A Great Series on World War 11 - "Old Wine that Still Hits the Spot"
927594
This 96 part magazine series on the History of the Second World War is going on 40 + years old and it's overall quality and content has held up remarkably well. The focus is very "British Oriented" in its strategic overview/ opinions and is generally very VERY favorable to P.M. W.Churchill, Field Marshall Montgomery, Allied Mediterranean Stragedy, F.M. Rommel, Red Army fighting prowess and Marshall G.Zhukov's military record and ability amoung other issues.

Many of the Soviet/Russian perspectives and information are dated compared to what we know in 2014 - 15 since the fall of the Soviet Union and via David M. Glantz's many books published over the last 25 + years. Still, the quality and detail of the writing in these volumes is equal or surpasses the current Osprey/Vanguard Campaign books. Each individual issue is 25-28 pages with the written narrative by Historians, WW 11 Officers, enlisted men and {then} current military serving officers with good pictures and very good maps.

They are broken down into 3-6 separate chapters. Volume 82 includes - Luzon: The Greatest Battle, Burma: Across the Irrawaddy River, Burma: The War of Stealth, The Fight for Iwo Jima and Iwo Jima: The Japanese View which is a lot of information for a 28 page volume. The total # of pages for the entire 96 volume set is nearly 2700 which is a lot of "Bang for the Buck" for a series of this quality.

I discovered this series at flea markets in the mid-1980s and have been picking up issues ever since. I currently have 80 of the 96 issues. The condition of the 23 volumes that I have received over the last 3 + years thru the amazon web site have been of excellent quality. This is a highly informative and very readable series for the general and specialist reader covering the entire spectrum of WW 11. I highly recommend this volume and the 96 issue set and give them a 4 1/2 star rating.
2945920
A new Winemaker Detective Series book!

Good series keep things fresh and interesting with each book. GREAT series leave the reader clamoring for the next installment upon completion of the last. Ive said it before and Ill say it again, this is a great series!

Monmartre Mysteries is a step away from what readers have experienced in previous works, as Benjamin and Virgile solve the mystery, but they are not the main sleuths on the case. They come upon the crime by happenstance, as they were only in the area in answer to a call for the expert winemakers consultation. In fact, the initial crime isn't even really the central theme of the book  it is more about understanding Benjamins friend Arthur, Arthurs turbulent past, and why he was attacked.

As the plot focuses on Arthurs past, we get a lot of musing from the characters on their own histories, so the book has a very reflective tone. There is a greater focus on the individual people in this work than previously in the series. I found all of this to be an interesting way to tell the tale, and thought the way the authors wrapped up the story, with an epilogue that briefly covered what became of each character, to be a very cool ending.

Ive read my fair share of small-town kid in the big city works written here in the U.S. While they may be set in different locale across the world, they all had similar flavor to them. In another broadening of my world-view, until now I had never thought about that trope showing up in works written by authors in other countries, as we often tend to think of other cultures as one homogeneous label of French or German, etc. It was a highlight to me to see firsthand how, even across distance and culture, we still share the same stories, ideas, and nuances, with our own unique cultural twists.

I really enjoyed this book, and I know you will as well!

