D-Day minus 4 (June 2, 1944). A U.S. Transport ship and landing craft at a harbor in the South of England, during World War 2. A jeep, with American soldiers in it, is hoisted aboard a ship. View of men riding a jeep as it is lowered into the hold of the ship. A diesel engine being loaded aboard the ship. A welder making repairs to the ship's superstructure. A cargo net filled with boxes of K-rations being hoisted aboard the ship.
A convoy to resupply allied troops at Mindoro, Philippines, seen underway, as it comes under attack by Japanese Kamikaze planes, during World War 2. Opening scene shows a burning Japanese warplane trailing smoke as it falls and breaks up before crashing into the sea. Flak clouds seen in the sky from the antiaircraft fire of the U.S. battleship, USS South Dakota (BB-57) seen low on the horizon in the background. Several ships are seen in the convoy. Suddenly a huge explosion occurs as a Japanese kamikaze (unseen) strikes the 14 thousand ton Liberty ship, SS John Burke. She is carrying a cargo of ammunition that explodes, raising a wall of water around the ship and creating a mushroom cloud of smoke that billows high into the sky.
The Vorontsov Palace in Alupka, Crimea, Soviet Union (Voronstov Palace Dvortsovoye Hwy, 10 Alupka, 98676 Crimea). Exteriors of the Vorontsov Palace. Tourists sit on benches in the palace garden. Busts lined up inside the palace. A fountain in front of the palace. White marble lions at the entrance. People come down the steps of the southern facade of the palace. A mermaid statue.
Film begins with animated map depicting conquest of the Balkans by the German-Italian Axis powers. With Southern flank now protected, Germany begins Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, View of German troops goosestepping on parade in large formation. German troops being transported on parade in formation of wheeled open personnel carriers. Glimpse of upper part of Spasskaya Tower and clock overlooking Red Square in Moscow, Soviet Union. View of Soviet heavy industry complex with many smoke stacks. New farm tractors being moved on a railroad train. Scene segues into train carrying Soviet tanks, and then continues with scenes in a steel mill, a machine shop, a tank factory, and an artillery plant. Soviet troops parade bearing left shouldered rifles and singing as they march. Soviet civilian men are seen reporting for duty in the military and then training in hills overlooking a war plant complex. New Soviet recruits training with calisthenics and with small arms. A Soviet soldier speeds past the camera on a motorcycle and segues into a soldier on a horse jumping over a barrier, and then into several Soviet soldiers in uniforms, with rifles, diving into a swimming pool and swimming across it. Film ends showing Soviet troops in formation bringing their rifles from present arms position to pointing forward, as they march.
German forces overrunning Soviet cities and towns during Operation Barbarossa of World War II. View of the city, Pskov, on the Veilakaya river. A steel bridge is seen and city across it with smoke rising. German troops marching in loose formation over a bridge in Novogorod. Views of German armor and troops entering Soviet cities of Brest-litovsk, Minsk, Mogilev, and Vitebsk. View of German Panzer III tank heading toward the camera as it enters a narrow street in Smolensk. Animated map shows progress of these German advances and highlights German forces under German Field Marshal Gerd Von Runstedt attacking deep into the Ukraine. Headline on Chicago Daily News reads: "Nazis Claim Knock-out Victory" with subtitle line reading,"Moscow line cracks." Other newspapers reflect conviction that Soviet forces face imminent defeat by Germany. Slate shows communique issued by the German High Command, stating: "The issue in the East has already been settled. Smolensk is the last halt on the road to Moscow." More views of marching German troops. A battery of Soviet artillery firing from a snow-covered field. Animated map shows German forces movement close to Moscow and Foreign diplomatic representatives being moved from Moscow to city of Kuibyshev. Hitler speaking on October 3, 1941, saying "This enemy is broken and will never rise again." Animated map depicts 500 thousand square miles of Soviet territory occupied by December, 1941, and compares it to the entire west central United States encompassing the states of : South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Glimpse of fires raising much smoke in agricultural area of the Soviet Union, destroyed industrial plants, and huge numbers of Soviet citizens under German occupation. Destroyed Soviet armor, aircraft and artillery pieces. With winter coming on, views of German forces in rain gear moving slowly through cold rainy weather. Some walk beside horses and other ride on horse-drawn caissons along with artillery pieces. Segments of film show contrast between the German military strategies. The German forces would plunge deep into enemy territory and create an area of conquest. This is illustrated by a slate bearing Adolf Hitler's statement that, "A single blow must destroy the enemy, without regard for losses, a gigantic destroying blow." An animated map reminds the viewer of the success of this approach by the Germans in Poland, France, and the Balkans. German Generals seen planning the same "Blitz" approach against the Soviets. Film shifts to the Soviet strategy, showing their military planners idea of defense in depth, with multiple lines of successively stronger defense, taking advantage of the great size of their territory. Views of Soviet troops on the move. View of Shells knocking out a German tanks. Panzer III tanks advancing. Panzer VI tanks completely covered by German troops catching rides. Soviet field artillery and machine guns firing in cities, forcing German soldiers to leave their vehicles and seek them out. Soviet cities bombed out and burning, limiting the ability of armor to navigate in them. Montage of battle scenes cities of Rostov, Kharkov, Kiev, Kursk, Smolensk, standing in the way of the Nazi blitz into the Soviet Union. Battles being waged in cities. (World War II; WW II; World War 2; World War Two)
A film about Sir Ernest Shackleton's last expedition to Antarctica. Ship Quest reaches the southern most point of it's trip during their Antarctica expedition. Crew members dig and load blocks of ice in a container. The container being pulled aboard . The crew members dig at the snow covered ice and a dog is seen in the foreground. The ship is stopped, unable to get past the ice.
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