Why is the History Channel so obsessed with World War 2?

Question

Every time I flip to the History Channel, they're talking about World War 2 and the Nazis. It's as if WW2 was the only historical event that ever happened.

I understand it was the most significant war of recent times but they should at least have some balance and talk about other things as well don't you think?

Isn't history supposed to encompass all history? And not just one single war?

They should just call it WW2 Channel instead because that's all they talk about.

Here's a discussion on it:

http://history-geeks-get-chicks.tribe.net/thread/d2e84f65-2eda-4f24-b440-a47b9acb99a5

Don't get me wrong, I am interested in WW2. But my point is that, WW2 (and US military history) is all they really talk about.

Answer 1

Mostly, it's because that's what people want to watch. It's a television station, and they want ratings so they have to cater to their audience.

Answer 2

It's because they have the History Channel International for those of us who realize that the world had some pretty fine history before the United States became a major player on the world stage.

I guess they figure that if they keep all the truly cool programming to HCI, we'll all go out and get digital cable to have it.

For a while they had a civil war fascination too. I predict a cold war addiction in a few years.

Answer 3

I watch the history channel also and i have seen many doc's about various wars past and present.WW2 was a huge war and so much happened in so many countries and the facts are that some of the secrets of WW2 ARE ONLY BEING RELEASED NOW .because 60 years has now elapsed and HISTORIANS are only reading those declassified documents over the past 2 years or so

Answer 4

There are two main reasons. First, the Allies won WWII and winners naturally want to relish the victory by reliving past glory. I doubt losers in any endeavor care to devote much time and energy to a rehash of events they would rather not think about. Second, WWII was the first major conflict that was chronicled on film. If an event doesn't have a strong visual aspect, it probably won't make it on television. Just consider the type of stories that seem to dominate television news broadcasts.

Answer 5

I would say partly because it is the history of the current oldest generation, and therefore more relevant to our lives. Also, there is much more documentation, pictures, first accounts, videos, etc of the war than other wars, so there is alot of material to choose from. But mostly, I'd say it's because producers and program directors are clueless when it comes to being creative these days. The same thing is going on in Hollywood.

Answer 6

Because a lot of America's history happened during WW2.

Answer 7

you will discover who has not studied American background . shall we see... Oh yeah...Bush began his fist term the twelve months WE became into ATTACKED ON 9/11 ! each and every of the intelligence tips accumulated from the clinton Presidency confirmed that Saddam became into helping vacationers and he became right into a possibility to international protection . maximum civilized countries interior the UN had the comparable tips. gas expenditures began to upward push for the period of clinton's final twelve months, he had to dip into our oil reserves at one factor . i don't see the place Bush has any skeletons. I beneficial can see Clinton's. each time a female went to the press approximately him sexually assaulting her, he drop some bombs on Iraq. form replace the priority ,he would.

Answer 8

I like the show Mail Call on the history channel, so it isn't all WWII

Answer 9

Its got to be they found a sale on Nazi shows. The better question is why is the biography channel so obsessed with movie stars. Really WHO CARES!

Answer 10

They do............but afterall it was a "world" war. It involved the planet. But, they do need to lighten up on the Hitler crap for awhile............There were many battles that he wasn't involved in. And millions of years of history before WWII