I received a review copy of this work from the publisher through NetGalley
4355367
This is the third time I have watched this series and it never gets old. Excellent series all the way around. I especially love hearing the accounts from the actual soldiers on which story is actually based. You can follow this company all the way from training through unimaginable battles and extreme conditions , to actually liberating a concentration camp and ultimately, victory. I will re-watch this in couple years for the amazing story and to remind myself of the sacrifices so many have made for this country.
4102731
The combat footage on these dvds are excellent, they give you ah good feel for the battle.  The commentary is good but not always necesary to the viewing of the dvds.  I wish they were all in color, biut they are still very good.  There is no substitute for the actual footage.  I would definitely recommend this dvd to any fan of ww11.  JRV
1537443
Best ww2 series ever....period. up there with Saving Private Ryan. I also own this on Dvd...
2306281
Best WW 2 series ever. Makes you think and removes romance of war.
4065879
This is a great series.  It is amazing that these attitudes still exist is this day and age.  We know it exists in third world countries but New Zealand and Australia are not my idea of third world countries.  It is educational, enlightening, angering and definitely a hot topic for conversation.
600701
Those with the biggest and deadliest can rule the world. It is what causes these races between rulers, countries, and military to invent and perfect the machines of war. This DVD set is worthy of 5 stars due to educational and historic factors. The races for 8 big war machines are considered from their inception to the year 2006. In every case the weapon has gone through considerable changes. Periods of intense redesign have been encountered, often during war, or cold war. The leader of each weapon race changes from one country to another. Overall, it is a major power's game, with the U.S. winning in the end, sometimes with help from allies.

Being born just after WWII, I've lived through the creation of many of these weapon machines. It is nostalgic to see the footage (excellent though often B/W film) of the beginning of most of the weapons. It brings back TV news coverage. The historic account of the developments brought many surprises as well. Declassified material can now be shown. Even some failures. Spying exposed. WWI through to the 21st Century. This would not be high on the "entertainment" DVD shelf, but for historic military interest is is a huge success.

2 U.S. Military Analysts (Thomas Hammers) (John Gresham, also a writer of this series) join Eric Meyers who narrates behind the scenes of a continual barrage of weapon footage, war action, and graphic pieces. Archival footage from Brit, US, Nazi, Russian, Japan, Germany, Iraq, Africa, Israel and more. Impressive!

8 50-min episodes, each a different weapon, each has SUBTITLES.
1 THE RACE FOR THE JET FIGHTER 1st dogfight to the F-22 Raptor (U.S.)
2 THE RACE FOR THE BATTLE TANK 1916 WWI trenches & Brit. Mark 1 to U.S. M1A2 Abrams
3 THE RACE FOR RADAR AND STEALTH WWII Brit. break, to Powers' U-2, to U.S. stealth F-117 Nighthawk
4 THE RACE FOR THE NUCLEAR BOMB 1945 U.S. 'Little Boy' on Hiroshima to modern U.S. W-80 Tomahawk cruise
5 THE RACE FOR THE STRATEGIC BOMBER 1915 Ger. Zeppelins bomb London to U.S. B-2 Spirit bomber
6 THE RACE FOR THE STRATEGIC BALLISTIC MISSILE 1944 Ger. V-2 rocket London hits to U.S. Trident sub-launched missile
7 THE RACE FOR THE NUCLEAR SUBMARINE 1954s nuclear-power USS Nautilus to 2005 U.S. nuke attack sub 'Virginia'
8 THE RACE FOR THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER 1918 Brit HMS Argus to 2006 U.S. Geo. Herbert Walker Bush, mobile airfield

Bonus: a booklet adding to interesting weapon history/data, text bios of Frank Whittle-jet; Erwin Rommel-tank; Enrico Fermi-nuclear fission; Aleksandr Feklisov-Soviet spy; Giulio Douhet-Ital Gen; Wernher Von Braun-Ger V-2 on to NASA.

