- Title: VM-1037A
- Summary: THE BIG PICTURE:
- Description:00:01:55 - "OKINAWA - KEYSTONE OF THE PACIFIC" THE STORY OF WHAT THE ARMY IS ACCOMPLISHING ON OKINAWA & THE STRATEGIC VALUE OF THAT ADVANCED BASE. 00:02:10 - NARRATOR TELLS THE STORY OF OKINAWA WHICH WAS CEDED TO THE U.S IN THE JAPANESE PEACE TREATY. 00:02:40 - MONTAGE- AERIAL VIEWS OF THE ISLAND OF OKINAWA OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN AS NARRATOR GIVES THE DEMOGRAPHICS. 00:03:43 - MONTAGE- FISHING BOATS ALONG THE SHORE. MS- STRAW HUT VILLAGES. LS- PEASANTS WORK AT THEIR CHORES 00:04:06 - MS- LITTLE GIRLS POSE WITH PAPOOSES ON THEIR BACKS HOLDING BABIES. MS- A VILLAGE WOMAN SHYLY RETREATS FROM THE CAMERA'S EYE. 00:04:23 - LS- RICE FARMERS CHOP AWAY AT THE SOIL WITH ANCIENT TOOLS. FARMER CHOPS STALKS OF RICE WITH A SMALL SICKLE HIS FEET BURRIED IN MUD UP TO HIS ANKLES. 00:04:59 - MS- WOMEN IN OD HATS TO SHADE THEM FROM THE SUN SHAKE THE RICE THROUGH A STRAW SIEVE FILLING THE GROUND WITH RICE. 00:05:35 - MS- A STONE MONUMENT WITH NAMES OF MEN LEFT BY ADMIRAL PEARY IN 1853 TO MAKE A SURVEY OF THE ISLAND. THEY WERE BURIED HERE. 00:06:01 - MS- VILLAGERS SIT AROUND IN HUT AS A GIRL IN GHESHA COSTUME DOES AN ANCIENT DANCE. 00:06:30 - LS- VILLAGERS PLAY STRING INSTRUMENTS AND DRUMS AT A FESTIVAL IN THE VILLAGE SQUARE AS YOUNG PEOPLE IN TRADITIONAL COSTUME FOLLOW IN A DANCE. 00:07:10 - MONTAGE- NAVAL WARSHIPS BOMBARD OKINAWA DURING WWII. LS- LANDING CRAFTS SPEED TO SHORE WITH U.S. SOLDIERS WHO RUN THROUGH THE SHALLOW WATER TO THE SHORE ONLY TO MEET A FANATICAL DEFENSE. 00:08:49 - MS- A FEW JAP SOLDIERS SURRENDED WITH THEIR HANDS RAISED. MONTAGE- THE CAPITAL CITY IN RUINS. DESTROYED CARS, TANKS AND PLANES LITTER THE ISLAND. MS- A HUGE PILE OF SHELL CASINGS ATTEST TO THE NAME 'THE JUNK HEAP OF THE PACIFIC'. 00:09:45 - LS- DUST RAISES AND DARKENS THE SKY AS TRUCKS ROLL BY ON THE DIRT ROADS. 00:10:00 - MONTAGE- THE ISLAND IS LASHED BY A TYPHOON LEAVING BEHIND WRECKED BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT. AFTERWARDS, MUD, BOGGING DOWN TRUCKS TO A CRAWL. 00:10:27 - LS- SKELETONS OF MODERN BUILDINGS BEING BUILT. MS- A MASON TROWELS A CEMENT SLAB OTHERS USE SHOVELS AND SCREEDS TO LEVEL THE FOUNDATIONS 00:10:57 - MS- A SURVEYOR USES A TRANSIT AND HAND SIGNALS AS AIRFIELDS ARE THE FIRST STRUCTURES TO BE BUILT WITH THE HELP OF OKINAWANS. 00:11:09 - MS- OKINAWAN WORKERS LINE UP WITH THEIR CARTS TO LOAD THEM WITH CEMENT FOR THE RUNWAYS. CU- A STEAM ROLLER SMOTHES THE GROUND. 00:11:37 - LS- B-29'S ROAR UP FROM THE OKINAWA BASE FOR BOMBING RAIDS OVER NORTH KOREA. 00:12:40 - MONTAGE- NEW TYPHOON PROOF PERMANENT BUILDINGS BEING BUILT BY THE OKINAWANS USING STEEL AND CEMENT. (PAN) 00:13:07 - MONTAGE- ATTRACTIVE SUBURBAN HOMES SPRING UP FOR FAMILIES OF GIS. LS- 3 LITTLE KIDS PLAY ON TRICYCLES OUTSIDE THE HOMES. 