Tom Hanks' Masterpiece Series Is the Perfect 'Band of Brothers' Replacement

World War II with Tom Hanks is a History Channel docuseries that covers the entire timeline of the war and aims to leave viewers with expert-level knowledge. Meant to air over 20 episodes, the series is one of the largest war documentaries ever made and is described as the perfect treat for history and war buffs.

The series opens with a close-up shot of Tom Hanks. With just a few words he frames the subject plainly: "The Second World War...is the largest event in human history. No part of the globe is unaffected. The Second World War changed everything. For all of us." Episodes mix newly discovered archival footage with careful summaries, compensating for the scarcity of first-hand interviews.

The show digs into geopolitical revelations — for example, that FDR preferred to communicate with Winston Churchill rather than Neville Chamberlain — and does not shy away from repugnant moments such as the German decision to bomb Polish civilians. Collaboration with the National WWII Museum in New Orleans helped shape the project.

United States, New Orleans

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