At beginning camera gives shaky view of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris during World War 2. Then it shifts to an American army staff car driving along the Champs Elysee toward the Arch of Triumph. Next, General Dwight D. Eisenhower steps from the staff car, shakes hands with a U.S. army photographer, and walks among French people toward the base of the Arch of Triumph. Camera pans up to top of the arch. Back on the ground, Eisenhower is met by American and French military commanders and surrounded by a crowd of French civilians. He poses for a picture (viewing from left to right) unidentified U.S. Major General; Lieutenant General Omar Bradley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, French General Marie-Pierre Kœnig and British Air Marshal Arthur Tedder. The French Tricolor flies behind them. Camera pans upward to the top of the Arch of Triumph. The Allied commanders and General Eisenhower are surrounded by American soldiers and French civilians as Eisenhower gets into his staff car. View from trailing vehicle of his staff car passing the Place de la Bastille and proceeding through streets of Paris. Eisenhower is seen next, standing on the sidewalk, by his parked car, conversing with General Bradley, General Marie-Pierre Kœnig, and another French General. He shakes hands with a military photographer as he steps into his staff car, and shares a final hand shake with General Marie-Pierre Kœnig. As his car drives away, civilians in the background wave goodbye. Glimpse of American M4 Sherman tanks moving on the street. Eisenhower' car drives away.
Two U.S. Army 119th Infantry soldiers crawl over hedgerows and pass through fields. (World War II period).
Camouflaged 155 millimeter Long Tom rifles firing. United States Army soldiers take fuses from a case and screw them onto nose shells. Distant view of a burning ammunition dump. Gun crew loads and fires Long Tom rifle. (World War II period).
Alsos mission carried out by United States Alsos mission personnel in Europe during World War II. Unit welcomed by the French civilians in Paris during liberation of Paris. Alsos personnel pass on vehicles and crowd from roadside cheers. Colonel Boris T. Pash meets an officer in a building. Celebrations in streets of Paris. Plane over Arc de Triomphe and crowd march on street. Alsos personnel walk out of a building and get on jeeps. Personnel leave in jeeps.
Two civilians and two soldiers, are standing on the sidewalk in front of the train station at Montparnasse, Paris (Gare de Montparnasse) during World War 2 liberation of Paris. A remnant of former German occupation is a sign (in German) indicating it is for the German Army and contains the office of the train station guard officer. The French tricolor is displayed on the front of the building. Through the large glass window of the station, several men are seen huddled around a table inside. Camera moves inside, showing General Philippe Leclerc commander of the Free French 2nd Armored Division (2e Division Blindée,2e DB, aka La Division Leclerc). He is reviewing tactical maps with officers of his staff. After a glimpse of a train on a track behind them, the camera returns to Leclerc and his officers, and then pans upward to the train station clock reading 12:47.
The end of the Battle for Paris during World War 2. French woman on bicycle ducks under Large white banner reading (in German) "Armistice. Do not shoot." French Resistance taking German prisoners through the streets. Camera pans down burned out hotel building to street below filled with Parisians making their way around burned and shattered vehicles. The French tricolor flag flying above a building. View of Fort de Romainville, and bodies of French executed in its yard. Frenchmen tear down posters of Vichy officials. People ride in truck displaying American flags. Others pose atop a German tank on which they have painted the Free French Cross of Lorraine symbol. French General Leclerc leads elements of his armored division past Liberty statue. Spectators jam every available space along the way. Suddenly smoke appears as shooting breaks out and the parade stops. People in the streets and sidewalks seek cover, while French forces return fire on the German snipers. Soon the scene is partially obscured by the smoke of gunfire. People keep running for cover. Final scenes are entirely celebratory, filled with happy Parisians.
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