This newsreel, “News Thrills of 1943” by Official Films (volume 4 of 1943) and edited by Leslie Winik (00:10), recaps two key events in WWII. “Yanks Bomb Ploesti Oil Fields” (00:24) begins with B-24 Liberator bombers (00:28) practicing precision skip bombings over the Egyptian desert (possibly Libyan desert) in preparation for the raid on Romania’s Ploesti oil fields. Upon completion of the rehearsal, the bombers take off (00:49) on their mission to destroy the Ploesti oil fields and cripple Germany’s primary source of oil. The Liberators fly over the Mediterranean (01:05) then Greece (01:14), before finally crossing the Danube (01:16) and into Romanian airspace. They approach Axis oil tanks (01:36) and toss incendiary sticks (01:38), then the Liberators drop 300 tons of bombs (01:44). The Liberators leave enemy territory after delivering the payloads and return home. The next clip, “Italy Surrenders” (02:44), shows Rome on 26 July 1943 as Italians celebrate the downfall of Mussolini, unaware of the completed negotiation of Italy’s unconditional surrender. Meanwhile, the British Eighth Army in Sicily prepares to invade mainland Europe (03:20) under command of General Bernard Montgomery. The Allied force lands during the early hours of 3 September 1943 (04:00) and sets up base after meeting no resistance. At the same time, the U.S. Fifth Army (04:31) prepares to invade near Naples under command of Lieutenant General Mark Clark. The convoy transporting the U.S. army comes under attack and suffers losses (05:01) with ships and planes taking heavy fire. The Fifth Army lands at Salerno (06:07) and begins the assault despite German resistance, moving inland from the beach. Lieutenant General Mark Clark (07:13) directs the attack, rushing from one attack station to another, as the Allies push toward Naples. General Dwight D. Eisenhower visits the Fifth Army (07:51) and is pleased with the progress. Tanks from the Fifth Army (08:13) lead the push to Naples, which falls to the American force (08:40).

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