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. This program evaluates the causes and costs of warfare in the last century. No price for the sake of freedom was ever more dear than that paid in World War II. This episode follows the course of Hitler's aggression against the nations of Eastern Europe. The Balkans were to be the prize for the Soviet Union's pact with Germany, but Hitler turned on his ally to keep the spoils for himself. American involvement was especially important for the smaller nations of Europe on the Eastern front. The program features the personal stories of soldiers who fought there, along with archival film footage and photographs of the ravaging of Eastern Europe.