Delegates arrive in San Francisco for United Nations Conference for World Organization in San Francisco, California. U.S. President Truman arrives by airplane at the conference and is met by representatives from U.S. delegation including Stettinius. Delegates from other countries are also present and greet the President including Jan Smuts of South Africa and William Lloyd Mackenzie King of Canada. Views of presidential motorcade traveling through streets of San Francisco in a parade-like environment, with crowds lining the sidewalks and cheering. Delegates sign the United Nations Charter during the conference. First to sign is Dr. Wellington Koo from China, signing with a traditional Chinese brush. Also shown signing is Gromyko from the Soviet Union, Lord Halifax from Great Britain, and the delegation from France led by acting delegation chairman Joseph Paul-Boncour. Next is Edward Stettinius and Senator Tom Connally, Senator Arthur Vandenberg, Commander Harold Stassen, from the United States. U.S. President Harry S. Truman addresses the general assembly. Representatives of different nations like Lord Halifax of Great Britain, Mackenzie King of Canada, Jan Christian Smuts of South Africa, Andrei Gromyko of Russia and Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru of India can be seen. Flashback to President Franklin D Roosevelt, shortly before his death, addressing Congress about the coming San Francisco Conference. Roosevelt speaks, expressing his hope that Congress and the American People would "accept the results of this conference as the beginning of a permanent structure of peace, upon which we can begin to build, under God, that better world in which our children and grandchildren -- yours and mine - children and grandchildren of the whole world -- must live and can live."
Sir Robert Borden, Prime Minister of Canada, spends a day with the Dominion troops of Canada, famous for their conquering of Vimy Ridge during World War 1. Scene of the field (likely near Shorncliffe). Soldiers train and drill, advancing on a battlefield, running and lying down prone to ready rifles and bayonets. Near barracks, they gather and listen to an address from Sir Robert Borden. Canadian Army soldiers raise hats and cheer.
The major political events in North America. The inauguration of Harry Truman as President of the U.S. People gather in a large number to watch the new President. Scenes from the inauguration dinner, as President Truman makes fun of and mocks the radio commentator H.V. Kaltenborn who forecast that Dewey would defeat Truman. In humor, President Truman imitates Mr. Kaltenborn and the gathered crowd laughs and claps. View of Canada's Louis Saint Laurent as he succeeds MacKenzie King as Prime Minister in Canada. Buildings in the area. People gather in a hall and applaud.
Struggle for American independence, and border between Canada and United States. Sketches of Catholic clergy reaching out to bind Canadian farmers with the cause of the American colonists in some cases, but more often to the British. Failure of American propaganda campaign in Canada. Sketches at Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. Movement of captured British artillery to positions around Boston by the American colonists. Sketches of George Washington and John Hancock, as well as Ben Franklin. Sketch of colonists debating the first Declaration of Independence around time of American Revolution. Communication of the Declaration of Independence to the colonists. Sketches of rejoicing crowds of colonists. With commentary and narration by J. Frank Willis.
Struggle for American independence and the border between Canada and America. Sketches of British General Burgoyne in its efforts to defeat the American colonists and meet General Howe in Albany. Review of Burgoyne's campaign and his enlistment of indians against the colonists. Map shows battle strategy from Quebec to New York. British prisoners. Surrender of Burgoyne to American General Gates at Saratoga. General George Washington's efforts against the British. Washington's troops at Valley Forge in winter with inadequate resources. Benjamin Franklin as envoy in Paris with King Louis XVI convinced to aid the American cause. Addition of Spain and the Netherlands in the struggle against British rule in America. Discussion of the French and the Americans both with their sights set on winning Canada also. With commentary and narration by J. Frank Willis.
Actor Raymond Massey talks about the nation's need for defense against possible air attack. He walks to a large wall map depicting North America and discusses joint efforts of Canada and the United States to establish an effective air defense system for North America. On the map, lines of radar stations are shown: The DEW line;Mid Canada line; and the Pine Tree line. Other radar installations are highlighted along East and West coasts on land, on towers in the ocean, on picket ships and on picket aircraft. Sites of the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) network of radars, computer systems, and aircraft command and control equipment are depicted on the U.S. part of the map. The headquarters of NORAD (North American Air Defense Command) at Colorado Springs, Colorado is highlighted. Massey points to models of intercepter missiles and long range bombers, on his desk, and discusses their employment. He then speaks of an intricate communications system to tie everything together. This is depicted on the animated map. Views of men laying telephone cable. Underground view of telephone cables. View of telephone microwave tower. Telephone poles and lines along a rural road. A mother and child telephoning the father long distance. Office workers using telephones. Teletype machines and television communications. A ship laying telephone cable at sea.Map depicts lines of communication provided by undersea cables. views of emergency supplies and equipment available in times of disaster. Downed power lines being repaired. Men at a large emergency diesel generator. Underground communication cables being installed by team of tracked vehicles. Remote lines of communication away from possible targets are depicted.