Animated map illustrates Nazi takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1939. St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. Italian Destroyer, RN Camicia Nera, in Albanian harbor, during Italian invasion. Italian troops marching along Albanian pier. Italian troops entering Albania on bicycles; in trucks;and L3 tankettes. President Franklin Roosevelt writing letters to Hitler and Mussolini, requesting them to respect independence of 33 European countries. Hitler addressing the Bundestag making fun of Roosevelt's letter, and delegates laughing and applauding. Goering and Goebels are seen present.
A large number of passengers aboard the ocean liner SS Manhattan (later USS Wakefield) in the United States. Scene from January 10,1938 as the USS Manhattan returns from her Europe trip. A large number of passengers aboard the ship. U.S. Ambassador to Nazi Germany, William E. Dodd, is interviewed by media persons about his Europe trip. He declares that living in Europe at the time is discouraging and there is crisis in Europe as German Nazism and Fascism are gaining ground everywhere. In next shot, from 1939, the ship is underway and arriving at New York Harbor on September 30, 1939, carrying 1837 persons, its largest passenger count ever. The passengers include many Americans from overseas fleeing war-torn Europe early in World War 2. A sign on the ship: 'Manhattan United States Lines'. The passengers in mass numbers at a harbor. The Statue of Liberty in the background.
Adolf Hitler and Hermann Goering walk together up the steps of Hitler's Berghof residence in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany. Inside the two walk about and converse. Views of them in several different rooms of the building. Hitler and Goering silhouetted against the large windows in one room, containing a long table and a world globe. Change of scene showing Nazi foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, being greeted by Soviet Union Minister of Foreign affairs, Vyacheslav Molotov, in Moscow, Russia, where they negotiated a Nazi–Soviet non-aggression pact (also called the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact) in August 1939. Von Ribbentrop is seen seated with Soviet negotiators. Various newspapers reflect mixed world wide views. Some question whether war or peace is ahead. Another notes that the Reichstag supports the diplomatic initiative. Another suggests that England and France must decide. One headline says Chamberlain will want war. Next, Polish forces are seen on parade being reviewed by General Władysław Bortnowski. Among forces parading are mounted cavalry, marching infantry, a formation of PZL P.11 fighter planes, Tk-3 tankettes (Tankietka), 120 mm wz. field guns, CP7 Ursus artillery tractors pulling wagons, antiaircraft guns mounted on trucks, and army trucks carrying soldiers. Scene shifts to German airmen loading bombs on aircraft; arming machine guns; refueling; and testing functionality of aircraft elements, such as turrets. Pilot in cockpit as engines start on a Dornier Do 17 bomber. Ground crew pull chocks and aircraft taxis out. A Heinkel He 111 bomber taxiing. Two of them take off. A Do 17 takes off, followed by more He 111s. Closeup of one flying low over the camera on takeoff. A mixed formation of German aircraft aloft, including several fighters flying top cover; nine Dornier Do 17s; and other bombers. Aerial closeup of a Do 17 seen from adjacent wingman. Closeup of several He 111s in formation. Closeup of gunner in turret. View from above of three camouflaged Do 17s flying far below. Closeup of pilot in cockpit of He 111 with wingman off to left side. More views of Do 17s flying over patchwork of farmlands. Gunner preparing in his turret. Clouds from antiaircraft fire seen from plane cockpit. Bombs falling and exploding on city below. Succession of bomb craters in a line across a flat area of land. View from aircraft of damaged Polish aircraft on an airfield. Scenes of devastation on the ground including destroyed buildings and Polish aircraft. Waves of German Junkers Ju 87 (Stuka) dive bombers taking off; in formation; and peeling off to dive on targets. View from cockpit of one, through rotating propeller, as it dives to bomb a railroad marshaling yard, and view back as it pulls out, showing clouds of smoke rising in its wake. Several German officers peruse damage at rail site. Destroyed Bridge and shipyard. The German battleship, Schleswig-Holstein bombarding the Polish base at Danzig's Westerplatte on September 1st, 1939. German artillery firing in Poland. Formation of Do 17 bombers overhead. Damaged and abandoned wooden wagons at side of road traveled by Polish civilians evacuating in a horse-drawn wagon and herding their cattle to safety. Destroyed Polish artillery and equipment and horses during German invasion. Men dig graves and bury dead Polish soldiers. Vies from air of bombed out part of Warsaw. Polish citizens gathered in places seeking assistance. German forces on parade in Warsaw, including German soldiers goosestepping. Closeups of Adolf Hitler reviewing them.
