Opening slate announces 11 million Americans to bear arms (in World War 2.). U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General George S. Marshall conversing with Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Ernest King. Next, Admiral King is seen standing with Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces, Lieutenant General Henry H. (Hap) Arnold, and Admiral William D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to the President of the United States. Scene shifts to a graduating class of cadets from the United States Military Academy, at West Point. They are seen receiving their diplomas. West Point cadets are also seen cheering at an athletic event and in several views of them marching in formations on different occasions. Views of cadets from the U.S. Naval Academy, at Annapolis, Maryland, on parade and at a graduation ceremony in Dahlgren Hall, where each receives a diploma and they toss their hats into the air at the end of the ceremony. Next, ordinary citizen soldiers (mostly draftees) are seen marching in formation They participate in calisthenics en masse. Heavyweight boxing champion, Gene Tunney, is seen leading an exercise session. Soldiers run over an obstacle. Next cadets are seen on parade in the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, at Kings Point, New York. Some cadets are seen practicing escape from a burning vessel at sea. U.S. soldiers engage in field training that includes live weapons fire above their heads as they crawl under barbed wire on a training course. View of soldier firing a Browning M1917 water-cooled machine gun near the trainees. Another is firing a Browning M1919 air-cooled machine gun.
Film opens showing a huge crowd gathered in New York’s Madison Square Garden for a rally in support of the American Red Cross, during World War 2. Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady welcomes and introduces Princess Martha of Norway. The audience applauds. Scene then shifts for Red Cross activities on the home front. Two Red Cross women remove items from a station wagon in preparation for a local Blood drive. A panel truck parked next to them is marked: “American Red Cross Blood Donor Service.” More Red Cross volunteer women remove items from the panel truck to set up the blood donor activity. View of many persons in beds at a blood donor center. Nurses and Red Cross volunteers working at the center with donors. One of the donors is an active duty sailor in uniform. Complete change of scene to California, where Hollywood stars are seen involved in a war bond drive. Closeup of several, including Irene Dunn, Ronald Coleman, Hedy Lamarr, and Greer Garson. Glimpse of crowd at the bond drive.
Allies of the Pacific War Council met at the White House on June 25, 1942 Pictured with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (both seated) and Canadian Prime Minister, Mackenzie King, standing immediately behind and between them. Others, standing behind are: Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eelco N. van Kleffens, Australian representative, Stanley Melbourne Bruce. The tall man behind Prime Minster King, is British Vicount Halifax (Edward Wood). To his left is Chinese Foreign Minister T.V. Soong, and Manuel L. Quezon, President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. The last person standing at the right, is Walter Nash, New Zealand's minister to the United States. Scene shifts to military leaders of the combined British and American General Staffs, meeting in the so-called Second Washington Conference (Code named Argonaut). Closeup of U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General George S. Marshall, conversing with lieutenant General Henry H (Hap) Arnold, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces. Another closeup shows U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Ernest King, conversing with Admiral William D. Leahy, personal Chief of Staff to President Roosevelt. Glimpse of British Military General Staff members.
View of elderly people and orphan children entering a building. WPA or Works Progress Administration Public Improvements show new log houses at Mercer County Industrial Park, a commune or community helping men, women, and families affected by the depression. Women milk cows. Man plowing a field with two horses pulling a hand plow, to provide food for the common community. Line of men with hoes work in a garden. Scenes from Camp Fairchance at Low Gap in Boone County West Virginia (South of Madison and Danville) shows totem poles at the camp entrance, a boy blowing a bugle, boy orphans waking up in a bunk house and girl orphans eating together in a dining hall. Young girl children sewing. Children playing, swimming in a nearby stream or lake, and marching behind a band on the grounds of the camp. Camp buildings seen in the background. Trumpeter on wood frame lashed tower blows bugle as American flag is lowered.
American military officer hats on a conference table in Chateau Frontenac, around time of the Quebec Conference during World War 2. Group of allied officers gathered around wall map. One points at India. Another points at Suez. Reports labeled India, marked "Secret." British officers examining charts. Scene changes to exterior view of President Franklin Roosevelt's Springwood Estate house in Hyde Park, New York. American flag flying on house. Rolls Royce limousine parked at entrance drives away.
Film opens showing a Japanese Nakajima B5N (Kate) torpedo bomber flying low over the water through hail of bullets fired from Allied ships, during World War 2. Glimpse of the plane flying past a U.S. Iowa class Battleship. Next, it flies past a U.S.New Orleans Class Cruiser. As it continues flight, away from the camera, a U.S. Mahan class destroyer appears from the left. Flak puffs of black smoke are in the air. Scene shifts to smoke rising from a bombed ship in the distant background. Change of scene shows a U.S. Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless aircraft recovering on an aircraft carrier.
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