Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii during World War II. The bow of USS Argonne. A row of battleships underway including USS Maryland, capsized USS Oklahoma, USS Tennessee, USS West Virginia. Burning USS Arizona, USS Vestal and USS Nevada. Smoke rises in the foreground. An attacking Japanese aircraft in flight and flak in the sky. USS Neosho starts to back clear of her moorings at the end of a row of battleships. USS Helena and USS Oglala being pulled clear of cruisers side. A Japanese airplane under anti aircraft fire. Battleship USS Nevada tries to reach open sea. The ship is heavily bombed forward. Her guns are firing back at her Japanese attackers. USS Oglala (CM-4) sinks in the foreground.
A Vought-Sikorsky VS-300 experimental helicopter takes off from a breakwater and maneuvers to land in water, where it taxiis about on its pontoons. It then rises again and returns to its starting point on the breakwater. Pilot clearly visible in the single person cockpit. The helicopter flies away and lands in a small boat basin, amongst vessels tied up there.
Opening scene shows group of men reenacting role of Native American Indians dancing around a ceremonial fire, at night. Native Americans on horseback rounding up horses, in area of Western U.S. containing dramatic outcroppings of rock. Native Americans, on horseback, herding sheep. A dwelling and fences of wood and other local materials are seen. Narrator speaks of tuberculosis disease being an "enemy" of these people. Two men on a buckboard pulled by a team of horses. Native Americans assembled in an auditorium.
Japanese propaganda newsreel, narrated in accented English. Fall of Hong Kong: Map shows Hong Kong and offensive from Kowloon to Hong Kong. Japanese artillery fired at British forces. Japanese attack over Hong Kong by artillery, by aircraft, and with landing forces. Explosions over targets from aircraft. British ships at sea under attack. Naval guns shell the island. Japanese troops on troop carriers ready for invasion of the mainland. Ships at sea. Mountains in the background. View of oil tanks on land. Japanese bombers in flight target ships and oil tanks. Pilot in bomber. Aerial view of Island and city. Smoke rises from oil tanks on Hong Kong. Artillery is fired. Ground forces scale ladders of an oil tank facility. (World War II period).
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii during World War 2 leads to destruction of U.S. Navy warships. A dock area. Destroyer USS Shaw (DD-373) partially submerged in floating drydock with USS Pennsylvania BB-38 in the background. The camera travels around the wreck of Shaw in the drydock. Men at work in the dock area. Various debris in water. A close up view of Shaw's damaged bridge area. Smoke comes out of a ship's stack.
Preface to U.S. in World War 2. German U-boat on surface. Crew climbing down into submarine and at duty stations while submerged. Torpedo trails bubbles underwater. Ship hit and explodes. Newspaper headlines report torpedoing of American ships: SS Robin Moor, SS Lehigh, SS Sessa, SS Steelfarer, and SS Montana, by German U-boats. Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson calls on U.S. Navy to secure sea lanes. Wendell Wilkie agrees. U.S. Congress repeals Neutrality Act, November 17, 1941. Deck guns being placed on U.S. Merchantmen. Japanese warships docked and troops entering Indochina, as local people watch.Japanese troops by Dong Dang, near Chinese border. Situation described by animated illustrations.Japanese Special Envoy, Saburo Kurusu, is dispatched to Washington. Pan American Boeing 314 flying boat taking off. Japanese Naval Task Force of warships underway. Kurusu arriving in San Francisco, on November 14, 1941. He steps from the aircraft and makes statement to reporters. Japanese Ambassador, Kichisaburo Nomura, and Special Envoy Kurusu escorted into the White House by Secretary of State Cordell Hull, on November 17, 1941. Japanese troops in China bombarding Chinese city with artillery. November 26, 1941, View of Executive Office Building with statue of Victory atop U.S. Army First Division Monument. Secretary Hull announcing proposal to Japan.The Japanese representatives leaving the White House. Japanese aircraft carriers steaming toward Pearl Harbor. Japanese flight crews getting briefed on December 7,1941. Nakajima B5N (Kate) torpedo bombers taking off and in formation. Secretary Hull at his desk. The aloha tower and aerial view of Honolulu. Sailors at outdoor Sunday service, and relaxing at Pearl Harbor. Vehicle entering Hickam Field. Japanese airplanes bombing Pearl Harbor. Explosions on U.S. warships. USS Arizona (BB-39) suffers direct hit and explosion, as filmed from the deck of U.S. Navy Hospital Ship, USS Solace (AH-5). Shots of pilots and point of view from pilots inside Japanese bomber and attack aircraft, through a mix of dramatized segments from Japanese propaganda films about the Pearl Harbor attack, and real footage from the Pearl Harbor attack. View from Japanese planes bombing and strafing Ford Island. U.S. sailors firing antiaircraft and machine guns down Japanese planes. Secretary Hull describes memorandum from Japanese.