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What Were We Watching? Americans’ Responses to Nazism through Cinema, Radio, and Media

Public Program
New Bedford Theatre, 1934. Spinner Publications

New Bedford Theatre, 1934. Spinner Publications

Stories about World War II and the persecution of Europe’s Jews were a constant presence in American movie theaters and living rooms throughout the 1930–40s. Award-winning films such as Mrs. Miniver, The Great Dictator, and Casablanca shaped Americans’ understanding of the Nazi threat and persecution of Europe’s Jews, while newsreels and radio programs offered a brief glimpse into world events and the range of opinions on the war effort. Join us to learn how Hollywood and leaders in entertainment and government battled for the hearts and minds of Americans.

Speakers
Thomas Doherty, Professor, American Studies, Brandeis University, and Author, Hollywood and Hitler, 1933–1939
Gretchen Skidmore, Director, Education Initiatives, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

This program is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. RSVP online or by contacting the Museum’s Midwest Regional Office at 855.218.6836 or midwest@ushmm.org