Victory in Europe Day celebration in London,England at the end of World War II. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill,King George VI of the United Kingdom and other officials stand on steps of Buckingham Palace. They pose for photographers. Dignitaries climb up steps. Large crowd of civilians gathered in front of the palace gateway for Victory in Europe (V-E ) day celebration.
Canada deploys its army to fight in Europe during World War 2. Ships leave Canada carrying the 1st Battalion of The Hastings and the Prince Edward Regiment of the Canadian Army heading for London, United Kingdom. Canadian soldiers marching on deck. Canadian soldiers wear their life vests. Canadian soldiers play games on deck, including shuffleboard. Canadian soldiers wave at the camera on deck. Canadian soldiers march on the streets of London after disembarking from ships. Canadian soldiers marching by the Palace of Westminster and the Big Ben. Canadian soldiers enter the Buckingham Palace gates as they are being watched by onlookers. Queen Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the wife of King George VI, watches the Canadian soldiers’ arrival from a balcony. Canadian troops stand in attention. King George VI of the United Kingdom salutes to troops. Canadian soldiers leave the Buckingham Palace. Onlookers outside the Buckingham Palace. A Canadian soldier marches away.
German scientists experiments with rocket propulsion units in Peenemunde, Germany. A static test stand in Peenemunde. A vertically raised platform, the frame support of the mounting units at the stand. A scientist (possibly Wernher von Braun?) views through a telescope and adjusts settings. The propulsion unit fires. It releases smoke. The emission exhausts. The scientists monitor from the control room. The experiment is repeated. (World War II period).
U.S. Army 1st Infantry soldiers move inside the jungles in Lai Khe, South Vietnam. Soldiers sit in a group at the jungle. One of them demonstrates the use of wireless radio telephone sets. The other soldiers listen to him carefully. Views of the radio backpack unit. One soldier holds portable radio units and examines them. He holds them near the backpack unit. (Vietnam War period).
Opening scene shows closeup of a member of the U.S. Army First Infantry Division Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol unit (LRRP) wearing a black beret with parachutist's badge. In background,LRRP members watch as an instructor demonstrates how to field strip a Soviet AK-47 assault rifle. Scene shifts to viewpoint of soldiers watching the instructor. Tents are seen in the background. Closeups of instructor show master parachutist badge on his black beret. Scene shifts again to a large sign containing a large painted logo with a picture of a Vietcong in the center, surrounded by images of black berets. The combat infantryman badge is shown at the top and 1st Infantry Division and MACV recondo badges appear at opposite sides of the sign. (Note: LRRP Units were Airborne, Special Forces. The LRRP Unit of the 1st Infantry Division, shown in these scenes, on January 1st, was, at that time, designated: Company F of the 52nd Infantry Regiment.) (Vietnam War period).
As trumpets are heard playing, a Flag, displaying spade and wheat, of the German Labor Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst) known as the RAD, flutters in breeze. (This is a German great depression era agency to help relieve unemployment.) Next, the camera focuses on brass symbols of the RAD, with Swastikas on the spades. Two trumpeters are silhouetted. Adolf Hitler steps to an outdoor podium. Friedrich Heinrich Karl Syrup, head of the RAD, steps up (to cheers from RAD members), salutes Hitler and presents some 50 thousand members of the RAD. Camera shows the huge number of RAD members, assembled in formations, carrying spades, in the Zeppelin Field meadow of the Nazi Party grounds in Nuremberg. Hitler salutes and "Heils" them and they respond "Heil mein Führer." At a command from Syrup, the RAD shoulder their spades like rifles. On command, they move them to order arms position. Next, a line of drummer's arms and hands are seen as they strike a cadence in unison. RAD members, resting their spades on the ground, recite a pledge in unison. Closeup of one RAD member taking role call and of others responding with the homes of their units. They describe, in unison, the extent of their activities, from the North Sea, and speak of planting trees and all their other beneficial endeavors. Closeup of Hitler listening to them. Trumpeters are silhouetted as they sound their instruments and the RAD members sing an organizational song. Camera pans over the men as they sing. As Hitler and Syrup stand listening, one young man remarks aloud to the effect that although they aren't in combat, they are soldiers, neverthless. Next, a Rad member slowly lowers a flag, as the strains of "Ich hatt' einen Kameraden" are heard, in tribute to RAD members who lost their lives in the service. The various units of RAD lower their flags, as well. The individual members in ranks, salute as if armed. Spokesmen of affected units call out. Views of the stadium. flag bearers suddenly raise up Nazi flags. Closeup of Hitler looking ernest. View of the entire assembly moving spades in unison. Hitler speaks about the value of the RAD to him and the whole German people and delivers a talk inspiring the corps, while the camera shows many closeups of Hitler and his listeners. In final moments, RAD members march toward the camera with left-shouldered spades as a chorus sings their song, in the background.
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