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This first installment of Archives of War, a collection focusing on 20th-century warfare, uses as its centerpiece a British silent film shot in the 1920s--The Battle of Ypres, which was produced to resemble a World War I documentary. The rest is an eclectic mix of newsreels shot in Europe and Asia that show how the stage was being set for World War II. The material is presented in its original languages with no translations, but the footage itself is often fascinating. The second installment focuses on the leaders of the nations involved in World War II. In addition to Hitler and Mussolini propaganda clips, perhaps the most interesting material features Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose famed "date which will live in infamy" speech is shown in its entirety. Roosevelt also is seen delivering his devastatingly sarcastic speech lampooning Republicans, and Winston Churchill appears in a variety of newsreels. --Robert J. McNamara
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