What was the purpose of Frank Capra's Why We Fight film series?

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The Why We Fight (1942–45) film series, directed by Frank Capra for the U.S. Army Signal Corps, served a dual educational and strategic purpose during World War II.

Commissioned by the U.S. Army, the seven-part series was designed to educate American soldiers on the global conflict, specifically clarifying what was at stake in the war. By utilizing edited newsreel footage and scenes from various films, the series aimed to bolster morale and increase support for the American war effort. While these films functioned as propaganda—a common practice among all major belligerents during the war to influence public and military sentiment—they were fundamentally intended to provide context and justification for the nation's involvement in the conflict.123