American and French soldiers return to camp after armistice brings end to fighting in World War I. Soldiers return to camps from the battle field. Soldiers gather and cheer. American and French forces hug and shake hands at the end of the war. U.S. Army troops exchange caps with the French soldiers. Soldiers hold each other in celebration. Soldiers smile and dance together. Soldiers play music and dance at the celebration.
Scenes of Soviet forces preparing for battle in Leningrad, Russia against the siege by German forces during World War 2. A large procession of Soviet soldiers walking in the snow near the Palace Square. They proceed past the Narva Triumphal Gate. A contingent of uniformed soldiers marches by the gate. A group of soldiers kneels at the tombstone of 18th Century Russian Generalissimo Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, famous for never losing a battle. One soldier kisses a revolver. Outside in the snow, Russian troops assemble before a flag being the image of Lenin. The soldiers all kneel as past glories are recounted (brief clips of fictional films showing Russian heroes like Alexander Nevsky and others). The Soviet soldiers stand again and march, singing, in the snow. Ordinary citizens march in the snow towards the Narva Triumphal Arch or Gate. Russian troops in uniform march past the Gate. One Russian soldier pulls a sled behind him. A large contingent of ski troops marches, carrying snow skis over their shoulders, followed by a contingent of paratroopers, in winter white camouflage jump suits. More Soviet soldiers in white camouflage march carrying snow skis. A contingent of Russian ski troops marches in the snow, dressed in white camouflage outfits.
German invasion of Estonia in World War 2. Film opens showing German artillery batteries firing 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 18 or sFH 18 (heavy field howitzers) at zero elevation from hills overlooking a river valley. Next, some troops and equipment are seen crossing a pontoon bridge, and others walk across an ordinary undamaged bridge over a stream. One German soldier checks for enemies under the bridge, as some motorcycles drive past. In a field, German soldiers watch, as others fire a 75mm field piece (7.5-cm Feld Kanone) downward from a hill overlooking a pond, some farm houses and trees. Scene shifts to shell exploding on a building in a village, causing dense white smoke to rise. German infantry firing and moving cautiously among trees at side of road. Others, firing from shelter in a ditch near pile of heavy timbers. Several duck down in a ditch under a Signpost pointing to Pankjavilsa-18Km and to Trboska-11Km, in opposite direction.Residential houses are behind them. They advance from that spot. Two German soldiers move near a damaged bus and burned wood. One throws a hand grenade that explodes in foundations of an old stone house. A pair of German soldiers fires a machine gun. Several German troops jump into an inflated rubber raft and paddle across a river. a damaged wooden bridge is behind them. View from above, of troops in several rafts. Some pass by a tall seemingly undamaged bridge. Views of several shelters in a field, that appear to be improvised by German soldiers. Troops standing on a dock as a large barge arrives, carrying light armored cars (Leichter Panzerspähwagen) of SdKfz series, which they offload and drive away. Other troops cross several sets of parallel railroad tracks. Views of destroyed rail cars. In a town,itself, one house in a block has been totally destroyed. and is on fire. Several civilians huddle near a doorway and one walks slowly across the street. Two dead horses lay in the street. German soldiers moving at intersection of a dusty road. Some ride bicycles. Some ride in a light utility car (Volkswagen Kübelwagen). A heavier army utility car is parked at the intersection. Next, a long line of German soldiers is seen riding bicycles. Change of scene shows a dozen German soldiers riding atop a Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun. It is followed by a light halftrack (SdKfz 7) with a canvas cover and soldiers riding in an army utility vehicle. Final scene shows an 18 Ton Half-Track, Schwerer Zugkraftwagen (Sd. Kfz. 9) "Famo," raising lots of dust as it drives along a dirt road. It is camouflaged with tree branches and is towing a 15 cm sFH 18 field gun.
