Animated map illustrates Nazi takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1939. St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. Italian Destroyer, RN Camicia Nera, in Albanian harbor, during Italian invasion. Italian troops marching along Albanian pier. Italian troops entering Albania on bicycles; in trucks;and L3 tankettes. President Franklin Roosevelt writing letters to Hitler and Mussolini, requesting them to respect independence of 33 European countries. Hitler addressing the Bundestag making fun of Roosevelt's letter, and delegates laughing and applauding. Goering and Goebels are seen present.
Film opens with a map of Europe showing black-shaded region of the Soviet Union, and pointing out Germany and Finland. Next, are shown moving images of rural buildings on fire in Finland, late in 1939, during the Russo-Finish war (or "Winter War"). (The Narrator comments that Finland's population was only 4 million while that of the soviets was 180 million.) Soviet bombers are seen high in the sky. A lone woman hurries along a street in Helsinki, Finland, past rubble of a bombed building. Smoke rises in the background. Finnish fire fighters man a hose to fight numerous huge fires in Helsinki.Various views of fires blazing in the capital.
Filmed by Eva Braun during a visit to Norway while cruising on the M/S Milwaukee (Hamburg-Amerika Line) in July, 1939: Closeup of a Norwegian boy and girl in a farm field enclosed by a strand of barbed wire in Norway. The weather is very misty. The girl holds a puffin sea bird. she is joined by two other girls, one of whom now holds the puffin. A group Norwegian men and women walk past the field toward a town barely discernible in the mist. Closeup of a Norwegian man and woman standing at the back of their house. Two women walking along a road toward the town. Camera pans over the area, showing houses and fields. It focuses on a man leading a pony pulling a two-wheeled cart. Closeup of wash hung out to dry. the line and wash move to and fro in a breeze. Closeup of a smiling Norwegian boy. Four Norwegian boys pose in a front yard. A fifth joins briefly. Two girls and a smaller boy pose. A man poses next to a canvas covered boat (not seen under the wraps). A boy poses next to a pony.A friend comes up to steady the animal as the boy jumps on ready to ride bareback. He quickly slides back down again. One of Eva Braun's sisters pets the pony. View of local people walking toward their waterfront. Buildings on stilts at the water's edge. A fishing boat nearby. Judging by the level of the water below the buildings, the tide must be out. Camera pans across several boats and scenery at the waterfront. Eva Braun's mother, Franziska, and one of Eva's sisters, standing near a taxi cab. Camera focuses on the car. Scene shifts to a waterfront open market on a large pier, where many Norwegian people are mingling, gathered, as if waiting, near a long line of below- deck tanks from which steam is rising. The tanks are covered with concave semicircular gratings. Men with long poles tend to the contents.
Opening Slate reads: "International Union United Auto Workers (UAW) of America " over-layed on medalion reading: "Affiliated with C.I.O."This is followed by the title of the film: "United Action Means Victory, Story of the General Motors Tool and Die Strike 1939." This is followed by numerous credits, and a foreward signed by UAW President, R. J. Thomas and Secretary-Treasurer, George F. Gaddes. Next, Camera shows Walter Reuther, Director of the General Motors Department of the UAW, seated behind Union President R.J. Thomas, as he speaks to members of the union executive board. Camera pans over the board members. Views of a tool and die makers at work, in measuring and in machine shops, using grinders, drilling machines, welding equipment and other machinery. Walter Reuther is seen meeting with Union officials after they decide to strike. Actors supposedly brawling outside an auto plant. (They all pull their punches.) Newspapers announcing peaceful settlement of labor complaints. Walter Reuther insists on waiting for General Motors response to the Union's demands. Strikers marching outside an auto plant. One carries a sign calling for Fisher Pontiac workers to strike. Most of these are women. View of a Chevrolet plant with picketers marching in a courtyard. Slate reads:"Chevrolet Gear and Experimental." More views of picketers. One wears a hat reading: "UAW-CIO Picket Captain." Building with sign reading: "Chevrolet Engineering Laboratory." Engineers from the Lab shake hands with strikers and join them. More views of pickets. Some receiving drinks from folks supporting the strike. Union members seen paying their dues to union cashiers.
The New York world's fair of 1939-1940. View of Manhattan, George Washington bridge. Aerial views of buildings and other skyscrapers of New York City. People gather on the fairgrounds. People outside various buildings. Exhibitions, bands, dances, statues and flags at the fair grounds. Statue of George Washington. The United States Government building and different state buildings in view. Woman and two girls seated on a bench as they eat ice-cream cones.
The New York world's fair of 1939 - 1940. People gather on the fairgrounds. Streamline train on display. People watching the railroad train. AT&T building, United States Steel building, Westinghouse, Goodrich, Chrysler, General Motors and Ford buildings in view. Entrance to Ford building. Statue of Mercury. Interiors of the entrance hall. People watch various displays. A couple looks at Ford, Lincoln, and Lincoln Zephyr cars outside the building. They look at Henry Ford's first gasoline-powered engine on display. Crowd look at a huge mobile mural by Henry Billings. They move through hall as they look at exhibits. They watch the main exhibit-'Ford Cycle of Production'. The steps involved in the production process of Ford being displayed at the fair