How were educational films used to train soldiers during World War I and World War II?

During World War I and World War II, educational films served as a vital tool for military training, helping to educate diverse and often illiterate populations of soldiers.1

During World War I, these films were used extensively to provide instruction on a wide range of topics, spanning from specific fighting techniques to personal hygiene.1

As technology advanced, the introduction of "talkies" allowed for more sophisticated applications during World War II. These films were utilized for two primary purposes:
* Technical Training: Providing specialized instruction to prepare soldiers for the complexities of modern warfare.1
* Propaganda and Morale: Major belligerents produced films to influence public and military opinion. Notably, the United States Army commissioned director Frank Capra to create the Why We Fight (1942–45) series, which was designed to educate American soldiers on the stakes of the conflict.1

While these films were essential for mass instruction, they represented an early stage in the evolution of military training technology, which later expanded to include television and computer-based systems.21