Reel

Produced in 1947 by the Department of the Air Force, this film regards the war preparations put forth by the USAF, 1939-1941.

Germany invades France. Occupation of France. Subjective & objective shots Luftwaffe Stukas flying over bucolic countryside; CU pilot smirking into cam. MSs Panzer tank units advancing. Low angle tilt U shot Eiffel Tower. CU French flag waving in wind, cut to explosion. CU Nazi soldier in Paris. LS/MSs Nazi infantry & cavalry units marching through Paris; MS officer on horseback, saluting; great shot Nazi flag being unfurled over French monument to independence.

The Battle of Britain / London Blitz. Map of England. LSs Luftwaffe taking off, in flight. MSs RAF pilots recreating in quarters, playing pool, chess, piano until air raid summons them to duty. MS/CUs RAF communications operators at work. LSs Spitfire & Hurricane fighters in flight, fending off Nazi air advance; two Nazi planes are hit, another crashes into the Channel. MS British soldiers on look-out for air raid. MSs London citizens sleeping, knitting, etc, in subway (london underground) during raid. MSs raid lights probing sky. LS/MSs anti-aircraft ack-ack guns firing at night. LS/MSs burning buildings, London

MSs British sailors marching along dock. LSs old US destroyers sailing. Map of areas leased by the US from England to build naval bases. Louisiana and Carolina tactical maneuvers: LS/MSs US Army engineers constructing airfield; MSs landing mats being installed; LS/MSs simulated warfare, planes dropping sacks of flour on M-3 Stuart tanks; good low angle shot of a tank rolling over parapet and just over camera

Attack on Pearl Harbor (mix of actual and recreated footage). Aerials of Honolulu. MS group of local children crossing street. LSs 13 unarmed B-17 bombers taking off from Hamilton Field. MSs officers conferring aboard Japanese aircraft carrier; MSs Japanese pilots, one carrying a daito (samurai long sword), getting into torpedo, dive & horizontal bomber planes; MS signal flag being waved on deck; TLSs bombers taking off from deck of carrier. EST shots Pearl Harbor. LSs B-17 bombers in flight; MSs US navy men on ground, looking up. LS/MSs Japanese bombers in flight, attacking Pearl Harbor. LS/MSs brief Navy AF resistance. Actual aftermath footage of Pearl Harbor and neighboring airfields

General Henry Hap Arnold in office, speaking to the camera.

End credits