Genre: History
Duration: 3×50 min.
Production Company: eco documentaries for ZDFinfo & ZDF Studios
Distributor: ZDF Studios
For 250 years, wars and conflicts have shaped the United States of America. But the rise to the most powerful military nation has come at a cost.
From the revolution against the British Crown emerges a nation promising freedom and equality. But the bloody Civil War nearly tears the United States apart. Reunited, it conquers the continent by force and rises to global power. World War II shaped the national self-image as defender of peace and freedom, while using the deadliest weapon on earth. In Vietnam, the self-appointed “world police” wages dirty wars, betraying its own ideals. From 9/11 and the hunt for terrorists, from Guantánamo to drone warfare, the U.S. is trapped in a cycle of violence and power politics. Under President Donald Trump, a new era of interest-driven foreign policy begins—old certainties are fading, new wars are flaring up.
Q&A with Nikolas Hülbusch, Director Unscripted at ZDF Studios, on what makes America’s Wars unique in the history docs landscape.
How did ZDF Studios come to be involved in this new three-part series from eco documentaries?
We became involved in America’s Wars as a partner on the project alongside the factual channel ZDFinfo and the renowned and experienced production company eco documentaries, and we are handling the worldwide distribution. What immediately appealed to us was the scale of the idea. Rather than focusing on one particular conflict, the series looks at some 250 years of American history through the prism of war and examines how those conflicts helped shape the country’s identity and its role in the world.
We also know eco documentaries as a producer with a strong track record in sophisticated historical storytelling. They have combined rigorous research and analysis with a very accessible, cinematic approach, which made the project particularly attractive from an international distribution perspective.
What makes the documentary’s approach to America’s history of conflicts unique in the current landscape?
I think it is the combination of scale, perspective and contemporary relevance. The series does not simply present a chronology of American wars or concentrate on military history. It asks a broader question: how did conflict contribute to America’s development from a former British colony into a global power, and how have ideals, strategic interests and power politics interacted throughout that history?
At the same time, it brings the story very close to the viewer. We have rare archive footage, re-enactments, and graphic visualizations of battles and military strategies. Renowned international experts and even participants of some of the events are interviewed and provide a broad and detailed picture of 250 years of conflicts. But alongside the geopolitical perspective, we also hear about the experiences of ordinary soldiers and civilians. That combination gives the series both scale and a very human dimension.
What do you think international audiences will take from the series?
One of the great strengths of America’s Wars is that it provides historical context for issues we are still discussing today. The United States has played an extraordinary role in shaping the international order over the past century, so understanding how that role developed also helps us understand many of the geopolitical debates we are having now.
And this is not a documentary that sets out to give viewers a simple answer. It looks at successes, failures and contradictions and gives audiences the historical background to form their own view. I think that is particularly valuable at the moment. There is a real appetite for factual programming that helps people make sense of a world that often feels increasingly complex.
Three years ago, our series Russia’s Wars, made by the same production team, covered exactly that need and was aired in numerous territories all over the world.
How does America’s Wars fit into ZDF Studios’ overall factual line-up for MIPCOM?
It fits extremely well because it represents many of the qualities we are looking for in our factual portfolio: a globally relevant subject, strong storytelling, high production values and a clear reason for audiences to watch it now.
History is a particularly strong part of our current slate, ranging from contemporary geopolitical subjects to ancient history and historical mysteries. At the same time, our line-up extends into nature, wildlife, science & engineering and people &places. Titles such as The Body: What is Life?, Silent War: In the Shadow of Atomic Bombs, Ancient Betrayals, Shadows & Dust: Lost History, Cheetah Fast & Wild, Tasmania’s Wild Treasures, and, looking further ahead, The Lost Library of Herculaneum, covering the latest breakthrough in high-tech research on ancient artifacts, demonstrate that range. What connects them is our focus on premium factual stories that can travel internationally and that combine information with a strong emotional or narrative hook.
