Other titles:NATO DOCUMENTARIES [Allocated Series Title]
Summary: Film that depicts the organisational and collaborative effort behind an exercise in Turkey carried by ACE (Allied Command Europe) Mobile Force, a small but highly mobile NATO force under SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander Europe) command. The film was made to celebrate its 25th Anniversary and it is preceded by three other ACE Mobile Force productions.
Description: Using black and white negative archival footage of world war conflicts, the narration establishes the birth of NATO in 1949 as a collective security project and multinational deterrence alliance against the Warsaw Pact forces. Over a map of Europe, key vulnerable areas are highlighted, these being North Norway, Denmark, Turkey (the borders with USSR and Bulgaria), Greece and the neutral countries North of Italy.
To defuse tensions, NATO’s 13th Defence Planning Committee ordered SACEUR to organise the ACE Mobile Force. At SACEUR headquarters six officials are shown discussing upcoming plans: A training exercise in which ACE Mobile Force will be deployed.
The Alpini, Italian mountain troops are shown training, also Dutch Fighter pilots. Briefly appears the sign poster of the 1st Battalion headquarters: “The Prince of Wales’ own Regiment of Yorkshire”. The complexity of these exercises requires logistical effort, military command and practice. All movements are coordinated by several stations such as the SHAPE Coordination centre, SHAPE Airlift centre and a field extension of SHAPE in Turkey, where the exercise takes place. Mobilising ACE Mobile force requires the approval of several commanders such as General Rogers, SACEUR, who signs a classified document in his office, or Commander of Staff, who is reached by phone at his family home even being off duty. Aircrafts re-fuelling in Turkish land. German Alpha Jets take off from Oldenburg Air base, Belgian Mirage jets and Dutch Freedom fighters are sent by the air forces of contributing NATO countries. Other examples of this collaborative operation: the US land forces set up the base camp, radio is operated by British troops. Several groups of officials study the maps of the area. The helicopter force is run by the Germans and the British. A helicopter flies near Istanbul mosque which, according to the narrator, they are lucky to witness such a monument from an angle that most tourists cannot. NATO troops, following a strategic plan, try to mingle with locals of the villages they pass through: Belgian troops talk to locals in a village in Turkey or British troops in Denmark paying respect to the authorities in some Town Hall. Also, a field hospital is set up in the main camp in Turkey provided by the Italian or the German. Each battalion brings its own artillery: Belgian 105mm guns, British light field guns and Turkish artillery. A Turkish liaison officer briefs recently arrived German pilots. These exercises often include some light fire. The narration states that ACE Mobile Force keeps peace in its own quiet way.
Alternative Title:NATO DOCUMENTARIES [Allocated Series Title]
Colour:Colour
Digitised:Yes
Object_Number:NAT 2085
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:IWM NATO
Featured Period:
Production Date:1987
Production Country: Belgium
Production Details: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Production sponsor)
NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION. INFORMATION SERVICE (Production company)
Baylis, Peter (Production individual)
Jennings, Luke (Production individual)
PLUGGE, MATTHIAS (Production individual)
Teutsch, Michael (Production individual)
De Cock, Jos (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords:
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: Colour
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: Danish
Subtitle language: Turkish
Technical Details: Format: 16mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 853 ft; Running time: 23 mins 41 secs
