History Rediscovered: The Battle of Britain

Plot Summary

Originally released in 1943, The Battle of Britain represents the fourth movie in Frank Capra's epic "Why We Fight" documentary series. This film traces the fate of the British during the dark days of "The Blitz." It is a portrait of the desperate, but ultimately successful struggle to prevent a Nazi invasion of England. The film begins after the fall of France. With their army in shambles, the British have to rely on their naval and air forces to stave off invasion. These prove to be formidable adversaries, as does Prime Minister Winston Churchill. His stoic attitude and resolve keep the nation focused on victory. Throughout "The Blitz" the population never wavers. This presentation of The Battle of Britain also includes two rare wartime Ministry of Information shorts. "V-1" shows the "buzz bomb" attacks, while "Fighter Pilot" profiles the men about whom Churchill famously said "Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few."