Audience enters the Town Hall in New York to hear a recital by Marian Anderson on December 30, 1935. Curtains are opened. Marian Anderson stands beside a pianist on the stage. Audience applauds. She sings while the pianist plays. Marian Anderson bows to the audience. Curtains are closed. Two assistants help Marian sit in a chair because she has been performing with a broken ankle. View of the streets in the District of South Philadelphia., Marian's native hometown. Marian's mother Mrs Anna Anderson at her home. Shots of members of the Union Baptist Church passing an offering plate to raise money to aid Marian Anderson. Marian Anderson talks with manager Sol Hurok in dressing room. Marian Sings during another concert. Crowd applauds as she finishes. View of the New York Times showing name of Marian Anderson in the roster list of great American artists. Montage shows Marian's concerts cards, awards received by Marian from city foundations, the Philadelphia Bach Award of 10,000 dollars in 1941. Marian performs outside at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, USA on Easter Sunday April 9, 1939. Thousands in attendance at the concert as she sings My Country Tis of Thee.
View of the Peace Treaty between Germany and Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg, signed on 6th October 1939. The treaty breached on May 10th, 1940, Germany launched a massive attack on the above mentioned countries. Scenes of fire and destruction as aerial bombing by Luftwaffe leaves devastation in Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg. Nazi troops take over the cities. German troops marching at night while buildings in the target cities burn in the background. (World War II period).
Nazi crimes against the nations of the world during World War II. View of the Peace Treaty between Germany and Yugoslavia which was signed on 1st June, 1939. The treaty breached on 6th April 1941, Germany launched a massive attack on Yugoslavia. German troops attack and advance. A map shows that most of the Europe was in the hands of Germany by 1941. View of September 27, 1940 signing ceremonies in Berlin of the Tripartite (Axis) Pact between Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Imperial Japan. Hitler and axis leaders shake hands and pose at pact signing table. Joachim von Ribbentrop signing the Axis Pact. Scene of German tank treads close-up rolling over battlefield and wider view of German armor and troops during Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, invading Russia, in violation of their non-aggression pact. German forces enter Russian territory. German Army forces setup and fire artillery at Russia. German rocket launchers fire rockets at Russian targets. Ground and aerial views of formations of German Luftwaffe aircraft on bombing runs. Between August-September 1941, Luftwaffe conducts blitzkrieg raids (blitz) on Great Britain. View of British landmarks like St Paul's Cathedral dome and Tower Bridge. Aerial views as Luftwaffe fighter aircraft roll and dive toward targets. British spotlights and search lights on the ground sweeping and catching German aircraft in their light beams. British anti aircraft batteries open fire on German planes over England. Alternating views of German plane point of view bombing England with bright flashes of light and explosions on the ground, and British anti-aircraft fire filling the air. Ground views in England, United Kingdom of buildings on fire from London blitz bombing, and British fire fighters moving to deploy fire hoses and extinguish fires. Flaming buildings collapse from bombs and fire. Whole blocks of buildings on fire. Scene change to December 7, 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. U.S. Navy ships bombed and on fire in Pearl Harbor.
World War 2 era film that also includes some World War 1 scenes. Show girls or chorus girls in follies-like show, costumed as U.S. silver dollars and marching to tune and lyrics alluding to dramatic increase of currency in circulation, over the years. Animation with stacks of coins shows increase in national income from $46 billion,in 1933, to $71 billion, in 1939, and $142 billion in 1943. Back to the "follies dollars," a boy asks why, and then scenes of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,are shown, with U.S. battleships being sunk. Wartime arms plants are shown. An M2A3 Light Tank rolls off a production line. Ships being constructed in a shipyard. B-24 Liberator bombers being built in a factory. Artillery shells being produced. Defense workers receiving their pay. The "follies dollars" group themselves to illustrate the fractions of income devoted to taxes and savings. But other spending is curtailed by wartime shortages. A woman talking with clerk in a drug store. U.S. Army troops crossing a pontoon bridge in open trucks, towing 75mm M1A1 howitzers. Infantry on the march. Animation showing industrial production devoted to war materiel and lots of dollars chasing few civilian goods. A grocery clerk offers to sell a woman customer butter for more than the established price, and she agrees. The "follies" performers then introduce the idea of an "inflationary dollar," and some history of past U.S. inflations. Animated examples of price inflation are shown. Glimpses of World War I scenes are seen, circa 1917 -1918, including: a 12-inch railway gun firing; a huge explosion from shell bursting near the camera; various scenes of United States infantry soldiers and French soldiers in battle action, running to bomb craters for cover and emerging from trenches to go up "over the top" into no-mans land during combat. Meanwhile, singing narration refers to the home front inflation due to competition for limited civilian goods. Map shows Europe and singing narration cites rising prices for food in occupied France and other countries suffering ravages of World War II. Montage of scenes showing needy civilians obtaining food in those countries. Animation shows increases, by 1944, in cost of U.S. civilian goods since the Pearl Harbor attack. "Follies" character called "Double-duty dollar," appears explaining he serves the war and curtails inflation on the home front by being saved through investments in War Bonds and stamps.
Lewis Thaddeus Nordyke, newspaperman and author, who lived through the Dust Bowl in Dalhart, Texas, recounts how some people "stayed and prayed" in hopes of rain, always looking forward to "next year." Views of drought stricken land and sand covered houses during dust bowl in Great Depression. Scenes of farmers packing up their families and abandoning their homes. Some wear handerchief masks over their faces to protect against dust. Families load belongings into the backs of towed carts and trucks, leaving their homes. (Between 1935 and 1939, 350 thousand people left their homes in the dust bowl. Many migrated west toward California.)
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of United Kingdom, walking with Princess Elizabeth, behind them. King George saying farewell to Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip as they board a British Overseas Airways passenger plane for a 5-month trip abroad to Africa and Australia. Scenes of the King as a young man, in public school and as a young Naval Officer, and Duke of York. Royal carriage with escort and scene of dowager Queen Mary with the Duke of York and his wife, the former Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons on the occasion of their wedding, April 26, 1923. Royal carriage carrying King George VI on day of Coronation following the abdication of his brother, Edward the 8th. Scenes of coronation of King George VI. The Royal Family: King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret pose on castle balcony. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on royal thrones. Historic profile photograph of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during trip to Africa. King George VI and Elizabeth II visiting Canada. King George VI, formally dressed, with President Franklin Roosevelt, in an open car. The royal couple sitting with the Roosevelts on a porch, in the sun, during their 1939 visit, early in World War 2. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II in the country, with cart and on bicycles with daughters Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Scenes of royal wedding of Princes Elizabeth and Prince Philip, with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II attending. The British royal family on occasion of 25th wedding anniversary of George VI and Elizabeth II. Crowds outside Buckingham Palace in vigil during illness of King George VI. Signs being posted about the King's condition. King George VI actively engaged following recovery from surgery. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip being welcomed in Kenya. Kenyans in native dress. Kenyan boy presents bouquet of flowers to Princess Elizabeth. Newspapers announce death of King George VI, at Sandringham Palace and Princess Elizabeth returning from Kenya to assume the throne.