The Battle History Of
The United States Military
(History Channel)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Episodes: B+
Of the endless hours of documentary programming a network
like The History Channel produces, all kinds of interesting work is being done
and some of it is like nothing produced before. The Battle History Of The United States Military is a new
box set that devotes one loaded DVD to each of the five branches of The United
States’ armed forces. Running pretty
much up to 2004, each disc runs about three hours of various multi-part
programs (including an extra) covering the linear histories of The Marines,
Navy, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard.
These are matter-of-fact histories without any ideological
slant, though some critics will try to call these Right of center by default at
least, but that does not make them any less important or vital to the telling
of the formation of The United States as a nation. Yes, this could even drift that way, but instead, the material is
handled ion an intelligent manner, too busy going through as much history as
possible without ideological posturing.
Even though designed for commercial breaks, that is never
distracting. The Battle History Of
The United States Military is a solid, ambitious collection of each branch
and even makes for great arguments why they should all continue on without
trying.
The 1.33 X 1 image is shot on professional analog NTSC
video throughout and looks as good and clean as The History Channel usually
makes it. That extends to the extra
programs, including the simple-but-clear Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. Those extras include Pageantry Of The
Corps on The Marines volume and all five discs have DVD-ROM sections of
historical documents you can download, as well as branch Heraldries for all
five divisions. All packaged in five
slender-cases, this is a heavy box that is one of the most ambitious box
releases History Channel has come up with to date.
- Nicholas Sheffo