This 1944 black and white film “Behind the Winning Punch!” was presented by The War Production Board and produced by The American Industries Salvage Committee. It opens with cannons and flames firing from ships in the night (:37-:54). Steel factories provide closeups of conveyer cars holding pieces of scrap metal that are inserted in a furnace. Molten steel pours over a ledge. The reflection is seen in workers’ glasses. Large metal slabs are formed (:55-1:45). Chairman of the War Production Board Donald Nelson makes a broadcast speech. Microphones for WRC and NBC sit in front of him. He encourages people to hunt for scrap metal to make into steel to beat Hitler (1:47-2:55). Robert Wolcott, Chairman of the American Industries Salvage Committee speaks to reporters. Posters regarding the need for scrap metal hang on the office walls (2:57-4:20). Merchant ships are under construction that will transport war materials. Shells are manufactured on assembly lines. A factory making tanks from scrap metal is shown. A stockyard is full of bulldozers. Many armored vehicles are driven across a field (4:22-5:36). Finished metal products are stockpiled. Steel fuel drums are loaded. Specialized vehicles are loaded onto ships (5:37-6:22). Heavy steel scrap is moved by crane and chopped into smaller pieces. A tank is moved by crane onto a pile of other scrapped tanks. Giant shells are moved by magnet (6:24-7:18). The Pentagon is shown, as is the door to Major General Lucius Clay’s office. He dictates to a secretary the need for scrap metal (7:20-9:10). A 16” naval gun and torpedoes are shown in production. The battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64) is christened and launched (9:12-10:03). At the Navy building, Rear Admiral Edward Cochran, Chief of the Bureau of Ships, talks about the tremendous need for steel to make ships and repair battle damage (10:05-11:18). Newspapers in New York and London proclaim an invasion is imminent. A large group of military officers meet. Nazi footage shows soldiers digging trenches and building tank barriers in Europe. Nazi troops march in formation and enter bunkers. Karl-Gerat cannon guns are raised; one says Thor. Tangles of barbed wire are shown (11:20-13:28). Allied equipment and men board ships as part of the Fortress Europe invasion. Gunfire erupts at and from the coastline. Troops in an amphibious vehicle pour out onto the beach (13:30-15:12). Nazi soldiers leave bunkers and fire at incoming troops. Planes drop bombs. Cannons hit targets, which explode (15:14-16:22). Bombs are loaded onto bombers (16:24-16:44). Wounded are treated from an ambulance. The dead are covered and moved by donkey (16:51-17:07). Military vehicles drive over rocky roads and past burning and heavily damaged equipment. Damaged ships are shown (17:09-18:25). Ships arrive with fresh troops, as well as new vehicles and equipment (18:27-18:52). The plea is to turn in any unused or damaged industrial equipment that can be repurposed into military parts. Repeat shots of scrap metal are shown. The slogan “From your scrap we will forge the arms of victory!” is shown on screen (18:54-19:50).

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