Using diagrams, cartoons and film footage, the film examines Japan's social structure and presents a geographical and historical basis for understanding Japan's and the United States' involvement in the war. A written prologue to the documentary acknowledges the honorable and loyal service of the Nisei (Japanese-Americans) during World War II. Scenes of Japanese ceremonies, industry, city and rural life, military training and combat are shown. The narration traces Japanese ideological history beginning with Emperor Jimmu, the first God-Emperor, whose divine command was "Let us extend our capital and cover the eight corners of the world under one roof." As Emperor Hirohito is a direct descendant of Jimmu, he is recognized as a God-Emperor and idealized as a ruler who governs all areas of life and is revered without question. Shinto is Japan's main religion and affects every aspect of life. For believers, the ghosts of the dead exist on earth to guide the living, and those who died in battle are considered warrior gods. A history of the Japanese warlords and their samurai, whose code of honor sanctioned treachery, doublecross and ambush, is presented. Japan's first unsuccessful attempt at world conquest was made in 1592. The growth of Christianity in Japan around the same time was eventually halted, and the country remained isolated for 200 years until in 1853, when the U.S. extended trade opportunities. Since then, Japan has modernized its technology, reorganized the political structure, and inducted the common man into prestigious military service. Government controlled compulsory education and "thought police," are used to manage the Japanese people. On 18 Sep 1931, Japan launched its campaign and gained control of Manchuria. Since then, it has conquered Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Nanking and Corregidor, has attacked Pearl Harbor and has tortured and mistreated its American and Filipino prisoners. By the close of the film, however, the U.S. is launching a successful counteroffensive and is concentrating the full power of its Air Force, Army and Navy to destroy Japan's ability to wage war.

A meek Belgian soldier (Harry Langdon) fighting in World War I receives penpal letters and a photo from "Mary Brown", an American girl he has never met. He becomes infatuated with her by long distance. After the war, the young Belgian journeys to America as assistant to a theatrical "strong man", Zandow the Great (Arthur Thalasso). While in America, he searches for Mary Brown... and he finds her, just as word comes that Zandow is incapacitated and the little nebbish must go on stage in his place.

As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe," who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby to impersonate "Doe." Ann and her bosses cynically milk the story for all it's worth, until the made-up "John Doe" philosophy starts a whole political movement.

An industrialist is urged to run for President, but this requires uncomfortable compromises on both political and marital levels.

On an ocean voyage, a librarian falls for a married man. After librarian Lulu Smith is accused by her patrons of having Spring fever, she spends her life savings on a cruise to Havana, during which she begins a romance with Bob Grover, a lawyer with political ambitions. After their return, Lulu becomes a clerical assistant for a newspaper, where she is pursued by brash reporter Al Holland. One night, several months into their affair, Bob comes to Lulu's apartment for dinner, bringing two Halloween masks with which they have a marvelous time playing. Their merriment is interrupted by a call from Al, whose proposal to Lulu prompts Bob to confess that he has an invalid wife whom he cannot leave. Lulu protests that she wishes to continue their affair, but Bob refuses to let her waste her life on him. They squabble, and Lulu throws him out without telling him she is pregnant. Time passes and Bob becomes district attorney, while Al becomes city editor of the newspaper. After Bob hires a detective, Marty, to find Lulu, the couple are reunited and Lulu introduces Bob to his daughter Roberta. Later, Lulu and Roberta are waiting to meet Bob, when Al suddenly appears. He is questioning her about Roberta when Bob arrives, and, in order to protect Bob's reputation, Lulu tells Al that the baby is Bob's adopted daughter and that she is her governess. In order to preserve the charade, Bob does adopt Roberta, taking her home the next day to present to his wife Helen, who is returning from a European rest cure. Helen is delighted with the child but questions Lulu's ability to care for her. Lulu runs out of the house, and when Bob follows her, she tries to tell him she is through with him but cannot. Soon after, Lulu goes to Al for a job and becomes the "advice to the lovelorn" columnist for his paper. Al pumps her for information about Bob and Roberta in order to write a story causing Bob's downfall, but Lulu refuses to say anything. As the years pass, Lulu still works for the paper, and Al, now the managing editor, is still pursuing her. Bob has been both a mayor and a congressman, but on the night he wins the nomination for governor, he becomes disheartened, ashamed of the hypocrisy of his double life. Lulu tries to talk him out of confessing the truth and ruining his career, but when it seems that she cannot succeed, she asks Al to marry her, hoping that will make Bob forget about her. On the night of Bob's election, however, Al tells her that he knows all about her, Bob and Roberta, and Lulu kills him to prevent him from publishing the story. A year later, Bob is on his deathbed, and Lulu, whom he had pardoned after a short jail term, comes to visit him. He shows her his new will, which tells the truth and leaves her half of his estate, but after he dies, she tears it up to protect him and Roberta, who is engaged to a socially prominent young man.

