Film begins, showing remains of a Boeing B-17F from the U.S. 100th Bombardment Group (BG) with home base at RAF Station Thorpe Abbotts, England, during World War 2. Camera pans over a field of debris containing two of the aircraft's engines and the wreckage of the fuselage and tail. The tail displays the Square D symbol of the 100th BG, plus the letter "T" and some of its tail number: "2303." Camera pans interior wreckage including crew seats and oxygen tanks. It then shows broken wings along with bodies of several crew members wearing parachute harnesses. A different side of the fuselage and tail shows the tail number "230311." This fully identifies it as B-17, number 42-23011. A field grade German officer and another officer examine the wreckage. Views of aircraft wreckage, in a forest, including a Browning M2 .50 caliber machine gun and another aircraft engine. Scene shifts to nearby town, where German women in white are serving meals at an outdoor food kitchen, for local people who are preparing to evacuate. A camper van loaded with family belongings is seen moving in the background. Several women, carrying plates of their food, walk toward tables. Some sit and eat at a table with a German soldier. Women make themselves sandwiches with foods laid out on a butcher block table. Closeup of a large drum of drinking water. local people fill containers from it. German children are seen aboard a bus waving goodbye to their mothers during evacuation for their safety. German children are placed aboard open boats at a port, for transport to safety out of war zone. German women and children board a train during evacuation to safety. Huge piles of their luggage is stacked on the train platform. View of a substantial private home in a residential area. Inside view shows it has been converted into nursery for infants, who are seen in many small cribs. Women sit on the lawn behind a substantial country home, as some small children run toward them from the house.
Starboard side of Bremen Ship underway at sea, at high speed. Bow wave and wake visible. Ship is heading for Southampton. Port side of the Bremen underway at sea. Smoke emits from the two stacks of the ship.
German children leave Berlin and board train for Bavarian Camps early in World War 2. Children look out from the windows of the train and carry Nazi flags. A horse ridden carriage on road. A German officer with children sitting in his carriage. A family sits in a dining room. Life of Hitler Youth children in camps. Boys eat food in a mess. Boys go out for an outing. Boys sit on horses. Girls sleep on bunk beds. They get ready. Girls wash their faces and take bath. Girls sit on benches and learn stitching. A view of a classroom. Girls eat food in mess and play table tennis. Children sleep on beds.
Film begins showing German ace pilot Oberleutnant (Major) Helmut Lent, of a night fighter wing, with other pilots on the occasion of his 100th aerial victory, on July 31, 1944, when he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. Next, a night fighter Messerschmitt Bf 110 twin-engine heavy fighter is seen taxiing out for takeoff at night in heavy rain. Scene shifts to a Nazi memorial service for Major Lent, who was killed in a crash on October 5, 1944. His flag-covered coffin is seen flanked by an honor guard. A display of his military awards is seen, also. View from beside the honor guard shows Field Marshal Hermann Goering raising his baton in salute as other attending the ceremony render the Nazi salute. Goering offers his condolences to parents of Major Lent. He then ascends steps toward the coffin and salutes. View from behind the honor guard as Goering delivers a eulogy. View Luftwaffe (Air Force) officers filling the seats of the hall, including famous ace, Adolf Galland. Goering steps from the podium and stands in front of the coffin, saluting with his baton, as the audience rises and all render the Nazi hand salute. With help of two soldiers, Goering places a large wreath of flowers before the coffin. Closeup of the wreath and Goering saluting with his baton. A large wreath with ribbons showing it is from the Furhrer (Hitler).
As film opens, a sign in German is displayed reading "Soldier You enter an area with brave and believing people who also know and have overcome carpet bombing." Camera focuses on a large seemingly undamaged cathedral. German troops are seen gathering up their gear and preparing to move during World War 2. Glimpse of a German sailor standing nearby. People boarding a tram with the cathedral in the background. A truck driver stopped and presenting identification to a German soldier on the sidewalk. German troops with their gear, including bedrolls, walking en masse toward and past the camera. Several older civilian men in the background. Signs on building walls (in German) reading "With the Leader to Victory" and "Now fight even more to Victory."
A large cathedral dominates the opening scene. It seems relatively undamaged although their are destroyed buildings all around it from bombing during World War 2. People are seen carrying their belongings as they flee the area. They pass through narrow corridors between destroyed buildings. View of an orphanage named St. Catharina. View of infants in cribs inside the orphanage. Staff and nurses leading the children out of the building and then loading them aboard a bus. One attendant giving treats to very small infants. Staff waving goodbye to the children and caregivers on the bus, as it departs. Refugees using wagons pulled by cattle to transport them and their belongings. Livestock on the hoof being herded along a road.
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