Documentary Review: World War II in Colour: Victory in Europe: Episode 12

As the end of the war approached, the question was which of the Allies was going to claim which territory.  Stalin continued to push for a bigger piece of the pie.  The Nazis faced enemies on three sides, the Russians in the East, the United States and Britain on the West and South.  The Third Reich which was suppose to last a 1000 years was crumbling after five.  As the American finally made it across the Rhine, and moved towards Berlin, they too came across horrendous conditions in the concentrations camps, and piles of bodies who had been systematically killed.  Tough fighting faced the Allies, as well as huge gains, one day 350,000 nazi soldiers were surrendered.  The Russians approached Berlin.  The Battle for Berlin was terrible.  And even after Adolf Hitler and his new wife Eva Braun suicided, the battle in Berlin continued.  In the South the Italians relinquished and surrendered, and finally the Germans did the same.  First to Montgomery, who said he could only accept the surrender of those in front of him.  The surrender of the entire German force would have to include a wider audience.  Victory in Europe Day is May 8, 1945.  The country was split between the Allies, and even though Berlin was within the Russian sector, it too was split.  The other task after the war was to separate the war criminals.  To the Nuremberg Trials was given this task.  Some were sentenced to 10 years in prison, and other hung.  Many more committed suicide to avoid the fate of hanging.

Documentary Review: Hitler's Death: The Final Report: Operation Myth

This documentary is based on interviews conducted by the Russians of those closest to Hitler.  This included his valet and his chauffeur.  The interviews included torture, and every means to make sure the story being told was true.  It included stories before the actual suicide, and instructions to burn his body so it could not be abused by the Russians or put on display.
In the end the Russians made a propaganda film showing that Hitler murdered Eva Braun and then couldn't shoot himself so also took a cyanide capsule.  The driver was accused of shooting him in the head to give a more heroic interpretation to his death.
The conclusion however was that Hitler died in the bunker with his new wife.  Their bodies were then burned.  Hitler's skull was collected in a couple of pieces.

Movie Review: Apocalypse: World War II: Inferno (2009)

This last in the series by Isabelle Clarke and Daniel Costelle, French filmmakers, using colorized original films.  In this last episode we are presented with the fall of Germany and Japan.  The title refers to the inferno of incendiary bombs dropped on Germany, and the atomic weapons unleashed on Japan.

This presentation starts with D-Day, and attack at Normandy where the sea wall was felt to be the most vulnerable.  The German’s defense was to push the attackers back into the sea.  However, of the beaches attacked, only Normandy had stiff defense.  The planes had not taken out the bunkers, and the Americans were pinned on the beach for some time, with over 1000 casualties.  However, the defenders were not able to push anyone back into the sea.  The Allies had air superiority.  And there was enough subterfuge that the attack was expected elsewhere.  It took some time before the commanders believed the reports of invasion.
With the success of the Allies, Rommel's position was poor with Hitler.  It was made even worse, when he agreed to take over the country should Hitler be assassinated.  The assassination plot on Hitler failed.  Rommel committed suicide.  Hitler executed 5000 of his top commanders.   High command of Nazi Germany went more and more to the SS, and the fighting was done more and more by children of the Nazi Youth Corp.
After establishing the front in France, a second front was made with landings in southern France.  This attack had less resistance.   The Russians were also attacking from the west.  In the end, a political decision was made not allow the Russians to take Berlin.  This decision angered General Patton, who had the might and the energy to enter Berlin before the Russians. 
Suicide was rampant in Germany the last days of the war and just after Allied occupation.  It was rumored that cyanide pills had been distributed by Hitler Youth at a concert, that Hitler gave his staff cyanide capsules, and many had hoarded suicide.  Hitler had said he preferred suicide to capture.  Also many were worried about the discovery of atrocities committed by the Nazis.  Adolf Hitler, and his new wife Eva Braun Hitler lead the way.  The publicity chairman and his wife committed suicide; but not before his wife gave cyanide to her six children while they slept, killing them.  There were 7000 reported suicides, and the number may have been under reported.
The was in Japan, and the invasion of Okinawa such increased usage of a Japanese strategy call Kamikaze.  This was Japan's last hope.  The sacrificed their pilots, in crashing their explosives laden planes into the American fleet, killing themselves, but also inflicting maximum damage.
It was estimated it would cost 1 million American casualties to invade japan.  However the atomic bombs forced the Japanese to sue for peace. 
WWII is the deadliest war in the history of the world, claiming 60 million, of whom over half were civilians.  However if you add deaths due to hunger and disease as a result of the war, the total deaths approaches 85 million.  This is about four percent of the population of the world.  Fourteen percent of the Russian population perished, and ten percent of the German population.  The United States lost .32 percent, 407,000 military deaths.