User Reviews

Now that Disney's released the Black Cauldron and Melodytime, that leaves very few Disney films that have never been released on a home video format. In fact, it pretty much leaves this and Song of the South.

I have seen about half of the movie, in bits and pieces, because of Disney's habit of using clips from older animations in newer compilations. Chances are, if you've ever seen Disney animation showing WWII vintage fighters or bombers, you've seen a part of this film.

There's nothing terribly entertaining anymore about Victory- it's as entertaining as any other WWII-era propaganda film. But, given collectors' completist mindset, and given the historical significance of any and all war-era films, I think Disney needs to release this movie; even if it's in an extremely limited mail-order-only release. It needn't come in a clamshell, but Disney owes it to their fans to let them have the opportunity to see ALL of their work.

"Victory Through Air Power" (1943) is one of Disney's direct propaganda films for the U.S. State Department reiterating the 1942 book of the same name. It bounces between live-action segments, with briefing-style professed theories on the abstract value of air superiority, and segments with animated diagrams and maps supporting its theories. In combination with the Disney movie, the book's author presented the idea of separating air units away from the U.S. Army and into their own department. Soonafter, the U.S. Government formed the Air Force.

This film is just one of the reminders that Walt Disney exists elsewhere from his current stature as a "children's movie producer." He was also a McCarthyist in favor of the blacklist during the Congressional witch hunts from the House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC). To the day I write this, his company still censors Disney's Beethoven segment of "Fantasia" (1940) in VHS and DVD video releases due to a racial comment. Also, the only movie the company has not released of his original classics is "Song of the South," a movie about a little white boy who encounters a group of black storytellers. This writer is curious how, in the time of "Amos and Andy," Disney came up with an idea for a little black mouse in work overalls named "Mickey" which he voiced. These are interesting traits of Walt, none of which revolved around a lack of maturity.

When I was about 13 years old around 1978, our school teacher had our class watch a 16mm print of the first part of Disney's "Victory Through Air Power", which is all in animation and is about the history of aviation. I loved it. In the decades since, I'd always clearly remembered the comical shot of an early WWI fighter plane pilot using a machine gun before the technology to synchronize machine guns with propellers had been developed.

When I became interested in Disney animation several years ago, I hoped to find a copy of that one. But I learned that it had never been released on any videotape or videodisc format, and that my only glimmer of hope of ever seeing it again was to buy a 16mm film projector and find an old 16mm print, and probably pay a lot for it. More than any other, this title had me seriously thinking about doing that.

It's been some time since I've kept up with new DVD releases. I was shopping at Costco today and stumbled across some of Disney's "Treasures Limited Edition" tins. I already had some of those, but I noticed that these were titles I hadn't seen before. I tossed the Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck titles into my cart, passed on one that was about Tomorrow Land, and dug through to make sure I hadn't missed any. I could hardly believe my eyes when I picked up one that said "On the Front Lines" and "The War Years". My first thought was to wonder if it included that aviation history I had seen in 1978. I turned it over and yes, it said it included not only the aviation history part I had seen then, but the entire film!

Somewhat in a daze, I went straight to the checkout line, then straight home, then straight to the DVD player. Even my wife watched it with me, I guess because she could see how excited I was about it.

I loved it in 1978 on 16mm, and I loved it again in 2004 on DVD. It's at once an interesting history, attractive animation, and fun entertainment. I was also interested to see the realism in animation of planes I had learned about over the years.

The live action part was also very interesting and well worth watching, if a little on the tedious side at times, especially for my wife. It's certainly very interesting to consider how this movie may have changed the course of the war, or more precisely, this movie may have brought enough attention to the book that inspired it, and to that book's brilliant and prophetic author, to have changed the course of the war.

It was so interesting, I plan to watch it again soon -- though my wife probably won't.

I'm struggling to articulate how it feels to suddenly stumble across this title on a very well-made DVD, after not seeing it at all for 26 years and having more or less given up any serious hope of ever seeing it again. It's still almost a little hard to believe.

