United States Army 3rd Armored Division soldiers in Cologne, Germany during World War II. Damaged buildings and rubble along the street. Split column of the United States troops walking towards Cologne Cathedral. United States Army M-26 Pershing tank moves into position. It fires at the building. Ruins of the city. View of the Cologne Cathedral (Domkloster 4, 50667 Köln, Germany).
Contains mix of vintage still images, 1970s interview footage, and a small amount of vintage film footage. Images of an old signs, in Europe, advertising land and promoting the virtues of various of the United states, including: Iowa, Nebraska, California, Kansas, and Dakota. One says "room for millions of immigrants." One cites "free homes." One contains a cartoon image of a grim "old World,"opposite a smiling "New World." Poster for steamship line, Norddeutscher Lloyd, of Bremen. Poster for railroad company. Poster for steamships from Liverpool to New York citing fares from 12 to 30 pounds sterling for "Saloon Passage"; 8 to 10 pounds for Second cabins; and 4 pounds for steerage passage. A Polish publication expressing concern over the "epidemic" of immigration to America. Articles calling for measures to restrict this immigration. Documents in cyrillic that narrator describes as mail from America that Russian officials censor. Samples of letters to relatives back home, from immigrants in America, enclosing steamship tickets, railroad tickets, and the like, that the narrator states "never arrived." Animated map showing the flow of immigrants from interior of Europe to ports of Hamburg, Bremen, and Rotterdam, noting that Hull and Liverpool also prospered on immigrant trade. Note on map states that between 1870 and 1880, two and three quarters of a million American immigrants came from Europe and by 1890, five and a quarter million more had crossed the Atlantic. View of immigrants waiting to be processed by government officials before departure at a port in Europe. People crowded in a long line outside, waiting to enter the office. Views of shanties in a town. A woman is seen describing immigrants' circumstances. Pictures of men women and children traveling by horse-drawn wagons. Actual vintage moving image footage of an old railroad steam locomotive pulling a passenger train into a European train station area circa 1900-1910. View of train station at a European port city. Huge number of people from all over Europe, standing in the courtyard of a train station. A man is seen describing these people as like "coming from another world." A barracks-like housing arrangement for immigrants waiting to pass health screening by the steamship companies, which included carefully examining their hair. A woman who experienced this described her embarrassment at the health examinations.
U.S. 1st Division marines in the battle of Peleiu Island, during World War 2. Flames and smoke rise from a burning U.S. amphibious vehicle (DukW) at the shore. An M4A2 tank of the Marine 1st Tank Battalion moves across sand. Marines hunkered down and moving cautiously in sandy terrain littered with debris from shattered trees. Closeup of another Marine M4A2 tank. It moves through their position and crushes trees and undergrowth as it goes.
A TU-95 in flight during Tushino Air Show in Russia. Three M-4 / 3M "Bison" four jet bombers flying then six TU-16 Badger bombers followed by six TU-14 bombers. MIG-19 and MiG-17 aircraft in different formations. Views of YAK-25 fighter and AN-4 flying by.
British and troop patrols converge on the road to Rome, in the beginning of this film. Soldiers of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division and 5th Canadian Armored Division are seen next, mopping up after breaching the Hitler Line, on 24 May 1944. They are seen leaving the area to advance further. Brief view of soldiers tending to a tank and marching past an abandoned anti-aircraft gun. Captured German prisoners march rearward along a road as a camouflaged (with foliage) Canadian M4 Sherman tank advances along a road. It carries many infantrymen riding along atop it. (Narrator states they are en route to Pontecarvo.) Allied artillery pounds the ruined streets of the city. Canadian troops are seen next,entering the destroyed town of Aquino. British Hawker fighter planes flying over water in trail formation, behind the camera plane. Allied patrol from the Anzio front engages a German strong point, using bazookas and small arms. Glimpse of burning German armored vehicle. Polish troops are seen entering the village of Piedimonte. They pull a German from his hideout in a trench. German prisoners marching under guard. Stretcher bearers carry wounded to an open field where they are being tended. Polish forces hold a ceremonial parade where British General Sir Harold Alexander decorates a Polish soldier. Brief closeup of General Alexander. June 4, 1944, American troops enter Rome. German Sturmpanzer (panzer) IV "Grizzly Bear" tank abandoned on the street. U.S. troops walking about in the city and in area of Piazza Venezia. Altar of the Fatherland in background. Local inhabitants cheering the Americans. Italians mob the local fascist controlled radio studio and force occupants to leave the building, abusing some as they depart. Views of happy crowds. Some showing newspapers announcing the arrival of the Allies.
U.S. infantry and M4 Sherman tanks move against heavily fortified Japanese positions on Okinawa during World War 2. American soldiers use flame throwers to dislodge Japanese defenders. Two soldiers run as an explosion occurs behind them. U.S. artillery firing from under camouflage netting. Glimpse of soldier walking past a burning building. Okinawan women and children seek refuge behind the U.S.Tenth Army lines. A soldier carries a naked baby to safety. View of Okinawan refugees (Ryukyuan people), mostly women and children and some old people, seated together where they are to be cared for by the Army's Civil Affairs Command. Wounded American soldiers being placed aboard a U.S. Air Transport Command C-47 aircraft number 42-72383. Change of scene to the battlefield where a U.S. Army soldiers throw a hand grenades that explode on a Japanese caves. A Japanese soldier is shot as he stumbles out of his cave. Another Japanese soldier is take prisoner. U.S. soldier fires his rifle and a Japanese soldier falls to the ground. Scenes shift to the sea off of Okinawa, where a Benson-Livermore class destroyer is seen under a sky full of black flak clouds. Closeup of the destroyer. A Japanese aircraft is shot down as it flies toward a U.S. New Orleans class heavy cruiser. It crashes into the sea near another U.S. capital ship. An attacking Japanese plane is shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashes into the sea. More flak filled skies and bombs exploding along with machine gun fire raking the waters. Anti-aircraft tracer bullets firing from ships. A Japanese plane hit, is burning, and then explodes in the air. A Douglas dauntless aircraft lands on an aircraft carrier. Another aircraft doesn't make it to the carrier, and ditches in the water nearby. The pilot is seen standing on the plane's right wing, awaiting pick up. A Navy F4U Corsair plane approaches its carrier to land but loses control and crashes into the carrier's island. Firefighters direct streams of water on it's burning wreckage.
CRITICALPAST.COM: About Us | Contact Us | FAQs - How to Order | License Agreement | My Account | My Lightboxes | Shopping Cart | Advanced Search | Featured Collections | Website Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy ©2026 CriticalPast LLC.
License Agreement |
Terms & Conditions |
Privacy Policy
©2026 CriticalPast LLC.