Film opens showing map of Czechoslovakia and various sections perceived early in World War 2. View of military ceremony with German swastika flag being raised over newly occupied Czechoslovakian territory. Momentary glimpse of Nazi flag flying in snow covered mountains, and mountain troops nearby. Map is shown again, this time highlighting Czech Republic – Slovakia (Tschecho – Slowakei). Closeup of that area is labeled Sudete Germans (Sudete Deutsche). Next are views of German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler, British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, Benito Mussolini, Italian Premier, and French Prime Minister, Édouard Daladier, each signing the accords acquiescing to Hitler’s demands concerning the annexation of the Sudetenlands. (The Munich Agreement.) View of German newspaper announcing the pact. Closeup of a border marker showing Seal of Czechoslovakia. German troops throw it down and allow others to enter, some on a motorcycle with sidecar. German soldiers use a hatchet to cut the Czech seal from the downed border post. German Panzer I tanks begin crossing the border. (Anti tank devices are seen unused in the foreground.) Next, Adolf Hitler is seen visiting with German officers who guide him on a tour. He steps inside what appears to be a large canvas field tent. Scene shifts to a town (in Eger or Egerland), where a German armored car is parked in the center of the road as German soldiers on motorcycles pass it, followed by others in German Hanomag Sd. Kfz. 11 Half-Tracks towing 4-wheeled 88mm guns. Welcoming citizens crowd the sidewalks and cheer them. Formation of German troops marches slowly into the town. Closeup of local people enthusiastically cheering them. A contingent of local youth march carrying many flags. View of houses and streets decorated with swastikas and crowds jamming the sidewalks. A church with many spires looms over the town. Adolf Hitler at a speaker’s stand, as huge crowd renders Nazi salute. Hitler, later standing in an open car driving slowly through the throng. Overview of picturesque city in a valley surrounded by mountains. View in the city of Hitler walking with entourage of officers and saluting, as he passes numerous Panzer I tanks lined up side by side and their crews. View from rear as they pass the camera. Hitler standing on a balcony saluting a vast crowd gathered below. More views of him standing in an open car moving amidst the crowds. Hitler and others in a motorcade. View from ground of church spires and a zeppelin passing overhead. Scene shifts to grass airfield where Hermann Goering and others walks toward a Junkers Ju 52 airplane that is just taxiing in to park. Goering speaks to a young German airman. View of Goering in town amongst a crowd. He gives a piece of candy to a little girl, held by her mother. Goering accompanying Hitler as he walks about a town. A banner reading “Lebensmitteltransport für das Deutsche Sudetenland.” (Food transport for the German Sudetenland.) Open air food cooking stoves are seen and one where people around are being fed. Closeup of some people eating and being served.
Goosestepping German troops on the march and German Panzer I tanks moving in formation across a field in World War 2. A formation of German Fieseler Fi 156 Storch airplanes in flight overhead, accompanied by two He-111 bombers. German paratroopers jumping from Ju-52 aircraft. Grand Admiral Erich Johann Albert Raeder head of the German Navy, making a statement. Bucolic scenes of European farm country and grape vineyards, with local people harvesting crops and grapes. Soviet troops marching on parade to a military band on the sidelines in Red Square, Moscow, soviet Union. Soviet motorcycle soldiers armed with light machine guns. Soviet T-26 light tanks in formation. Glimpse of Red Square, with St. Basil's Cathedral and other famous buildings. Soviet troops crossing a river on inflated boats. A long column of T-26 tanks moving along a dirt road. Sky filled with variety of Soviet warplanes, including four-engine bombers (with fixed landing gear) to bi-wing aircraft. Soviet paratroopers jumping from a Tupolev ANT-6 bomber. They climb out on the huge corrugated wing and slide off. View out past the tail of an ANT-6 bomber. Soviet Union and Japan conclude a neutrality pact. Views of the pact being signed by Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov for the Soviet Union and by Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka and Ambassador Yoshitsugu, for the Japanese, in Moscow on April 13, 1941. Joseph Stalin is observing in the center of the scene.
African American Preacher speaking from church pulpit to his congregation about threats to Liberty, during World War 2. Closeups of parishioners listening intently. Suddenly, in contrast, the statue of a German Eagle atop a wreathed swastika is seen followed by views of Adolf Hitler looking over maps with his war planners. Next, a Japanese Rising Sun Naval Ensign flag is seen followed by views of Japanese Naval war planners aboard ship, and Japanese war planners at an Army headquarters. Glimpse of Hitler and staff amused by something at Christmas holidays. (A decorated Christmas tree stands in the background.) An entire huge apartment house collapses from German bombing in Europe. An aerial view from a bomber with smoke rising from bomb strikes below, displays labels reading: "Thirteen Countries Conquered," and "150,000,000 People Enslaved." A German officer stands beside a group of hanged persons at a public execution. Scene shifts completely to formation of Japanese Mitsubishi G4M bombers (Mitsubishi Navy Type 1 attack bombers) releasing bombs in flight. Bombs exploding at various sites on the ground. Chinese civilians fleeing from Japanese bombing during the 2nd Sino-Japanese war. Bombs bursting and destruction. Chinese rescuing wounded and collecting the dead. Japanese bombs striking U.S. battleships, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. American sailors running to battle stations and firing antiaircraft guns from a ship. Formations of Japanese warplanes diving from overhead. Several U.S. Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers with cockpits open (possibly representing Japanese dive bombers in a movie ) drop bombs. Explosions and fires from bombing. American sailor furiously turns controls to raise elevation of antiaircraft gun. Japanese airplane streaming black smoke passes overhead. U.S. sailors scrambling to battle stations on a ship. Japanese fighter plane firing its machine guns on a strafing run passes over a ship. An African American sailor lying on a deck, fires a M1917 Browning machine gun and falls back. Another sailor takes his place.