World War II With Tom Hanks: HistoryTV18 to Premiere 20-Part Documentary on September 1
HistoryTV18 is set to premiere World War II With Tom Hanks, a 20-part documentary series that revisits one of the most devastating conflicts in modern history through rare archival footage, personal accounts and insights from historians.
The series will premiere on Tuesday, September 1, at 9 PM, with new episodes scheduled to air every Monday and Tuesday at the same time on HistoryTV18.
Presented and narrated by two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, the documentary takes a fresh look at the Second World War, moving beyond battlefield victories and political decisions to explore the experiences of the soldiers and civilians caught in the conflict.
The series traces the war from Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939 through the eventual defeat of the Axis powers. Across 20 one-hour episodes, it covers major battles and turning points, including Stalingrad, Normandy, the Atlantic campaign, the Mediterranean and the Pacific theatre.
But the documentary also focuses on the human stories behind the war. It examines the Holocaust, civilian resistance, life on the home front and the role of espionage and code-breaking. The series also looks at the industrial power that helped determine the outcome of the conflict.
Key wartime figures including Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Erwin Rommel, Joseph Stalin, Hideki Tojo and Adolf Hitler feature prominently in the wider narrative. Their decisions are presented alongside the experiences of ordinary people across different countries and continents.
The documentary eventually moves into the final days of the war, the dawn of the atomic age and the uneasy relationship between former allies that eventually gave rise to the Cold War.
World War II With Tom Hanks has Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham among its executive producers. The series combines historical research with archival material to offer a broad look at how World War II changed global politics and everyday life.
World War II With Tom Hanks: Release Details
Premiere: September 1, 2026
Time: 9 PM
Channel: HistoryTV18
Format: 20-part documentary series
New Episodes: Monday and Tuesday at 9 PM
For viewers interested in military history, geopolitics and the stories of people who lived through the Second World War, the series offers a detailed look at the conflict and its lasting impact on the modern world.
