- Title: VM-1211B
- Summary: THE FIGHT FOR LIBERTY (PART I: CANADA (BRITAIN'S ARSENAL) IN WWII - PART I TELLS OF BATTLE OF NORTH AFRICA.
- Description:01:04:33 - "LET US TODAY, AT THE BEGINNING OF CANADA'S THIRD YEAR OF WAR AGAINST THE EVIL OF NAZI TYRANNY, DO HONOUR TO OUR MEN IN UNIFORM AND REAFFIRM OUR DETERMINATION TO CONTINUE OUR FIGHT FOR LIBERTY". TITLE: "THE FIGHT FOR LIBERTY". CREDITS. 01:04:35 - TITLE: "THE SECOND YEAR OF THE WAR" - BRITISH MARCHING ALONG BEACH OF ENGLISH CHANNEL, MAN FORTIFICATIONS AND ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS. VARIOUS SHOTS AIR RAIF D WARDENS SCANNING THE SKIES IF ENGLAND. "ALMOST OVERNIGHT BRITISH PEOPLE HAVE BECOME A NATION OF ROOF SPOTTERS, AUXILIARY POLICE, AIR RAID WARDENS AND FIRE FIGHTERS". MS TWO AIR RAID WARDENS PATROL STREETS WALK UNDER SIGN "AIR RAID SHELTER". MCU FEMALE WARDEN. LS FLOOD LIGHT SCANS SKY. MAP SHOWS THREAT FROM GERMANS IN FRANCE. "THE WAY SEEMS TO BE CLEAR FOR A KNOCKOUT BLOW AGAINST BRITAIN". 01:05:43 - GERMAN BIG GUNS, MISSILES POINT ACROSS CHANNEL. MS GERMAN SOLDIERS PEER ACROSS CHANNEL WITH BINOCULARS. 01:05:59 - GERMAN GROUND CREWS UNLEAD BOMBS, FIGHTER PLANES, FOR BOMBERS FROM BOXES. LS SQUADRONS OF NAZI BOMBERS TAKING OFF. SAME IN FLIGHT. VIEW BRITAIN'S COAST POV GERMAN PLANE. 01:06:53 - BRITISH PEOPLE BEING GUIDED TO UNDERGROUND SHELTERS BY WARDENS. LS SKY FULL GERMAN PLANES POV GROUND, BRITISH ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES OPEN UP. VARIOUS SHOTS BOMBS DROPPING, EXPLODING ON GROUND. BRITISH FIGHTER PLANE SQUADRONS (SPITFIRES AND HURRICANES) TAKING OFF FROM AIRFIELD TO INTERCEPT BOMBERS. "THEY MEET GERMANS IN THE FIRST AIR BATTLE OF HISTORY", VARIOUS SHOTS DOG FIGHTS POV GROUND AND IN AIR. LS NAZI PLANE CRASHING IN SEA. VARIOUS SHOTS DESTROYED NAZI PLANES STREWN ACROSS THE LAND. "DRIVEN FROM DAYLIGHT SKIES, NAZIS TAKE TO INDISCRIMINATE NIGHT BOMBING". LONG LINE CIVILIANS WAIT FOR SHELTERS TO OPEN AS NIGHTTIME APPROACHES. AIR RAID WARDEN LETS THEM IN. 01:08:24 - VARIOUS SHOTS CU FLOODLIGHTS LIGHT, FIRING ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS, FLARES, EXPLODING BOMBS LIGHT UP THE NIGHT AS NAZI BOMBERS STRIKE. FIREMEN DRAG HOSES AS FIRE ENCOMPASSES MULTI-STORIED APARTMENT HOUSES. PAN INTENSE FIRES. FIREMEN WITH HOSES., BUILDINGS CRUMBLING. AIR RAID WARDENS, WORKERS SEARCH RUINS DURING DAYTIME, CARRY OUT BODIES OF DEAD AND INJURED. )GRAPHIC). ABOVE PAN BOMBED OUT CITY BUILDINGS. 01:09:59 - LS BIG BEN. MCU BIG BEN CLOCK SHOWS TIME IN MORNING. WORKERS CLEAR DEBRIS IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY IN AM. KING GEORGE, ARM AROUND QUEEN ELIZABETH, STAND OUTSIDE BUCKINGHAM PALACE, PERUSING DAMAGE TO THE PALACE. 