Battle Ground: The Art of War
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Military history docu reenacts violent battles without gore.
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Battle Ground: The Art of War
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What's the Story?
BATTLE GROUND: THE ART OF WAR is a documentary series that relives some of the greatest battles in history. From following Alexander the Great's strategy the battlefield at Galgamela, to understanding what transpired during the notorious WWII Battle of the Bulge, it features recreations of pivotal decision-making moments, as well as the combat strategies on the battlefield. With the help of live-action dramatizations and computer generated imagery, viewers get to watch as events unfold, and see how and why some of history's greatest military campaigns were won and lost. Insights and explanations from military experts, historians, and educators fill out the details of each of these stories.
Is It Any Good?
Part educational, part entertainment, this stylized series offers detailed and dramatic reenactments of some of history's greatest military actions. It highlights the strategies employed by some of the world's greatest military minds, including Alexander the Great and Napoleon. It also reveals lots of details about the kinds of weapons used, the size of combat forces, specific maneuvers, and other particulars. Military buffs will appreciate the discussions about these finer points, but those who are more interested in the broader, human interest stories behind these campaigns may find some episodes a little boring. Others may be put off by the lack of discussion about the brutal consequences of these battles, or the less-than-perfect accent work as actors portray characters from many different countries. Nonetheless, Battle Ground: The Art of War is informative, and has a lot to offer those who are interested in military history by attempting to bring key moments back to life.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about military campaigns that changed the course of history. What made them unique?
How does Battleground: The Art Of War reenact battles without relying on graphic violence to do so? Does this make the reenactments unrealistic?
Is it necessary to go to war in order to bring change or peace to a region? Does this series justify any of the military campaigns it showcases?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 1, 2005
- Network: Kids Central
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: History
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: February 27, 2022
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