Opening scene shows German submariners taking "victory" shower baths. Versenkungswimpel (kill pennants) wave from a U-boat, showing tonnage of each ship sunk, as it returns to St. Nazaire, in World War 2. A seagull bird flies overhead. Officers are seen on the conning tower of a submarine, containing painted images of two satyrs flailing at each other. View forward,from conning tower of a submarine, as it moves on the surface. It displays banners reading "4500." Closeup profile silhouettes of two crewmen. The sun is low in sky. A sailor using semaphore flags signals to a submarine. View of crewmen crowding its conning tower, waving. This boat displays two kill pennants, a Kriegsmarine ensign flag, and a homemade flag reading "Ferner Liesen." It also displays flags with silhouettes of the two ships it sank. Along its deck are souvenir name plates and life preservers from those ships. The returning submarines are welcomed by a military band playing on the wharf. Crewmembers lined up on deck wave back. The boat's captain salutes as he is welcomed by Admiral Karl Doenitz (Dönitz), Commandant of the German U-boat fleet. Several women present flowers to the U-boat captain, as his crew stands on its deck, behind them. The women then give some to the crew members, as well. The crew leaves the boat deck. Closeup of the Captain saluting. Crew members seen being warmly greeted on the shore. One submariner drinks from a bottle of beer. Crew members seen standing on deck of U-boat as it moves toward, and enters steel reinforced concrete pen. View of maintenance being performed on hull of a submarine, inside the pen. A torpedo being loaded by crane and chains, into a submarine. Canned goods, supplies, being loaded into the U-boat.
Vichy French newsreel (produced in German occupied France) "France Libre Actualities," with English audio dub, shows the plans and preparation made by the Germans for the campaign in North Africa during World War II. Animated map shows the territories occupied by the Allies and the Axis powers during the war. View then shifts to action of German troops in a battlefield in Caucasus region and Soviet Union. Explosions and gun fire. The map shows the German Army troops entering Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. German artillery, aircraft and infantry in action. A number of German tanks advance in a counter offensive near Stalingrad. German Luftwaffe aircraft in flight. Damaged German aircraft on the ground. Russian and German troops battle in extreme cold conditions with tanks firing at the enemy. A fleet of aircraft in flight. Troops on horseback and foot.
An animated map showing Dieppe, France. Illustrates unsuccessful landing strategy of British and Canadian Army Forces. Views of Dieppe, German artillery and guns in fortifications firing at incoming Allied soldiers. German soldiers run from underground fortification to reach trench firing positions where they fire at incoming British forces. German officer watches with binoculars. A British ship in ocean, several airplanes flying over and bombs dropped over the town. German anti-aircraft guns firing at British aircraft. German soldiers in place on streets of Dieppe remain at the ready. Views of explosion on roads of town and German forces attacking British forces that have come ashore on a landing craft.
Outtakes from the Memphis Belle documentary movie. Combat missions of B-17 aircraft in France. Top turret of B-17 firing. Large aerial formation of B-17s. Interior of the Memphis Belle B-17. Appears to be Pilot Captain Robert Morgan at controls and views of tail gunner, Staff Sgt John P. Quinlan. Aerial formation of B-17s. B-17s leaving vapor trails behind. Aerial views of coastline. (World War II period).
Operation "Rutter,"(aka Operation Jubilee) the ill-fated Allied raid on Dieppe, France, conducted by the Canadian 2nd Infantry Division and British Commandos plus some Inter-allied commandos, during World War 2. Map highlighting Dieppe. Low-flying British Royal Air Force Spitfire aircraft attacking German positions. German gunners firing heavy field gun from a grove of trees. Batteries of German antiaircraft guns firing from positions in hillsides. Explosions close to the camera. Fortified German gunners firing quad 2 cm Flakvierling 38 antiaircraft gun. A German 8.8 cm Flak 18 antiaircraft gun in operation. Explosions on the beachhead. German soldiers at roadside, one with a hand grenade. Another huge explosion near the camera. View from inside fortified German position, as soldier fires MG42 machine gun. View through window of building as bomb or shell explodes close by. View of Allied beachhead in disarray as Allied raiders are taken prisoners of war. Several are ambulatory wounded and another is carried on a stretcher. A German Junkers Ju 88 bomber overhead, bombs an allied ship at the waterfront. Wounded Allied soldiers lying on the beach with knocked out Churchill tank and a burning landing craft behind them. Abandoned landing craft on the beach. A larger ship afire. Allied soldiers being gathered up by German soldiers. One gives a drink to an Allied soldier in a landing craft. Remnants of Allied forces being escorted as prisoners of war along a road with seaside Church of Notre-dame-de-bon-secours in the background. Some prisoners are barefoot. One is carried on a litter. Burning landing craft on the beach. Canadian soldiers march with hands raised. Views of damage to buildings in Dieppe, from bombing and shelling. Canadian prisoners of war being escorted by German guards through town. View from high point overlooking Dieppe, showing the town, with smoke rising in places, and the beach with Allied boats and equipment strewn on it.
U.S. Army Air Force armorers ride atop bombs on trolleys, being pulled by a tug on an airfield in England during World War 2. Airmen gather around a bomb as one writes in chalk, "To Schicky (referring to Hitler family, Schickelgruber) this is only the start, Love, L.E.Z." Views of Airmen rolling bombs on carts under a B-17E aircraft. View from inside a B-17 as ground crews look up through open bomb bay doors. B-17 combat crewmen walking and riding bicycles, to attend a mission briefing. Inside the assembled aircrews are briefed by a British RAF officer, who says, "We're going to work. The target is XZ 462." He goes on providing details to be followed by aircrews. The crews leave the briefing room. Next, B-17s are seen taxiing out for takeoff. The lead aircraft is "Yankee Doodle" piloted by Brigadier General Ira Eaker. Another is "Stinky." Next is "Little Skunk Face."And the last one "Berlin Sleeper." Ground crews watch as the B-17 bombers take off and assemble into formation overhead. Views from inside a B-17 as bombs fall and its gunners fight off German fighter planes. Bombs seen falling and exploding on the ground and raising clouds of smoke. Glimpse of gunners firing at attacking German aircraft. Narrator states there is anti-aircraft fire all around them, that jolts the aircraft. The B-17s assemble in formation for the flight home. Back at the base, some wait atop the tower for the returning aircraft. General Ira Eaker, Chief of the U.S. VIII Bomber Command, steps from a returning aircraft, and greets Major General Carl Spaatz, Commander of the 8th Air Force. Final scene shows Brigadier General Eaker, smoking a cigar and surrounded by civilian and military reporters. ( Note: Reportedly, the B-17 "Stinky" crash landed in Athenry Co Galway Ireland on the 15th January 1943 with General Jacob Devers and a party of other Generals onboard, but none were injured and and all arrived safely at 2AM the same day, in Belleek, Northern Ireland.)