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Customer Rating:  
Summary: A very disappointing video
Comment: "This is the forgotten story of the secret deals, government mistakes, and political intolerance of `the War to End All Wars.'" This is the opening line of this DVD, and it is misleading.
First of all, this is not so much "Secrets of World War I" as it is "American Secrets of World War I." The DVD gives a very quick introduction to the war, and then moves on to America's involvement in it. Much of it is not secret - the American Army was not prepared to enter the war in 1917, the British used propaganda to try to influence America into supporting the Allies over the Central Powers, before entering the war American banks made loans to the Allies while American factories made weapons for them, The Zimmerman Telegram, the political Left did not support the war, and so forth.
So, I have told you what this DVD isn't, but what is it? I would say that this 45 minute introduction to World War I, punctuated by nine (if I counted correctly) "Declassified" side bars - uncommented-on text that supposedly tells a secret unknown until this time (e.g. the British allowed American ships to enter U-boat infested waters, the Royal Navy was allowed to hold or shoot captured U-boat crews, The Germans supported Lenin, etc.).
Overall, I found this to be a very disappointing video. As an introduction to World War I, it is spotty and its sensationalistic tone really gives the production a cheap and non-serious feel. (I mean, is this a serious work of historical scholarship or a Michael Moore documentary?) And, as an expose of information that was unknown until today it was a complete letdown - I cannot think of a single piece of information included in the DVD that I did not already know.
So, if you are interested in learning things about World War I that you have never heard from any other source, then just keep on walking. I did not like this DVD and I do not recommend it.
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