When I looked up this DVD title on the web, I was a little startled to find that I had bought it on the very day it was released! (May 18th, 2004)

It looks like Disney has let the earlier "Treasures Limited Edition" tins go out of print, and undoubtedly they will do the same with "On the Front Lines". If you have any interest at all in aviation history, and/or in WWII, and/or in rare Disney animation gems, then "On the Front Lines" is a must-have, just for Victory Through Air Power. (I haven't even watched most of the shorts on the DVD yet.)

A history of a propaganda about world war 2 an eagle fighting against an octopus, with more guns and planes this was actually a short that premiered on july 17th from 1943 wait a minute, this was actually a documental, promoting of the soundness of estrategical aerial bombing.

It's hard to endorse a film about a war involving such blood, sacrifice, and hatred when it comes to us in the form of a cartoon. Elmer Fudd is the proper subject of a cartoon, and Mickey Mouse, and The Flintstones.

Yet this is probably the most famous cartoon to come out of World War II, made by the Disney people in a style, about a subject, far different from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." There is no newsreel footage at all, and virtually no still photographs. The whole thing is a cartoon. And the cartoons are both informative and reasonably accurate. A Stuka looks like a Stuka, not like a generic "airplane." Even a lesser known airplane like the Japanese G-4 "Betty" looks like what it's supposed to be.

And our chief source of information, aside from Art Baker's narration, is Alexander P. de Seversky, aviation expert, industrialist, and military strategist. It was his company, Republic, that gave us the P-47 Thunderolt.

Here, the live interludes, are lectures from Seversky outlining his thesis in his Russian accent, which goes something like, "Trow avay da bettleships and built airoplens instead." He doesn't argue that air power is an important means of winning the war. To him, it seems to be the ONLY way. His presentation is very simple and clear but in case you don't get his point, the cartoons spell it out for you in lurid color. A chimpanzee would get it.

Of course this was released in 1943, a year during which the major turning points of the war began -- new Allied anti-submarine defenses, Stalingrad, the fall of Italy, and a tremendous outpouring of American military equipment. Seversky's logic points up the importance of air power but, without a crystal ball and without access to classified information, he made claims that weren't true.

Just a few examples, because he doesn't make that many mistakes. The British and French troops weren't successfully evacuated from Dunkirk because the RAF ruled the skies. The Nazis weren't building ever bigger and more potent submarines. The RAF and USAAF attacks on factories were good at tearing up cities but not at destroying the ability to produce weapons or at breaking the will of the victims. He proudly describes the terrific hammering of a city like Köln without mentioning that our own losses in attacks like these were so appalling that they needed to be temporarily suspended. The guy is full of belief and passion, though, so much so that one wouldn't want to argue with him.

He's certainly right about one thing. The longer your supply lines, the less secure your position. It was illustrated in the battles between Rommel and the British in North Africa. Each army would drive the other back until its supplies were unsteady, then they in turn would be driven back to their source. In 1943, Japan's empire covered a vast amount of territory. Seversky examines each possible approach to reaching Japan and rules all of them out. Island hopping? Nope. Too many islands to conquer one by one. Meanwhile Japan would be siphoning off the necessary materials of war from its own conquered territory.

But it was that approach that we finally used successfully, once we realized that we could skip many of the stronghold and leave them to "wither on the vine." The two B-29s that dropped the big ones and ended the war took off from Tinian Island, one of the Ryuku chain, that we had reached by island hopping. And the Japanese never did continue siphoning off enough war materials because our own submarines (that is, the USN, not the USAAF) made the sea routs impassable to shipping.

I don't mean to be too harsh on Seversky. It's certainly no fault of his that he didn't predict thermonuclear bombs and jet engines. Perhaps his presentation was flawed but his reasoning sound. In 1943, even if you knew about our losses over France, Germany, and Romania, would it have been wise to publicize them? The film is almost like a peek into the past and almost renders our current problems minuscule.

