8 Documentaries That Literally Changed The World

2. Triumph Of The Will Convinced Germany That The Rest Of The Country Supported Nazism

Just because a documentary changes the world doesn't mean that it necessarily has to do it in a positive way. Triumph Of The Will is a 1935 German documentary that exists as one of the most infamous pieces of propaganda ever created. The film was directed by Leni Riefenstahl, and chronicles the 1934 Nazi party Congress in Nuremberg. Throughout the film, there are speeches by Adolf Hitler, Rudolf Hess, Julius Streicher and various Nazi leaders. The film played a massive role in solidifying Hitler as an extremely powerful figure in the German popular consciousness, as well as perpetuating the idea that the Nazi party was something that was widely supported throughout the country. Aside from the immense effect it had on recruitment, it's also responsible for presenting the world with some of history's most iconic images of Nazism. If that's not enough, the film was also re-purposed in 1942 by Charles A. Ridley, a member of the British Ministry of Information. Ridley edited footage of Hitler and the Nazis to make it look as if they were dancing to The Lambeth Walk, a song from the 1937 musical Me And My Girl. Supposedly, this video was seen by Joseph Gobbels himself, angering him so much that he ran from the screening room kick chairs and swearing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4gVcHE2HcU