Summaries

Synopsis

"The War To End All Wars - The Movie" is a captivating animated journey through the harrowing tales of World War I. A result of a partnership between heavy metal band Sabaton and Yarnhub Animation Studios, the motion picture brings to life the astonishing and often overlooked stories of those who experienced the Great War first-hand.Drawing inspiration from the narratives behind Sabaton's powerful music from their album of the same name, each scene unfolds with a blend of historical accuracy and artistic interpretation. This unique adventure is a cohesive, thought-provoking, and emotionally charged film, which includes animated and real-life appearances by the band members.It all begins and concludes with a handwritten letter that travels through each event in the film, tying each scene together.The first story told is that of The Battle of the Yser in 1914. The Entente and the Belgians had successfully crushed the Germans' hopes of continuing the Schlieffen Plan. Each attempt made by the Germans was foiled by entrenched machine guns and artillery, as well as by the deliberate flooding of the Yser Canal, which affected the trenches.The film then dives into the story of Serbian war hero, Milunka Savic. She is one of the world's most decorated female combatants who fought in both Balkan Wars and World War I. This fearless warrior is known for changing her appearance to look like a man to take her brother's place in the army.Following this scene, viewers are then transported to the Western Front, where the Christmas Truce occurred on December 24, 1914. The unusual truce, which was a complete act of trust during World War I, resulted in British and German soldiers uniting on Christmas eve to celebrate. They socialized, played games together and even exchanged gifts. It was a rare but magical moment of peace in an otherwise bloody and terrifying war.From peace to chaos, the movie fast forwards to the year 1915, when the First German Stormtrooper unit was sent to the Western Front. The Stormtroopers were specialist soldiers of the German Army who used precise infiltration tactics to target their enemies during World War I. During their assaults they would apply a deadly mix of shock, surprise and ultra violence. This scene depicts the chaos that unfolded during their attacks.And from land to sea, the tale of the HMS Dreadnought is told. This fearsome and mighty battleship was armed with greater speed, greater range and larger guns than any other vessel. It sparked a global naval arms race which was viewed as unnecessary and extremely dangerous for world peace, but progress was irreversible.The next historical figure after Milunka Savic to appear in "The War To End All Wars - The Movie" is Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart - a man with war in his blood. He was of Belgian heritage but fought for the British Empire during World War I. Throughout his stints at war, he was injured multiple times, and despite the severity of his wounds, survived. He became known as the 'man who could not be killed'.Up next is the Battle for the Col di Lana Summit. At 23:30 on April 17, 1916, the Italians, who were up against the Austro-Hungarian Empire, detonated 5,000kg of Nitro-Gelatine. Around 200 Austrian soldiers were killed in the explosion and the assault that followed. The Italians accomplished their mission and eventually secured the Col di Lana summit.The movie then seamlessly cuts to Bulgaria for the second Battle of Doiran in 1917. The Bulgarians tenaciously defended their well-prepared positions against British troops. Three times the attackers went up against the lines and three times they were beaten back.The last World War I story to be told in "The War To End All Wars - The Movie" is that of the USA's Harlem Hellfighters, a regiment that was assigned to fight alongside the French army in World War I. The brave Harlem Hellfighters were mainly African American and Puerto Rican soldiers, who were not allowed to fight alongside the ordinary American soldiers.The movie concludes with the aforementioned letter eventually being delivered to Sabaton's frontman Joakim Brodén at his home in the present day.