Based on the book by Major Alexander de Seversky published in 1941, this film is basically Disney's vehicle for pressing De Seversky's military plan upon Roosevelt, Churchill and the people of America and Britain. De Seversky argued that we should use bombers to attack Axis factories, farms, lines of transportation and resources. Basically, he argued that America and England should begin killing civilians by the tens of millions. And it's a Disney film.

After a brief homage to General Billy Mitchell, the first major animated sequence of the film you've probably seen: "History of Aviation." It starts with the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, and documents the beginning of flight. It then moves on to the formation of the American Air Corps in 1908, early achievements in flight. It shows how aircraft were used in World War I, with the first surveillance planes, the first fighters and the first bombers.

The film moves on to give a history of World War II up to that point, but there are several factual errors, including a sequence where the German Army uses air cover and tanks to break the Maginot Line. In reality, Germany simply invaded France through Belgium. It shows that the invasion of Crete was a great victory for Germany, while it was actually a disaster that nearly failed.

The film then goes on to describe America's role in the war, describing America as the "Arsenal of Democracy." It argues that since American supply lines are thousands and thousands of miles long and German/Japanese supply lines are very short, Japan and Germany have a decided advantage over us. The solution? Stop attacking Hitler's tanks and soldiers, and begin attacking the factories, farms, workers and farmers which build those tanks and feed those soldiers.

The film has a decidedly unsettling tone about it. It begins as a typical Walt Disney cartoon documentary, light-hearted and funny, but it ends describing some of the most disturbing tactics of modern combat, such as blowing up dams to flood the enemy, and employing bombs that will cause earthquakes, perhaps a metaphor for nuclear weapons. It's definitely not for children.

The version found on The Disney Treasures set "On the Front Lines" is only 65 minutes long, and doesn't have the scene that argues that America is the greatest nation for aviators by insulting every nation in Europe, including our allies, France and Britain.

"Victory Through Air Power" is an exceptionally well made film from Disney. It was made to bolster the notion of strategic bombing...bombing factories in Axis territory in order to bring the Japanese and Germans to their knees. It's told first as a history of military aviation and then a film specifically about WWII and the Allied bombing campaign....along with some portions where Major Alexander de Seversky talks about the program and how it will lead to a victory over the Axis.

The film is great for history teachers (like me) and WWII buffs. Others will likely find it slow and uninteresting. But for what it is, it's exceptionally well made...with some amazing animation and a well structured story.

By the way, SOME of the theory presented in the movie is true, some isn't exactly....and this was learned after the war ended. In Europe, despite all the bombing by Allied planes, German production actually INCREASED as the war progressed. What actually won the war in Europe was a combination of things....including Allied raids on German controlled oil refineries as well as the work of the infantry.

I just watched this feature last night from my copy of "Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines," which is an excellent set with many cartoon shorts, educational films, and propaganda films that are unusual of Disney, but nonetheless retain the same feel as the ordinary Disney short.

Being a pacifist, I think that all people should try to understand warfare for what it is, but try to avoid jumping into war until it is absolutely necessary. WWII was indeed a necessary war to fight, and the film, though not specifically aimed to do so, makes this point very clear.

First, before getting directly into the battles, the film educates us on the history of flight. With cartoon humour and sight gags it comes off very entertaining.

Then, the film is turned over to Alexander de Seversky, author of the book on which the film is based. De Seversky makes a valid point that the war should be fought with an enlarged military air force as opposed to naval and land based tactics. He is made to be very informative and enjoyable to watch against the animated maps and diagrams created by Disney's finest animators.

Eerily, there is a link to the 9/11 happening in the idea de Seversky expresses that air power removes the lines between civilians and soldiers and puts the lives of any of us at risk. It is fortunate that he had not lived to see this sad day.

