Why did the U.S. Army commission Frank Capra’s Why We Fight film series?

The U.S. Army commissioned Frank Capra to create the Why We Fight film series during World War II for a specific pedagogical and strategic purpose: to increase American support for the war effort.1

While serving as a major in the Signal Corps between 1942 and 1945, Capra produced these seven documentaries primarily by editing existing newsreel footage and scenes from various motion pictures. By synthesizing these visual records, the series aimed to educate and mobilize the public and military personnel regarding the necessity of the conflict, thereby fostering national unity and commitment to the Allied cause.1