Beginning of the German counterattack into Belgium, during winter of 1944-45 of World War 2. Opening scenes show German artillery barrages by Grille (Cricket) self-propelled artillery firing 15 cm sIG 33 infantry guns. This is the beginning of German Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt's Ardennes Counteroffensive (aka the Battle of the Bulge) in December, 1944. German soldiers riding on Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer moving forward in Ligneuville, South of Malmedy, Belgium. German infantry walk past a knocked out tank on their way toward the front, where smoke rises ahead. They pass burning American armor and vehicles destroyed by the German Luftwaffe (Air Force). Sounds of artillery fire are heard. Closeup of one soldier carrying an MP44 7.92 x 33 mm (7.92 Kurz) caliber assault rifle. The German infantry move along a ditch parallel to a burning column of U.S. armor and vehicles on the road, where it was wiped out by German aircraft. A United States 3" anti-tank gun abandoned at the roadside. German soldiers retrieve American cigarettes from a knocked out U.S. tank, and share them. At TC:02:00 the German gunner with a belt of ammunition around his neck, is Hans Tragarsky aka Walter Armbrusch, a soldier in the Kampfgruppe Hansen battle group formed during the Battle of the Bulge from SS-Panzergrenadierdivision Regiment 2, an infantry regiment of SS Pz Rgt 2 "Das Reich". (His image is well known but his identity is subject to debate.) German troops relax as they smoke cigarettes. A group of German soldiers sharing cigarettes, atop a Stug III tank destroyer. A German army Type 82 Volkswagen Kübelwagen drives past detritus of combat, near a village church. Glimpse of damage in City of Antwerp from a German rocket.
Film starts showing silhouettes of British tanks on the move, including one with a bulldozer blade. View from Allied warplane as bombs explode on the ground below. In November, 1944, infantry of the First Canadian Army, with Polish and British units fire Bren guns as they advance in Belgium and secure the Scheldt Estuary, to open a shipping route to Antwerp for the Allies. They traverse a river and cross rail lines while advancing. View of destroyed steel bridge across the Maas (Meuse) river with several British troops wading in water nearby. Silhouettes of German prisoners of war marching single file. View from rear of German prisoners walking under guard with hands resting on their heads. British troops running beside the Scheldt river at Antwerp on September 4, 1944, as huge explosions occur in the river behind them. A column of British troops, marching on tree-lined road, enters outskirts of Antwerp, as local people cheer them. Views of the troops being greeted in the city itself. Columns of Belgian refugees are seen returning to their homes. One,injured, is carried by friends in a wooden cart. A contingent of British troops marching in the city. Glimpses of derricks in the Antwerp port and a ship under construction in a shipyard. An animated map shows German counter offensive through Belgium and Luxemburg on September 4, 1944. Refugees leaving again, ahead of the returning German forces. View of a road sign reading: "Bastogne." American military police checking credentials of some refugees as they leave. American soldiers jammed together atop a Sherman tank parked at a checkpoint. After delaying further German advance, through the Ardennes, on September 16th, American troops are forced back and seen leaving , in trucks and Sherman tanks, from Bastogne, past a road leading to Martelange. As weather cleared on September 22nd, a formation of British Hawker Typhoon ground attack aircraft are seen in flight and diving to attack lines of communication with machine gun fire and rockets. Several different views of the aircraft firing and smoke rising from the ground. Animated map of German advance depicts the so-called "Bulge" extending 60 miles into Allied territory. Captured German films show German troops,one carrying a rifle and another a Sig 44 machine gun, as they pass columns of burning Allied trucks, other vehicles and armor. Closeup of German soldier waving to others to follow him, as he runs ahead past burning Allied equipment. Several German soldiers hunker under a knocked out Allied tank, as a German Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer light tank destroyer passes their position. Closeup of German soldier smoking captured American cigarette. German infantry, walk past barrel of destroyed Allied tank. Several gather and smoke American cigarettes. One of them, with a belt of ammunition around his neck, is Hans Tragarsky aka Walter Armbrusch, of German Kampfgruppe Hansen, a battle group formed during the Battle of the Bulge from SS-Panzergrenadierdivision Regiment 2, an infantry regiment of SS Pz Rgt 2 "Das Reich". (This image is well known but his identity is subject to debate.) Glimpse of German officer walking with a soldier at the front, with background engulfed in flames.. Scene shifts to a formation of U.S. Army Air Forces C-47 transport planes seen, in flight, dropping food and ammunition to beleaguered American troops caught in the Battle of the Bulge. Change of scene to German Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer moving; Panzer IV tanks firing 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 guns; and troops riding on a Tiger tank ( Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B). German soldiers riding in a streamlined Volkswagen Kübelwagen. German soldier in an open single seat courier car spattered with mud. Close-ups of him smoking a cigar. German soldiers looking at formation of American C-47 aircraft overhead. A U.S. Army Air Corps B-25 bomber in flight. View from Allied bomber dropping bombs that strike ground with many explosions. View from above of a B-24 Liberator bomber in flight. View on ground of shells and bombs exploding in wooded area and low level black flak clouds. Captured 88mm gun being fired by Allied forces. British soldiers in a Landing Vehicle Tracked, cross a stream and climb up a steep bank. View from British "Wasp" flame-throwing Bren-gun carrier, as it fires and resulting inferno of fires. Views from a long distance of other flame-throwers firing across the stream. Closeup view of one firing with fires burning on the opposite shore.
