The Century: America's Time — Season 1, Episode 2: 1914-1919: Shell Shock

Episode synopsis

The psychological damage inflicted by the stupefying bombardments of World War I was called shell shock, a term that aptly described the feeling of the post-war world. This program illustrates America’s reluctant emergence as a world power and analyzes the impact of the wholesale sense of loss – of life, of husbands and fathers, and of sacred ideals such as honor, patriotism, and glory – that sprang from "the war to end all wars."

About The Century: America's Time

The Century: America's Time is a 15-part series of documentaries produced by the American Broadcasting Company on the 20th century and the rise of the United States as a superpower. The documentary originally aired on The History Channel in 1999. Another earlier series, simply called "The Century" also produced by ABC, appeared on the ABC network in 1999, and also later appeared on the History Channel. It consists of six two-hour shows with each chronicling two different events based around a common theme.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1The Beginning: Seeds of Change
• E31920-1929: Boom to Bust
• E41929-1936: Stormy Weather
• E51936-1941: Over the Edge
• E61941-1945: Civilians at War (2 parts)
• E71941-1945: Homefront
• E81946-1952: Best Years
• E91953-1960: Happy Days
• E101960-1964: Poisoned Dreams
• E111965-1970: Unpinned
• E121971-1975: Approaching the Apocalypse
• E131976-1980: Starting Over