Capra’s War Comes to America

Capra’s film acts as a propaganda film to rally the U.S. during WWII. In the beginning a brief and idealized history of America is given that celebrates our diversity and ideals. The decision to go to war in is shown as a last resort and only to be used to protect US security and freedom. Capra presents the narrative of a US that was unwilling to engage in another war in Europe after WWI, utilizing Gallop polls and dialogue from congress favoring isolationism. He then shows the forces of Germany, Italy, and Japan mobilizing against peaceful nations in Europe, Asia, and Africa using clips of bombed cities, reenactments of assaults by the Axis forces, and footage of Nazi ceremonies. He makes it clear that the actions of the Axis forces warranted a response from a US and explains how the US came to reject their isolationist policies. He also shows how the US was unprepared for war but, through American hard-work and exceptionalism the US was able to quickly produce arms and ammunition to fight with and to sell to its allies. Finally, towards the end of film Capra presents a vision of the world if the Axis forces were successful. He argues that they would control most of the worlds population (which he claimed would be a slave labor force) and resources  leaving the US unable to defend itself.