Slate announces "Fall of France." in World War 2. Next, huge crowd of enthusiastic people is seen jamming the Piazza Venezia in Rome. Prime Minister Benito Mussolini ("II Duce," the Leader) of Italy is seen on the balcony of the Palazzo Venezia, overlooking the Piazza. View from behind him as he waves to the crowd. Closeup of Mussolini announcing that Italy will consider herself at war with Great Britain and France effective 11 June 1940. Another view of the crowd, from the Palace balcony. Scene shifts abruptly to fires burning in a town in France and scenes of death and destruction in France from invading Axis forces. French soldiers and police assist a French civilian lying on the ground near a path in a bucolic setting in France. Several Frenchmen on bicycles ride along the path, behind them. More scenes of fires and destruction. A civilian being carried on a stretcher, accompanied by a nurse in white. A French boy walks next to the stretcher bearers. A French woman holding a baby with look of anguish on her face. Closeup of young boy and girl children among French civilians fleeing bombing. The boy is asleep on a burlap sack, with a woman's arm over him. The girl simply looks wide-eyed at the camera. A French civilian woman and a child, lying together on a stretcher on the ground. Glimpse of a person's hand lying open on the ground.
American soldiers in jeeps are part of a traffic jam in Lyon, France, following its liberation by French forces in September, 1944. An air of celebration permeates the scene, Several French women ride with U.S. soldiers in American jeeps. A Blue vehicle displaying "FFI Police" (Free French of the Interior) and the Cross of Lorraine, is caught in the jam. A small black sedan displays "FFI" in white letters.Local civilians crowd the streets and ride on every possible spot on the various vehicles. Crowds of pedestrian spectators are restrained behind rough wooden fences. Camera views from vehicle crossing the Rhone River, show the destroyed Wilson bridge, and parts of city in background. Complete change of sequence to Rome, Italy. The Flag of Italy flying on an official building. Italian women surround American soldiers, Sergeant Lester Koenig and another NCO as they sit in a jeep. They all laugh and talk. Several Italian soldiers (one a medic) and women pose for the camera.
A prelude to the World War II. A map locates places in Europe. Fascists in Italy. Nazis in Germany as they riot and parade. Soldiers marching in Italy. People watching the soldiers. Buildings along the sides of the street. German soldiers marching holding flags. People watching them. Adolf Hitler standing at the window of a building and greeted by the people and soldiers.
The life of King Farouk I of Egypt who passes away during his exile in Rome, Italy. Past events show King Farouk I in Egypt after his ascension to the throne in 1936. King Farouk with other officials walking towards a train station building. Soldiers salute the teen aged King Farouk as he boards a ship to Egypt. King Farouk I shakes hands with Egyptians. King Farouk I, as a middle-aged King of Egypt, with officials in Cairo. The King sits with his second wife, Narriman Sadek, with infant son, Prince Ahmad Fuad. King Farouk I with his wife Narriman and children, Fuad II, Princess Fawzia, and Princess Fadia in exile. The King coming outside a vehicle in Rome, Italy.
15th Air Force Operation Reunion (Operation Gunn) to rescue Allied prisoners of war in Romania during World War II. B-17 takes off from Romania. An injured prisoner of war (with head covered in bandages) takes a seat inside plane. A POW smiles while holding a newspaper. Another POW waving goodbye from a window. Groups of bombers in flight. A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber lands in San Giovanni Airfield. Allied prisoners of war disembark from the bomber after landing. United States troops greet their comrades after their evacuation from Romania. A happy reunion for prisoners of war and their comrades in Italy. Former prisoners of war smiling outside the bombers. Chief of Staff Colonel Taylor speaks to the former prisoners of war after their arrival in Italy. Officer gathered, including Colonel Taylor, General Nathan F. Twining, General Bourne.
Men gather around a Wright Flyer airplane in beginning of film. Wilber Wright poses by the plane for photographers. Next the aircraft rolls forward with Wright at the controls and an Italian Army officer beside him. The motion picture begins at takeoff and shows a man on horseback below and other objects including a large walled-in-ruins.
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