Hollywood Goes to War

Hollywood played a critical role in American life during World War II. Prior to the U.S. entry into the war, the movie industry, centered in California, produced films that condemned Axis aggression and supported the Allied powers. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government depended on Hollywood directors and stars to influence tens of millions of American moviegoers. Hollywood produced propaganda films that championed stories of patriotism, duty, and sacrifice for audiences in America and abroad. This course will focus on the ways that the American film industry supported the war effort, and the success and continued popularity of many wartime movies that continue to influence the American cultural landscape.