Educational Media Reviews Online

This work gives a very cursory overview of the United States’ participation in the Second World War. Using the vast and unique holdings and exhibits of the National D-Day Museum (www.ddaymuseum.org) to tell the very personal story of what individuals did during the war one can gain an understanding of the humanness of the participants as well as an appreciation of their courage and sacrifice. This production by no means glorifies war, but it does well in showing that these events are sometimes necessary. An unseen narrator introduces the production with members of the museum staff and veterans telling their individual stories. We see everything from the dented helmet of a Marine who was struck on the head by a Japanese officer’s scabbard (the Marine killed the officer at the instant he was struck), the Medal of Honor of a seaman who with his last breath steered his ship away from an oncoming torpedo, to the paraphernalia of a civil defense worker. A woman volunteer describes her husband’s service, much of which was unknown to her and regrets throwing away her late husband’s jump boots. Technically, this is a flawless production with the “tour” of this museum being rendered perfectly by crisp video, flawless sound, and accompanying music.