The experiences of those interviewed in The War opened up perspectives not seen in other films about WWII. One striking point comes through in the narrator's discussion of Japan's plans to defend against invasion. The expected toll makes the decision to use the atom bomb appear as unavoidable common sense.
Pardon my following up the digression on Saving Private Ryan. I think it's a great film despite the story line flaws. A subtext plays out in the character of the sniveling journalist. This guy mistakenly puts on a German helmet when he's roped into going out with the platoon. He runs back and forth between American and German positions for shelter when caught up in his first combat. He's paralyzed with weeping weakness while the Jewish soldier struggles against the Superman caricature.
But eventually he recognizes evil embodied in the German who takes pleasure in killing Hanks' character after earlier being released from capture. Hanks' character dies to show us the journalist's change from fearful non-combatant to determined righteous killer. Spielberg's message in SPR is pro-war: despite the horror splashed in our faces in the D-Day scenes, the war was necessary to put an end to even greater horror. This movie and Schindler's List are like bookends.
