If your idea of a fun movie night includes also learning something, then you don’t want to miss our list of best history documentaries on YouTube. The best thing is that you can watch them in full length without having to pay any subscriptions.
I think history documentaries are in a bad place right now. The main problem is that filmmakers are looking to explore some of the bigger events of our history since those topics are appealing to the larger number of people. By doing so, they have a problem in telling the story that has been retold many times and in many different ways so it becomes hard for them to produce a unique documentary. When it comes to the less known parts of the history and historical events, filmmakers tend to run away from them thinking it wouldn’t gather enough attention from the viewership. Also, there is often less material to work with.
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There is also one more major problem for the filmmakers who are doing history documentaries. The people are not interested in history anymore as they were before. Just take History channel as an example. When the channel first started with the broadcast, they extensively covered topics related to World War II. They had also other tremendous educational history documentaries and series that were a pleasure to watch. After the ratings started going down, they have switched to a more different content. Now, when you turn on the History, there is a great probability you will stumble upon Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, and similar shows. Ok, if you tried reaaaally hard, you could find some historical content in these shows. But the truth is, these are reality shows that are for most parts staged. And these are even ok (I admit, they are sometimes my guilty pleasure) compared to the other content of History like shows about aliens, crocodile hunters and similar. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against these topics, but let’s face it, they have almost no ties to the history. They did, however, succeed in their goal, the ratings were up and people watch these things. So ultimately the History isn’t the one to blame, but the viewers. At least, the channel could be fair and rename itself into A Bit of History or something like that. Before we get back to our main topic, in case you are craving for a mix of history and conspiracy, take a look at our list of 11 Best Conspiracy Documentaries on YouTube.
For those of you who stayed with the article long enough, let’s see how we created our list of best history documentaries on YouTube. First, we took recommendations from multiple sources including Quora and Screen Junkies. Then, all the titles were checked for their availability on YouTube. Those that were available in full for free were ranked according to their rating from IMDb users. Are you ready to learn something today?
11. History of the World in 2 Hours
IMDb rating: 7.0
I think this documentary if the perfect way to kick off our list. It covers the key historical events starting from the formation of Earth, the emergence of humankind, the rise of ancient civilizations to the modern age. The documentary is perfect for anyone who wants to get a quick history lesson without spending much time. Most of the documentary is done in CGI combined with comments from history experts.
10. When the Moors Ruled in Europe
IMDb rating: 7.4
We are continuing our list of best history documentaries on YouTube with the documentary that talks about one of those parts of the history that are less explored. It takes the viewer back in the times when Moors ruled over Spain and Portugal. Moors is the name given to Muslims who inhabited the areas connected to the Mediterranean Sea like North Africa. The documentary talks about the 700 year period of their rule in the region with particular focus on the innovations and contribution of Moors to the Europe including technology and agricultural advancements. It also makes claims that the period of their ruling is largely viewed in the wrong way.
9. Atomic Cafe
IMDb rating: 7.7
Released in 1982 the documentary that ranks 9th in our list of best history documentaries on YouTube focuses on the nuclear warfare and its very beginnings. Atomic Cafe features a large collection of archival footage including government propaganda films from the 1940s to 1960s. These films supposed to ease the fears of the possible Nuclear War but they also contained instruction for behavior in case of the nuclear attack, which is a bit ironic when you think about it. One of the appeals of the documentary is its use of black humor in depicting the period.
8. Last Stand of the 300
IMDb rating: 7.8
This documentary ranks 8th in our list of best history documentaries on YouTube. It will remind you of those days when the History channel was good. It covers the Battle of Thermopylae, like the movie 300 directed by Zack Snyder, but from a bit more accurate perspective. The documentary uses scene reenactment and CGI technology to depict the battle of 300 Spartans lead by King Leonidas against an enormous army of Persians led by Xerxes. You will also be able to get an insight into the weapons used at the time and learn more about ancient war strategies and tactics.
7. Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
IMDb rating: 8.2
As you can figure from the title, this 4 part documentary made by PBS talks about the House of Medici, Italian family that rose to prominence in the 15th century. Medici became influential not only in Italy but in the whole of Europe and played a great part in starting off the Renaissance. The family also gave three Popes. The documentary follows the family’s rise from the humble beginnings to becoming one of Italy’s most powerful political forces.
6. The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara
IMDb rating: 8.2
This entry on our list of best history documentaries on YouTube was among the most recommended by our sources. The documentary explores the life of Robert S. McNamara, former U.S. Secretary of Defense under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. While talking about his life, McNamara also talks about the history events he witnessed, his involvements in World War II and Vietnam War while also discussing the nature of modern conflicts. This documentary won the Academy Award for the Best Documentary Feature in 2003.
5. Shoah
IMDb rating: 8.4
You have probably read lots of things about Holocaust and watched many documentaries about the subject, but this one offers a unique opportunity to get an intimate recollection of those terrifying events. The documentary ranks 5th in our list of best history documentaries on YouTube and it features interviews with holocaust survivors, witnesses and former Nazi soldiers. It is more than 9 hours long but it is well worth watching. One more thing that sets this documentary apart from others is the fact that it doesn’t use any archival footage.
4. Third Reich: The Rise & Fall
IMDb rating: 8.5
Another reminder of times when History produced good content, this two-part documentary tries to accurately depict the Nazi Germany and the life of people in it from the 1920s until the beginning of World War II. It covers a range of topics using archival footage like home made movies from the period and other archive material including personal letters and diaries.
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3. Liberty! The American Revolution
IMDb rating: 8.5
This entry on our list of best history documentaries on YouTube represents a 6-hour history lesson about American Revolution. Another PBS documentary in form of miniseries, it will guide you through Revolutionary War, from the events that influenced the beginning of the conflict until its end in 1783. Each episode covers a different period of the American Revolution and features scene reenactments and appearances from British and American historians alongside narration.
2. The Civil War
IMDb rating: 9.2
No, we didn’t start to put superhero movies on our lists. The Civil War directed by Ken Burns and once again produced by PBS talks about the American Civil War that lasted from 1861 to 1865 and stands as the bloodiest conflict in the history of the United States. Like our previous entry, this one also uses the similar tools to give the viewers a better insight into the events like scene reenactments, actors reading quotes and letters from the prominent figures of the conflict and comments from history experts.
1. World At War
IMDb rating: 9.2
I thought long and hard about featuring World at War on our list of best history documentaries on YouTube because it is 26 episodes long and I don’t know how many people have time for such a commitment. However, I decided to go with it, because you can find all the episodes on YouTube, it was frequently recommended and it has the best IMDb rating. The series was made in 1973 and covers World War II in such depth that is rarely seen from any other documentary or series. It starts from the 1920s exploring the causes of the World War II and finishes with covering the Cold War in the ’50s. The series is considered to be well ahead of its time so you should definitely check it out if you are remotely interested in World War II.
