21874a 14TH AIR FORCE IN CHINA DURING WORLD WAR II   ” CHINA CRISIS ”  FLYING TIGERS  CHENNAULT

China Crisis was a black and white documentary on the operations of the U.S. 14th Air Force in its support of the Chinese Army, made in 1944. It was published by the U.S. Army Air Forces. The time period of the war was 1939-1945, and took place in China.  The film was one of the 400 top secret propaganda/training films put out by the Army Air Forces. This one was Army Air Forces special film project 174.

Views of Free China, its industry, and its ports (0:14-1:16). The Japanese empire subjugated China (1:17-1:19). Rice paddy (1:31-1:34). The Chinese primitive irrigation system (1:35-1:47). The Kunming base in China, home of the 14th Air Force and the Flying Tigers, commanded by General Claire Chennault (2:17-2:58).  A transport plane (2:31-2:35). Arial view of Calcutta, India’s seaport and docks (2:59-3:17). American jeeps (3:18-3:26). A transport barge on the Brahmaputra River which flows through China, India, and Bangladesh (3:56-4:00). Assam Calcutta Railroad (4:01-4:16). Army trucks (4:17-4:31). Heavy equipment crane (4:46-4:52). Chabua, Upper Assam, India where supplies are stored (5:50-6:13) such as barrels of gasoline, and bombs (6:14-6:23). A transport plane, loaded with equipment, is flown over the Himalaya Mountains, the Hump (6:24-6:45). Views of the Himalaya Mountain peaks (6:46-8:04). Kunming Lake, China (8:05-8:36). The Flying Tigers, American Volunteer Group of former Army, Navy, and Marine pilots (9:02-9:24). Robert T. Smith, WW II pilot and ace (9:30-9:33). Curtiss P-40 Warhawk aircraft first flown in 1938 (9:34-9:39). The Flying Tigers (9:40-9:53). Commander was Brigadier General Claire Chennault, Old Leatherface (9:54-10:00). P-40 Warhawks (10:01-10:14). Illustration of the need for the Flying Tigers to protect the Hump (10:15-10:42). Japanese air fighters and bombers (10:43-11:02). Footage of General Chennault’s famous fighter tactics (12:12-14:33). Illustration of the 14th Air Force tactics (15:18-16:00). Chinese people building air fields for the Americans (16:01-18:08).  Slurry is made and carried by buckets to cover the foundation (18:09-18:40). Chinese air-raid provisions: A cave at Guilin, or Kweilin, for headquarters, Chinese spotters used telephones and radios, and saved pilots that had to bail out (19:21-21:06). The long range B-24 Liberator , B-25 Mitchell bomber, and P-51 Mustang fighter-bomber (21:12-21:21). Flying B-24 (21:47-21:54). Aircraft boneyards or graveyards supplied parts (21:55-22:05). Refueling the aircraft (22:54-23:03). Supplies are moved by trucks (24:12-24:23), Chinese Railroads (24:25-24:33), Chinese sampan boats (24:34-24:38), and Chinese junk boats (24:39-24:48). Illustration of tactic to affect Japanese trade routes and shipping (25:41-26:16). Footage of American attack on Japanese ships and land (26:18-28:20). B-24 landing (28:20-28:29). Illustration of Japanese tactics to fight back (28:40-29:15). Illustration of the East China Offensive (29:16-29:37). Footage of the aftermath of war (29:48-30:51). Americans dropped supplies to the Chinese (30:52-31:14). Footage of Gen. Chennault, Gen. Joseph Stilwell, and Gen. Clinton (Casey) Vincent (32:13-32:20). Footage of base and Chinese city destruction so the Japanese could not get them (32:30-34:13). Footage of Chinese refuge’s and soldiers fleeing the Japanese. They were protected by American soldiers (34:52-38:20). Illustration of Japanese movements (39:07-39:43). Summary of what the 14th Air Force did (40:03-40:31). 

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