Opening scene shows the famous image of American battleship USS Arizona as attacked by Japanese forces in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 in World War II. The ship is engulfed in black smoke, and listing. Change of scene to a waterfront in Japan during 1938, where numerous Japanese soldiers board troop ships bound for Manchuria, China. Next, are scenes of Japanese troops marching as they occupy Manchuria. Closeups of some Japanese soldiers. Scene shifts to a train moving on the South Manchurian railway, at a station showing a sign reading,"Chin Hsien." View of steam locomotive pulling a train away from the camera position. (Narrator states that a Japanese train, on the South Manchurian Railway, had been dynamited) This incident triggered a Japanese attack on Mukden, Manchuria. Japanese infantry are seen placing numerous bundles of reeds as a bridge across a wide, shallow, stream and proceeding to cross on their way to invade Mukden. Military supplies are carried on pack animals. In the air, overhead Japanese Mitsubishi G3M Type 96 land-based attack aircraft are seen flying in precision "V" formation. On the ground, Chinese civilians run for cover in the City of Mukden. (The date is September 18, 1931.) Glimpse of Chinese civilians looking at bombing victims on street of Mukden. Brief view of Geneva Switzerland, where League of Nations was housed. A memorial stone monument in that city to Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States and founder of the League of Nations. An entrance to the League of Nations headquarters in the Palais Wilson in Geneva, Switzerland. League delegates in session inside the Palais Wilson. A Japanese Naval Fleet, under command of Admiral KichisaburÅ Nomura, is seen steaming toward the Chinese coast and begin a naval bombardment, firing their guns, 15 miles from Shanghai. Japanese Naval biplanes are seen in flight overhead. Japanese troops marching in the streets of Shanghai, as sidewalks of onlookers wave Japanese flags. Next, Japanese troops are seen marching out of Shanghai, at the insistence of the League of Nations. (Narrator states Japan signed a truce with China on May 4th, 1932.) View of Japanese troops entering further, into Mongolia. Japanese soldiers waving flag celebrating formation of the Puppet State of Manchuko in Northeast China and Inner Mongolia, in 1932. Japanese statesmen leaving the League of Nations headquarters, after Japan resigned from the League on February 24, 1933. Japanese infantry moving further into China supported by field artillery fire. Explosions from artillery and damaged buildings, as Japanese troops advance in China. Invaders using tall ladders to scale walls of a damaged fortress in China. Japanese pilots receiving briefing and boarding their Mitsubishi Ki-30 single engine light bomber aircraft at an airfield. View of them taking off and inflight, dropping bombs on Chinese targets. Aerial views of bombs exploding on ground below. Retreating Chinese army marching along the Great Wall of China. Chinese people and military forces moving their military and civilian resources deep into the Chinese interior.
View of 105mm howitzer towed. M4A3 tank follows in the background. M4A2 kicks up dust on road. Tank near road. Valley over top of howitzer. Tanks move around in valley. M4A2 tank moves ahead. Wounded Marines lay on stretchers on tank. M4A2 parked next to building.
Film opens showing a poster of a National Guardsman with Nike missiles in the background. Sketches of National Guard (the Militia) maintaining order during civic disturbances in history. Sketches of Guardsmen in various uniforms over the ages. An early National Guard encampment. Mounted National Guard cavalry moving in formation during World War 1; Guard soldiers climbing a hill under fire on a Pacific island in World War 2; Guard troops marching in review during the Korean War; Guardsmen directing traffic during an emergency; Views of a disaster site. A National guardsman giving water to disaster victims. A contingent of National Guard demonstrating the manual of arms using their rifles. National Guard members training under supervision of the U.S. Army. They move across a field, cross a pontoon bridge. National Guard training in M4A3E8 Sherman medium Tanks. Guardsmen in Hawaii and in Alaska. National Guard maintaining a Nike Hercules missile.
British Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, and British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery are seen looking skyward. They stand on a field in front of a large formation of troops. Scene shifts to a seaport in North Africa, with Allied troop ships preparing to depart. A barrage balloon flies over the port. (Narrator notes that the armada includes ships of Britain, The United States, the Netherlands, Poland, Greece, the Indian navies, A warship sits in the water beside a large troop ship. A tugboat tows a large troop transport ship in the harbor. Cargo ships and a three stacker transport ship are seen. Two British battleships. Sailor using signal light to send a message. Two American destroyers in trail formation. U.S. Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt, Commander of the 8th Fleet, presents Lieutenant General George S. Patton, commander of U.S. forces, with a new battle flag. Views of ships in the invasion fleet. Transport ships anchor off the coast as they shuttle troops to the beaches in their landing ships. A landing ship flying the American flag. Naval guns fire barrages at the shore. As landing craft reach the beach, troops wade ashore through the surf. An army truck drives from a landing craft through the surf. Army truck and a jeep drive ashore from a large landing craft. Brief glimpse of Wading tanks leaving a tank carrier and driving ashore through the surf. Troops landing with dry feet from a beached landing craft. View of the city of Gela. Lieutenant George S. Patton climbs over the side of a ship and descends on a rope ladder to enter a Higgins boat that takes him to assume command of the invasion operations. Closeup of Lieutenant General Patton in the boat entering the harbor at Gela. He jumps from the boat as it reaches the beach. Local civilians view activities from the beach. DUKWs (amphibious trucks) drive ashore. Artillery pieces being towed ashore. American infantry entering the town of Gela. Military vehicles enter through rubble strewn streets. An M4 Sherman tank speeds along a road. Remains of an Italian armored train destroyed by Allied gunfire. American soldiers walk through areas destroyed by German bombing. American troops search buildings. Local Italian people mingling with American troops. Surrendered Italian troops march under guard along a street. Allied forces head toward Messina. A tracked gun carrier filled with troops in the back, moves along a street. U.S. infantry marching along a roadside. Army engineers clearing mine fields in advance of troops. Closeup of a buried mine being revealed. Major General Lucian K. Truscott, Jr., Commander of the U.S 3rd Infantry Division, inspects Axis planes and hangars captured by American forces. Many undamaged aircraft are seen in revetments and simply parked on the airfield. Fuel arrives for Allied aircraft. British Fairey Firefly aircraft taking off. Dead Axis soldiers lying on the ground. Destroyed Axis military vehicles. A knocked out German Tiger tank. A DUKW drives past a damaged Axis armored vehicle. UN forces firing mortars from a field. A knocked out Axis armored vehicle. UN motorized gun carrier fires its gun. Allied infantry advancing.
Views from ships in the Normandy invasion convoy of World War 2. American flag above a ship and barrage balloon aloft. The British naval ensign on another ship. U.S. Motor torpedo boat USS PT-541 signalling by lights. Blinker light signals by Allied ship. Allied naval warships bombarding the French coast. Troops of 2nd assault wave climb down rope nets from transport ships. Allied fighter planes strafing German flak towers, german airplanes, and railroad trains. Allied troops leaving their transport ships in landing craft. Landing Craft Tank (Rocket),aka LCT(R) firing barrages of rockets. Allied B-26 and B-24 bombers attacking ground targets. Allied troops being hampered by obstacles and some falling to German gunfire as they hit the beaches of Normandy. Survivors of sunk and damaged landing craft being helped ashore. British landing craft firing at beach houses. U.S. troops pinned under shore cliffs at Omaha Beach. Soldiers giving blood plasma to wounded. British troops leaving landing craft. Allied troops on beachhead and moving inland. U.S. troops wading ashore. Troops wading ashore from LCI(L)-537. An American M4 Sherman wading tank (with intake and exhaust funnels) and equipped with dozer blade, labeled: DT-7.
Supply and reinforcements arrive for British Eighth Army fighting against Germans in El Alamein, during World War 2. Troops from South Africa, India and Thailand disembark from ships in harbor. Tanks unloaded from ships. Sherman M4 tanks delivered from U.S. Military vehicles and train loaded with supplies heading for battle front guarded by planes overhead. German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel with his men. Italian tanks unloaded from ship. Planes attack German ships underway at sea bringing supplies. Royal Navy men inside submarines target German ships.
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