An American missionary is gradually seduced by a courtly warlord holding her in Shanghai.

Florence Fallon (Barbara Stanwyck) is outraged when her minister father is fired after many years of selfless service to make way for a younger man. She tells the congregation what she thinks of their ingratitude. Her bitter, impassioned speech impresses Bob Hornsby (Sam Hardy), who convinces her to become a phony preacher for the donations they can squeeze out of gullible believers. She builds up a devoted national following. Then she meets a blind John Carson (David Manners), falls in love, and the sham comes tumbling down.

Prelude to War was the first film of Frank Capra's Why We Fight propaganda film series, commissioned by the Pentagon and George C. Marshall. It was made to convince American troops of the necessity of combating the Axis Powers during World War II. This film examines the differences between democratic and fascist states.

Apple Annie is an aging New York City fruit seller whose daughter Louise has been raised in a Spanish convent since she was an infant. As she grows up, Louise is led to believe that her mother is a society matron called Mrs. E. Worthington Manville. Annie worries that her lie is in danger of being uncovered when she learns that Louise is sailing to New York with her new fiancé and his nobleman father.

British diplomat Robert Conway and a small group of civilians crash land in the Himalayas, and are rescued by the people of the mysterious, Eden-like valley of Shangri-la. Protected by the mountains from the world outside, where the clouds of World War II are gathering, Shangri-la provides a seductive escape for the world-weary Conway.

Longfellow Deeds lives in a small town, leading a small town kind of life. When a relative dies and leaves Deeds a fortune, Longfellow moves to the big city where he becomes an instant target for everyone. Deeds outwits them all until Babe Bennett comes along. When small-town boy meets big-city girl anything can, and does, happen.

Alice, the only relatively normal member of the eccentric Sycamore family, falls in love with Tony Kirby, but his wealthy banker father and snobbish mother strongly disapprove of the match. When the Kirbys are invited to dinner to become better acquainted with their future in-laws, things don't turn out the way Alice had hoped.

Mortimer Brewster, a newspaper drama critic, playwright, and author known for his diatribes against marriage, suddenly falls in love and gets married; but when he makes a quick trip home to tell his two maiden aunts, he finds out his aunts' hobby - killing lonely old men and burying them in the cellar!

Naive and idealistic Jefferson Smith, leader of the Boy Rangers, is appointed to the United States Senate by the puppet governor of his state. He soon discovers, upon going to Washington, many shortcomings of the political process as his earnest goal of a national boys' camp leads to a conflict with the state political boss.

This is one of seven major propaganda films made by the Department Of Defense during World War II, and it's directed by Frank Capra.
In this installment of the "Why We Fight" propaganda series, we learn about the country of China and its people. With a brief history of the country, we also learn of why the Japanese wanted to conquer it and felt confident about succeeding. Finally, the history of the war in that theatre is illustrated and shows the stiff determination of the Chinese who use all their resources to oppose Japanese aggression to the end.

A runaway heiress makes a deal with the rogue reporter trailing her but the mismatched pair end up stuck with each other when their bus leaves them behind.

乔治（詹姆斯•斯图尔特 James Stewart 饰）在圣诞节前准备自杀，这时上帝传来旨意，派天使拯救他，并让他了解到自己一生的使命——拯救那些不幸的人。乔治小时候左耳有疾，在贝德福德镇上的一家药店帮工。他很机灵，深得老板器重，同时也很招女孩喜欢。某日，老板接到爱子死亡的电报，悲痛欲绝，配错了药，幸亏乔治才化险为夷。乔治从小嫉恶如仇，尤其看不惯富人专横跋扈。长大后，乔治一表人才，准备去读大学。这时，他的父亲去世了，他子承父业，协助叔父料理公司事务。然而公司经营状况不佳，在董事会会议上面临破产。如果公司破产，小镇将会有很多家庭陷入困境。乔治力排众议，说服了董事会，但是条件是他要担任董事会秘书长。这与他的大学梦相去甚远。而且，此时他还陷入了对一个女孩的爱恋之中……