Prelude to War

It is emphasized that after the Nazis smashed the opposing political parties and labor unions, they turned their attention to their last remaining obstacle, the church.

[5] That presented a major obstacle in garnering support for the war, as Americans did not feel a sense of unity with other nations of the world, most notably, Europe.

In an effort to dispel that isolationist way of thinking, Prelude to War was produced to raise the enthusiasm and interest of US troops for the international struggle.

It stated that it was known that the aggressors should be stopped but that it was impossible to convince ordinary people "that they should go to war over a mud hut in Manchuria."

The films produced by Capra inspired society to mobilize as a nation and rally around their country, their troops, and their president.

[1] Despite its initial purpose as a training film, OWI Director Elmer Davis and President Franklin D. Roosevelt were so satisfied with it that it was released theatrically to the general public.

It was so well perceived that on March 4, 1943, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded an Academy Award to Capra for Prelude to War as the best documentary film of 1942, an illustration of how the government and the military successfully and cohesively relayed their message of national unity to the American people through popular culture.