Victory At Sea

Victory At Sea was a 1952-53 documentary television series about warfare -- particularly naval warfare -- during World War II. It was produced by Henry Solomon, formerly a research assistant to the famous historian Samuel Eliot Morrison. Its 26 episodes featured extensive combat footage, especially naval, including some famous shots like the flag raising at Mount Suribachi and the "Kiss" on V-J Day. It is famous for its orchestral soundtrack, which is often played separately from the series.


 * America Wins the War: Not quite, but leans that way.
 * Backed by the Pentagon
 * Badass Navy: The U.S. Navy, of course.
 * Big Badass Battle Sequence
 * Black and White Morality: There is no pretense of objectivity; Allies are good, Axis are bad and that is that. Of course, this is one of the few wars where that would almost be appropriate, but in Real Life it was closer to Grey and Black Morality.
 * Catch Phrase: "And now...Volume Titled X"
 * Crowning Music of Awesome: Lots
 * Curb Stomp Battle: The Turkey Shoot (Battle of the Philippine Sea)
 * Earth Is a Battlefield
 * Easy Logistics: Averted; many of the shots taken are of the supply train and they get due credit for winning the war.
 * Evil Navy: All Axis navies. However the series isn't completely without sympathy for those who serve in them.
 * Final Battle: Suicide for Glory.
 * Flaunting Your Fleets: What else, with that title?
 * Moral Myopia: It's a very good propaganda piece, but it's still a propaganda piece. For instance at the end of Design for War it shows German civilians feting returning U-boat sailors and then the narrator comments "Death and Destruction are the cause of this celebration...and this is just the beginning". Presumably allied victory parties were caused by apple pie, motherhood, and lollipops.
 * Purple Prose: Admittedly slightly over the top. But quite poetic at times and has a number of literary references, including biblical quotes, and at least one reference to Clausewitz (in the 18th volume).
 * There's No Place Like Home: The final volume, Design for Peace.
 * You Shall Not Pass: Samar island, in the volume Leyte.
 * World War II