World-wide wartime activities during 1941 and 1942. President Roosevelt addresses Congress after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Crowd applauds. Citizens and cars stopped in busy New York listening to the news on the radio being broadcast regarding the declaration of war against Japan. Long queues and lines of civilian men get registered in the U.S. army as recruits are called up. Men taking oath of U.S. military service in New York and Washington DC (on U.S. Capitol steps) and other cities in mass recruitment events. New recruits stand in line in a city to register for U.S. Navy or U.S. Army service. New recruits shown include baseball star Joe Dimaggio, boxer Joe Louis, John Aspinwall Roosevelt (who was President Roosevelt's youngest son), Tyrone Power, Clark Gable, Douglas Fairbanks Junior, and Warren Pershing (son of famed General John Pershing) all seen registering to enter military service. Justice Frank Murphy of the U.S. Supreme Court is seen operating a machine gun during training. Another scene with a mass group of recruits standing and taking an oath of military service.
View of the State Opera building on Unter den Linden, in Berlin, in 1941, being reconstructed by order of Adolf Hitler, after being bombed in April, 1941, during World War 2. (He ordered the reconstruction in spite of wartime, to bolster German morale at the time.) Trams with equipment and supplies are seen in front of the building. Scene switches to inside, where crystal chandeliers are seen. Camera focuses on two artisans who are restoring gold decoration encircling interior columns. Next, numerous persons are seen at work at various restoration tasks in a section of the building. In another area, dressmakers are busy working on costumes. A woman is seen placing costume helmets on a rack. Various artisans work on statuary and other features of the building and contents. Brief glimpse of restorers examining a painted mural on the floor. Designers working with architectural drawings and models of the Opera house.
Newsreel clip titled "Chicago Cubs Head For Pennant Year With Lofty Hopes.' Shows Cubs at spring training camp in 1941 at Catalina Island California. Team runs around baseball field situated near mountains and houses, seen in the background. Close ups of team manager Jimmie Wilson, holding catcher's glove. Shots of Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean on pitching mound, showing young boy how to throw. Shots of Cubs players warming up their arms. Dean (#22) seen throwing to Wilson in batting cage. Pitcher Larry French (no cap) seen throwing to Cub batter who takes a weak swing. Unidentified player throws pitch to outfielder Dom Dallessandro (#31). Player slides into second base as Billy Herman (#4) practices double play. Players hold bats in mock firing position. (World War II period).
Opening scenes show formations of Japanese Mitsubishi G3M bombers in flight. Slate reads: "Pearl Harbor December 7,1941." U.S. B-17 bombers are parked on an airfield. Ships and facilities are seen at the Pearl Harbor Naval station in Hawaii. Views of Japanese Mitsubishi G3M bombers flying in formation above clouds. Explosions and fire destroying aircraft and facilities at the Ford Island Naval Air Station. The USS Arizona burning and filling the air with heavy black smoke as she lists and sinks from bombing. Subsequent views of the destruction wrought by the bombing.
Speedway Classic in Indianapolis, Indiana. Fire fighters extinguish fire in what appears to be a garage facility. Next scene shows cars racing in the 1941 Indianpolis 500 race, driving on the track at great speed. Spectators watch the thrilling race. One of the drivers is severely hurt in an accident. Mauri Rose of Indianapolis teamed with Floyd Davis of Illinois win the Speedway Classic.
Philadelphia Phillies perform baseball spring training drills at Miami Beach Florida in March 1941. Team runs onto field with palm trees in background. Closeup of Phillies manager Doc Prothro. Players sit in a group and pose. Players practice pitching and hitting. Sequence of pitcher Rube Melton (#8) throwing three pitches to Phillies hitters, the last of whom is former Cub Joe Marty (#35).