01:10:17 - MS WORKER CARRIES LARGE UNEXPLODED BOMB AWAY FROM DEBRIS, LAYS IT DOWN ALONGSIDE SEVERAL OTHER UNEXPLODED BOMBS. CROWDS GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS WHO ARE HEARTENED BY FREQUENT APPEARANCES OF THEIR LEADERS. KING AND QUEEN WALKS AMONG THEM. ABOVE VIEW CHEERING CROWD AS WINSTON CHURCHILL MAKES APPEARANCE. MS AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WENDEL WILKIE AND OTHERS TOUR RUINS. 01:11:09 - GERMAN SOLDIERS HAND OUT BATONS TO EUROPEAN (?) POLICEMEN, FRENCH CIVILIANS WATCH GERMAN TROOPS MARCHING IN CITY. GERMAN OFFICERS TOUR INDUSTRIAL PLANTS THAT FELL INTO THEIR HANDS FROM NORWAY TO FRANCE. "WITH THEM THEY CAN OUTWIT THE BRITISH BLOCKADE". VARIOUS VIEWS PLANTS. 01:11:38 - WORKERS IN ARMS PLANTS. BRITISH LABOUR LEADER ERNEST BEVIN TOUR PLANT. CU HUGE CANNON ROLLS OFF ASSEMBLY LINE. TANKS ON ASSEMBLY LINE. ABOVE VIEW AIRCRAFT ASSEMBLY LINE. CU LORD BEAVERBROOK, CANADIAN MINISTER OF AIR PRODUCTION SMILES FOR CAMERA. CANADIAN CABINET MEMBERS HAVING DAILY MEETING AT ROUND TABLE. 01:12:23 - CANADIAN SOLDIERS MARCHING TOWARDS CAMERA. ARTILLERY CREW RUN TO THEIR CANNONS. TANK CREWMEN ON THEIR TANKS. CANADIAN TROOPS SET UP THEIR ARTILLERY AT ENGLISH COUNTRY FIELD, FIRE BARRAGES. MCU TWO CANADIAN SOLDIERS USE THEIR SKILL AS LUMBERMAN TO CUT DOWN HUGE TREE IN SCOTLAND FOREST. TREE TOPPLES TOWARDS CAMERA. VARIOUS VIEWS CANADIAN NAVYMEN AT THEIR GUNS. VARIOUS SHOTS AIRMEN IN TRAINING IN CANADA. TRACTOR AT WORK LEVELING NEW AIRFIELDS. 01:13:50 - LS HARVESTERS IN FIELD HARVESTING WHEAT. LS BUSY SHIPYARD. LS LARGE DAM, GENERATORS. TANK CARS FILL TRAIN YARD. OIL FIELD IN CANADA. ABOVE VIEW LUMBERMEN ROLLING TIMBERS ON RIVER. MINE WORKER INSIDE MINE MINING METALS NECESSARY FOR WARFARE, AMONGST THEM NICKLE, COPPER, GOLD, ZINC. CU LIQUEFIED ALUMINUM, THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THEM, FOR USE IN AIRPLANES, BEING POURED FROM VAT. LS SMOKE STACK SPEWING CLOUDS SMOKE. MORE VIEWS HUGE FACTORIES AND ASSEMBLY LINES IN CANADA TURNING OUT WEAPONS OF WAR. 01:14:52 - ABOVE VIEW TRUCK PLANT PARKING LOT FILLED WITH NEW DUMP TRUCKS. VARIOUS VIEWS CANADIAN MEN WOMEN IN OTTAWA WALKING TO WORK, ENTERING BUILDINGS. WOMEN AT WORK IN OFFICE. PAN WOMEN WORKERS AT DESKS PERUSING REAMS OF LEGAL PAPERS. 01:15:19 - LS HUGE PARADE IN NEW YORK. BATTALIONS OF TROOPS PARADE TOWARDS CAMERA. 