U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill meet for the Atlantic Conference aboard American Heavy Cruiser, USS Augusta (CA-31), anchored in Placentia Bay, Argentia, Newfoundland, Canada. High ranking American military officers and officials attending include Presidential advisor, Harry Hopkins; U.S. Army Air Corps Chief, General Henry Arnold; U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Harold R. Stark; Vice Admiral Ernest J. King, and Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. President Franklin Roosevelt stands with his son, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr., to meet the Prime Minister. FDR also greets other members of the British delegation, including British Minister of Supply, Lord Beaverbrook. British and American sailors mingling together. Prime Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt are seen seated on deck, for a church service, aboard the British Battleship, Prince of Wales. They read documents and conclude agreements known as the Atlantic Charter.
King George V watches the color ceremony on his birthday from the Buckingham Palace, London, England. The cavalry marches in front of the palace. The King and his family watch from a balcony. British soldiers march. Troops stand aligned. The Prince of Wales salutes the marching troops.
Montage of scenes related to European mobilization and preparations for World War I, from 1914 through 1919, plus brief views of Mark VIII tank maneuvers, circa 1924. Patriotic French citizens fill a street as France mobilizes for World War 1. Italian soldiers marching to war through a town. British King George V seen with Prime Minister David Lloyd George and other British officials. British First Lord of Admiralty, Winston Churchill poses and "mugs" for camera. British troops being transported along a country road on double-decker buses and slogging through the mud in France. Two French soldiers join the line of "tommies" to be photographed, and then step out of line to watch. King George V with Field Marshal Douglas Haig, and other officers, next to their automobiles in field, during the King's visit to his troops in 1916. The King and British officers observe tests of Mark IV tank, circa 1917. Scene shifts to August 10, 1916 showing the Prince of Wales and King George V, accompanied by Field Marshal Douglas Haig, and other officers, observing the Battle of Pozières (in Battle of the Somme) from a safe distance, using a telescope. U.S. Army Mark VIII International Tanks in daytime and nighttime maneuvers (likely at Fort Meade, Maryland) circa 1924.
Town Criers gather from all over England and Wales, yelling announcements as part of their ancient craft, competing for the national championships. British crowd of people assembled. Crowd laughs and smiles at some of the crier yells.
Designer wear on display in Florence, Italy. The bust of Italian sculptor Benvenuto Cellini by Raffaele Romanelli at the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. A model wearing a designer wear poses in a street as a photographer takes a picture. People look on. Models display a variety of evening dresses including a gown with a wale, a velvet stole. A girl stands near a statue as she displays her dress. Models also display dresses made of fur.
Opening scene shows a tramp steamer listing to starboard.during World War 1. She displays "India, Greece" in large letters on her side. Slate indicates that an explosives technician from a U-Boat had climbed aboard and set charges on the Greek Steamer, "India" as she is stopped in the Atlantic during World War 1. The India is carrying a cargo of coal from Cardiff Wales, to Oran. The ship is seen listing. Smoke still rises from her stack. Slate states that the cross on the hull of the sinking "India" is the Greek national emblem. The ship sinks lower and finally slides out of sight, with smoke rising above the water from her exploding boilers. (Note: This German U-boat is the SM U-35, which was operating in the western approaches to the Straits of Gibraltar after leaving the Mediterranean on 11-12 April. It carried a professional cinematographer on board. Two years earlier, on June 12, 1915 , the U-35 also sank the British ship, "Crown of India." ) The next sequence shows an image of the German Daily Express newspaper for Monday May 10, 1915. Dead! it reports in bold print: The world has a duty to conduct a Hunt for turtles. Scene shifts to deck of surfaced German U-boat, showing a dinghy arriving alongside, from which several giant sea turtles are unloaded. Crew members examine the turtles on the deck of the submarine. At least one appears to be dead. Next scene shows lookouts on conning tower of the U-Boat, as they see smoke on the horizon. (The Imperial German Naval war flag is displayed on the conning tower.) The Captain calls for full speed ahead on both engines, and the controls show that being selected. (World War i; World War 1; WWI; WW1)