The US government puts the finger on the United Nations' enemies
Prelude to War was the first film of Frank Capra's Why We Fight propaganda film series, commissioned by the Pentagon and George C. Marshall. It was made to convince American troops of the necessity of combating the Axis Powers during World War II. This film examines the differences between democratic and fascist states.
Why We Fight: Prelude to War (1942) is a documentary and war film directed by Frank Capra, released on May 27, 1942 with a runtime of 53m. It stars Walter Huston, Max Schmeling and Adolf Hitler. Viewers rate it 6.4 out of 10 across 74 ratings.
Walter Huston
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Max Schmeling
as Self - German paratrooper (archive footage)
Adolf Hitler
as Self
Directed by Frank Capra.
Average viewer score of 6.4/10 from 74 ratings.
Crafted by Frank Capra at the instigation of General Marshall, this is a bit more sophisticated that the usual propaganda exercise Hollywood produced following the raid on Pearl Harbour. This time it uses an effective array of archive to not so much extol the virtues of the great American war machine as to chronologically vilify the axis powers. There’s not so much actual footage of the Emperor but they still…
Reviewed on October 26, 2025
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Why We Fight: Prelude to War (1942) is available to stream on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, GuideDoc and FlixFling, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video and FlixFling. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Why We Fight: Prelude to War (1942) includes Walter Huston, Max Schmeling and Adolf Hitler. The film was directed by Frank Capra. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Why We Fight: Prelude to War was released on May 27, 1942 and runs for 53m.
Why We Fight: Prelude to War (1942) holds an average rating of 6.4 out of 10 from 74 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy documentary and war films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
