This color educational film is about the Illinois National Guard and the tactics it employs to quell a riot or civil disturbance. This was made in 1968 following the Chicago Riots. These were sparked in part by the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Violence and chaos followed, with people flooding out onto the streets of major cities. Soon riots began, primarily in black urban areas. Over 100 major U.S. cities experienced disturbances, resulting in roughly $50 million in damage.

Uniformed men sit and listen to an instructor. The Seal of the State of Illinois. This film is about the Illinois National Guard (:08-1:06). Oak Lawn, IL after a tornado outbreak. Scenes of destruction and fire. Firemen at the scene. Opening title: CALL OUT THE GUARD (1:07-1:46). National Guard headquarters at the state armory in Springfield, IL. Major General Boyle. In Chicago, the Army National Guard is dispatched to the problem area. Smoke billows, fire is ablaze and the tornado destruction is everywhere. Army National Guardsmen use equipment and move debris. Buses that have been destroyed. Cars destroyed by nature as well as stores and signs. A Red Cross worker gives donuts and coffee. Army National Guardsmen move around the city of Oak Lawn to secure the area (1:47-4:16). Chicago, IL on a hot, humid evening. Newsreel footage of rioters as they run amok and toss firebombs in Chicago. Police arrest rioters. Police run. More pope arrested. A policeman holds a rioters gun and bullets. Those arrested are put into police vans. Stores with broken windows and missing merchandise from looters. Buildings on fire as the firemen move in. A looted liquor store. Police have some men lined up against the wall. Police stand guard near destroyed stores. More people arrested but the police are becoming overwhelmed. Policemen squat low near cars as snipers take aim at them. A firetruck races to a fire. Firemen in front of a building. Police discuss (4:17-8:23). Chicago’s Northwest Armory, the Army National Guard. Guardsmen on the phone. Officers call in the others who are going about their normal lives. The men race to the Armory to get ready. Chicago Police officials meet with the National Guard, they discuss and coordinate. They look at a map. Weapons are handed to the men. Army National Guardsmen march in formation and then board their trucks. Trucks turn out onto a city street and begin their route (8:24-12:13). Army National Guardsmen are stationed out on the streets and in locations of problems reported. Guardsmen patrol the streets, weapons drawn. Newsreel footage shown of when the Army National Guard was on the Chicago streets during the riot. Rain pours on the Army National Guardsmen during a training exercise. A peaceful demonstration. A man is grabbed by the police and clubbed for causing problems. Black and white footage of African Americans marching while whites yell at them. The Army National Guard keeps the peace between sides. White people act like a mob and yell at the Guardsmen. The yelling continues. A wedge forward movement is performed to disperse the mob and spread it out. Guardsmen watch as the marching continues, no major problems occur (12:14-18:06). National Guardsmen attend outdoor riot control training. Some Guardsmen act like rioters and the National Guard use a chemical agent disperser, they spray it. It is harmless as far as inflicting injury. A coordinated forward movement is done in cadence. The spraying continues. Guardsmen march. Training exercise: they march in formation for protecting marchers and a crowd. Teamwork to keep a group under control (18:07-22:14). Joliet, IL, National Guard site. Training for being a sniper. One Guardsman seeks snipers on rooftops while everyone is in formation and practicing. Men look through their scopes. Practice firing at targets. 33rd Division medics. 33rd Infantry Division. Men fire at targets by looking through the scope (22:15-24:40). Patrolling action. Men hold their bayonets at the ready as they lurch forward in formation. A Senior officer demonstrates a grenade launcher for teargas (24:41-26:00). 33rd Division Aviation Battalion. A plane on a tarmac. A helicopter. Guard Pilots are inside and ready to fly. The rotors are spinning. Liftoff for the chopper. Aerial footage of Chicago from the chopper. Army National Guardsmen stand at attention (26:01-28:30). End credits (28:31-29:06).

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