Last night’s episode of PBS’ American Experience: The Great War focused on America’s first fight of World War I, the fight to remain neutral.
The Great War is an epic three-part, six-hour documentary exploring one of the most misunderstood wars in history. As part of PBS’ American Experience The Great War takes on a decidedly American slant, but that shouldn’t discourage you from watching it.
The first episode of The Great War focused less on what started and caused the war in Europe and more on how Americans felt about the war. America wasn’t directly attacked like it was in World War II and so the public very much wanted to stay out of what they saw as Europe’s war.
The documentary touches on how the war affected America’s large German immigrant population, African Americans, and women. All of whom were fighting their own social battles in the United States at the time.The Great War also touches on how America slowly got pulled into the war, and how the American economic profit from the Allies really meant that the USA was never truly neutral.
Obviously, much of the content had to be cut because it’s simply impossible to explain all of World War I in six hours. The drawback to this is that while telling the compelling stories and how they relate to America incorrect impressions can be left behind.
More from Show Snob
- The Santa Clauses season 2, episode 6 recap “Wanga Banga Langa!”
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves season 1, episode 7 preview: Non-spoiler thoughts for Part VII
- Goosebumps season 1, episode 6 recap: “Night of the Living Dummy”
- Beacon 23 season 1, episode 3 recap: “Why Can’t We Go on as Three?”
- Upload season 3, episode 2 recap: “Strawberry”
In one segment discussing an American writer’s view of German chlorine gas attacks it was stated that “eventually all sides would use chemical weapons.” The problem is that this makes it sound as if the Germans were the first to use chemical weapons in World War I.
In reality, it was the French who first used gas as a weapon with tear gas grenades. This wasn’t a purposeful error, but a consequence of a documentary made to focus on America and cut down to fit in six hours.
So far The Great War is wonderful and educational, but it’s hardly a definitive explanation of World War I. For that, you may need to dig deeper. A good place to start might be the YouTube channel also named The Great War.
The Great War continues tonight on PBS.
What did you think of the first chapter of The Great War? Let us know in the comments below.