Buildings and monuments in Rome, Italy. Renaissance paintings and sketches from Italian artists such as Leonardo da Vinci. Replica of the Michelangelo’s Statue of David at the Piazza della Signoria (P.za della Signoria, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy), Florence. Closer view of the Statue of David’s face. The ruins of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum in Rome, Italy. The Arch of Constantine as seen from the Colosseum (Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy). Views of the Capitoline Hill and an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius (Piazza del Campidoglio, 00186 Roma RM, Italy).
German offensive on the Eastern Front of World War II. Nazi officers look at a map and discuss plans for attack on Soviet positions. A German reconnaissance plane takes off from an air base. German Stug III Assault Gun being re-armed. Nazi soldiers loaded on Panther tanks advance, with a Sdkfz.251halftrack in Kursk markings, to the battle field. SS commander in Sdkfz.222 armored car. Pz.IV tank of 2.Pz.Div. ("Das Reich") with skirts operating in village. Heavy firing takes place. StuH42 105mm artillery mounted on tank fired. Explosions occur and smoke rises.
Scenes from December 18th 1944,during World War 2. German soldiers of Kampfgruppe Max Hansen, a temporary battle group formed during the Battle of the Bulge (from SS-Panzergrenadierdivision Regiment 2, an infantry regiment of SS Pz Rgt 2 "Das Reich") advance towards Poteau road junction past burning half tracks and Jeeps of U.S. 14th Cavalry group. One man is armed with a Stg44 assault rifle. Cut to squad leader signals advance, in the “wrong direction”. i.e Away from the Poteau junction and back along the road to Recht. Scene shifts to to smoke covered roadway. Germans attempt to start a captured jeep in field. It faces towards right, away from the front lines. An M8 armoured car burns. PK photographer and officer walk past camera, towards the right. Scene cuts to Pz Grenadiers walk away from camera towards the Poteau junction. Smoke covers the road. A Jagspanzer IV/70 comes into view and enters the field after the grenadiers have passed. Cut to grenadiers as they walk along the edge of the roadside ditch, past a burning jeep. Cuts to grenadier crawling under barbed wire fence at roadside, first man, with bandaged hand gets caught on the wire by his greatcoat! Second shot of grenadiers running away from camera in direction of Poteau through the smoke of the burning U.S. vehicles. PK photographer moves into frame before. Cuts to Panzergrenadiers moving towards the cameraman past the vehicles. Half tracks and jeeps loaded with personal equipment baggage. Further shots of the burning vehicles. Filmed looking in the direction of Recht (this is the direction the U.S. convoy was heading when it was attacked).
German view of aftermath of initial encounter during German Ardennes offensive in World War 2. These scenes are from an area where the German Kampfgruppe Hansen (a battle group formed during the Battle of the Bulge from SS-Panzergrenadierdivision Regiment 2, an infantry regiment of SS Pz Rgt 2 "Das Reich") engaged elements of the U.S. 14th Cavalry Group north of Poteau, Belgium, near Ligneuville, during the "Battle of the Bulge." Americans were forced to abandon much equipment and supplies, as these scenes show. Abandoned armor and guns along the roadway. A United States 3" anti-tank gun abandoned at the roadside. A German Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer (Sd.Kfz. 162) drives past. German soldiers sit under a wrecked United States armored car and smoke American cigarettes. German infantrymen walking past the scene. A German soldier distributes cigarettes. (Note: German gunner, with belt of ammunition around his neck, seen at TC:1:18-1:20, is Walter Armbrusch aka Hans Tragarsky. This image of him is well known. But his true identity is the subject of much speculation and debate.)