Summary: Second reel only of a summary of later part of World War II, made after VE day but before the end of the Far East war.
Description: Close-up jackbooted feet marching. Scenes of German forces in action; commentary refers to the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Wide shot; view of Moscow. Shots of Russian civilians, including a group reading Pravda, apparently about the German invasion. Russian civilian workers. Statue of Lenin. March past of Soviet troops and scenes of industrial production. Advancing German forces and scenes of 'scorched earth' demolitions. View of Stalingrad; scenes of fighting in the city. Commentator: 'Beyond this, Germany would never go'. Map showing besieged Leningrad 'another heroic city'. Scenes inside Leningrad; commentator speaks of the deaths of civilians by hunger, cold, and shelling. Animated map; Stalingrad counter-offensive. 'Joyous' Soviet troops embrace after closing the Stalingrad pocket. Field Marshal Paulus surrenders. German troops march off to captivity. German graveyard and corpses lying in the open. Scenes from the bombing of Pearl Harbor; commentator describes this as 'the free world becoming one, and thus dealt aggression the greatest blow of all'. Scenes of American industrial production, including the launch of a Landing Ship Tank (LST) and LST 338 and 340 berthed. American amphibious landings in the Pacific with footage from Bougainville and Tarawa. A funeral service. Britain; a meeting of Allied commanders at General Eisenhower's headquarters. Parked Allied vehicles and guns. Aerial view crossing the French coast. Scenes of Allied daylight bomber. Strafing and rocket attack by fighters. Night bombing. Scenes of the liberation of Paris. Commentator reels off the names of other cities liberated in 1944 'Brussels, Luxembourg, Belgrade, Athens, Sofia, Bucharest, Budapest'. Commentator refers to Germany's attempt at peace. An M18 Hellcat tank destroyer named 'Corner Tavern' in action. Fighting in Cologne. German civilian refugees. Animated map; Soviet advances into eastern Germany. Il-2 fighters in flight. Tanks and infantry advancing. German troops surrender. German corpses and destroyed motor transport. Column of German prisoners. Animated map; Allied advance into western Germany. An M18 named 'C-U-Later' passes camera. More American vehicles pass; commentator states 'there will be silence in Germany for a long, long time'. Civilian dead in the street. Civilian refugees. Commentator refers to Germany as 'land of moral collapse'. Commentator refers to the German people as having never in history fought for their internal, individual freedom, and not knowing liberty or dignity for all. Mass burials of German soldiers. German grave crosses. Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin at Yalta; commentator invokes Roosevelt's commitment to cooperation in the future. A fleet at sea; commentator speaks of the 'strong and resolute enemy in the Pacific'. Commentator anticipates a future of homes, schools and industry and a happier life. Expectation of economic planning that will preserve unity and peace for future generations. United News end title.
Alternative Title:
Colour:B&W
Digitised:Yes
Object_Number:UNY 200-2
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:IWM
Featured Period:1939-1945
Production Date:1945
Production Country:
Production Details:
Personalities, Units and Organisations:Stalin, Josef (person)
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (person)
Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer (person)
