Chapter I of Frank Capra’s Why We Fight series, titled “Prelude to War,” frames World War II as a struggle between two opposing worlds: the “slave world” of fascism and the “free world” of American liberty. In the “slave world,” the populations of Germany, Italy, and Japan have fallen victim to manipulative leaders—madmen and opportunists who exploited their citizens’ desperation to seize power. These demagogues offered promises of vengeance for past grievances, convincing their people to surrender their rights in exchange for authoritarian rule.
In contrast, the “free world” is defined by ideals of equality, freedom, and liberty, as championed by figures like Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln. These values are seen as a direct threat to the Axis powers, whose leaders assert that democracy is inherently weak and must be destroyed. According to the film, the ultimate ambition of the Axis powers is the enslavement of nations that embody these democratic principles—a goal evident in actions such as Japan’s invasion of Manchuria and Mussolini’s conquest of Ethiopia.