Film showing city of Hiroshima, Japan, before and after the August 6, 1945 dropping of the atomic bomb over the city in World War 2. Sequence opens on what the narrator says is August 5, 1945, the day before the event (but the footage is likely from before that date). Camera pans over the city of Hiroshima before the atomic bomb destroyed the city. Japanese air raid lookouts are seen on watch for allied bombers. View of atomic bomb detonation as seen from aircraft high overhead (this is actually a view of the Nagasaki blast, not the Hiroshima blast despite narrator's comments). Next, the complete destruction of the city of Hiroshima is seen from camera at low altitude showing the four and one half square miles of the city flattened and burned. A Japanese hospital still functioning, with red cross flag on it. Hospital workers retrieving wounded victims of the bombing. Ambulatory victims clustered in doorways and halls. Shadow image of a large industrial valve wheel burned onto wall behind it. Similar image of a ladder burned onto a wall. The decorative pattern on a woman's dress burned onto skin of her back. Japanese physicians treating victims of thermal and radiation burns. Views of various victims, including some children, and their respective injuries. Scene shifts forward one year, to August 6, 1946. Children are lined up outside a school building, and then seen inside their classroom. Disfiguration and wounds on children resulting from injuries are still evident on the children at their desks. Sequence shifts again, this time to an early United Nations meeting with delegates grappling with the issue of controlling nuclear power and atomic weapons. Closeup view of American delegates, including James F. Byrnes (Secretary of State)and James B. Conant, President of Harvard University in the assembly. Closeups of representatives from South Asian nations. Closeup of USSR delegation, headed by Foreign Minister, Vyacheslav Molotov. Signs identifying delegates from Colombia, Egypt, Iraq, Bolivia, China. Final sequence shows several U.S. atomic scientists in their respective laboratories, including Enrico Fermi and Vannevar Bush. United States representative to the UN, Warren Austin, speaking about the so-called Baruch Plan, for international control of atomic weapons. (Principal author, Bernard Baruch, is standing behind speaker's left shoulder.) USSR delegation, headed by permanent representative, Andrei Gromyko, who is seen presenting the Soviet plan. View of explosion and mushroom cloud during U.S. Operation Crossroads atomic bomb test in the Pacific.
A U.S. New Orleans class cruiser underway with a task force in the Pacific, during World War 2. Upper of two 3x8 gun turrets seen (lower out of sight). Both the bow and the stern of ship are awash periodically. Three Navy TBF Avenger aircraft are seen in formation, flying slowly at low altitude overhead, all with landing gear extended.
The entire ship's company is seen assembling on the deck of a South Dakota class battleship (possibly the USS Indiana) during World War 2. Her 16-inch guns,in a triple turret,loom over the assemblage. (The gun barrels appear to have bronze collars around their bases.) A variety of other vessels, including U.S. warships, are anchored in the background. The location is somewhere in the Pacific. The Navy Captain, assuming command of the ship, and an Admiral step upon a platform, followed by the Captain,being relieved of command, who salutes the Admiral, and steps back. The Admiral addresses the assemblage. Then the Captain assuming command, reads his orders. A cloud of black smoke appears momentarily in the background. Camera pans to Gun turret and ship's superstructure above heads of the sailors. The Admiral and two Captains join the ship's company in saluting (perhaps as national anthem is played). Scene shifts to two Navy officers wearing garrison caps, posing on the ship, and shaking hands. Waters of a bay and hills are in background. Camera then shows the new ship's Captain and the Admiral walking past some of the ship's officers, as the ceremony is ended.
Soldiers of the U.S. 442nd Regimental Combat Team, comprising Americans of Japanese ancestry, participate in a ceremony marking completion of their basic training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, in World War 2. Opening scene shows them assembling in wooded area of the camp. Their color guard marches between the formations. Brigadier General George Matthew Halloran, Camp Commander, and two other officers, salute the colors. Scene shifts to civilian friends and relatives of soldiers, seated in chairs beside the reviewing stand. Camera pans right, past officers on the reviewing stand, military band musicians seated in background, and the color guard, to troops at attention. Next, all present, including civilians, are seen standing and saluting, as the National Anthem is being played. Final scenes show General Halloran and a Colonel, conversing with officers of the 442nd.
A friend or relative of a Lieutenant in the U.S. 442nd Regimental Combat Team (comprising American soldiers of Japanese ancestry) receives a Third Army patch from a young woman (friend or relative) following completion of his unit's basic training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, during World War 2. Both the officer and the woman, laugh, as she sews the patch in place with needle and thread. When she finishes, he kisses her on the cheek. Then they shake hands. Another woman comes by to congratulate him followed by one of the Camp's training officers.
Soldiers of the U.S. 442nd Regimental Combat Team (comprising Americans of Japanese ancestry) being trained by their own non-commissioned officers in World War 2. A group of 442nd soldiers stands in formation near a barracks. They all render a hand salute as their color guard passes with the American flag. Scene shifts to a Platoon of 442nd soldiers. Their Platoon Leader orders them to dress right and adjust their positions. Next he orders them to salute. He then moves along the formation, checking and occasionally correcting a soldiers hand position. Closeups of individual soldiers as the Platoon Leader makes small adjustments in their salutes. Next, a larger formation of soldiers stands at attention, including one holding a unit guidon. As a three-man color guard passes, all salute.
CRITICALPAST.COM: About Us | Contact Us | FAQs - How to Order | License Agreement | My Account | My Lightboxes | Shopping Cart | Advanced Search | Featured Collections | Website Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy ©2026 CriticalPast LLC.
License Agreement |
Terms & Conditions |
Privacy Policy
©2026 CriticalPast LLC.