01:15:31 - MLS PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT (FDR) BEING SWORN IN AFTER RE-ELECTION FOR FOURTH TERM. VARIOUS SHOTS BRITISH BATTLESHIP KING GEORGE V. IN NEW YORK HARBOR, BRINGING LORD HALIFAX TO AMERICA. HALIFAX AND OTHER ON BOARD SHIP. 01:15:50 - VARIOUS SHOTS STEEL PLANT IN U. S. , SPARKS FLY AS MOLTEN STEEL IS POURED, AS AMERICA PLACES ITSELF FOUR SQUARE BEHIND BRITISH COMMONWEALTH. VARIOUS SHOTS BRITISH PLANES ON ASSEMBLY LINE IN U. S.. MS WORKER UNCOVERS BRITISH EMBLEM ON PLANE FUSELAGE. 01:16:29 - VARIOUS SHOTS PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND PRIME MINISTER MACKENZIE KING IN OPEN LIMO, TOUR LONG LINE OF WARPLANES AT AIRFIELD. REVIEW TROOPS 01:16:49 - ABOVE VIEW MAYOR LAGUARDIA ARRIVING AT OTTAWA TRAIN STATION TO ATTEND MEETING OF THE FIRST CONFERENCE OF CANADA, UNITED STATES JOINT BOARD ON DEFENSE. BEING MET BY CROWD NEWSMEN, CANADIAN LEADERS. LAGUARDIA POSES WITH CANADIAN LEADERS. ANIMATED MAP OF WORLD SHOWS "AMERICA SURROUNDED BY WORLD AT WAR". VOICE OVER EXPLAINS, WITH MORE MAPS AND STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE AND CLOSENESS OF NORTH AFRICA TO SOUTH AMERICA. . 01:17:19 - MS LAGUARDIA AT MEETING WITH OTHER DIGNITARIES IN CANADA. MORE MAPS SHOW OUR VULNERABILITY IN PACIFIC TO JAPANESE CONQUESTS. MS CHINESE AIRMAN STAND AT ATTENTION AS OFFICER, BACK TO CAMERA ADDRESSES THEM. VARIOUS SHOTS JAPANESE SOLDIERS ON THE MARCH. MAP SHOWS DANGER TO ALASKA AND CANADA FROM JAPANESE IN 1940. NARRATOR EXPLAINS. "HOWEVER THE WAR MAY SPREAD, THE JOINT ACTION OF CANADA AND THE U. S. HAS GREATLY STRENGTHENED THE DEFENSES OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE". 01:19:42 - MS ITALIAN DICTATOR MUSSOLINI (IL DUCE) MAKING ONE OF HIS ANIMATED SPEECHES. VARIOUS SHOTS ITALIAN TANKS, ARTILLERY, ROLLING ACROSS DESERT AS MUSSOLINI LAUNCHES HIS INVASION OF EGYPT, (SEPT. 1940). AERIAL VIEW BUILDINGS IN DESERT. ARIOUS SHOTS ITALIAN PLANES DROPPING BOMBS. AERIAL SHOTS BOMBS EXPLODING IN DESERT. CU SIGN IN TELEGRAPH OFFICE (ENGLISH AND ARABIC). MS DESTROYED TELEGRAPH BUILDING. 01:20:23 - MUSSOLINI REVIEWING HIS TROOPS AS HE ARRIVES AT BRENNER PASS, GIVES STIFF ARM SALUTE (ALA NAZI). HERE HE AWAITS ARRIVAL OF HITLER. MS MUSSOLINI WATCHES HITLER TRAIN ARRIVING AT STATION. HITLER EXITS TRAIN, IS WARMLY MET BY MUSSOLINI. A FEW DAYS LATER ITALIANS MARCH INTO GREECE. VARIOUS SHOTS ITALIAN MOUNTED TROOPS WITH HORSE DRAWN WAGONS ON ROAD TO GREECE., BUT ILL-TIMED AND BADLY PLANNED, THE PLAN GOES ARRAY. 01:21:08 - AERIAL VIEW GREECE CITY. (ATHENS) VARIOUS VIEWS GRECIAN TROOPS AND ON PARADE IN GREECE, TROOPS IN TRADITIONAL COLORFUL UNIFORMS MARCH. VARIOUS VIEWS ITALIAN FORCES BOGGED DOWN ON MUDDY ROADS AS OUTNUMBERED AND WITH FAR INFERIOR EQUIPMENT, GRECIAN TROOPS HALT ITALIANS AND IN A FEW WEEKS GO ON THE OFFENSIVE. DRIVE ITALIANS IN CONFUSION, FAR INTO ALBANIA. 