Several u.S. Army soldiers of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) stand near three French children, outside a church building in France, during World War 1. A large relief of Christ on crucifix is displayed on the wall behind them. One soldier kneels down next to the children and gives them some chocolates. He talks with them. Closeup of the children eating their candy. A boy wipes his hands on his sweater. The children make circles on their tummies, indicating that the food tasted good. New sequence shows American Army of occupation troops celebrating Christmas, 1918, at Montabaur, Germany. They are assembled at a hillside, around a platform holding a monument and statue. A large decorated Christmas tree is set up on one side of the monument, and an Army brass band stands on the other side. Captain William A. Turner, of the Salvation Army, dressed as Santa Claus, hands out gifts to some of the soldiers, assembled in the foreground. There also appear to be some local German people gathered to the far right, of the brass band. Next, "Santa Claus" is seen throwing gifts out to the gathered soldiers. Scene shifts, again, this time to several U.S. Navy dreadnought battleships that might be returning troops from Europe back to the United States. The first seen is a two-stacker, Florida-class; the second is the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) and the third is the two-stacker USS New York (BB-34). Final sequence shows U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels, and Secretary of War, Newton D. Baker, in top hats, stand on deck of a ship with with its Captain (a U.S. Navy Commander) to review U.S. Battleships returning from service with the British fleet in World War 1. The dim image of a battleship is seen in the background. (World War I; World War 1; WWI; WW1)
British Royal Guards march outside building in London. Two guards at attention flanking building entry. British civilian crowd lines up on the sidewalks. UK Prime Minister David Lloyd George, French Prime Minister Aristide Briand and other Allied officials leave the building during the 1921 London Conference on German Reparations, held in March and April of 1921. Hand drawn map shows German areas occupied by Allies after World War I. Written labels are added to it as the film continues. The labels include "Neutral Zone" line between Germany and France, "American Sector" called out along that line and showing the area near Dusseldorf "Occupied by Allied Troops" and at Essen the marking "Essen under range of French Guns." Next is seen a marking that says "Kiel, Hamburg, and Bremen dominated by British Fleet." The map is signed by illustrator "Bert Green".
Turkish leader Sultan Vahideddin (Mehmed VI) leaves palace in Constantinople via horse-drawn carriage. Turkish leader Enver Pasha shares open car with Kaiser Wilhelm II during Pasha's visit to Germany in March, 1915. Huge parade and assembly in Constantinople, Turkey, as it mobilizes in World War 1. Scene of German Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, posing with his staff officers in World War I era.
Trolley Cars, trucks, cars, horse-drawn wagons, and pedestrians on cobblestone street in Brooklyn, New York. People coming out of the Gem movie theater. Snow on ground. Theater marquee lights lit up reading "The Gem Theatre". A horse standing at the curb. Interior of the theater shows pianist in front playing music to accompany silent films. Newsreel of Russian Czar Nicholas II and family including his wife and children on the screen. Czar Nicholas II inspecting troops and seated with officers. Audience watches. Shot zooms in so footage is full screen and theatre patrons no longer visible. Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany on royal stag hunt. Shooting from stand with telescope equipped rifle. Line of hunted and killed stags on the ground following the hunt.
World War I poster reads: "War Declared on Germany." British Commander in Chief, Sir John French,on horseback, reviews mobilized British troops on the march. French soldiers pass through castle gates. "Les Gratia" engraved in stone above gate. French infantry move through town. French cavalry ride past houses on way to front. French troops in trenches. French 320mm rail gun firing during World War 1 battle. German artillerymen firing 77mm field gun. Buildings being struck by artillery fire. Caravan of French Charron taxicabs drives down street carrying recruits for army. French troops manning positions in trench network. German troops manning positions in trench network. French Commander-in-Chief Marshal Joseph Joffre reviews French troops.
General Secretary of the Communist Party Joseph Stalin, President Franklin D Roosevelt of the U.S. and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of the UK seated on porch of Soviet Embassy building in Tehran, Iran, 28 November 1943, during World War 2. Scene shifts to group of Yugoslav Partisans and closeup of their leader, Marshal Tito, at their mountain headquarters. Yugoslavian Marshal Tito smoking a pipe while standing on the porch of his headquarters with American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Officer, Army Major Linn M. Farish, U.S. Liaison to the Partisans, and British Brigadier General Fitzroy Maclean, Winston Churchill's special envoy to the Yugoslavia leader. Next scene shows French resistance fighters with their flag on a mountaineer's pick. It reads,""Vaincre ou Mourir"" and displays a cross of Lorraine. Closeups of French resistance fighters at attention and also relaxed, smiling, and singing. Scenes of various such groups joining in the June 6, 1944 Allied invasion at Normandy, France. Aerial glimpse of D-day task force crossing the English Channel. Animated map shows Germany being attacked by Russian forces from the East, by the other allies from Britain in the West and from Italy, in the South. Allied forces moving across a pontoon bridge and engaging German forces in France. A U.S. M3 Gun Motor Carriage firing its 75mm gun. American troops firing machine guns, carrying wounded on stretchers and using flame throwers. Troops, including ambulatory wounded moving under enemy fire. Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division in France. One carries a wounded buddy. American troops firing a variety of artillery from under camouflage netting. French underground forces engaged in Paris. Closeup of one wearing a French Adrian helmet firing a rifle. Another throws a grenade out an apartment window. An American tank moving under the base of the Eiffel Tower as French Resistance fighters run across the area. French citizens celebrating the liberation of Paris. View from an American jeep as French people cheer. Closeups of French people. A bombed out bridge. A battlefield cemetery. Destruction and death in the wake of combat. Fallen French civilians lying on pavement. A U.S. tank slowly driving through a masonry wall. Soviet forces advancing through destroyed buildings. Chinese troops marching along the Great Wall. British troops on parade in tropics. Asian ally troops marching. Huge formation of marching U.S. soldiers. United Nations flags in the breeze.
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