World War Two: The Magnum Opus of Digital History
If The Great War was the pilot, World War Two was the main event. Launching on September 1, 2018—exactly 79 years after the German invasion of Poland—this channel represented the culmination of everything we learned at OnLion. It was not just a sequel; it was a declaration that independent, crowdfunded educational content could rival major television productions in scale, depth, and quality.
Independence and the TimeGhost Army
Unlike our previous work which was produced for a network, World War Two was 100% independent, produced by OnLion Entertainment and funded directly by our audience, the TimeGhost Army. This independence was crucial. It meant we were beholden to no advertisers or corporate boards when covering the most sensitive and horrific events in human history. We could tell the truth, however dark, without censorship.
Beyond the Battlefield: “War Against Humanity”
The defining innovation of this channel was our refusal to sanitize the war. We recognized that World War II was not just a military conflict, but a systematic assault on human dignity. To address this, we created “War Against Humanity,” a standalone sub-series hosted by Spartacus Olsson.
While Indy Neidell covered the troop movements and political maneuvering in the weekly episodes, Spartacus chronicled the Holocaust, the Porajmos, and the atrocities in China and the East. This separation ensured that the victims were never treated as mere footnotes to a battle map. It is a testament to our commitment to “Never Again”—not just as a slogan, but as an educational mandate.
A Global Scope
We expanded our narrative lens significantly. We didn’t just cover the European theater; we covered the Sino-Japanese War (which we started covering before 1939 in Between 2 Wars), the Pacific, Africa, and the often-ignored fronts in South America and the Middle East. Special series like “Pearl Harbor Minute by Minute” brought a forensic level of detail to pivotal moments, breaking them down with a granularity never before seen on YouTube.
The Marathon Completed
On September 2, 2024, we crossed the finish line. For six years, we never missed a week. We lived through the war in real-time alongside our audience, creating a living archive that will stand for decades. We proved that a dedicated team of historians and creators, supported by a passionate community, could build the most comprehensive documentary series on the Second World War ever produced.
Project Highlights:
- Production Company: OnLion Entertainment
- Original Run: September 1, 2018 – September 2, 2024
- Hosts: Indy Neidell (Main Series), Spartacus Olsson (War Against Humanity), Astrid Deinhard (Executive Producer).
- Key Series: Week by Week, War Against Humanity, Spies & Ties, Pearl Harbor Minute by Minute.
- Innovation: Fully independent, crowdfunded, and split narrative (Military vs. Crimes Against Humanity).