Phil Weaver collection of World War II films, 1943-1946

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Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Original films are restricted due to format, but digital files are available for all the films.
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Summary

Abstract:
Seventeen United States and British government-produced films on 15 reels, dealing with World War II and dating 1943 to 1946, primarily including films made explicitly to sell war bonds, as well as documentaries, training films, and anti-Japanese and anti-German propaganda.
Extent:
2 Linear Feet (15 film cans in two records center boxes.)
Language:
Materials in English.
Collection ID:
RL.12027

Background

Scope and content:

The Phil Weaver World War II film collection contains seventeen 16mm sound films on 15 reels. Dating from 1943 to 1946, the films in the collection are primarily shorter films intended to promote the sale of war bonds by the U.S. government. Exceptions include "Desert Victory," a film produced by the British government detailing the North Africa campaign, two "Private SNAFU" cartoons made by Warner Brothers for training troops, and two "Fighting Men" training films. One film, "Remember These Faces," is in color, while the rest are in black and white.

Common to the period and to Allied propaganda, the films often contain derogatory language to describe the Germans and Japanese.

Biographical / historical:

During World War II, the U.S. and British governments produced propaganda films to rally citizens to the cause of Allied victory. Many of these documentary-style films, such as "The Army Nurse" (1945), were in the service of selling war bonds, to help finance the war and then also to "win the peace" as the Allies helped rebuild war-ravaged communities. By the end of the last war bond drive in 1946, the U.S. government had raised $185 billion in bonds sold to the American public.

Training films, such as the "Private SNAFU" cartoons and "Fighting Men" films in this collection, were restricted to military use only.

Acquisition information:
The Phil Weaver collection of World War II films were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 2004.
Processing information:

Processed by Craig Breaden, July 2022

Accessions described in this collection guide: 2004-0315

Arrangement:

The reels are arranged by date and then film title. Some reels have more than one title, in which case the titles are listed together as part of the reel.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Subjects

Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.

Subjects:
World War, 1939-1945
Propaganda, American
Propaganda, Anti-German
Propaganda, Anti-Japanese
Format:
16mm
Audiovisual materials
motion picture film
16mm (photographic film size)

Contents

Using These Materials

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Using These Materials


Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. Original films are restricted due to format, but digital files are available for all the films.

Terms of access:

Except for "Desert Victory," which was created by the British Ministry of Information, the films in this collection were produced by the United States government and are in the public domain in the United States.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Phil Weaver World War II film collection, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.