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Tunisian Victory
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keywords: wwii, north africa campaign, operation torch, operation gymnast, president franklin d. roosevelt, prime minister winston churchill
Synopsis: The North African Campaign in WWII (codename Torch) from the Allied landings in Casablanca, Morocco, Oran Algeria, and Algiers, Algeria to the surrender of the German and Italian Armies in Tunisia...(read more)
- Date: 1942-1943
- Duration: 01:19:18
- Sound: Yes
- Color: Monochrome
- Type: Public Domain
- Language: English
- Location: North Africa
Tunisian Victory Reel-1
Operation Torch, American and British invasion of French North Africa. Footage of the largest convoy of U.S. military ships to ever sail from America. From Great Britain came an armada of British ships. Shows the American and British invasion fleets on way to the American-British invasion of French North Africa in WWII.
June 18, 1942, President Roosevelt and Prime Minster Winston Churchill meet with their combined Chief of Staffs in Washington DC to plan the invasion of French North Africa. Shows an animated world globe map that illustrate the gravity of the situation in WWII in 1942.
Code name "Torch" (initially called Operation Gymnast) is the code name of the combined American-British invasions of French North Africa with landings at Casablanca, Morocco by Major-General George Patton's Western Force, at Oran Algeria by Major-General Lloyd R. Fredendall's Central Task Force, and Algiers, Algeria by Major-General Charles W. Ryder's Eastern Task Force.
Brief images of the production of war equipment and materials in America and Great Britain to supply the Allied Armies that would be the invasion forces, training of the Allied Soldiers that would be landed on the beaches of French North Africa, and the loading of the ships with war equipment and supplies for Operation Torch. Brief images of U.S. soldiers training under "live fire" of 50 cal machine gun firing and swimming in burning oil on top of water. Shows train cars loaded with tanks, half-tracks, and vehicles. Shows American and British soldiers boarding troop transport ships.
Excellent footage of sonar operator on U.S. escort destroyer picking up ping from Nazi U-boat, sailors rush to "man battle stations" as alarm sounds, depth charges are launched, and explosions of depth charges. Shows several explosions of depth charges.
Tunisian Victory Reel-2
Operation Torch, American and British invasion fleets underway for the American-British invasion of French North Africa in WWII. Activities of soldiers aboard troop transport ship. Shows soldier playing a piano surrounded by soldiers wearing life vests and combat helmets on troop transport. Communication signaling between ships in convoy, CU of sailor using signal lamp to send message in Morse code. Sailors using semaphore flag system to communicate between ships.
Series of animated maps illustrates and explains the objectives of "Operation Acrobat". The plan called for the American and British invasion fleets to divide into three invasion forces with each arriving at their assigned invasion points, Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers at the same time. These invasion forces would press eastward, occupy Tunisia, cut Rommel's supply lines across the Mediterranean, and then trap and crush Rommel's army between the Allied invasion forces and the British 8th Army coming from the east. Also part of the plan called Acrobat was the continued bombing of the Italian cities and ports that supplied Rommel's army.
As the invasion convoys moved through the Straits of Gibraltar the German high command in Berlin was alerted. Major-General Patton speaks to the soldiers under his command that would land on the Casablanca beachhead. The unknown was would the Vichy French oppose the Allied Forces? Shore batteries of the Vichy French opened fire on the Allied ships and the fight was on at Casablanca. The naval guns of the British fleet silenced the shore batteries of the Vichy French at Oran. Soon searchlights were pointed skyward indicating the surrender of the Vichy French forces. Shows landing of Allied troops at Algiers. Excellent Airborne jump scenes. Airborne Troops of the U.S. 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment jump from planes over Oran to capture the airfields at Tafraoui and La Senia. Shows scenes of a raging battle off the beach at Casablanca.
Tunisian Victory Reel-3
Invasion of French North Africa. Invasion scenes of Major-General Patton's Western Task Force at Casablanca in Operation Torch on November 8, 1942 consisted of the U.S. 2nd Armored Division, the U.S. 3rd and 9th Infantry Divisions. Excellent scene of LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) or Higgins Boat headed for beachhead, CU two soldiers in Higgins Boat. Various scenes of landing crafts (LCVP) underway. Short sequence of scenes of the Naval Battle of Casablanca, a series of naval engagements between American war ships and the Vichy French shore batteries, heavy guns of the Vichy French battleship Jean Bart, and other Vichy French war ships in the harbor at Casablanca. Shows Vichy French loading a shell in a naval gun and guns of Vichy French ships firing on American ships and invasion forces. Gunnery from American ships and bombs from American planes silenced the Vichy French guns.
Invasion footage as soldiers shown "hitting the beach" from LCVP landing crafts or Higgins Boats and fighting to secure a beachhead at Casablanca against Vichy French opposition. Shows U.S. troops fighting in the streets of Casablanca. Shows members of the German Armament Commission in Casablanca leaving under U.S. guard as people on the street cheered.
Images of General Kenneth Anderson, Commander of the British 1st Army, French General Henri Giraud, Commander of French Land Forces, and U.S. General Eisenhower at military parade n Oran, Algeria.