This film will change the way you look at cartoons. The power possessed by the cartoon to simplify and in this case "Disney-fy" the bloody politics of war, grows ever more chilling the more charming this cartoon gets. Victory Through Air Power is the crown jewel of this gem-laden Disney DVD called Disney Goes to War. I love it because it is such a simplified and clear teaching of the mid-WWII strategies intended by the powers employing Mr. Disney. Goebbels in the area of devastating propaganda, comes to mind while watching. America's fortunes could have been vastly different if Walt's talent's had been captured by the Nazis. See for yourself what a mix of emotions this film causes in you. To see that the same studio which produced Snow White and Bambi could so quickly and effectively recalibrate their drawing tables for War is spooky and makes you wonder what other messages lie hidden in the vast Disney canon.

Disney like most other Americans in the early 1940s wanted to find some way to contribute to the war effort short of actually fighting. This film - along with the other wartime shorts on the DVD that contains it - stems from that impulse.

On one level, the film is meant to educate general audience in the scenarios of the history of flight, aerial combat and the (then) global crisis regarding the Allies vs. the Axis powers.

It does its job, entertaining when possible, affirming destruction and American/Allied dominance at critical points.

During my most recent viewing of it, I found that it almost seemed to make the case for nuclear warfare. Not outright, mind you, but through its continued emphasis of how Allied airstrikes, because of their remote points of origin, can/could not possibly inflict enough damage to Axis supply lines to shut them down. The film and its military authority Major Seversky propose that long range bombers are the answer - after which a presumably innovative animated version of just such a long range bomber is shown on screen: its long, clumsy-looking, with several large gunwales pointing out all over the plane's body. After seeing that, i could only surmise that military officials of the 1940s saw the folly in trying to build bigger and better airships to do in the Axis. Instead, per the film's rhetoric, the more logical solution seems/seemed to be: "Forget about trying to send a volley of superplanes; instead, send only one plane - but design its cargo to deliver Armageddon!"

Disney is most known for their family friendly output, featuring lovable characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. During WWII several of those characters were put in some really unusual situations as Disney were used to output propaganda movies in an attempt to make the public buy more war bonds to finance the war efforts, with Donald Duck in the Oscar-winning Der Führer's Face as the possibly most famous, or even infamous.

Victory Through Air Power is a feature length animated documentary based on the book by Alexander de Seversky, who also features in the movie. It tells the history of aviation, with main focus on the use of airplanes in war situations, and culminates in one man's viewpoint of how the war could have ended. It is the historic parts that really stands out, starting with the Wright brothers and covering the most historic events in early aviation in its recap of aviation history up until WWII started. But the movies message about the importance of an air force in a modern war rings true to this day, and the movie's presentation of how the war could have gone on for many more years than it actually did was also interesting.

There is nothing hasty or cheap looking in this movie, it is a proper, well done feature length animated movie from Disney, and a fascinating ride even today, as long as one has the right mindset for it.

whoa. animated explosions. cool. i only gave this film a nine because i hate war. but the animation is way cool.

this film is filled with one explosion after another. it becomes almost numbing watching submarine torpedoes slam into battleships and blow up. my favorite scene was the one that had the aircraft carrier being assaulted from above.

militarily this film seems like common sense military strategy. it's pretty much explained in layman terms through the magic of Disney cartoon storytelling.

the best sequences by far are the ones that take you through aviation history. the animation is terrific.

it's a strange film though, and it gives a eerie feeling like you are seeing top secret information or something.

mostly i found this film kind of funny because it was so noisy and hawkish. normally i find Disney good natured family fare, this film makes you wonder about the mind of the man.

this film is testosteroned and noisy and fanatical about war. makes it even more funny.

the military industrial complex is by no means cause for amusement. unless it's done by Disney.

Victory Through Air Power (1943)

*** (out of 4)

With WWII going full strength, everyone in Hollywood did what they could to bring attention and information to the screen and that includes Disney. This animated feature is pretty entertaining in its own right as we learn about the history of aviation and then go into details on how planes are playing a major role in the war.

If you've seen any of the documentaries from this era then you're really not going to learn anything new here. The "Why We Fight" series pretty much covered this stuff in much greater detail but of course the one difference is that this film is animated. The Disney crew really did a terrific job with the animation as it's up to their usual high standards. Fans of Disney will certainly enjoy the animation but WWII buffs will also like the way the documentary shows the bombings at Pearl Harbor and the animated maps on the various issues America faces going up against Japan and Germany.

