Smoke rises from the Leyte Island as American ship approaches the island in Philippines during World War II. Landing Ship Tanks (LST) loaded with men and equipment approach the island. LSTs arrive at the beach and soldiers wade through surf towards the beach. They move off the beach into the jungle.
Film opens showing a German soldier giving a canteen of water to an English soldier on a landing craft at Dieppe, after the ill-fated Allied raid there in World War 2. Numerous Allied prisoners (mostly Canadians) make their way across the sands of Dieppe. Some toss their helmets away. They carry a wounded on a litter. They proceed along a road with seaside Church of Notre-dame-de-bon-secours in the background. Some prisoners are barefoot. One is carried on a litter. Next a contingent of Canadian prisoners is seen marching in formation, three abreast, with arms raised. Destroyed and damaged buildings are behind them. Several carry wounded comrades, as they proceed into the center of town. Views of damage to buildings in Dieppe, from bombing and shelling. Canadian prisoners of war being escorted by German guards through town. View from high point overlooking Dieppe, showing the town, with smoke rising in places, and the beach with Allied boats and equipment strewn on it. German officers interview prisoners, including some wearing swim fins. Closeup of one with injured bloody face. Allied prisoners huddled together in a large group. Piles of weapons and equipment collected from the prisoners. Ambulatory prisoners being marched through Dieppe on their way to a prisoner of war camp. The prisoners marching on roads through rural areas. Closeups of some as they pass a camera. View of Dieppe harbor and environs from a high overlook. French residents walking on the streets of Dieppe, as life returns to normal. German soldiers manning a 2 Cm Flak 38 anti aircraft gun overlooking the beach, as a formation of German infantry marches past in the background. View of beach from bunker housing a German coastal gun. A formation of German Ju 88 bombers overhead, and viewed from one of the aircraft in the formation in flight. German gunboats racing through the water.
View of Royal Yacht Britania in water. Queen Elizabeth arrives at bay of islands in Britania accompanied by Price Philip. Queen is greeted and welcomed by the huge crowd and she attends Waitangi celebrations where dance is performed by tribal people. Then Queen Elizabeth reaches Auckland and visits beaches. View of sailboats at beach and in water. Queen Elizabeth leaving the beach.
July 10, 1943, U.S. invades Sicily in Italy. Fleet of warships underway. Navy bombardment of Sicily. Coast Guardsman observes through binoculars. Coast Guardsmen carry troops and supplies in LCVPs (Higgins Boats). LST-356 approaching Blue Beach 2, in the "Cent" area on July 10, 1943, loaded with tanks and other vehicles. A beach master signals with semaphore flags. Troops landing from assault boats. Concentrated enemy air attacks destroy U.S. boats and ships. Enemy aircraft in flight. U.S. troops firing. A map shows Italy. September 9, 1943, amphibious assault on Anzio, Italy. Naval bombardment, followed by troop assault on the beaches.
June 6, 1944, Allied invasion of Normandy, France during World War 2. Naval bombardment from Allied battleships and other warships. Troops descend rope nets from transports into landing craft. U.S. Coast Guard operated Attack Transport ship, USS Bayfield (APA-33)is flagship at Utah beach. LCVPs speed toward the beach. Troops wade out of landing craft under fire. Some are hit and fall in water. August 15, 1944, last wave of invasion in the South of France, rockets firing from assault ships. Troops arriving on the beach. Jeep drives off landing craft.
View of a port in England, filled with Allied ships and boats to carry war materiel for Allied forces preparing to invade Europe during World War II. A barrage balloon aloft overhead. Yards full of military rolling stock. Scene shifts to wide street view in London including Whitehall Government buildings around the Cenotaph War Memorial (Whitehall, London SW1A 2ET, United Kingdom) in London, England. Inside the British military headquarters the Allied High Command is gathered to plan the invasion of Europe. Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower is pointing at a wall map, as senior Allied commanders, including British Marshal Bernard Montgomery, look on. Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft in D-Day paint stripes take off from an air base. Officers watch takeoffs from control tower porch. Views from Allied aircraft gun cameras show strafing from low altitudes destroying German ground targets, including railroads and airfields. A formation of Martin B-26 Marauder aircraft in flight overhead. Lines of communication such as road junctions being destroyed by bombing. Glimpse of copilot at controls in a bomber. Scene shifts to June 6, 1944 and the D-Day Allied invasion fleet underway across the English Channel. Allied warships bombarding the shores of Normandy, France. Landing Craft Tank (Rocket) firing salvos of rockets. Animated map shows the invasion forces striking the defenses of the German Atlantic Wall. View of British and American soldiers wading ashore from landing craft, and some falling to German gunfire at the shoreline beaches of Normandy. View of German defenders firing from inside a German fortifications. German soldiers firing machine guns from protected places overlooking the beaches of Normandy. Trapped American soldiers firing upwards toward the German positions in cliffs overlooking the beach. Later views of Allied troops in combat further inland. Animated map shows area of allied penetration after 19 days of bitter fighting. Allied Armor, trucks, and supplies moving inland from the beachhead. Barrage balloon above the improvised ports. Allied troops heading toward the port of Cherbourg and guns firing in that battle. American M8 Greyhound armored personnel carriers proceeding into the town of Cherbourg, Normandy, France. closeup of American soldiers firing small arms. Soldiers firing a howitzer point blank. The last of the German garrison troops surrender under a flag of truce, on June 27, 1944. Large group of German prisoners of war with hands clasped over their heads, being escorted under Allied guard from Cherbourg. Docks and facilities needing repair to make the port serviceable. U.S. Army engineers welding port facilities. Closeup of a locomotive operated by French railroad men, moving in the restored port.
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