Opening scene shows nose gunner compartment of a parked Fremch Farman biplane bomber as viewed upward from the ground below. It is embellished with a painting of Charlie Chaplain as the iconic "Little tramp." Above, the nose art, a French gunner displays the maneuverability of his machine gun mounted in the open nose position of the aircraft.
Members of the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps (Corpo Expedicionário Português or CEP) are seen having a civilized lunch at a second line trench, where they served under British and/or French control, on the Western Front in France during World War 1. Portuguese soldiers emerge from a well-established dugout deep in a wood lattice-reinforced trench. Lengthwise view of Portuguese troops lined up in the deep trench. Several make their way single-file toward the camera. Slate identifies a telephone station in the secondary trench. A soldier in a French Adrian steel helmet stands at the entrance of a heavily fortified dugout. Numerous phone wires extend outward and upwards from the dugout entrance. (They are difficult to see against the rocks reinforcing the entrance.)
Opening scene shows Portuguese soldiers in a deep lattice-reinforced frontline trench in France, during World War 1. One is standing on a platform looking over the edge of the trench, as an officer stands nearby. Glimpse of the soldier wearing an Adrian French steel helmet as he peeks above the trench. View of cameraman using a periscopic viewer to look over a heavily sandbagged section of trench.
A title reading “1917”. An American ship sinks down in the Atlantic Ocean after it was torpedoed by a German U-Boat during World War I. United States President Woodrow Wilson signs the United States declaration of war on Germany. President Woodrow Wilson at work in his desk. A United States soldier blows a trumpet. United States soldiers crowd the deck of a ship sailing to Europe during WWI. The American Expeditionary Forces are waving as the ship sails away from the port. Franklin Roosevelt during World War I. American troops disembark from their ships after arriving in Europe. American women working in military supply factory. Women manufacture bullets using hand drills. A woman assembles munitions. Men building battleships at shipyard assembly line. Allied soldiers running in the battlefield to avoid being hit or bombed by the Germans. Bombs explode in the battlefield in Europe during World War I. Soldiers avoid bombs. A railway gun fires. An biplane falls in smoke after being hit. Explosion from tank in battlefield. Soldier rolls down to a trench. Explosion beside a rolling tank. A German soldier ducks in trench. An Allied soldier fires from a trench. A soldier behind him throws a grenade. Soldier with machine gun ducks from a trench. Tank rolls and fires in battlefield. Black explosion in battlefield. Soldiers run and avoid explosions. German soldiers fire a machine gun and throw grenades. Surrendered German prisoner soldiers march out as prisoners-of-war. American soldiers celebrate Armistice Day. View of the United States flag. Allied soldiers march in victory through ruined city. Americans celebrate Allied victory in World War I, filling with crowds in New York City. Americans hold banner saying, “Germany Surrenders”. Celebrating Americans in New York City, hold American flags and their hats triumphantly after Allied Victory in World War I.
A young Major Fiorello La Guardia, future mayor of New York City, seen in uniform and smiling in front of the camera.
A desert horse race in the Middle East. An Arab dignitary arrives on a white Arabian horse, flanked by servants. Commoners bow down to the dignitary on his arrival. Spectators sit on the ground before the start of a race. A trio of musicians play instruments. Arab spectators crowd to watch a race. Horse gallop at the start of race, with jockeys firing with guns.