Paris 1919 2008
Distributed by National Film Board of Canada, 1123 Broadway, Suite 307, New York, NY 10010; 800-542-2164
Produced by National Film Board of Canada
Directed by Paul Cowan
DVD, color, 94 min.
Jr. High - Adult
European Studies, American Studies, History, Military Studies, International Relations
Date Entered: 02/05/2010
Reviewed by Brad Eden, Associate University Librarian for Technical Services and Scholarly Communication, University of California, Santa BarbaraThere were over 37 million casualties at the end of World War I. The Paris Peace Conference, held immediately after the war in 1919, was led by the leaders of the United States, Great Britain, France, and Italy to make sure that this sort of atrocity never happened again. Their goal, with over 30 international delegations in attendance, was to draft a peace treaty for all time. Unfortunately, this peace conference laid the seeds of enmity and strife that led to World War II, by creating an embittered and divided Germany, as well as contentious new states like Iraq and Yugoslavia. Inspired by Margaret McMillan's book Paris 1919: six months that changed the world, this documentary/re-enactment blends both acting and archival footage to recreate this historic event. A wonderful and exceptional example of directing, acting, and historical information.