Animated map and German film shows German troops being rushed across the Mediterranean from Sicily and Sardinia Italy by ship and by air into Tunis and Bizert, Tunisia. The American, British, and French forces quickly started to move toward Tunisia from Algiers, Algeria. Shows American tanks, artillery and infantry moving by road, French forces with mules for mountain transport moved by rail, and British and American airborne by plane to capture suitable ground for forward airfields. Shows the British 36th Infantry brigade disembarking from ship at Bougie, Algeria on November 11, 1942. Show forward Allied airfield near Bone, Algeria under bombing and strafing attack by German Luftwaffe planes. CU of anti-aircraft gun crew firing at German planes. Shows German troops arriving at a port in Tunisia and disembarking from a ship. Shows German General Albert Kesselring arriving in Tunisia.
Allied forces cross into Tunisia. Allied infantry soldiers in battle with German soldiers, CU of German machine gun crew firing at Allied forces. U.S. Infantry soldiers firing rifles at enemy targets. British troops advancing, CU of German machine gun being fired. British soldier throws hand grenade. By November 22, 1942: The Allied forces had advanced to Beja, Tunisia. Shows forces under command of French General Barre in Tunisia fighting the Germans at Majaz al Bab (Medjez el Bab). Shows tanks and troops of the British General Anderson racing to support General Barre at Medjez el Bab.
November 25, 1942: Scenes of the first major tank battle. Allied forces destroyed 15-German tanks and the rest withdrew.
Animated map shows the advance of the Allied forces toward the Tunisia coastal cities of Tunis and Bizerte. Allied troops reached the hills overlooking Tunis, but were forced to withdraw under ferocious attack from German tank and artillery fire and air attacks by the German Luftwaffe without Allied air cover. Taking heavy casualties the Allied forces were forced to fall back to the protection of the hills.
Tunisian Victory Reel-4
Operation Torch. The Allied invasion forces that landed in French North Africa November 8, 1942 had rapidly fought their way across Tunisia to within sight of Tunis, but was force to fall back to the mountains due to heavy German resistance on the ground and in the air. Allied forces dig-in near Tunis as heavy winter rains fall. Forward airfields are turned to mud and roads became running streams. Shows heavy bomber stuck in the mud. Animated map shows the stabilized battle lines with the Germans occupying the coastal plains and the Allied Forces the mountainous region to the west known as The Dorsal, an extension of the Atlas Mountains. Allied Forces held the mountain passes that was under constant attack by German forces during the winter. Shows Allied wounded on stretchers being transported by jeep and by aircraft. Shows Army nurse tending to the wounded on plane. Shows night patrols by British soldiers. British soldiers living in mud and cleaning their weapons. Mules are used to transport supplies.
With the airfields operational Allied aircraft engage the Luftwaffe in aerial combat. Shows RAF plane gun camera (GSAP) footage shooting down German aircraft. Sequence shots, CU of RAF pilot, cut to pilot's hand depressing button to fire machine guns, German plane trailing smoke, in dive, and exploding upon striking ground. Allied Liberator bombers and flying Fortresses bomb factories, industrial plants, and transportation systems in Italy, Sardinia, and Sicily to stop supplies from reaching Tunis. Waist gunner on Allied bomber firing at attacking German fighter planes as bombs fall from bomber.
Animated battle line map shows build-up of war material and equipment by Germans and Allied Forces. Shows factories and war plants in America and England producing weapons and equipment in ever increasing qualities. Shows a flight of P-38 fighter planes lead by a flying Fortress, roads being built, and airfields built with steel landing mats (Marsden matting) preparing for the coming battle for Tunis. Shows religious services being held Christmas 1942. Flashback to children of the Allied countries playing. Shows General Montgomery at church service on battle field.
Tunisian Victory Reel-5
Operation Torch. The Allied invasion of French North Africa November 8, 1942 had rapidly fought their way across Tunisia is now dug-in for the winter in the Dorsal, an extension of the Atlas Mountains near Tunis, Tunisia.
Shows Church bells ringing at churches and cathedrals around the world. It is Christmas 1942 for the Allied Forces on the front in Tunisia, North Africa. Shows mail call for the troops. Shows the soldiers opening mail and packages from back home. Shows soldiers in chow line and eating a Christmas meal.
Shows General Eisenhower eating while standing next to his automobile. Pets are fed. Soldiers give Arab children (kids) candy. The Red Cross gave the Arab children milk. Soldiers sightsee and try to ride a camel.
President Roosevelt pays a surprise visit to the troops in North Africa in January 1943 as he reviewed the troops while riding in a jeep. Prime Minster Churchill arrives for the Casablanca Conference, code name Symbol. Scenes of the exterior of the Anfa Hotel location of the Casablanca Conference. Personages shown were: President Roosevelt, Prime Minster Churchill, General Charles de Gaulle, General Henri Giraud, American General Eisenhower, British General Alexander, British Admiral Cunningham and RAF Air Marshal Tedder. Shows Churchill arriving by plane in Tripoli, Libya and greeting British General Montgomery.
