“News Thrills of 1942” is one of a series of black-and-white, silent World War II-era newsreel films created by Official Films, and sold for the home market in camera shops and department stores. This 9-minute film highlights important war-time updates across the battlefront from offensives launched by the British Navy in Europe and American Navy in the Marshall Islands as well as Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and invasion of British Malaya. The film also sheds light on the sinking of the S.S. Normandie at New York City’s Pier 88. (The S.S. Normandie was not a wartime casualty but was the result of a mistake by a workman who was working to convert the ship into a war vessel.) Most of the footage provided was taken by Army and Navy cameramen while under fire or by other individuals present at these events.
Opening credits (0:08). Britain’s Commandos in action (0:23). British Navy ship bobs in choppy seas, probably off the Norwegian coast (0:25). Royal Navy servicemen below deck awaiting commands (0:31). Close-up of their serious and wounded faces (0:35). Light sparks from gunfire contrast dark night (0:42). Men from below deck are given signals and begin their raid (0:59). The activities of the soldiers only illuminated by the light from gun fire and flames form aerial shelling (1:08). Smoke and fire billows among snowy landscape (1:16). Soldiers take cover behind house, enemy snipers looming (1:31). Outline of British destroyer as it moves along shore (1:40). Raging fire destroys remaining structures and homes (1:51). British soldiers walk back to shore with Nazi prisoners of war (2:10). Japan attacks United States: Pearl Harbor (2:14). Saburō Kurusu arrives in Washington D.C. for peace negotiations (2:17). Kichisaburō Nomura and Saburō Kurusu in meeting with American officials (2:28). Japan’s Rising Sun Flag waves in wind as military aircrafts fly in coordination in sky (2:39). Footage of fire and destruction at Hickam Air Force Base as it is mercileslsy bombed (2:50). Clouds of smoke billow above destroyed ships (3:00). Camera surveys destruction from the Pearl Harbor Attack (3:30). FDR’s December 8th “Day of Infamy” speech in front of Congress (3:42). Japanese land forces disembark boats on British Malaya (today Singapore) (3:48). Russia Stops Hitler: Red Army turns German tide (4:08). Snow-covered Moscow (4:09). Red Army soldiers scramble into tank (4:27). Red army soldiers fire off anti-aircraft cannons in snow-covered forest (4:35). Snow falls as Red Army soldiers prepare Petlyakov Pe-2 for aerial attack (4:56). View from air as bombs dropped on German supply train (5:12). Poorly-clothed German prisoners of war shudder as they trudge through snow (5:22). Aerial view of S.S. Normandie as it burns at New York City’s Pier 88 (5:40). Smoke billows off of ship in New York City harbor (5:52). View from dock as the luxury liner SS Normandie capsizes (6:06). Cars drive along West Side Highway as capsized ship still floats in icy waters of the Hudson River (6:26). U.S. oil tankers attacked by submarines off of Aruba (6:33). View of destroyed tanker from airborne plane flying overhead (6:42). U.S. Navy attacks Marshall Islands (7:14). U.S. Navy servicemen in offensive positions on deck of U.S. Navy ship (7:24). SBD-2 Dauntless dive bomber prepares to take off from the U.S. Carrier Enterprise (7:33). Other SBD-2 Dauntless dive bombers line up for takeoff (7:40). Bombs and other artillery loaded into the bombers (7:47). Japanese bomber destroyed as it attempts a suicide dive into U.S. Navy ship (8:31). American fleet returns unscathed (8:57).
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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 and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
