Opening scene shows German heavy artillery firing as German forces invade France in 1940, during World War 2. Houses being destroyed by gunfire. Formation of Dornier Do 17 bomber aircraft in flight. Formation of German Heinkel He 111 bombers dropping bombs on France. Bombs exploding on the ground. German Panzer I and Panzer 38 tanks crossing a field. Glimpses from inside a tank. A tank smashing through a concrete block wall. German tanks moving through a French town, as infantry move along the sidewalks. A German sIG 33 auf Geschutzwagen self-propelled 15 cm gun (15 cm sIG 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B or Sturmpanzer I Bison) fires point blank at a building and destroys it. A formation of Ju-87 Stuka dive bombers flies past a barrage balloon. Smoke rising all around Rouen Cathedral and environs from German bombing. Buildings in the area ablaze and collapsing. French citizens fleeing war zones in their private cars. An open truck evacuating several Catholic nuns. Parisian children carrying their luggage and belongings as they are being evacuated. French children being placed aboard a railroad train by their parents, for evacuation to safer areas. Closeup of one child's coat bearing his name and other information. French men and women placing their children aboard a bus for evacuation to safety, waving goodbye, and crying as their children leave. Sign identifying Valenciennes, France. Camera pans to scenes of destruction from German bombing. Street sign points to Avancon 7K and Reims 41k. A German Ju 87 aircraft diving and pulling out as it attacks. A German Panzer IV tank moving and firing straight ahead as it goes. Street sign for Chateau Porcien. Two Panzer 38 tanks racing along past a burning vehicle at the side of a road. A team of horses pulling an artillery piece. Tanks racing past the camera. Sign identifying Bazeilles, Montmedy, and Verdun. German tank plunging into stream at side of road, as it crosses. Dornier Do 17 bomber aircraft releasing bombs from a dive.
15th Anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakian Republic. President Tomas Garrigue Masayrk on a horse back along with minister of war and other officers lead a parade in Prague on the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Czechoslovakian Republic. Soldiers march at the parade. New armored cars displayed for the first time. Soldiers loaded in carriages move past a large crowd during the parade.
Victory in Europe Day during World War II. View of street corner as people walk to and fro at intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street Northwest in Washington DC, United States. People walk at the street corner with an American flag at half mast in the background. American citizens in typical dress of 1945. View of the street signs at the instersection '15th St" and "Penn Av" Newspaper headlines declare end of World War II in Europe. The Washington Afro American newspaper headling, "War Ends in Europe". Front page of the the Jewish Journal and Daily News with Hebrew text.
Scenes from May 8, 1945 in London as England hears news of the surrender by Germany in World War II. Winston Churchill seated at desk and preparing to make a 3:00pm (15:00) radio broadcast about the German surrender. Churchill along with a British Naval officer greeted by Secretaries who clap and cheer as Churchill gets into a car and doffs his hat as he smokes a cigar. The car pulls away. View of Big Ben clock tower in London, showing the time of 3 o'clock pm, (15:00) which was the time of the broadcast by Churchill.
Astronaut John Herschel Glenn Junior's space tour from Cape Canaveral. John Glenn dons a space suit. John Glenn walks to launch pad in space suit and carrying a portable air conditioner. Glenn gets into an elevator and climbs to the missile level. Glenn boards the space capsule Friendship 7. The Atlas rocket takes off from launch pad. Animation depicts travel of space capsule and conversations with ground control. Footage of Glenn in capsule. Animation depicts the capsule turning around. Animation of Friendship 7 capsule orbiting the earth and then reentering earth atmosphere. The Essex class aircraft carrier, USS Randolph CV-15, the command ship, in the pick up area at the sea. The destroyer USS Noa speeds up to recover the capsule. A crane on the USS Noa lifts the Friendship 7 capsule from the sea. Shot of hatch on capsule blowing open. Glenn rests on board the USS Noa. Glenn is lifted off in a helicopter. The helicopter takes him to USS Randolph CV-15. Officers and crew greet and congratulate Glenn on his success as Glenn hands over his log book from the mission.
United States soldiers stand at Parade Rest with their rifles, along the side of the street as the funeral cortege of President Franklin D. Roosevelt approaches. A "V" formation of Washington, DC motorcycle police approach and pass spectators lining the sidewalk. A jeep displaying the flag of the Military District of Washington and the two-star flag of its Commander, Major General Charles Fullington Thompson, who is riding in the back with a Marine officer and a Naval officer. View of large formation of military aircraft flying overhead, seen above trees. The U.S. Marine band, marching (but not playing). U.S. Naval Academy cadets marching with shouldered arms, wearing dress blues and white caps and leggings. The Washington Monument (2 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024, United States 2 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024, United States) in the background. A group of U.S. Naval officers watching with other spectators from sidewalk. Soldiers in leggings, marching. A Navy brass band. (World War II period).