THE LAST DAYS OF WORLD WAR II, A&E Television Networks, $29.95.
The final year of World War II is well documented in this two-volume video presentation, which examines the conflict through expert commentary, black and white and color film footage, photographs, and interviews with American, German, and Russian soldiers, Holocaust survivors, and historians. Volume I, “Victory in Europe,” follows the decisive ground battles and strategic bombing campaign and features accounts of the Battle of the Bulge, the taking of Berlin, and the death of Adolf Hitler. It also covers the horrific revelations that came to light in the months after the war as the full magnitude of Nazi atrocities became known. Volume II, “The Spoils of War,” explores the Allies’ discovery of countless treasures looted by the Nazis, including works of art, gold bars, and coins hidden underground.