultimatum that if neither alternative was accepted Japan would declare war. The United States rejected both proposals. One morning later, on December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.

6.9| 0h30m| NR| en| More Info

Released: 05 April 1978 Ended

Producted By: Alan Landsburg Productions

Country: United States of America

Budget: 0

Revenue: 0

Official Website:

Synopsis

This classic series follows the events that sparked the greatest conflict of the century, capturing the drama, the excitement and the ideological juxtapositions of these crucial years. Former CBS News correspondent and commentator Eric Sevareid, one of the world's most respected figures in journalism, presents this extraordinary series featuring stunning original newsreels, soundtracks, and rare archival footage.

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Cast

Eric Sevareid

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Producted By

Alan Landsburg Productions

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Eric Sevareid as Host

Reviews

christopherc-27945 This movie has gathered a new nameNeeded to make this fact known since I took the time to find its original title. A bit of a Gaffe seeing it was created in 1978 but not released as Road To Pearl Harbor until 1996. Very telling, informative series.

Kevin DeVita Expensive, but here it is. Go to: http://teacher.shop.pbs.org/home/index.jspAND search for "Between the wars"This is a great series. I work at a school and I have requested that the library order it. I am still seriously considering buying it myself. I love this series. Between the Wars and The World at War set gives you a great overview of WWII and the causes.From my review on Amazon:"Between the Wars" (BtW) hosted by Eric Severeid, is an excellent series. I have watched every episode at least once. Some of the episodes I have watched 5 or 6 times. "The World at War" (WaW) is one of the best documentaries made about World War II (the best in my humble opinion). If you own that series and enjoy it, then you should watch BtW. BtW fills in the gap left by WaW: That gap being what happened from 1919 to 1941. While WaW gives the history of World War II from a British perspective, BtW gives it from the perspective of the United States. So in essence you are getting a global history AND a U.S. history of the period at the same time with the issues it covers. BtW includes interviews with many people from the period and also historians. You will get to see the late great George F Kennan, Americans who went to fight in the Spanish Civil War, historians such as Robin W. Winks (author of "Europe, 1890-1945: Crisis and Conflict"), as well as many others. One of the reasons I am so enamored with the series is because it covers subjects that are so rarely seen in a documentary. Some of the rare issues covered are Japan's expansion during the 1930's; Italy's conquest of Abyssinia (Ethiopia); The Spanish Civil War; America's recognition of the Soviet Union; and other areas. Just look at the episode list. This series is a gold mine that fills the vacuum of time between World War I and World War II. These videos were released in 1987 even though the series was made in 1978. The series was nominated for an Emmy in 1978. Although it is an old series, it has aged well and it deserves to be released on DVD. With all of the other... crap I see out there, this series would sell well if promoted properly (1978-2008 30th Anniversary Edition?). BtW is unique in that it fills the gap between the two World Wars. If you have any interest in that period, see this series (while expensive to buy for VHS, it is possible that your local library or school district may have these tapes. Check it out, you never know). This series has now been released on DVD. Go to Shop PBS and then select Educational Media. Search for Between the Wars and you will find it.

LMiller814 I've used much of this series for years in my American History high school classroom. I only wish this series would be reissued in DVD format, as the original videos are old and tired after nearly 30 years and eventually will be unusable. As most of the personalities interviewed for this series are now long dead, it provides an excellent primary source account of the series of events that caused the chaos in the 20's and 30's that lead to the rise of dictatorships around the world. It deals especially well with the ineffectual response to the likes of Mussolini, Hitler and Franco on the part of the Western Democracies, and raises the still relevant discussion over isolationism vs. interventionism.

theowinthrop Eric Severeid hosted this series which, as far as I know, has not been seen on television since 1978, nor has it been put on video or C.D. If one can imagine first TIME TO REMEMBER, then WORLD WAR I, then this show, followed by VICTORY AT SEA and WINSTON CHURCHILL: THE VALIANT YEARS, even accepting some overlapping you would have a pretty good set of shows dealing with the political history of the 20th Century from 1900 to 1945. The thing that made BETWEEN THE WARS slightly better than the others (no matter how excellent they were in their own way), was that it pioneered the use of what is called (desparagingly) "talking heads". This has been overused to the point of idiocy now (any subjects suddenly has experts that can be trotted out to discuss them), but in 1978 it was an innovation, and was very wisely used. As the period of the series is 1919 to 1941 (with the U.S. entrance into the Second World War as the conclusion), this was the last chance to have certain people give their opinions on events for a sense of balance. Many of these people would be dead within a few years, so this was their opportunity to try to set the record straight. An example of this was the second episode, concerning Wilson and the fight to get the League of Nations and the Versailles Treaty accepted by the U.S.A. In 1978 it was normal to accept the view of Wilson as it was in the 1944 movie with Alexander Knox: that he was a good man with great ideas, brought to failure by ill health and a cabal of reactionaries led by his political enemy Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. On the show, after bringing out this version of the fight, the camera turned on former Senator (and Ambassador) Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. He gave a more critical view of Wilson, pointing out that the President was stubborn and intransigent about the Treaty and the League, and unwilling to see the older Lodge's point of view which was to protect the Monroe Doctrine and not pull us into wars in which we had no political interest. It was the first time that the elder Lodge's argument was understood, and that Wilson would not compromise (despite the arguments of leaders in his own party). Since Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. died within the next seven years, this was the only time he was televised giving his grandfather's side of the story.One hopes this is series reappears on DVD or on video or television one day. It was really worth watching.