United States B-17 aircraft drop bombs to destroy railroad marshalling yards in Ehrang,Germany on December 24, 1944. Bombs impact causing a pillar of smoke to rise up from oil storage center. B-17 bombers unload bombs over marshaling yards in Bingen on December 30, 1944. Large area is covered with flickering light of bomb strikes seen from gun camera.
Daytime aerial view of grounded British Airspeed Horsa glider aircraft used during the June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion of France during World War II (Battle of Normandy). Many gliders strewn across a wide area of fields. View of a glider on the ground and British soldiers moving away from a glider. Two soldiers wheel bicycles away from a glider. Footage is from period between June 6 and June 9, 1944 (D-Day to D plus 3)
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.
An Allied tank drives past the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on August 25, 1944, during World War 2. Cheering Parisians hold up a newspaper reading: "Paris is delivered"and mentions French Forces entering Paris. A jeep filled with American soldiers passes through the celebrating crowd. View of American soldiers, including an Army chaplain, mingling with the citizens. More views of the people, including some carrying a large banner reading: "Liberated." They are followed by others carrying French tricolor national flags. Some carry placards thanking the Allies Some cite the Free French and display the Cross of Lorraine. Other placards contain the name "DeGaulle." American M4 Sherman tanks and jeeps drive along a tree-lined street. Closeups of children clapping their hands. A soldier drinks wine from a bottle. American soldiers kissing French girls. More scenes of celebration. A huge crowd gathered at Place de la Concorde with the Egyptian obelisk clearly visible. At this point, the film shifts to images of Paris before the war showing the gay night life of the city. Sidewalks in the artist section. Cafes with outdoor seating. Night clubs with risque shows. Fire works and displays that illustrate why Paris was called the City of Lights. Street open air markets with flowers, foods, and various other commodities for sale. A street vendor on a 3-wheel bicycle cart. The Egyptian obelisk at Place de la Concorde with the Arch of Triumph in the far background. Cars driving on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées near the Arch of Triumph. Notre Dame Cathedral. Sign for Metropolitan (subway). Imposing building along the River Seine with sightseeing boats plying the waters. Monumental bridges. A bus carries passengers along a city street. Men and boys carrying fresh newspapers for delivery. Parisians gather around the eternal flame at the Unknown Soldier Memorial under the Arc de Triomphe monument. A soldier memorial sculpture on the monument. Here the film reverts back to World War II. A German flag flying on a ship. Adolf Hitler showing delight at bringing the French to surrender on 22 June 1940, at the same railroad car of Compiegne, in which the armistice ending World War I was signed on Nov. 11, 1918. The Nazi German flag placed over the French monument in the “Glade of the Armistice”at Compiegne. German officers driving in staff cars past the Arc de Triomphe as German forces occupy Paris on June 14, 1940 in World War II. Views of French citizens listening to the voice of General Dwight D. Eisenhower over their radios, as he broadcasted from London, on June 6, 1944. Naval guns firing. Americans hitting the beach in Normandy (famous image, showing some soldiers falling to enemy fire). Members of the French forces of the Interior (FFI) preparing to engage occupying German forces. The Cross of Lorraine being placed on the sleeve of a woman member. The FFI setting up baricades and defenses in Paris. A tree being cut down for use in defense works. Young boys with shovels helping build fortifications. FFI members hunkered down behind sand-bagged defense positions. FFI firing their rifles and retrieving dead and wounded. German Panzer tanks in the streets. FFI engaged in Guerrilla warfare, sniper against sniper. FFI firing rifles in streets and one firing a machine gun from a building. A German tank burning on a street. Civilians hunkering down as snipers exchange fire. A German soldier captured and escorted by FFI. An Army M8 Greyhound armored car and jeeps and trucks, and M4 Sherman tanks, occupied by de Gaulle's Free French forces, head toward Paris. General de Gaulle standing in a jeep as it moves along a Paris street. FFI remove street barriers to allow an M4 Sherman tank to enter Paris. Free French soldiers and and Americans, accompanied by tanks, race under the Eiffel Tower. A line of Allied armored vehicles held up by last ditch defense actions by German forces. Explosions are heard. Gun fire seen emanating from many windows in a large building. Soldiers firing at the windows. German soldiers emerge from the building with arms raised. Surrendering German soldiers and officers are paraded with arms over their heads headed to prison camps. Some are put to work sweeping debris from a street. General de Gaulle leads a parade of Frenchman along the Champs-Élysées. He places a wreath near the eternal flame under the Arch of Triumph. French people sitting atop a line of Allied armored vehicles. More views of celebrating French people. General Dwight D. Eisenhower and General Omar Bradley speaking with a soldier. The French tricolor being raised on a flag pole.
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.
June 14, 1944. Naval guns of U.S. battleships and other warships bombard the island of Saipan, in the Marianas, in World War 2. U.S. aircraft fly low over the shore attacking Japanese military positions. A U.S. tank and marines moving on the beachhead. October 19, 1944, landing craft, manned by U.S Coast Guardsmen, from the Coast Guard operated Attack Transport USS Calloway (APA-35) are seen among others maneuvering in the water as they begin the assault on Luzon, the Philippines. U.S. troops wading ashore on Luzon.
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