

Why We Fight: Prelude to War
The US government puts the finger on the United Nations' enemies
Prelude to War was the first film of Frank Capra's Why We Fight propaganda film series, commissioned by the Pentagon and George C. Marshall. It was made to convince American troops of the necessity of combating the Axis Powers during World War II. This film examines the differences between democratic and fascist states.
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- Status
- Released
- Budget
- —
- Box office
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- Language
- English
- world war ii
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Behind the camera
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United States of America
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Release dates
United StatesUS
- Theatrical27 May 1942
NetherlandsNL
- Physical9DVD12 Jul 2004
XCXC
- Theatrical6 Jul 1945
Frequently asked questions
Why We Fight: Prelude to War was released on 27 May 1942.
Audience reviews
1- C6/10
CinemaSerf
10/26/2025
Crafted by Frank Capra at the instigation of General Marshall, this is a bit more sophisticated that the usual propaganda exercise Hollywood produced following the raid on Pearl Harbour. This time it uses an effective array of archive to not so much extol the virtues of the great American war machine as to chronologically vilify the axis powers. There’s not so much actual footage of the Emperor but they still manage …
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