One of a series of newsreels produced for the home market by Eugene Castle’s Castle Films, the “News Parade of the Year 1953” features highlights from the headlines. This includes the inauguration of President Dwight Eisenhower, the North Sea Flood of 1953, the Ionian Earthquake and testing of the atomic bomb by the USA among other events.
It opens with footage of outgoing President Harry Truman greeting his successor Dwight Eisenhower (:33) and the latter taking his oath from Chief Justice Fred M Vinson (:45). The death of Senator Robert Taft follows (1:06). Soviet premier Joseph Stalin had also passed that year and his successor was to be Georgi Malenkov (1:25). (Malenkov would only serve briefly however and was replaced by Khrushchev.) The Chancellor of Germany, Konrad Adenauer is seen in the streets after his re-election. He pledges support of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1:39). In the Vatican City in Rome, Pope Pius XII enacts ancient religious ceremonies while installing new members to the College of Cardinals (1:57). A specific close of up Cardinal James Francis McIntyre of Los Angeles follows (2:07). Canada held its federal election that year and the victory went to Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent (2:24). At Spithead in England, Queen Elizabeth II watches the Coronation Fleet Review (2:29). The North Sea Flood of 1953 was spurred by the worst storms in 500 years (2:56). Over 1,600 km (990 mi) of coastline was damaged, and sea walls were breached in 1,200 places, inundating 160,000 acres. Hurricane winds and flood waters (3:00) hit the Netherlands, the UK and Belgium causing a death toll of 2,551. The Ionian Earthquake aftermath (3:32). This disaster took place in August of that year. A total of 113 earthquakes were recorded within the month and the U.S. Navy assisted in the rescue and relief efforts of the islanders (3:44). In East Berlin, a worker strike broke out in June and footage is shown of the massive crowds (4:04). Rioters burn buildings, police attempt to intervene (4:14) and Russian tanks move in to dispel crowds (4:29). In West Berlin, peaceful inhabitants were filmed as they waited in lines for food (4:46) and much of the supply had been donated by the US. The US Atomic Energy Commission conducted a test at the Nevada Proving Ground in Mercury, Nevada (5:14). A house had been constructed and will be the target of the atomic bomb and this test was conducted to discover whether or not there was any defense to the bomb (8:19). Footage of the detonation (5:29) shows the constructed house exploding. A B-36 Bomber which had been converted into an aircraft carrier follows (6:11) as new methods and new weapons were being constructed. The film turns to the Korean Armistice Agreement which was signed on July 27th, 1953 and ended three years of conflict (6:55). U.N. General William Harrison signs (6:58) as well as North Korea’s Nam II (7:00). A round with the words ‘Last Round’ etched into it leads to the firing of the very last round at (7:11). GI’s wave as they were to return home (7:21) and released American prisoners of war walk through the ‘Freedom Gate’ (7:28). General William F Dean (7:50) is seen as he is released from capture after three years. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Taejon in South Korea. The Korean prisoners of war were also released and are filmed bitterly discarded the clothes donated to them during captivity (8:00). This film draws its end with Eisenhower speaking about winning on one battle ground, yet not having won peace in the world thus far (8:24).
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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, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
