American Tomahawk planes being assembled in a hangar in England. Mechanics doing work. Lines of Tomahawks being assembled. Ferry pilot discussing plane with mechanics.
Men exit hatch of diving bell taken from ship of Atlantic convoy alongside in Iceland. Officer at pelorus. Surfaced submarine. Man signals semaphore. Chain pays out over rail. Officer at small range finder. Motor whale boat tows heavy line from side of ship. Men work with winches and other deck gear. Motor whale boat underway, very rough sea. Diver placed on platform and lowered over the side into water. Diver raised from water on platform and lowered to deck. Men enter large diving bell handing from cable alongside ship. Large diving bell sinking in the water.
Views of the Submarine tender USS Antaeus (AS-21) of Atlantic convoy, at anchor in Iceland, during World War 2, with about nine submarines tied up alongside. Scene shifts to a convoy underway in the Atlantic ocean. Various kinds of transport ships seen from time to time in the convoy. The U.S. New Mexico class battleship, USS Idaho (BB-42) passes to starboard of the camera ship. Scout planes are visible on her aft section. Scene shifts to camera ship, looking aft. A gun; a lifeboat on a davit; and a Curtiss SOC-1 scout-observation airplane are visible. A sailor watches as the USS Idaho passes to starboard. More transport ships are seen, low in the water. Camera pans aft, again, showing more of the camera ship, including covered guns in barbettes; two SOC-1 scout planes; the American flag; and behind that an anti-aircraft height finder. Scene shifts forward where officers are seen on upper deck with a gun barrel above their heads.Sailors on main deck prepare to deploy a float to recover a scout plane. Sailor stands on platform using semaphore flags to transmit a message. Barrel of a large gun in the foreground.View aft of a U.S. New Orleans class cruiser underway. Feet and legs of the semaphore signalman as he stands above the platform, on rungs of the circular railing at the signal station.
U.S. military troops and vehicles of Atlantic convoy on dock in Iceland. Army soldiers on docks. Scenes of dock area. Many AP and AK ships anchored in harbor. Man chops marker buoy loose from side of ship underway. (World War 2 period.)
Animated map of Pacific region shows sphere of Japanese influence and potential areas for Japan to control in the Southwest Pacific during World War 2. Majority of scenes are from before outbreak of World War 2. Final scenes of clip include invasion scenes. Clip begins with pre-war views of city life and streets of Manila, Philippines and Filipino people. Scene changes to Hong Kong under British, and scenes of port area and buildings near port. Chinese civilians on busy city streets of Hong Kong. Views of jungle areas in Malaysia. Views of buildings and temple landmarks in Bangkok, Thailand. A car and a rickshaw pass by with temples in background. Thai tanks and Thai soldiers marching through the streets of Bangkok as civilians watch soldiers in Thailand on parade. Aircraft in skies over Bangkok during parade. Scene changes to Makassar on Celebes and people on streets in city of Indonesia. Views of port of Singapore, pre-war. Elevated views of city of Singapore and City Council offices. Buildings and traffic along busy streets in Singapore. View of the General Post Office (GPO or Fullerton Building.) Scene changes to Sumatra with port views and three float planes of flying boat aircraft flying overhead in formation. Final scenes of clip focus on Japanese offensive maneuvers during World War 2: Japanese fleet at sea and Japanese aircraft in skies overhead. Japanese soldiers boarding landing craft from transports. View from inside Japanese landing craft of Japanese soldiers preparing to go ashore on a beach landing. Japanese soldiers invading an area in the Pacific under cover of naval bombardment. Japanese soldiers firing machine guns and rifles. Japanese infantry charging. Animated map of Pacific region. Japanese aircraft bombing Port Darwin in Australia.
French soldiers on coast in France. A tank moves in the city. French soldiers march toward front line. French medium tank Somua F-1933 passes across terrain. A man fires rifle. Wrecked tank seen. A jeep and motorcycle follow. Soldiers rest. French light tank Renault R-1933 moves across rough terrain. Wrecked tanks seen. French Army soldiers and officers check tanks. (World War II period).