01:21:25 - VARIOUS SHOTS ITALIAN NAVY AT SEA. ITALIANS CLAIM MEDITERRANEAN, "A ROMAN SEA". BUT BRITISH NAVY HAS OTHER IDEAS. WARSHIPS FIRING SALVOS, BI-WING BRITISH PLANE TAKES OFF FROM AIRCRAFT CARRIER. DROPS TORPEDO. MLS ITALIAN WARSHIP WITH ENTIRE SUPER-STRUCTURE DESTROYED, BEGINS TO SINK. ROYAL NAVY SALVOS LIGHT UP NIGHT SKY. AERIAL VIEW GENOA NAVAL BASE UNDER ATTACK BY BRITISH BOMBERS. AERIAL VIEW CRIPPLED ITALIAN WARSHIPS. 01:22:17 - VARIOUS SHOTS CONVOYS OF MERCHANT SHIPS AT SEA, UNDER WATCHFUL EYE OF ROYAL NAVY. AIR OBSERVER SCANS SEA FOR SUBMARINES. DECK GUN CREWS PREPARE FOR AIR ATTACKS. LS HUGE EXPLOSION AT SEA FROM AIR ATTACKS. LS SMOKE RISES FROM SINKING IP MEN IN LIFE BOATS AND IN WATER WITH LIFE BELTS AWAIT RESCUE FROM NAVY AFTER THEIR MERCHANT SHIP IS SUNK. 01:23:09 - VARIOUS SHOTS SHIPS UNLOADING WAR SUPPLIES IN ALEXANDRIA AND PORT SAID. MS SOLDIER PLAYS PIPES AS HUGE TRANSPORT SHIPS WITH SOLDIERS FROM AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND OTHER PARTS OF EMPIRE, ARRIVE. WORKER GETS OUT OF WAY AS SIDE OF BIG CRATE FALLS OPEN REVEALING FUSELAGE OF FIGHTER PLANE. CANNON, VEHICLES, TANKS BEING UNLOADED FROM SHIPS TO STRENGTHEN HARD PRESSED GARRISON GUARDING EGYPT, AND SUEZ CANAL. . CU BRITISH GENERAL WAVELL (SIR ARCHIBALD). LS BRITISH TROOPS ON MOVE IN DESERT. IN EARLY DECEMBER WAVELL FEELS STRONG ENOUGH TO ATTACK. VARIOUS SHOTS ARTILLERY UNITS FIRE SALVOS, TANKS TROOPS AND VEHICLES ON THE MOVE ACROSS FRONTIER INTO LIBYA. RAF BOMBER PLANES DROPPING BOMBS. CU BOMBARDIER. 01:24:19 - HUGE GUNS ON BRITISH WARSHIP MOVE INTO FIRING POSITION. CU GUNNER LOOKS THROUGH SIGHTS, CANNONS FIRE AT COASTAL TOWNS OF TOBRUK AND DEMA. BRITISH TROOPS ADVANCE ALONG SUEZ, HUGE COLUMNS BLACK SMOKE ON OTHER BANK. HUGE NUMBER OF CAPTURED ITALIAN TROOPS BEING SEARCHED, MOVED ALONG ROADS, AS BRITISH COMMONWEALTH TROOPS,(INDIANS, AUSTRALIANS, NEW ZEALANDERS AND BRITONS) TAKE BENGAZI. "BRITISH TAKE SO MANY ITALIAN PRISONERS, THEY RUN OUT OF PLACES TO PUT THEM". PAN THOUSANDS PRISONERS. 01:25:39 - VARIOUS SHOTS MORE ARTILLERY ATTACKS BY BRITISH, WEARING SUN PROTECTION HATS, SHORT PANTS. "IN LITTLE MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, THE ITALIANS HAVE LOST ALMOST ALL THE EMPIRE OF WHICH THEY WERE PROUD, WHICH TOOK 70 YEARS OF BITTER EFFORT TO ACQUIRE. TURBAN WEARING INDIAN TROOPS RIDE IN TRUCK. 01:26:07 - HUGE POPULATION NATIVES WELCOME EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE BACK TO CAPITAL OF ADDIS ABBA, AS HE RIDES IN OPEN LIMO. SELASSIE RAISES ROYAL FLAG OF ETHOPIA. ETHIOPIAN SOLDIER WITH DREADLOCKS WATCHES. MCU HAILE SELASSIE GLANCES AT CAMERA AS HE REVIEWS TROOPS. 