Film opens with a map of Europe showing black-shaded region of the Soviet Union, and pointing out Germany and Finland. Next, are shown moving images of rural buildings on fire in Finland, late in 1939, during the Russo-Finish war (or "Winter War"). (The Narrator comments that Finland's population was only 4 million while that of the soviets was 180 million.) Soviet bombers are seen high in the sky. A lone woman hurries along a street in Helsinki, Finland, past rubble of a bombed building. Smoke rises in the background. Finnish fire fighters man a hose to fight numerous huge fires in Helsinki.Various views of fires blazing in the capital.
Film opens showing German Army forces entering an Austrian city (possibly Vienna) in the so-called Anschluss of 1938. Crowds lining the sidewalks are welcoming. Some render the Nazi salute. Scene shifts to King Zog, of Albania reviewing a contingent of his troops marching across a field. He salutes them. Next, an Italian Navy destroyer is seen entering a port in Albania, during the Italian invasion of 1939. Italian troops disembarking from a ship in Albania. Closeup of Italian soldiers in formation on the dock. Italian armored cars moving along an Albanian street. Spectators watch quietly from sidewalks. Italian armor and trucks raising dust on a rural road. Italian troops in open trucks moving along a city street. Closeups of them. Italian troops and trucks moving along a rural road through farm country. Adolf Hitler addresses the Reichstag (meeting in the Kroll Opera House) about the invasion of Poland in 1939. View of silhouetted arms and hands raised up in front of camera position in Nazi salute to Hitler during the speech.
Past events show German invasions during World War II. German flags in view. German soldiers march. German planes fly in formation during Nazi Party rally at Luitbold Arena in Nuremberg Germany. Adolf Hilter salutes a parade as armored cars and German soldiers pass by. German Luftwaffe aircraft pass overhead in formation during a rally. Comparison shot shows German Wehrmacht army soldiers marching in close ranks, followed by a close up shot of United States Army soldiers marching in close ranks. Both shots shows large numbers of marching soldiers close-up. German Chancellor Adolf Hitler in discussion with Hermann Goering (Göring). They approach a map and then turn their backs. British soldier on lookup watches the sky over London for signs of German bombing raid as parliament buildings and the River Thames are seen in the background. Elevated view of city center, streets, bridges and Russia Orthodox Church in the Soviet Union; possibly Moscow. View of the United States Capitol building in Washington DC. Animated map shows the German positions. Aerial view of devastation from German Luftwaffe bombing of Poland on September 1, 1939. Damaged buildings and houses in Poland due to German bombing in World War II. Polish civilians lined up. Polish people near wrecked horse cart and equipment. Polish citizens carry dead bodies on litters and dig graves for citizens killed in bombing. British people near Big Ben and Parliament buildings on September 3, 1939, the date England declared war against Germany. In London, British children walking toward railroad station near signs that read "To Evacuation Trains", to be evacuated from the London area for safety during the war. Scenes of anguished citizens in England and in France saying goodbye to loved ones including boys and girls being evacuated to safety away from cities, and French women saying goodbye and kissing French soldiers. Close-up view of a French child's arm band with his name and other identifying information, as he leaves in an evacuation. Men leaving for war service. They hug and embrace with emotion. Women wave handkerchiefs at a bus departing with children, then weep. German soldiers march invading Denmark and Norway in April 1940. Sad civilians flee in trucks.