Is there ever a WWII-free day on The History Channel?

[Sandpiper]

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that not a day goes by on The History Channel without 2-3 things on World War II.

Tonight they'll probably be covering Hitler's yo-yo collection.

[90-percent]

1. movie link?

Wasn't Hitler's yo-yo's a signifigant plot point in "American Beauty"?

-85%

[stopbush]

2. It was a Nazi-o-thon this weekend.

During one of the Hitler shows, they had their Hollywood vs History jerk come out and compare Hitler to Saddam. What BS.

In one show, they recounted the sad story of the St Louis - a boat loaded with Jews that was turned back from Cuba. They failed to mention that the US government also declined to give them sanctuary. Not a WORD about it. The boat ended up in Holland and people ended up dead. I guess it was all the Cubans' fault, right?

This morning they had a show on about the Hitler Youth.

Whatever, I'll take it over the religious shitfest they show 25% of the time.

[Rich Hunt]

5. LOL

Some people call it "The Hitler Channel".

I don't mind it as long as they're not having "planes and tanks" marathons.

[deadparrot]

3. Answer? No.

As a history buff into ancient, medieval, and Renaissance Europe, I get pretty damn tired of the WWII stuff. Of course, it's interesting to a point, but it's hour upon hour of documentaries on warplanes, and missles, and guns. :boring:

[alcibiades_mystery]

All Nazis, All the Time

Well, that and the utterly terrible "Modern Marvels," which manages to insult both the fields of history and engineering at once. Whew. What a crapola.

[mark11727]

12. I actually enjoy "Modern Marvels"...

..."Honey, nothing's on TV tonight. Would you rather watch A League of Their Own for the thirtieth time this month, or would you prefer an hour on the history of concrete?"

[TahitiNut]

4. Nope. It's all about the "glory" of war ... a militarist's wet dream.

I've known a couple of History Channel junkies ... each with a whole collection of WW-II books and souvenirs. It's funny how the things that war is best at creating are rarely kept as nostalgic souvenirs ... things like maimed bodies, destroyed lives, and obliterated minds.

[ArkDem]

9. I've been collecting obliterated minds for decades.

[TahitiNut]

38. Abbie Normal in a jar, huh?

:silly:

[mark11727]

6. No more than a chopper and hotrod free day at the Learning Channel ...

... or was it the Discovery Channel (they're all starting to look the same).

[democracyindanger]

7. There's the occassional Saddam weekend.

[wli]

8. Reichstag fire and Night of the Long Knives

Those two are very relevant today.

OTOH, it could be that they're trying to warn people what's creeping up on them.

[Kraklen]

10. No, they're trying to promote to people...

what's creeping up on them.

See, for example, the show that advocated torture.

[wli]

11. in that case they're slime

[Blue_In_AK]

13. Haven't they been doing a "final days of WW-II" thing all year?

It seems like they've been highlighting corresponding days, i.e., July 17th, 1945, for yesterday or whatever.

[ToeBot]

14. History International is a much better channel,

Unfortunately, it's usually only included in higher priced digital packages. It has a much more diverse range of programming. For instance there is a series on the history of the English language on tonight. Hard to imagine a more boring juxtaposition, english and history, but It's fascinating.

[Blue_In_AK]

16. I was just going to post that...

We switch back and forth between History International and Discovery Times channel, which also has some very good documentaries on from time to time.

[Redleg]

15. WWII was our last great victory in War.

Just think- in 40 years we will see non-stop programming on our great victory in Iraq. <sarcasm alert>

[oscar111]

17. Good to slam the Nazis, seems to me

helps to prevent any reemergence of Nazis.

confession.. never seen history channel... no cable

[louis-t]

18. I sympathize, but I'm a WWII, Civil War junkie.

I'm soooo anti-war, but I am also sooo in awe of soldiers who've faced battle. Civil War soldiers who stood straight up less than 100 feet from their enemy and exposed themselves to withering musket fire. WWII soldiers who landed on the beaches of Normandy under heavy fire. What kind of courage, sense of duty, sense of country that must have taken. It's a kind of courage the treasonous cowards who are running (ruining) this country now will never know.

[skids]

19. Only on special occassions.

JFK/MLK killings, Moon Landing and such anniversaries.

Oh, and lest we forget, whenever hollywood puts out a "Helen of Troy" or a "Alexander the Great" they reveal their status as a pimp for the rest of the business interests in their media conglomerate.

My gripe is why are all the shows on science channels about archeology? And when they do actually put some physics or math on, it's always the "history of." When are these folks going to push the potential of making hard science easier, more fun, and entertaining, rather than punting with a historical narrative?

