Premiering this Memorial Day, May 26, History’s three-night event series The World Wars is a look at the years 1914-45 — three decades of devastating war that changed the course of the world. History has announced that President Obama will introduce night one of the six-hour series. Other notable figures included in the series to offer insights are Sen. John McCain, Gen. Colin Powell, British Prime Minister John Major, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and more.
Narrated by Jeremy Renner, The World Wars looks back at the war years through the eyes of the powerful men of the time — Roosevelt, Hitler, Patton, Mussolini, Churchill, Tojo, DeGaulle and MacArthur. Interestingly, the series examines World War I and World War II as one contiguous timeline starting in 1914 and concluding in 1945, with these individuals coming of age in World War I and ultimately making some of the toughest decisions in history during World War II.
To tell these stories, the series will use reenactments, CGI and interviews with current power players. It comes from the producers of The Men Who Built America, and utilizes that same style of presentation. The World Wars was filmed in the U.S. and Europe, and after airing on History and H2 in America, will be broadcast internationally throughout the summer in various other countries.
The World Wars airs May 26-28 at 9pm ET/PT on History. Two hours of the series air each night.
UPDATE 6/17/14: H2 has announced that it will air The World Wars: Extended Edition on three consecutive nights beginning June 22 at 9pm ET/PT. This airing will include 45 minutes of new content to enhance the original series.
According to History, the extended edition will “give fans more dramatic scenes, expert interviews and historical archives that cover key military battles from both WWI and WWII. It also takes a deeper dive into pivotal scenes like the attack on Gallipoli, Kristallnacht, the liberation of Paris and the rescue of Allied troops in Dunkirk. Overall, the extended version takes a more global perspective, examining this 30-year conflict and its impact on America through the eyes of both its allies and enemies.”
The World Wars: Extended Edition airs June 22-24 at 9pm ET/PT on H2, in America. It will also air throughout the summer in other countries.
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Photo by Michael Hosenfeld. Copyright 2014
