of War's Bureau of Public Relations, had hoped that the series would be effective enough to allow similar kinds of army films to be shown to the general public. Surles saw that goal to be realized when US President Franklin Roosevelt watched Prelude to War, the most successful of the seven. Roosevelt considered it so important that he ordered its distribution in civilian arenas for public viewing. However, some objections were raised against the series due to its persuasiveness. Lowell Mellett, coordinator of government films and aide to Roosevelt, saw the films as dangerous. He was most concerned with the effect that the series would have after the war was over and the "hysteria" that it would create in its wake. At least 54 million Americans had seen the series by the end of the war, and studies were done to gauge the impact of the films. However, results were inconclusive and so the effectiveness of the series is still in question. Legacy Created by the US Army Pictorial Services, the films are in the public domain, and all of them are available for download on the Internet Archive. In 2000 the US Library of Congress deemed the films "culturally significant" and selected them for preservation in the National Film Registry. List of films Other Capra World War II films Capra was involved in a number of other World War II propaganda films that were not part of the Why We Fight series. He directed or co-directed the following films: Tunisian Victory (1944, 75 min) – co-directed with John Huston, Anthony Veiller, Hugh Stewart and Roy Boulting Know Your Enemy: Japan (1945, 63 min) – co-directed with Joris Ivens Here Is Germany (1945, 52 min) Two Down and One to Go (1945, 32 min) Capra also produced the 43-minute film The Negro Soldier (1944), directed by Stuart Heisler. Capra also directed, uncredited, the 13-minute 1945 military training film Your Job in Germany, written by Dr. Seuss. See also List of Allied propaganda films of World War II Propaganda in the United States War film List of films in the public domain in the United States References Notes Bibliography . . . . . . . External links Why We Fight essay by Thomas W. Bohn at National Film Registry Why We Fight essay by Daniel Eagan in America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National