[Name removed]

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[skids]

28. Umn.

I was complaining about the science channels. Yep, subjects do change from time to time.

(EDIT: Welcome to DU! :-))

[Name removed]

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[longship]

20. "The Hitler Channel"

All Hitler all day long, all night long.

WW II, the first well-documented conflagaration.

[jzodda]

21. Many Historians argue that WW2 is one of the most important events ever

Most Historians will tell you that WW2 is one of the seminal events in world history. Its certainly the most important event in the last century. It almost single handedly created the world we now live in and the rules that govern it. So there is a good reason its on all the time on history channel. Also history has always been infatuated with the great conquerors and Hitler was the last one to try so he is a huge historical figure.

Look at world war two and what it gave to us good or ill.

1. As a war it produced the most casualties in the history of war
2. The genocide of the Jews and the creation of Israel
3. The rise of the US and the Soviets as the sole powers and the cold war
4. the creation of the UN
5. The fall of Japan and the rise of a new Japan
6. The nuclear age and the jet age all began in WW2
7. The technology for the space race all started in WW2
8. The 2 Germanies, then German Unification

There are many more things to list but I am sure you have gotten the point. It may seem like they are focusing on the "hardware" but depending on how some of those battles went could have had a huge impact on how we live in the world today

[DanCa]

22. Do they ever show blood and real wounds on History Channel

I was just wondering. I usually watch animal planent and nasa right now.

[mark11727]

41. There's a NASA Channel? Kewl.

[kerryin2004]

24. THat is the best part of the history channel..

I love the ww2 shows!

[Name removed]

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[Sandpiper]

26. Good thing we're not out fighting wars of conquest!

Oh, wait a second...

[LongTomH]

27. I really would like to see more on the rise of Hitler

The story of how Hitler and his goon squads managed to crush their opposition and steal an election would be a valuable object lesson.

Actually, it would be even more interesting if they were to document the support the Nazis got from fascistic elements in both the U.S. and Great Britain.

Of course, certain families whose ancestors were involved in treason might be embarrased!

[Name removed]

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[KharmaTrain]

29. I'm Soooooooo Tired Of ....

Whatever his name is...Sgt. Hartman.

Too bad Gomer Pyle isn't around to try to shoot a watermelon off his head.

I watch a lot of History International...that's where they have the "non-American" stuff...far more interesting to the real history buff rather than Americo-phobe.

[cire4]

31. Would History channel even exist if WW2 was never fought?

Based on their programming, I don't see how it is possible...

[Name removed]

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[LSdemocrat]

33. Occasionally its Revolutionary War day

[pinto]

35. No.

[sweetheart]

36. World at War, Episode 2,927,019,711,338

yea really. Interesting propaganda with nationalist framing that,
i guess stimulates people with endorphins. Then, they become addicted
to the endorphins and come to believe that it has anything to do with
having the world at war. It is the joy of war lived vicariously, lost
in some past chasm of a dying generation's decisions and lives.

History without "why" and "what if", told with NFL quality voiceover.
How could it not be a winner for anglo endorphin addiction.
If you turn the television off, "war" does not colonize the moment,
that we might be poets and enligthened citizens again.

They didn't really tell the civilian tale of 500,000 deaths from
starvation in saint petersburg.

[Jose Diablo]

37. Lookin' Back

Lookin' Back
Bob Seger

You hit the street, you feel them staring
You know they hate you you can feel their eyes a glarin'
Because you're different, because you're free
Because you're everything deep down they wish they could be

<Chorus:>
They're lookin back (lookin back) they're lookin back (lookin back)
Too many people lookin back
They're lookin back (lookin back) they're lookin back (lookin back)
Too many people lookin back

They watch the news, see young men dying
They watch them bleedin' and listen to them cryin'
And if they're normal if they can see
They just reach out and change the channel on the TV

<Chorus>

When they could vote, and end the war
They're much too busy fittin' locks upon the back door
Give you a foxhole, a place to hide
Cause when the war come the cops'll be on their side

<Chorus>

[mzteris]

39. that's what my son says!

If they do have "cool stuff" - Vikings, Pirates, etc. - it comes on at 9 o'clock at night!!!

[Tyrone Slothrop]

40. I know someone who works for The History Channel

Their main demographic is men over the age of 48 (or something like that, don't remember the exact breakdown).

The WWII shows draw high ratings from that group.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

42. It may be just because the WWII shows are cheap to produce.

There are miles and miles of film footage, and a lot of it is public domain. So all they have to do is hire an announcer and splice some film together, et voila: A cheap, fairly interesting hour-long show.