Activities of Allied troops during the invasion of Normandy, France during World War II. A swastika sign on an animated map shows German occupied area in France and as a target for Allied troops to invade. American, Canadian and British troops prepare for the invasion. French soldiers of democracy board boats and leave the shore of England. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and South African Prime Minister Jan Christian Smuts wish luck to Allied troops boarding a landing craft. A map shows Allied landing on Normandy coast. Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower delivers the news about the victory of Allies over Normandy which is broadcast to the French people. A radio operator and towers shown. French people listen to Eisenhower's speech. A man gives the news of Normandy invasion by Allied troops on a microphone. People applaud. Streets in London. People of London read newspapers stating 'Allied invaded in France'. Aircraft on the ground. Airborne paratroops board the aircraft. A general talks to the troops during the airborne operation. The aircraft in flight. Ships underway at sea. The navy and the air force blast Normandy shore positions.
A U.S. Air force F-100 Super sabre jet aircraft rounds out high in nose-high attitude, during attempted emergency landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The pilot applies power to go around without success as the F-100 enters a state known as a "Sabre Dance". The aircraft's right wing strikes the runway and it crashes on the runway in a ball of fire. (Note: This F-100 was being ferried from Palmdale, California, when it encountered problems, and the pilot elected to make an emegency landing at Edwards AFB)
Film opens with slate reading: "Evacuation to Hospitals." Next, on January 30, 1945, the day of the "Cabanatuan Raid" (Mission to rescue prisoners of war from the Japanese prison camp at Cabanatuan) rescuers are seen carrying a former POW from a building, on a litter. Local Filipinos and others are standing on the porch of the prison building. An ambulatory former prisoner comes down the steps unaided. Several rescued prisoners are seated on chairs, conversing. Closeups of some of them. Two weakened and bandaged former prisoners help each other up some steps. Slate states: "Man with Cane afflicted with Beri-Beri." A severely disabled former prisoner, with a cane, makes his way unaided across the grass. Rescuers and Filipinos are in the background, along with some carts used to evacuate disabled former prisoners back behind American lines.
A Hungarian-sponsored concert in Berlin, Germany. Large Nazi German flag and Hungarian flag hanging above state. The concert is performed for war relief in World War II. A woman sings. People watch the performance. An orchestra plays in the background. Men and women perform and sing. Many closeup views of people in the audience watching the performance, including civilians and German military personnel in uniform. People applaud.
Several officials of the new German government after World War I. Matthias Erzberger, Minister of Finance, stands outside a building. Dr. Edward David, German Minister of State, and one of Germany's delegates to the Peace Conference. He wears a straw hat and carries a cane. He climbs int the back seat of an open car and poses for the camera. Buildings in the background. Other man watch him. Gustav Noske, German Minister of War, stands outside a building. He carries a furled umbrella and removes dark-rimmed glasses to pose.
Teams of horses transport German 21cm morsers (heavy siege morters) along a road leading toward the front during World War 1. Gunners walk along beside them. Battery of the mortars being set up in a field by some houses near Mechelen (also called Malines) Belgium. The gun crews load and fire their mortars. Supplies are brought by horse-drawn wagon. Officers, soldiers, and some medical corpsmen (with red crosses on their sleeves) stand nearby as the battery of mortars fires. . (Note: The church shown, beginning TC: 1:28 is reportedly St. Joseph's, of the St. Joseph-Coloma parish on the southern outskirts of Mechelen/Malines, a city midway between Brussels and Antwerp. The church survived the war and still stands in 2014, although it is also reportedly in a bad state of repair.)
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