Is The Great War woke?

Clear woke themes are present and intentional, but feel balanced and organic to the story. The message supports the plot and characters rather than dominating them.

Wokeness Analysis

The 2024 History Channel documentary 'The Great War' is a two-part, four-hour cinematic production that chronicles U.S. entry into World War I in 1917-1918 through the intertwined stories of four figures: General John J. Pershing, soldier Michael B. Ellis of the Big Red One, and African American soldiers Henry Johnson and Horace Pippin of the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters. The core narrative focuses on military strategy, rapid mobilization of American forces, trench warfare, and America's emergence as a global power, blending archival footage with dramatic reenactments and expert commentary. While the inclusion of Johnson and Pippin highlights their documented battlefield heroism—such as Johnson's stand against German forces earning French Croix de Guerre—it integrates these accounts as factual elements of the segregated U.S. Army's contributions rather than centering modern identity politics. Viewer reactions on IMDb note that racial aspects appear early but quickly yield to broader military history, with one reviewer dismissing claims of it being overly 'racial' as the coverage of the Hellfighters occupies a proportionate segment amid predominantly white units like the Big Red One. Executive produced by Robin Roberts, the series maintains a traditional documentary style emphasizing heroism, sacrifice, and historical turning points without heavy-handed lectures on systemic issues or contemporary analogies. The emphasis on lesser-known African American units reflects accurate historiography of WWI, where such stories were historically underrepresented, but does not dominate the plot or impose ideological framing. Themes remain balanced and story-driven, supporting the plot of American intervention without overt social commentary or forced diversity messaging that disrupts the focus on warfare and geopolitics. This results in noticeable but organic inclusion of diverse perspectives that align with factual military records rather than activist priorities.

Plot

The Great War is a 2024 History Channel two-night documentary event detailing America's involvement in World War I from 1917 to 1918. It follows General John J. Pershing as he builds and deploys the American Expeditionary Forces, young soldier Michael B. Ellis with the Big Red One regiment, and African American troops Henry Johnson and Horace Pippin of the Harlem Hellfighters. The series uses dramatic scenes, archival material, and historian interviews to show how the U.S. shifted from isolationism to decisive intervention, helping turn the tide against Germany and establishing America as a world power. It covers rapid training, trench combat, and key battles while weaving personal stories into the larger strategic and geopolitical narrative.