War, Conquest and the Loss of Cultures

Newsreels as Sources

Mar 01, 2022

Beyond the loss of life in war is the loss of culture: the bombings of historic buildings and museums; the destruction of artifacts, art, and crafts; the death of those with knowledge of heritage ways; and the annihilation of cultural meeting places and centers of knowledge. All are victims of war and its aftermath, particularly when a place is conquered by a differing culture.

Where we have them, newsreels can provide moving memory of what was lost. I thought I would share with you some primarily early twentieth-century newsreels that document parts of the world that are currently under attack or at the center of ongoing destructive division. I’m always surprised by how few views newsreels have on YouTube—free for all to watch, they are a wonderful way to experience history. Not only are you learning about the subject but, as newsreel companies were often government-subsidized, even the most innocuous ones reveal something of the beliefs and interest of those in power. The clips below are educational or straight archival footage rather than propaganda, but many (particularly the British Pathé ones) reinforce the “civilized us vs. primitive them” narrative that has been apparent in much journalism this week. Where I could I included films that directly talk about traditional textiles and handicrafts, but most just provide a general view of the people, places and culture.

It is important to remember that much of what you see in these films—the streets, the buildings, the ways of life—has since been irrevocably lost to war and forced cultural assimilation. Irreplaceable, they exist only in memory or on film.

AFGHANISTAN

KASHMIR

The first film below is the most overtly racist in this thread. The footage of Kashmir, the people and their lives is wonderful, but the voiceover is the epitome of British colonialism.