AllMovie

This program chronicles the history of American involvement in warfare during the 20th century. Starting with the Spanish American War and ending with the Gulf War, the United States participated in a century of turmoil, marked by two world wars. Wars took a huge toll in lives and suffering in a steady course of conflict, punctuated by a few years of peace. The Time Life series evaluates the causes and costs of warfare in the last century. This episode relates the story of American involvement in the Great War in Europe. World War I saw the advent of new weaponry in the air and on the high seas. The importance of sea power is highlighted in this chapter on battle ships and U-Boats, with archival film footage, photographs, journals, personal accounts, and scholarly commentary.