[2][3] The French version title is À la conquête de l'esprit humain.In 1943, Allied forces are confronting a sophisticated means of war, the propaganda campaign that the Axis powers employ.

In Italy, the Fascist regime led by Benito Mussolini made use of propaganda, including pageantry and fiery speeches, to inspire the nation and lead the populace to war.

Through the efforts of information bureaux and traditional media sources such as newspapers, radio and newsreel films, the Allies have attempted to counter the Axis propaganda.

[5] Typical of the NFB's series of morale-boosting films, The War for Men's Minds used the format of a compilation documentary, relying heavily on newsreel material, including "enemy" footage, in order to provide the background to the dialogue.

[8] The American Hollywood filmmaker Frank Capra also used scenes from her films, which he described partially as "the ominous prelude of Hitler's holocaust of hate", in many parts of the U.S. government's Why We Fight anti-Axis seven-film series, to demonstrate what the personnel of the American military would be facing in the Second World War, and why the Axis had to be defeated.

The NFB had an arrangement with Famous Players theatres to ensure that Canadians from coast-to-coast could see them, with further distribution by Columbia Pictures.