When listing Walt Disney's first 6 feature films in order, the list goes: Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi, and finally- the focus of this review: Victory Through Air Power. It's not really that surprising if you are not that familiar with this feature.

For one thing, it was never designed for wide release, it's simply a war propaganda film for American soldiers, giving strategies to defeat the enemy in WWII, along with historical context of the war. Most of the proposed idea involves defeating the enemy with new airplanes that drop bombs, hence the title "Victory Through Air Power."

On top of this, the film is rarely ever talked about, and it never received a VHS release. In fact, the only way you can physically own it is in an expensive DVD set called Walt Disney Treasures: On The Front Lines, which also has other WWII themed cartoons, including De Fuehrer's Face, where Donald Duck has a dream where he is a Nazi.

Anyways, back to VTAP: You can view it for free on YouTube, but I am very lucky to have found the DVD at a used DVD store. I traded a bunch of DVDs to own it, and I am very happy that I did.

I've pretty much given the synopsis already, so let me move past that and review the film as a whole. As for the entertainment value, I was actually pretty invested in the information provided, but I must confess that I was a little tired as I watched it and my attention wavered a little. A little rewinding and re-watching solved that very minor issue.

That said, let me make it clear that although this is a Disney cartoon, it is actually NOT for little kids. Don't show your 4-year-old child Frozen for the 100th time and follow it up with Victory Through Air Power. It's not inappropriate or anything like that (unless multiple bombings are considered inappropriate), but the youngest of kids would be bored by the movie, and they wouldn't even understand it in the first place. It'd be a nap time inducer for them, not entertainment.

On the other hand, I highly suggest this to middle schoolers and high schoolers- think around 7th grade and up. In fact, to any history teacher reading this that teaches World War II to this age group, I highly, HIGHLY recommend playing this circa your lesson about the attack on Pearl Harbor. History, film, and animation buffs should seek this out as well.

The animation is very well done, and quite an effort. I can't imagine how tough it most likely was for the animators to recreate airplane bombings, among some of the exquisite details, such as (but certainly not limited to) geographically accurate maps and newspapers with actual words written in. I also loved how it looked more like one of Disney's shorts than his films. For example, it's style mirrors more like Mickey And The Seal rather than Snow White or Cinderella.

The fact that this film is even animated is worthy of praise, as very few documentaries are animated in the first place- only Waltz With Balshir comes to mind, and I haven't even seen that. That alone makes Victory Through Air Power very special.

As was common for some Disney movies at the time, the movie itself has some live action. Most of it comes from Alexander de Seversky, who wrote the book on which the documentary is based upon. His segments explain the animated segments in wider detail, making it easier to comprehend. The animated segments are cooler, but the live action parts were a good touch as well.

Some may find it a bit repetitive and even a bit dry, as he just walks around a room and reviews the previous animated bit, but this was helpful to me to comprehend the film more and it's good for review either way.

The film is also very patriotic. The movie has a very pro-America message, and the movie closes out with the music to America The Beautiful. This makes me surprised that channels like TCM or History Channel don't air this on dates like July 4th or Memorial Day.

The DVD version also opens with a 4.5-minute introduction from film critic Leonard Maltin, who gives historical background on WWII and why Walt Disney made the documentary. Please don't skip over that, it's very impressive and filled with many fun facts.

No matter if you are watching Victory Through Air Power as a Disney film or a historical one, I highly recommend it to those who can enjoy and appreciate it. Again, the youngest would most likely be 7th graders. Just remember to watch it for educational value more than entertainment value, I can't stress that part enough.

As an educational film, a patriotic one, and perhaps the most underrated work of Walt Disney, this documentary is a victory through FILM power.

Note: The movie actually turns 80 years old next year. If the Disney Company is reading this, please consider releasing an 80th anniversary DVD and Blu-ray of this so it can be seen by more people. Victory Through Air Power earns it.