Why We Fight was a much more watchable and down to everyday life style that was very factual. Triumph of the Will took a more artistic approach to documenting its subject with artistic cuts and long panning shots.

Triumph of the Will was made to show the strength of the Nazi party. Their image and power was meant to be boasted. In Why We Fight, however, the film is used to persuade Americans about involvment in the war. These are two very different uses.

The difference between these two films and their two ideologies they represent is pretty obvious. The answer is kind of intangible but I think it boils down to spirit and perspective. Triumph is supposed to detail the struggle of the German people but it ends up being a puff piece for the already unstoppable German army. It kind of fantasizes the German people and Hitler as if they are already gods. On the other hand we have the British. This film is much more about the climb of the collective people. Britain knew it was struggling at this point, the Germans had them out maned and had more tanks and planes, but somehow they held them off. This film expreses a great sense of spirit and comradery, you can feel the passion of the people. It’s really just about glorifying Germany for triumph.

While Triumph of the Will was very obviously filmed for propaganda romanticizing the power of Nazi Germany. This was intended to persuade people to follow Hitler’s fascists ideologies. However, why We Fight showed the other side of how people lived on a day-to-day basis as well as factual content. Also in Why We Fight, we learned more about the history of the war and why soldiers were fighting the war from the British point of view.

Triumph of the Will focuses on the greatness of the leader, Hitler and his power. The others adore him. It shows the power of Germany under Hitler’s power. Why We Fight shows the power of the people, the power of the nation, the Britains. I think that’s a very different ideology since the first one kind of wants you to follow a person and the second wants you to think for yourself.

I’d contrast the ideology of Triumph of the Will and Why We Fight in such a way that in Triumph of the Will it was more about power/dominance being the most important part of a country, projecting that message towards the people. While in Why We fight it was more about connectedness and helping themselves out, as the British people, to overcome hardships. The control of the Nazi’s in Triumph of the Will was a central focus, while in Why We Fight that control was shown as evil. For example how in Why We fight how the graph maps demonstrated how Germany’s Nazi party was taking over all the countries in Europe. Triumph of the Will’s message to the people was that you must benefit your country and take part in its focus of an extreme powerful force. In Why We fight it was more about peaceful democracy and helping each other out, while fighting against control/power hungry Germans. For the people themselves in Why We fight, they were all doing normal jobs in society to help strengthen their defense as the people against the Germans, in order to instill democracy as a success in the end. While in Triumph of the Will the German youth were shown as being prepared to overcome any boundary that would face Germany in terms of protecting their country’s extreme Nationalism and power. German youth were shown as idols for Germany, that the German youth should benefit the country no matter what, to be loyal to Germany. Same with the adult German public, during the rallies, heiling and idolizing Hitler’s messages as one entire mass of people. The defense against a collective threat, the Nazis, was a focus in Why We Fight, there was more of a feeling of justness concerning the civilian people in Why We Fight, as the British were fending off an extreme threat. The German people at rallies, as well as the German youth were shown as focusing on the continuation of the empowerment of the German country, while the people of Berlin were shown as focusing on the aid of one another to overcome a controlling threat.

Triumph of the Will glorified Hitler. Hitler was the person who was making Germany great and he will continue to do so as long as you continue to follow him. Why We Fight on the other hand was glorifying the average citizen. We are fighting not for the government but for ourselves. We must rely on our strength. Triumph of the Will Hitler out to be something above the average person, while Why We Fight made people like Churchill and the Queen the same as the local baker.

Both types of Propaganda films have the same purpose to persuade people. However, fascist propaganda film, for example, in Triumph of the Will, shows a worship of Hitler and the Nazis’ conquest of Europe. This film may manipulate Germans glorify Hitler. Democratic propaganda film, the Battle of Britain, encourages people by delivering factual war stories.

In Triumph of the Will, Riefenstahl sets out to show the political genius of Hitler and the Nazi party. This is before the war and probably added more power to Germany as she carefully showed the charismatic and attractiveness of Germany’s leaders. In Why We Fight we see the “spirit of Britain” through actions and a voiceover that emphasizes these heroic actions by the British people.

Triumph of the Will indicates fascist – German’s leader Hitler. He was leader, fascist and God to them. On one hand, Why We Fight indicates the democratic propaganda – in Britain, social position didn’t matter throughout the war. They fight together to win the victory.