01:26:33 - VARIOUS SHOTS NAZI TROOPS ON THE MOVE ACROSS THE DANUBE INTO THE BALKANS, TO ROMANIA AND BULGARIA. THEY GO WITHOUT HINDRANCE, DESPITE HEROIC RESISTANCE, ONTO YUGOSLAVIA AND GREECE". NAZI TROOPS CROSS PONTOON BRIDGES IN MOTORCYCLE, MECHANIZED UNITS. SQUADRONS GERMAN STUKA DIVE BOMBERS TAKING OFF FROM AIRFIELDS. AERIAL VARIOUS SHOTS BOMBS DROPPING ON TARGETS. HUGE EXPLOSIONS. VARIOUS VIEWS VARIETY GERMAN MECHANIZED UNITS. "....TYE VITAL IMPORTANCE IN WAR OF SUPERIOR EQUIPMENT". (QUOTED BY PM MACKENZIE KING OF CANADA IN REFERRING TO GERMAN ADVANCE IN BALKANS AND CANADA ROLE IN ARMS PRODUCTION). VARIOUS SHOTS GERMAN PANZER DIVISIONS ON MOVE. 01:27:34 - VARIOUS SHOTS CANADA WORKERS IN ARMS PLANTS. WORKERS AT LATHES, MACHINES IN ACTION. PLANES ROLLING OFF ASSEMBLY LINES. ARMORED VEHICLES AND TANKS ON ASSEMBLY LINE. VEHICLES BEING TESTED ON ROUGH ROADS. MEN AT WORK IN SHIP YARDS, KNOCK OUT BRACES ON SHIP READY TO LAUNCH. MLS CANADIAN CORVETTE BEING LAUNCHED SIDEWAYS INTO WATER, BIG SPLASH. CANADIAN CORVETTE AT SEA. TANKS TOLL OUT OF FACTORY TOWARDS CAMERA. CU FIELD GUN BEING FIRED BY ARTILLERY MEN. 01:28:54 - MS BLACK BUTLER OPENS LIMO DOOR FOR CANADIAN PM MACKENZIE KING, TO CONFER WITH FDR AT HYDE PARK. 01:29:13 - WELDERS, OTHERS AT WORK IN AMERICAN SHIPYARD. MERCHANT SHIPS SLIDING DOWN WEIGHS. WOMAN LAUNCHES SHIP WITH CHAMPAIGN BOTTLE, BIG SPLASH DOUSES ALL. VARIOUS SHOTS NEW U. S. SUPER BOMBERS TAKING OFF. AND IN FLIGHT. 01:29:52 - PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT (FDR) ADDRESSES CONGRESS. PLEDGES ALL-OUT AID TO BRITAIN. LS CONGRESS APPLAUSE. 01:30:17 - BRITISH BOMBER MADE IN USA TAKES OFF FOR TRIP TO ENGLAND. MS OTHER PLANES ARE CRATED AND SHIPPED ACROSS ATLANTIC. SIGN ON CRATE, "MADE IN U. S. A.". BARRELS OF OIL, CRATES OF GOODS PILED UP FOR SHIPMENT. OTHER ARMS BEING LOADED ON SHIPS. ABOVE VIEW CANADIAN TRAINS AT RAIL YARDS MOVE GOODS. CU BOX CARS R TO L. 01:31:26 - MCU LONGSHOREMAN AT WINCH CONTROLS. ABOVE VIEW SACKS GOOD BEING LOWERED INTO HOLD 01:31:59 - VARIOUS SHOTS CONVOYS AT SEA, INTO DANGER ZONES OF NORTH ATLANTIC. ANIMATED MAPS SHOW MOVEMENT ON SEA LANES TO PORTS ACROSS THE WORLD. 01:32:49 - VARIOUS SHOTS SHIPS UNDER ATTACK AND SUNK BY GERMAN SUBS AND WARSHIPS. 01:33:39 - VARIOUS SHOTS GERMAN WARSHIPS, SUBS BEING LAUNCHED. HITLER WATCHES LAUNCHING. VARIOUS VIEWS GERMAN WARSHIPS INCLUDING "BISMARCK" AT SEA. 01:33:47 - END.
- Collection: Historic Films
- Producer:Historic Films
- Transmission Date:01/01/1941
- Rights:On request
- Decade: 1940s
- File Name: VM-1211B