Not for all, but well done. Also consider "World War I in Color".
4668510
Wonderful series!  I got this primarily for my autistic 16-year-old son but I have to admit I love the series as well.  Much of the information is still very relevant and we both enjoy watching these episodes together.  This series also has a somewhat dated and nostalgic appeal given the time in which it was filmed and that also has in and of itself some real learning value for my son who struggles to see many things beyond a concrete thinking pattern.  Overall we really love this series and the price to value ratio is incredible.  And let's be honest here - Leonard Nimoy was always really fantastic and interesting which took a good series over the top in terms of how great it is. The packaging was as basic as it gets with multiple disks in one case - but for the price (under $20 for the whole series) I am not about to complain about that.
3675539
This is an amazing series. Seriously, I have read many, many books in the Christian historical fiction genre, many set during the Second World War, and I dare say this series is the best of any! It is important to read the series as a whole. One of my favorite aspects of this series are the three different settings, all of which tend to not be normal settings for World War II books. Each book in the series focuses on a different sister: the first being a correspondent primarily in the USSR, the second being a young flirtatious woman who journeys to the jungles of the Philippines, and the third being a young student in a relationship with a Japanese man. Another attractive aspect is the believability of the stories, as well as the characterization. Each sister faces unique challenges, not only with the heartbreak of the war itself, but also emotional and spiritual challenges as well. Lastly, the incorporation of the characters relationships (or lack there of) with God is extremely well done. Far too often books are labeled as Christian fiction but may only contain a few references to God and are much more about romantic relationships than anything else. These books have it all! The history, the human struggle, and the romance. It is a seriously underrated series. Read it!

I received no compensation for this review. I found them in my mom's book collection years ago, and read them a second time after finding them at a library last year. Looked for them on kindle so I could read them again, but they weren't there.
3142093
Packed with strong performances and a plot full of surprises and many gray areas where characters could go either way, the series is compelling. To see what was formerly the US functioning as part of an autocratic state where the government decides who is acceptable and who is not is haunting----and a lesson for us all. There is much to pay attention to in The Man in the High Castle, if you care about democratic government and the freedoms we take for granted. The series never loses steam with each episode being as powerful as the next. I highly recommend, as this series is extremely well done, and based on the novel by the same name, both predicated on the Axis Powers having won WW2.
3152446
Follow easy company from training all the way through WWII.  Ten 1 hour episodes with lots of action and fighting but also shows some different perspectives of the War.  I watched all the episodes more than once and I have found them to be just as entertaining if not more so the second time around.  If you find you enjoy these, check out The Pacific...another 6 disc set of the fierce fighting our marines had to endure with Japan in WWII.
919534
Excellent production of a mostly historical account of one company of men during the worst battles of WWII.  This originally aired during September of 2001 and more pressing matters kept me from watching all the episodes.  Now that I have retired, and the fact that it is free with Amazon Prime, I was able to watch the complete 10 episodes.  I would highly recommend the series, but be warned it is about war and can sometimes be depressing.
1567475
I LOVE this series and wish they did more of them. Interviews with guys that were there, actual footage, and special effect footage which really helps break down and explain how things unfolded. I saw a part of this series while visiting Patriot's Point in Charleston, S.C. and after that I had to own it. One of the destroyers featured in the series is still docked there for all to see and explore.

If you are a WW2 nut as I am this is a must have item for your collection.
2463690
This is one of my favorite series! It is a five show series showcasing the cutting edge military technology.
Each show is about 50 minutes long. The episodes include:

Disc 1
Ground Forces - focuses on the latest technology the Army has developed for its Future Combat Systems series of vehicles.
It showcases Blue Force Tracker which helps to identify and track friendly as well as enemy positions to cut through the fog
of war. Also showcases the Stryker armored vehicle and the technology it has.

Air Power - focuses on the advanced technology developed by the Air Force and NASA, in hypersonics, stealth (F-22 and F-35), precision
guided munitions, nano-technology, laser weapons(ABL), UAVs and satellites.

Sea power - focuses on the latest Navy and Marine technology. Featured are the Littoral Combat Ship, DDX, CGX, advanced gun system, discuses
network centric warfare (information superiority), F-35 and the Navy's design for a new class of aircraft carrier. The Marine technology
focuses on the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle and the advances in technology and capability it will give the Marines.

Disc 2
Counter-Terrorism - focuses on the technology and equipment being developed to protect us from terrorists. It includes scanners,
sensors you will probably find being used by TSA in the future. Details the use of drones (Predator UAV) to patrol and monitor
the border.