00:13:27 - MONTAGE- THE MOST MODERN ARMY BARRACKS IN THE WORLD, ALL UNDER ONE TYPHOON PROOF ROOF. LS-WIVES OF SERVICEMEN PLAY SHUFFLE BOARD ON THE ROOF. 00:14:28 - CU- OKINAWAN RUNS AN EARTH MOVER TOWARDS THE CAMERA OTHERS WORK ON LARGE LEVELING TRACTORS 00:14:48 - CU- A NATIVE SURVEYOR AIMS THROUGH HIS TRANSIT ANOTHER LAYS ASPHALT ON THE RUNWAY. MS- 2 STEAM ROLLERS HEAD TOWARDS THE CAMERA. 00:15:40 - LS- A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY BUILT BY THE OKINAWANS IS WELL TRAFFICED. MS- A LOCAL POLICEMAN SMARTLY DIRECTS TRAFFIC AT THE BASE. 00:18:30 - MONTAGE- ARMY NURSES WIVES AND CHILDREN OF GIS INCLUDING THEIR DOGS DEBARK FROM A TROOP SHIP AT OKINAWA PORT. 00:19:00 - LS- MODERN HIGHWAY,POWER PLANT AND EVEN GOOD RESTAURANTS WITH BOOMING BUSINESS ARE NOW IN OKINAWA. LS- GIANT BILLBOARDS ADVERTISE MOVIES. 00:19:25 - MS- A COCA COLA TRUCK RIDES IN THE CITY TRAFFIC. MS- OUTDOOR MARKETS AND WOMEN EXAMINING CLOTHING ON RACKS. MS- AN ULTRA MODERN DEPARTMENT STORE CONTAINS ALL THE NEEDS OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY 00:20:17 - MS- A SAILOR AND A SOLDIER GET ADVISE FROM 2 OKINAWA SALES GIRLS IN THE STORE. 00:20:52 - CU- A BOY CLIMBS OUT OF THE SWIMMING POOL AS HIS PARENTS SUNBATH. 2 BOYS DIVE FROM DIFFERENT SIZE DIVING BOARDS. MS- A WOMAN TEES OFF ON GOLF COURSE AS OTHERS PLAY VOLLEY BALL AND TENNIS 00:21:24 - MS- KIDS PLAY IN SAND AS PARENTS SWIM AT THE BEACH. 00:21:51 - MS- OKINAWAN WEAVES BASKETS, DUST BROOMS AND HATS FROM STRAW STALKS FROM RICE PLANTS. MONTAGE- PAWN SHOPS SIGN PAINTER AND OTHER FLORISHING INDUSTRY SPRING UP ON THE ISLAND. 00:22:31 - MS- AN OKINAWA FAKILY IN TRADITIONAL COSTUME VISIT AND WORSHIP AT THE TOMB OF THEIR PREDESSORS 00:23:29 - LS- MANY CHILDREN PLAY AMID THE STRAW HUTS OF THE VILLAGE. MS- LITTLE KIDS CARRY A BENCH AS THE VILLAGERS MOVE TO MODERN HOMES. 00:24:20 - LS- FISHING CONTESTS AND CANOE RACES AT THE SEA SHORE IS ATTENDED BY 2 ARMY PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO RIDE IN A ROW BOAT. LS- LONG CANOES WITH ABOUT 12 ROWERS IN EACH BOAT RACE EACH OTHER. 00:25:00 - LS- CROWDS LINE THE WATERFRONT TO CHEER ON THEIR FAVORITE. PEOPLE GO INTO THE WATER ABOVE THEIR WAIST TO GREET THE WINNING TEAM. (PAN) 00:25:33 - MONTAGE- THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN LET OUT OF SCHOOL WAVE U.S. AND JAPANESE FLAGS AS THEY PARADE IN CELEBRATION OF 100 YEARS SINCE COMMODORE PERRY CAME TO OKINAWA. 00:26:11 - LS- AN ORIENTAL VERSION OF PERRYS LANDING IS DEPICTED ON ONE OF MANY COLORFUL FLOATS
- Collection: Historic Films
- Producer:Historic Films
- Transmission Date:01/01/1940
- Rights:On request
- Decade: 1940s
- File Name: VM-1037A