At opening, Filipino women are seen walking alongside a row of factory buildings. A factory room filled with Filipino women dressed in white caps and white uniforms engaged in production at individual individual work stations in a factory. A machine shop filled with Filipino men engaged in metal work. Several people at the window of an office, conducting business with a woman inside. A stock or commodities market office with quotes on tote boards. Women working alongside a moving production line. A woman operating a fabric processing machine. Filipino miners pushing hopper cars of mined ore across a bridge. Miners riding on an engine pulling a train of hopper cars filled with ore from a mine. Filipino longshoremen handling cargoes on a wharf. Scene shifts to an open field where a number of Filipino men are being trained to use firearms during World War 2. One is being coached by an American soldier as he works with a Browning M 1917 water cooled machine gun. Lines of Filipino men firing rifles under supervision of U.S Army trainers. A contingent of uniformed Filipino soldiers, led by an American soldier, marches past a sign, in an camp of tents, reading "A-T Company, 1st Filipino Infantry." Filipino soldiers at a tent camp, being instructed by an American soldier, using a large set of maps. Camera pans over a camp of many tents laid out in order. A formation of Filipino soldiers marches between tents. An American soldier opening his foot locker at his quarters. An illustrated portrait of General Douglas MacArthur. A formation in a field with a Filipino band playing and a Color Guard carrying the American and Filipino flags. A large group of Filipino children walking along a path. A Filipino boy lying on the floor in his home, reading a large book. Filipino school girls seated at benches next to tables. Women doing laundry at an outdoor pond. Next, an actor in khaki clothing sits in a tent and speaks as if addressing American soldiers regarding the Philippines. Among other things, he says,"These people aren't natives. They aren't beggars. They have cities and farms and industries.They have schools and courts and a Constitution. They also have pride and patriotism and self-respect. They love freedom They'll die for it." He cautions American soldiers about their behavior vis-a-vis Filipinos. He states that "Filipinos are American." He alludes to messages received from American and Filipino defenders in Fort Mills, at the fall of Corregidor on May 5, 1942. View of radio towers and Morse code messages heard as an American army radio operator with a headset transcribes the messages. Scene shifts to an amphibious invasion fleet attacking a Japanese held island in the Pacific.
Japanese officer speaks over radio during Japanese occupation of Philippines in World War II. Japanese officer speaks at a desk. Japanese flag in the background. Japanese officer hands over the document to Filipino politician Benigno Aquino. Presiding Officer of the Philippine Executive Commission Jorge Vargas, member of Philippine Senate Quintín Paredes, Senator of Philippines Claro Recto, Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce Rafael Alunan, and others listen as a Japanese officer reads a proclamation.
On January 30, 1945, 121 members of the 6th Ranger Battalion and 286 Filipino guerrillas are seen setting out on a 30 mile trek behind Japanese lines, to free Allied prisoners of war (POWs) and civilians from a Japanese camp near Cabanatuan City, in the Philippines, during World War 2. They stretch out in a long, informal column as they traverse low flat lands and ford a wide shallow river. The men carry weapons and supplies (some on their heads) as they move along, almost like a Safari. Scene shifts to rescued prisoner, Major Emil P. Reed, U.s. Army Medical Corps,26th Cavalry. He was the senior officer among prisoners at the Cabanatuan prison camp number 1. He recounts being told by the Japanese Commandant that commencing January 7th, they were free at their own risk, but also assured them they would not be molested by the Japanese if they stayed within their regular camp area. Sergeant Samuel E. Goldy, Signal Corps, also speaks a few words about that period when Japanese were departing. Next the camera records the Rangers and Filipino guerillas returning with the approximately 500 freed POWs. Some Filipino women and children watch them return. At one point, the cadre climb aboard army trucks and continue their journey in a convoy. The POWs climb down from their trucks at the 92nd Evacuation Hospital, in Guimba, Luzon. Some take pleasure is simply lying down on the grass at the site. Many gather around hospital staff handing out packages of treats, including cigarettes, candy and the like. A couple of them express pleasure as they smoke cigarettes. Two frail and injured are seen hobbling with canes. Some appear seriously malnourished. A group are seen trying on new clothes. A British prisoner, Sergeant Robert Bell, Manchester Regiment, British Army, speaks of his experience. He was taken prisoner in Singapore and sent to Thailand where he worked to build a railway for the Japanese. Many prisoners died there from disease and malnutrition. He was one of a small number who survived after being on a Japanese ship with other prisoners when it was sunk by American dive bombers. Sergeant Walter Ring, of San Roque, Luzon, is seated, relaxed on a chair, as he recounts his experiences. Two young Filipino boys sit on the grass at his feet. He reaches to one, whom he says is his son Louis and to the other, his son Sam. His captivity began on Bataan in 1942. Finally, after rest and rehabilitation, the former POWs are seen heading away from the battle fronts to be transported back to the U.S.A.
Margaret Moule, the wife of William Moule, is seen along with her three children, Billy, Eileen, and Linda, late in World War 2. She describes how they hid from the Japanese in 1942, but were captured by the Japanese in 1943 and lived in a concentration camp in Manila, Philippines.
Allies of the Pacific War Council met at the White House on June 25, 1942 Pictured with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (both seated) and Canadian Prime Minister, Mackenzie King, standing immediately behind and between them. Others, standing behind are: Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eelco N. van Kleffens, Australian representative, Stanley Melbourne Bruce. The tall man behind Prime Minster King, is British Vicount Halifax (Edward Wood). To his left is Chinese Foreign Minister T.V. Soong, and Manuel L. Quezon, President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. The last person standing at the right, is Walter Nash, New Zealand's minister to the United States. Scene shifts to military leaders of the combined British and American General Staffs, meeting in the so-called Second Washington Conference (Code named Argonaut). Closeup of U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General George S. Marshall, conversing with lieutenant General Henry H (Hap) Arnold, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces. Another closeup shows U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Ernest King, conversing with Admiral William D. Leahy, personal Chief of Staff to President Roosevelt. Glimpse of British Military General Staff members.
U.S. Army Major Achille C. Tisdell testifies before a military tribunal in Manila, Phillipines during the trial of Japanese Army General Masaharu Homma for World War II crimes. Major Tisdell, aide-de-camp to Commanding General of the American forces in Luzon Major General Edward King is asked about how long he was at Camp O'Donnell. He says that he was there from April 13, 1942 to June 1, 1942. He recalls that at the camp the commanding officer of the prison camp addressed them. Major Tisdell being questioned about the Red Cross supplies. He says that once Red Cross food and medical supplies arrived at the camp gates but were not permitted to enter. He also speaks about the number of times he was questioned at the camp and that he was offered an opportunity to move to Manila and work for the Japanese. He says that a number of times the prisoners were beaten for no reason by the Japanese guards.