VE Day (Victory in Europe) May 8, 1945. From the White House, in Washington DC, President Truman announces that Germany has surrendered, bringing World War 2 in Europe to an end. Americans are seen celebrating the good news in the streets of downtown, Manhattan, New York City. Crowds on Wall Street and cheering on steps and in front of statue of George Washington at Federal Hall. Ticker tape falls on Wall Street. View of Trinity Church between tall buildings. Cheering crowd fills Times Square. Many in the crowd are soldiers, sailors and other military servicemen in uniform. American flags are seen on buildings and some carried by people in the crowd.
The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial original statue during its unveiling ceremony at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia on November 10, 1951 (This is after the statue had been moved from its original Constitution Avenue location in Washington DC in 1947, and subsequently renovated under sculptor de Weldon's supervision while it was in Quantico.). A sign on the memorial reads "Uncommon valor was a common virtue, 1945." Next scenes show sculptor Felix de Weldon as he works to build the larger Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, which was dedicated in November 1954. Felix de Weldon measuring a model of the flag raising on Iwo Jima made by him. de Weldon and others on his team work to carve the large war memorial in plaster before it is cast in bronze. Views of the sculpted faces of the six Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima: Faces of John Bradley, Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes, Franklin Sousley, Harlon Block and Michael Strank. Brief glimpse of the original flag raising scene on Mount Suribachi in February 1945. Next scene, circa 1954 or 1955, shows the completed Marine Corps War Memorial in bronze, in Arlington Virginia, with Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial landmarks of Washington DC in the background. Close-up views of faces of a young boy, an elderly woman, and a middle aged man who removes his hat. American flag fluttering in the breeze atop the war memorial.
President Harry S Truman holds his last official cabinet meeting in Washington DC. The President with his cabinet team seated around a table. He is presented with a chair at the head of the table. Plate on chair reads 'The President April 1945.' New York: President-elect Dwight D Eisenhower with his future official family poses for pictures. The future President with his cabinet seated and standing.
Views of the crowning ceremony at the Miss America beauty pageant in 1945, and winner Bess Meyerson on stage. Next scene shows Bess Myerson years later as Commissioner of Consumer Affairs for New York City enters a car, car on road on streets of Manhattan, New York City. View of New York City buildings from a moving car. Views of various consumer goods, with price tags on them, people buying. Views of manual cash registers ringing up totals. Views of consumers in markets, stores, and supermarkets. Views of Consumer rights protection office, men and women at work. Women and men on phone. Consumer protection officer at a store, checking different food items. Views of items in butcher or meat department. Interior of a laboratory, food items are tested. Officials working in an office. Commissioner of Consumer Affairs in her office, various items on her desk. View of many different grocery items moving on a checkout belt toward a store cash register. Store worker lifts paper grocery bag and hands it to shopper. Consumer Affairs Commissioner walking on streets of New York City and greeting a woman passing by.
The life of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur from 1945 to 1951. General Douglas with other officers in Korea during the Korean War. Soldiers battle with the Chinese on the Korean Front. MacArthur in a jeep studies a map. A motorcade in San Francisco. Large crowds welcome MacArthur. MacArthur in an open car waves at the people. Mrs MacArthur in an open car with other women. MacArthur makes a speech expressing his gratitude towards his wife. The MacArthur family in an open car. Gen. MacArthur delivers a speech at the Joint session of Congress in Washington DC as he completes his 52 years of service, including famous line, "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away." The audience applauds. Sergeant Stuart Quinn of the U.S. Army talks about General MacArthur.
'The Big Picture' depicts the life of U.S. General Dwight D Eisenhower. Sergeant Stuart Queen of the U.S. Army stands in front of a map. He gives an introduction of Eisenhower. In 1945 Eisenhower returns to his homeland in Denison, Texas. A banner reads 'Welcome IKE'. People gather on the sides of the streets to welcome him. He waves from an open car at the cheering crowds. People at parade carry the U.S. flags during a ceremony. Eisenhower salutes. D Day, June 6, 1944- Barges carrying American troops land on the shore of Normandy. Eisenhower with another military officer. Eisenhower salutes. Streets of the city Abilene. Exterior of the Eisenhower Museum. Two boys enter the museum. Pictures of Eisenhower in his childhood - during infancy, house in which he was born, Eisenhower with a group of children, Eisenhower with his family, with his baseball and football team. View of Eisenhower's bedroom- scripture readings on the walls and books in the shelves. A truck passes the creamery where Eisenhower worked in his spare time. Pictures of Eisenhower leaving home to join the Military Academy at West Point. Cadets marching at the grounds of the military academy. Graduation Certificate of Eisenhower. Eisenhower with his wife Mamie Geneva Doud. Fight in Western Europe during the World War I. Picture of Eisenhower with other cadets. The certificate of the Distinguished Service Medal presented to Eisenhower for his services for training tank crews in Pennsylvania.