Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: Truly Outstanding Series
Comment: In a time in which many documentaries are short on details and long on broad strokes and generalizations, I cannot overstate the quality of this video and the entire series. The detail and research which went into these documentaries is outstanding. As the other reviewers have noted, the series focuses on the battle from a number of different angles and tie the strategic planning, tactics, and results to the broader context of the Second World War.Although each of the videos stands on its own, together they create a most effective narrative of the ebb and flow of WWII. As a connoisseur on the subject, I cannot think of a higher recommendation or of a documentary which has provided more utility than Battlefield.
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Summary: Exceptional WWII video documentary series
Comment: The "Battlefield" series was outstanding when it first came out on PBS. The producers concentrate on the major battles of WWII and provide a mesmerizing three-part analysis (Prelude to Battle, Battle, Aftermath) in each video. The Collector's set contains Stalingrad, Midway, Battle of Britain, and Normandy. Of the four, I learned the most from Battle of Britain (that I didn't know already) but all were terrific. What sets this program apart is its proficient use of maps, which I find to be the #1 complaint I have when reading books on the same subject. The video footage is fantastic, taken from the actual battles, not just "generic" WWII combat footage. You'll see shots here you've never seen before. I also liked the concise yet detailed reviews of each army's men, leadership, weapons and strategy. Just a first-rate job.
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Summary: Exaustive study of the strategy and tactics of WWII
Comment: These tapes must sit on the shelves of any military historian. Their treatment is superb and thorough. The viewer is treated not only to the battle, but also to the series of events which led to the battle in the first place, putting to right a grave failure of many military texts. In order to understand the battle, it is necessary to see what went on before. The coverage of the leaders, the weapons, and the men on both sides is precise and illuminating. This series doesn't stint for political detail, following Clauswitz's doctrine that "war is politics by other means" The overhead shots of the various fronts and the detailed order of battle which precede the action are a better illustration than many military atlases. I have read many military histories, but yet this series expanded my knowledge. An excellent value at twice the price!
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Summary: One of the best documentary films on war I've seen!
Comment: What made these videos so good was the orderly manner in which each of these great battles was set down in order for the viewer. The viewer could see up front what the setting was for each battle, from relative strength of both combatants, to the plan each of their leaders followed, to the actual battle as it unfolded. I was particularly impressed with the Midway video; it almost put me in the Pacific Ocean in May/June 1942!!
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