The Future of War - includes segments of footage from each of the above shows. It is more like a summary of the other four shows.
I tend to watch this episode when I do not have time to watch the more detailed shows above.

This collection of shows is an excellent showcase for the advanced technology being developed by the military. The only downside is that
it was produced in 2007 which makes the content dated to the time and the plans of the W. Bush administration. Some of the programs
discussed have since been cancelled. That said, this is still one of the best series of shows on advanced military technology available!
I would highly recommend this to the military enthusiast looking for a good documentary on military technology. The graphics/CGI is very
good and is mixed in with actual footage of hardware such as tanks, ships and aircraft. The technical experts and military officers
do a good job of explaining technical subjects in a way that is understandable for the average citizen. You can't beat the price/value
of this collection! What you get with the subject matter and content is better than a lot of other military documentaries. Even though
some of the weapons programs have been cancelled, I believe that future weapons programs will include a lot of the technology covered
in this series. I wish Popular Mechanics would make more shows for adults in the future, because this collection is terrific!
2830906
Amazing series. This should be required viewing! Gave us a much deeper appreciation for all veterans, particularly those of WW2. So very well done on all levels. Excellent!
2362010
Stunning! COLOR makes this footage more realistic than any other documentary of "The War to End All Wars". Today's technology makes a huge difference, but the narration (Kenneth Branagh) and personal accounts from men who were in the war make even more impact. This series is a great overview-not a complete history, but certainly covers the important segments. More than that, it offers the emotion, the feel of that war, the hardships. I personally learned a great deal about the war that my American grandfather lived through. Most who will watch this amazing footage will have never talked to a living soldier that survived, there are few left, and most of today's population is too young. This is an important piece of DVD saved history, necessary in every library and historical department of school.

As important as the technologically added film color, is the educational focus on war machinery and weaponry that WWI inspired. I learned carriers, folding winged planes, tanks, flame throwers, and so much more was first used in WWI, not WWII. WWI was not all horse drawn equipment. The civilian footage (now in color) is dramatic as well. Literally seeing those early 20th century lifestyles & people on footage that is typically only found in still B/W photos is powerful.

ALL 6 episodes as well as 2 excellent Bonus segments (one longer than an episode) provide SUBTITLES. The bonus material is as interesting and well done as the episodes. 20 bios, facts bonus, a time line, plus a booklet pack even more of the war into this set. Topics reachable in scene selections: classroom friendly.

Episode details:
1___"Catastrophe" The cause: assassination in Sarajevo-1914, trenches, death, fighting, letters, wounded, survivors, diaries, air fighting, subs, steam and horse power--all there--now in color.
2___"Slaughter in the Trenches" 700+ miles of trench warfare proved a stalemate 1915-17, going 'over the top' meant almost certain death, new weaponry-more death.
3___"Blood in the Air" Dog fights, bi-planes lifting off a rigged battleship, ace hero's, bombing raids seen in color. Aerial reconnaissance, bi-planes with machine guns (fighters), Red Baron (in red), Flying circuses, sea planes, astonishing footage of air force action only 11 yrs after Kitty Hawk.
4___"Killers of the Sea" U-boats or submarines replaced battleship warfare, Lusitania-1915, Dardanelles, Jutland sea battle, ships going down, Hydrophone, depth charge, all covered with period film, now in color.
5___"Mayhem on the Eastern Front" German, Austrian & Russian western front trenches were horrific and as much a stalemate of the eastern trenches. The Russian Tzar falls leading to revolution and Lenin. Russian defeat adds to the eastern front difficulty.
6___"Victory and Despair" 1918 scenes of the bloody final year, victory, the cost, the aftermath, all of the pageantry and destruction colorized. A suspenseful final year for both sides. Then: 11th hour, 11th day, 11th month.

A quality DVD documentation of WWI with more education narration than entertainment, astonishing old footage, personal interviews, realistic action scenes, and a must see for history and/or war interests. This set's presentation you WILL NOT be able to forget.