Events during the Paris Peace Conference. View of Houthulst forest in Belgium. United States President Woodrow Wilson along with his American Delegation is on a sightseeing trip in Belgium. They are accompanied by King Albert I and Queen Elizabeth of Belgium. The entire team is seen enjoying a picnic and having lunch under a tent. Queen Elizabeth takes the picture of the lunch party. A french guard and other men standing along the side of a motor car.
World War I scenes of U.S. Army airplanes in action at the front. A picture of U.S. Army Major Henry A. (Hap) Arnold and California Forester Kurt Dubois, who, together, started the fire patrol practice by United States Army aircraft in1919. Army flyers lined up on a field. Army Curtis JN-4 (Jenny) airplanes in flight as smoke rises from the forests below. Weighted messages with ribbons attached, being dropped by pilots while in flight to inform about a forest fire. Later on after the installation of radios a pilot sends a message on a radio set in case of a forest fire. In 1920s, Crawler tractors used to skid logs out of the forest. In 1925, tractor with a blade was developed and used to build forest roads. In 1932, a Bulldozer being used to create firebreaks during a Southern California fire. A fire plow in operation.
Animated map showing disposition of Allied and opposing German forces in Belgium during World War II. Highlighted places include the River Meuse, Bastogne,and Liege. Brief glimpse of German Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt,commander of the German Army Command in the West. German troops riding through forest over light snow on a King Tiger tank. The tank churning up dirt and snow at high speed in another scene. German infantry moving through the forest at dusk. Illustrated map shows national flags delineating battle fronts and the German breakout (Bulge in the line) aiming toward Antwerp Harbor through Liege. Next are series of rapidly changing scenes showing American troops in combat near houses, moving through smoke and mist, one throwing a hand grenade into an apartment building, helping one another move through buildings, setting off explosives, communicating on a field telephone, moving through burning rubble, and running across snow around industrial buildings. Two U.S. soldiers silhouetted against the snow as place a wounded buddy in a sheltered spot. One placing a bandage around the neck of the injured soldier. American medics carrying wounded on litters, across a snowy field containing a several fallen soldiers. One soldier calling for a medic. Corpsmen moving on to a new battlefield. U.S. troops firing machine guns from atop Sherman tanks in a city as infantrymen crouch behind the tanks. Glimpse from inside, of a German soldier firing an Mg34 model machine gun out a building window. Embattled American troops and trucks moving past burning buildings. Closeups of American GIs dashing from building to building and firing from improvised shelter. A bazooka fired out a building window strikes a tank, which is seen burning. Individual soldiers running for shelter as Medical Corpmen carry wounded on litter the opposite way. Scene shifts to British forces moving in from further North, through the snow. Glimpse of women and children and aged folks, in Belgium, frightened by the goings on. An old woman holds a small girl who is crying. British infantry advancing into action across a snowy field. A British machine gunner firing from a protected position. U.S. troops entrenched in deep snow. December 24th, clearing weather allowed some Allied air support to aid the troops. Glimpse of aircraft contrails. Formations of Allied aircraft overhead. Aerial view of a formation of British Hawker Typhoon fighter bombers in flight. View from a B-17 in flight with others creating thick contrails at high altitude. Pilot and copilot in cockpit of a bomber in flight. American soldiers on the ground watching with binoculars. U.S. Army Air Forces P-47 aircraft overhead, break out of formation and dive to attack German ground targets. American GIs on the ground cheer as they watch. A huge explosion takes place near an American crew manning a heavy gun pointing point blank with zero elevation. American soldiers load rockets into a truck-mounted launcher. Several truck-mounted launchers firing their rocket barrages. U.S. infantry advancing atop tanks, in armored personnel carriers, and on foot. They carry axes, shovels and similar tools along with their weapons. Army trucks entering a town. Infantry moving through a forest. More troops on vehicles of all kinds moving into a town.
Activities of U.S. troops in Malmedy sector, Belgium. Jeep passes away. Soldiers observe the 50 caliber machine guns and 90 mm AA gun in roadblock in forest. Soldiers talk near 90 mm AA gun. Engineers place TNT (Trinitrotoluene) charges to blow up bridge if necessary in Malmedy sector, Belgium. Civilians in city cross bridge. Engineers place TNT charges over bridge. GIs come outside with German prisoner of war and get into jeep of Military Police. Jeep passes away.
January, 1945, on the Western front during World War 2. Troops of the U.S. 8th Infantry Division test new white camouflage coveralls for use in snow. They patrol in snow covered forest areas on the Western Front. A sergeant makes outdoor field adjustments to the coveralls using a knife and captured German sewing machine. He helps a soldier who tries on his new coverall. The material used is from old mattress covers. Several soldiers are seen putting on the camouflage coveralls. Scene shifts to U.S. troops with a jeep towing a 20mm Italian dual purpose gun for use in Germany. On January 2, 1945, they set up and fire the gun at targets a half mile away. In Belgium, U.S. Army engineers of Company B, 238th Engineer Battalion, improvise remote controlled bazooka shells as road blocks. They set them up on fence posts and fire them by ordinary flashlight batteries. U.S. soldiers from a Signal Company of the 99th Infantry Division are seen using a Weasel vehicle (officially designated an M29C light cargo carrier) to lay communication cables through snow in the 1st Army Sector, Belgium. Views of the wire spool on back of the weasel, and soldiers pulling wire from it.
Activities of U.S. 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge of World War II. An M5 High Speed Tractor (HST) tows a field gun along a snow covered road. The vehicle skids on the road, and troops throw sand on the road to increase traction. American troops walk on the icy road, including a Browning 1919A4 machine gun crew.