Troops on the beachheads during the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. Allied fleet of ships firing artillery at German positions on the coast of Normandy. Waves crash at rocky cliffs as United States soldiers assemble on Omaha Beach. United States soldiers use shovels to dig in on against cliff face. An injured soldier lies down on the trench while watching another soldier dig. Soldiers assembling TNT explosive charges and detonating cord.
Soldiers form a human barricade to make way for important Allied military officials such as General Jacques Philippe Leclerc (Free France), United States General Omar Bradley and British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. United States General Omar Bradley walking during World War II. United States General George Patton uses a pair of binoculars. United States Army conducts mopping-up operations in a destroyed French town. United States infantry move through a forest. Soldiers walking on a street. Television host Alexander Scourby narrates while holding a book titled “Breakout and Pursuit” by Martin Blumenson. An excerpt of the book “Breakout and Pursuit”. United States, British and Canadian troops engage in a naval battle with German forces on the English Channel July 1, 1944. Gun turrets of battleship aiming and firing at German position. Battleships firing artillery. Thick smoke forms from heavy firing from naval artillery. Soldiers climbing down a marine rope ladder. Smoke covers the Normandy coast after Allied ships fired at German positions. Allied infantry wade through the waters after landing near a beachhead in Normandy on D-Day June 6, 1944. Famous shot of some soldiers collapsing after reaching the beachhead after landing. Some soldiers attempt to swim to reach the beach. Smoke forms away from the beach. A line of Allied infantry wade through the beach. A barrage balloon floats over a beach in Normandy. Alexander Scourby shows a map of Western Europe during World War 2 and points to the area of Northwestern France to demonstrate the goal of Operation Cobra. Aerial view of marshlands and hedgerows in Normandy. Tanks are seen on marshlands. German soldiers enter a French village. German soldier carries an MG42 machine gun. German troops sprinting near a berm. Explosion from bombing. German troops ducking in a berm alongside a hedgerow. A bomb explodes in field.
A bomber takes off from an airfield for Normandy during World War 2. A group of bombers in flight. Free French 2nd Armored Division soldier looking up the sky. B-17 bombers flying. A German soldier looks up to see bombers. Bomber dropping bombs. German troops get out of a camouflaged truck. Close up of bomber pilot flying. Bomber cockpit with view of bomb sight. Bombs falling. A B-17 bomber dropping multiple bombs from its bomb bay. Anti-aircraft guns firing at bombers. A bomb lands on a factory. Aerial view of bombs landing onto crossroads. More B-17 bomber planes dropping bombs simultaneously. Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers dropping bombs over Normandy. Multiple bombs fall on Normandy, creating clouds of explosion. United States General J. Lawton Collins and General Omar Bradley (wearing glasses) ascend stairs. United States troops remove camouflage branches from a Jeep. An M4 Sherman tank moves. Soldiers began moving as Operation Cobra has begun. “Marigny” and “St. Gilles” are highlighted from a map of Normandy. United States soldiers moving through a village with destroyed houses. A German soldier in foxhole aims his rifle. United States M4 Sherman tank passing stone house on road. German soldier with deep scar on his face. German soldier fires a rocket launcher (Raketenpanzerbüchse 54). Multiple explosions on field. German troops fire artillery at United States soldiers. German commander observes field using binoculars. German soldiers prepare to attack Allied troops. German soldiers running. A German soldier fires a Maschinengewehr 34, also known as the MG 34, machine gun. A German soldier throws a hand grenade. A Panzer IV firing at Allied positions. Explosions and thick smoke. United States soldiers crouch beside a hedgerow for cover. Soldiers carry supplies after fighting ceased for the day. Soldier sitting while holding a pistol. Soldiers moving and running with rifles. Tank artillery firing. An M4 Sherman tank drives through a forested road. United States soldier climbs a hedgerow. Soldiers firing artillery from under camouflage nets. A group of United States soldiers climb a hedgerow. Soldiers on top of a moving M4 Sherman tank. Two soldiers fire a mortar from a foxhole. An M4 Sherman tank moves across a field. American commander directs troops to climb over hedgerows. United States soldiers firing at Germans from behind a hedgerow. Soldier firing an M9 Bazooka. A soldier firing with an anti-tank rifle grenade launcher (M7 grenade launcher). Soldiers firing with an M1919 Browning machine gun. An M4 Sherman tank pass by a house. An Armored Column with M4 Sherman tanks enters the town of Saint-Gilles. Most houses in Saint-Gilles are damaged. Piles of rubble in Saint-Gilles. United States 7th Corps soldiers engage in street fighting with German troops in Saint-Gilles. Destroyed houses in Saint-Gilles. Tank firing at a house. Soldiers running far. United States soldier firing with machine gun behind bushes. A tank climbs up a hedgerow. United States soldiers climbing hedgerows. Soldier puts more shell into an artillery. Map of Normandy showing the town of Avranches.
