The World At War is a 1942 documentary used to inform the American public of why the U.S. entered World War II and to rally support for the war effort. The film opens with Japanese planes flying in formation (00:59) then cuts to the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor (01:47; 07:54). The USS Arizona is on fire and sinking. A surviving battleship leaves the harbor. Franklin D. Roosevelt speaks to a Joint Session of Congress (02:57) on 8 December 1941; people gather in public spaces to listen to the broadcast of the speech (04:25). Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. Kichisaburo Nomura leaves a building (03:55). The film then cuts to 20 February 1939 and the 20,000-person German American Bund rally in support of Nazi Germany at Madison Square Garden (06:36). Japanese forces invade Manchuria (07:58). The Chinese fight back (09:20) under Chiang Kai-shek but are no match for Japan. Italy creates an incident in order to invade Ethiopia; Benito Mussolini (10:30) speaks to cheering crowds. Italians and Japanese celebrate the two countries’ neutrality agreement at a Japanese stadium (11:00). On 13 March 1938, Adolf Hitler (11:32) and Nazi forces march into Austria. The film then presents war-torn Spain (11:52), where General Francisco Franco (12:40) rebels against the Republic. Hitler speaks in Munich (12:55), demanding that Czechoslovakia give up the Sudetenland. Hitler, Britain’s Chamberlain, Mussolini, and France’s Daladier sign the Munich Pact (13:13). Nazis roll into the Sudetenland, where people celebrate their arrival (13:38). German forces march into Prague (14:20). On 14 April 1939, FDR appeals for peace, but Hitler rejects the plea while speaking to the Reichstag (14:44). Hitler creates a pact of friendship with Poland (15:02) but then invades without warning (15:31). German bombers are loaded with ordinance and machine gun ammo (15:52). Planes take off (16:30), and bomb Poland (17:22). The Polish Air Force is destroyed on the ground. German planes attack railroads (18:30) while the German Navy fires on a Polish town. Civilians flee (19:29). An aerial view of Warsaw (20:13) shows the city on fire. The Polish people crowd together in city streets (21:09; 21:20), waiting for rations to be handed out. Nazis parade through Warsaw (21:45) celebrating their victory as Hitler watches. Denmark and Norway are invaded (23:15); on May 9, Holland and Belgium are invaded (23:18). Rotterdam is bombed despite Dutch surrender (24:32), with aerial views of Rotterdam. German forces move on Belgium (25:25): tanks roll over obstacles, and the Belgium cathedral city of Leuven burns (26:06). A cathedral tower crashing to the ground (26:37). Refugees flee the destroyed cities (26:50). Nazi troops pause only to sleep (27:14). An aerial view shows Antwerp (27:37) and nearby oil refineries on fire. At Dunkirk (27:58), British Spitfires engage the Luftwaffe (28:08) over the beaches. Dunkirk is left in rubble (28:57). Germany invades France (29:25), firing heavy artillery on French towns and cities alike. Planes and tanks attack French towns like Valenciennes (29:56) and Chateau-Porcien. Italians celebrate as Mussolini declares that Italy is entering the war (30:34). Germany invades Paris (30:48), marching past the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. Germans capture the historic railcar (31:38) used in talks to end WWI. Hitler enjoys the victory over Paris, which leads to the creation of Vichy France (32:28). Britain is on fire (32:35) as Nazi U-boats (32:45) and planes (32:54) attack the country. Nazis bomb London at night (33:29) and Coventry (33:47). Hitler meets with his generals (34:20) to plan the invasion of the Soviet Union. Joseph Stalin rallies the Russian people (34:50), who dig anti-tank lines and set up anti-aircraft guns. Russian factories mass produce weapons of war (36:00). German casualties increase with the arrival of the Russian winter (36:49). Douglas MacArthur (37:28) oversees American and Filipino forces fighting Japan as it attacks Manilla (37:38). U.S. factories (38:40) produce ships, planes, and guns to sell to Allied forces. The U.S. Navy (39:39) takes to the Pacific. The U.S. Army drafts and trains men, while civilians work on the production line to produce bombers (40:18). Leaders of Latin America sever diplomatic relations with Axis powers (40:35). The film concludes with scenes of Allied soldiers (41:21), including Dutch, Belgium, Greek, Norwegian, Australian, and South African troops; the British Navy and Airforce continue to fight Nazi encroachment (41:53); Russian troops march against Germany (42:15); Chinese troops march along Great Wall of China (42:22); and U.S. troops go to war (42:35).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com