Documentary titled 'Battle for Leyte Gulf' depicts the battle fought between the Allied naval-air forces and the Japanese naval-air forces in Pacific waters off the Philippines, in World War 2. Montage of views chronicling the battle, opens with aerial views of pacific islands seen through clouds followed by glimpse of numerous ships maneuvering far below. Port bow views of U.S. New Mexico class battle ship, followed by the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) of the 7th Fleet. Glimpse of troops on landing craft and charging across an island. Transport ships underway. Cruisers and battleships firing their guns. An Essex class aircraft carrier silhouetted against the horizon. An F6F aircraft comes up on elevator to flight deck next to the island on the USS Enterprise (CV-6). It has white triangle on tail containing its number. An F6F taking off from the Enterprise. Formation of U.S. aircraft in flight overhead. Gun crew firing twin bofors 40mm anti-aircraft cannon. Flak bursts and tracer bullets seen in the sky as a Japanese warplane falls. Gun camera footage of American aircraft strafing Japanese aircraft on ground at an airfield. View, from an aircraft carrier, of a Mahan class destroyer traveling to her port side. Glimpse of two ships close together during refueling operation at sea. Animated map dominates remainder of the film. It illustrates movement of Task Force 38 to Okinawa on 10 October 1944 and launching of aerial attacks. the map shows further maneuvers and activities of the task force. During these activities, Narrator notes that the cruisers USS Canberra and USS Houston are torpedoed and taken in tow. Animated propaganda cartoon depicts Japanese naval commander (speaking accented English) talking about Japanese naval prowess. Glimpse of Japanese sailors cheering. Animated map continues showing maneuvers of U.S. task forces. Narrator notes the Houston is again torpedoed. Animated map continues to illustrate movements and attacks against Luzon and amphibious landings on outpost islands in Leyte Gulf.
Japanese battleships and aircraft carriers including Kaga (ahead) and Zuikaku (trailing to port) underway in the Pacific Ocean towards Pearl Harbor. Japanese planes line up on aircraft carrier. Japanese pilots briefed. Japanese pilots run for their planes, board and take off from carrier. Two Nakajima B5N (Kate) Dive bombers taking off, in succession, from aircraft carrier deck. A Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" taking off. A formation, of B5N aircraft , in flight, carrying torpedoes underneath. View from Japanese attacking airplanes as they bomb the Naval Air Station on Ford Island. Heavy black smoke rising from the ground. Next bombers attack the capital ships on Battleship Row. Burning U.S. battleships. Still photographs annotated (in Japanese) point to the various ships targeted, including the USS California, USS Arizona, USS Maryland, USS Utah, and USS West Virginia.
Opening slate gives date as September 20, 1943. Scenes show devastation wrought by Allied bombing of the Japanese airfield at Lae, New Guinea. Most views are from the ground, as Allies occupy the field. Numerous Japanese aircraft are destroyed along with all the buildings and facilities. Next, is shown the view from inside a B-25 bomber, on September 27, 1943, as it flies in a 100 aircraft bombing mission to attack coastal facilities, ships, and airfields in the Wewak area, including the main air base at Wewak and its satellite fields at Boram, Dagua and But. Several B-25s are seen ahead in formation. View of the coastal area below as the camera plane (B-25) comes under fire by Japanese anti-aircraft guns. A pall of smoke hangs over the Wewak area from bombing by B-24s earlier. view from cockpit as the B-25 makes very low strafing and bombing attack against the Japanese satellite airbase at Boram. Another B-25 seen as it flies close to the ground. View to the rear shows small parachutes being released by the B-25, carrying single 100-lb fragmentation bombs and 23-pounders in clusters of three. The fragmentation bombs explode amongst palm trees sheltering Japanese aircraft. view out the back of the camera B-25 shows it continuing to fly, just over the tree tops, at very low altitude. Next, several B-25s are seen rejoined up in formation, ahead. Scene shifts to view from high altitude of bombs striking in the Wewak waterfront area. View from below of three B-25s in formation. Then view from cockpit of a B-25 flying low over the water strafing a ship. (Narrator says they dive low to skip-bomb a ship trying to escape.) Various views of the high hills at the waterfront. View from B-25 strafing Japanese aircraft on the ground at Dagua and Boram airfields. several B-25s in formation headed home. (World War II period).
After a speech by an admiral, Japanese newspapermen are given the news of the declaration of war against the United States on 8 December 1941. A Japanese fleet underway in the Pacific. Sailors on the deck of a carrier. A captain looks through binoculars. Sailors prepare the dive bombers on the ship deck. Japanese pilots during a final briefing. A Japanese sailor erases a board, while another stands before a writing on the ship. Bombers on the carrier deck. Japanese Sailors watch as pilots board their planes and take off. The bombers in flight with bombs attached onto the belly. Japanese bombers drop bombs on U.S. ships in Pearl Harbor. U.S. Pearl Harbor Base under attack.
Bombing by Japanese forces in Shanghai as part of the so-called "January 28 Incident" or "Shanghai Incident." Chinese civilians rush on streets of the Bund during time of attacks by aircraft from Japan. A streetcar goes by and pedestrians quickly cross streets. Japanese Major Harada talks to Japanese pilots of 8th Japanese flying squadron at Japanese airfield. Japanese swift aircraft drops bombs on North Station and destroy ancient native Chapei section of Shanghai, China. Views of wrecked city, dead bodies on road. Civilians leaving in hand carts and trucks. Civilians crossing garden bridge. Chinese troops take up defensive positions behind sandbags in bombed area of city. Bagpipes announce arrival of Argyll and Sutherland Highland Regiments from the United Kingdom. United States Marines present and on patrol at American Concession, guarding the lives of nationals in Shanghai.
Allied Forces advance during World War II. Chinese troops defeat the Japanese at Changde, China (on opening slate in this footage the location is spelled as Changte). Chinese soldiers in prone position fire guns. They move through the rubble. A Chinese officer talks on radio. Captured Japanese military equipment inspected by Allied Military observers. Japanese Prisoners of War marched and then seated. Close-up views of faces of Japanese prisoners of war under Chinese guard. All the Japanese prisoners look toward the ground without expression. Some of the Japanese soldiers wear combat helmets with a gold star on the front, and others wear caps. Chinese soldiers march through the city. Destroyed buildings. Civilians return to the ruined city. They are given money for food. Refugee citizens of Changde in front of a Chinese temple.