"The Big Picture” host Alexander Scourby interviews General Omar Bradley, the architect of Operation Cobra in Normandy during World War II. General Omar Bradley recounts his experience with handling Operation Cobra in Normandy. Omar Bradley attributes several factors for Operation Cobra’s success such as the aggressive and strong fighting spirit of the American troops, the teamwork displayed by the combat armies and air force, the alertness of subordinate commanders such as General Collins. On Martin Blumenson’s book, “Breakout and Pursuit”, General Omar Bradley says that reading the book sounds like “traveling down the road in the daylight than is the time you had taken it in the dark. It is generally familiar, which is always interesting to see the whole picture- part of which is hidden before”. General Omar Bradley gives a positive review on the historicity and veracity of “Breakout and Pursuit”. General Omar Bradley speaks about the value of military historians studying the events of World War 2. “Despite the fact that the weapons of war changes, the principle of war remain the same” said Omar Bradley. “War was a big thing in all our lives. We’ve been reading about the Revolution, the Civil War for a long time, to get a clear picture of ourselves as a nation. The Army is giving us the ability to do that now. The greatest war we have ever fought in our history” said General Bradley as he concludes the interview.
A group of American tourists touring Rome, Italy. Tourists ride on horse buggies in Piazza Navona (Piazza Navona, 00186 Roma RM, Italy). A woman from a horse buggy view the Fiumi Fountain in Piazza Navona. Tourists looking at Roman sights from the window inside a tour bus. Tourists alight from tour buses in front of the Saint Peter’s Basilica (Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City). Tourists take pictures using their Kodak cameras in Saint Peter’s Square. A tourist bus leaves the Saint Peter’s Square. The Arch of Constantine (Via di San Gregorio, 00186 Roma RM, Italy) in front of the Roman Colosseum. Young girls smiling. A pair of Italian Carabinieri (gendarmerie) assist tourists in front of the Colosseum (Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy). A young couple holding a baby leave after viewing the Colosseum. A family with a car prepares to visit the Colosseum. Tourists in the Roman Forum (Via della Salara Vecchia, 5/6, 00186 Roma RM, Italy). A man painting ancient ruins at the Roman Forum. Ruins of a Roman building with only Corinthian-style columns remain. View of Rome skyline at sunset.
Italians shopping for American appliances at an electronics store in Italy. Signs hanging on the appliance store reads “Elettrodomestici” (“Appliances”), “Frigoferi” (“refrigerator”) and “Cucini e Gas” (“cooking range and gas”). A salesman demonstrates a small refrigerator to two women and a man. People view the content of a refrigerator. A salesman demonstrates a gas range to a woman. A couple looking at a overhead refrigerator. A woman closes the lid and pushes buttons of a washing machine. A woman turns on a gas circulator heater. Woman typing on a typewriter. A saleslady shows a pair of floral slippers to a woman. Italian-made purses. Italian-made rolls of fabric in floral and modern patterns. A salesman fixes American-made nylon fabric for a customer. A women’s nightdress on display in the shop desk. Fabrics with frilly lining. Cars and pedestrians pass by the Milan Cathedral (P.za del Duomo, 20122 Milano MI, Italy). View of the Breda Tower in Milan (Piazza della Repubblica, 20124 Milano MI, Italy). Italian physicist Edoardo Amaldi introduces a visiting American physicist, professor and Fulbright U.S. scholar Herbert L. Anderson. Professor Amaldi and Herbert Anderson speaks about physics in front of machines. Anderson spoke in Italian, saying that he is content working with Italian scientists.
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