Animated map shows the British, French, and American battle lines. In the north the British 1st Army, in the center the French Army commanded by General Giraud, and in the south the American Forces. Further south the British 8th Army faced Rommel's Mareth Line, a system of fortifications built by the French in southern Tunisia prior to the fall of France. The British 8th Army was anchored by a Fighting Free French Army. Shows and describes Rommel's battle harden army, tanks, and latest Luftwaffe planes.
Animated map shows Rommel's offensive that carried the Germans through the Kasserine Pass and within sight of Tebessa, the Allied supply base in southern Tunisia. Allied counterattacks drove Rommel back and the American forces re-occupied the Kasserine Pass. Rommel then attacked the British 8th Army. The British using a new 17-pounder anti-tank gun destroyed 52 German Tiger tanks. Shows burning German Tiger tanks.
Animated map illustrates General Eisenhower's plan for the final defeat of Germany in North Africa. Shows General Eisenhower, General Doolittle, and General Carl Spaatz. Nose art on U.S. bombers, "Pluto", "Yankee Doddle", "Jersey Jackass", "Alice the Goon", "fancy Pants".
Tunisian Victory Reel-6
Operation Torch, invasion of French North Africa as Allied Forces fight in Tunisia. The Northwest African Coastal Air Force (NACAF) was one of the new Allied air force organizations created at the Casablanca Conference to promote cooperation between the RAF, the USAAF, and the ground and naval forces in the final stages of "Operation Torch", the defeat of German forces in North africa.
The African Coastal Air Force under Air Marshall Lloyd, and as shown by animated map, a new concept for concentrating air power to attack when and where needed. Shows Air Marshall Cunningham and General Alexander in command of all ground forces in the Tunisia mountains looking at war map.
Battle of Mareth Line, Eastern Tunisia, North Africa March 11-13, 1943. Shows bombers of the Coastal Air Force bombing the Mareth line of fortifications. Animated map shows General Alexander's plan of having the XXX (30th) Corps of British 8th Army to attack the Mareth Line while making a flanking attack around the German right flank with New Zealand and Free French troops. Shows British artillery firing in the moonlight as infantry and engineers rush forward to build a tank crossing across the Wadi Zig-Zaou Gorge or trench. Shows British Infantry using ladders to climb the steep banks of the Wadi Zig-Zaou and securing a bridgehead. Shows British engineers working in the Wadi Zig-Zaou trench building a tank crossing as British tanks approach. Shows a British tank moving down the steep bank and getting stuck in the Wadi Zig-Zaou trench, CU of tracks of tank spinning. Scenes of British soldiers fighting to hold on to the bridgehead on the German side of the Wadi Zig-Zaou. Image of Rommel standing in Scout Car looking through binoculars as German tanks race to engage the British 30th Corps. Shows British firing anti-tank 17 pounders. Scenes of the planes of the Coastal Air Force attacking German ground targets. CU of bombs being released from bomb bay of bomber. Shows British planes armed with tank busters attacking German tanks. Shows the people of el-Hamma,Tunisia cheering as the New Zealander tanks and troops enter the town. Shows land, sea and air attacks against the German Africa Korps.
Excellent footage of German Junkers Ju 52 transport planes in low fight over the Mediterranean flying troops to Rommel's aid in Tunisia and being attacked by P-38 Lighting fighters. P-38 gun camera footage shooting down German Junkers Ju 52. Various shots of P-38 Lighting fighter in flight and shooting down German planes. Footage of Patton's army of tanks, half-tracks, and Infantry battling German forces. CU Image of General Patton staring at battlefield and looking through binoculars. Shows U.S. tankers moving eastward from el-Guettar meeting up with a British patrol moving northward from Wadi Akarit. Animated map shows the German army had been pushed into the hills beyond Enfidaville. Shows return of people to their villages. Shows young Jewish boys taking off yellow stars the Germans made them wear. Army doctors tending to the Arab civilians.
Tunisian Victory Reel-7
Operation Torch, invasion of French North Africa and battle for Tunisia. Animated map shows location of the Allied Forces and the movement of the American Army 200 miles north in complete secrecy. Animated map shows the German Army in French North Africa had set-up a defense line in the hills east of Tunis and Bizerte. This led major battles for hill 609, Longstop Hill, Goubellat Plain, Djebel Mansour, and Takrouna.
The British 8th Army struck at Takrouna and the French 19th Corps attacked Djebel Mansour, Shows French mine seeping team clearing roadway of mines. Soldier clearing area around a German mine. Shows French soldiers advancing. Shows a tank battle between the British 6th Armored Division and Rommel's Afrika Korps at Goubellat Plain. Shows burning and destroyed German tanks on the battlefield, Goubellat Plain area of Tunisia. British 78th Division pressed the attack on Longstop Hill. CU of British machine gun crew firing machine gun, British soldiers advancing firing Bren machine gun. British soldiers uses ropes to climb steep slope of Longstop Hill. Intense combat footage. Shows bodies of dead German soldiers. Shows engineers building roads across the mountain tops.
American artillery bombarded Hill 609 day and night as infantry advanced and captured Hill 609. Shows forward command post giving corrections to artillery batteries. Flashes of light from artillery fire show American Infantry advancing. Doctors attending to wounded at field hospital.
Planes of the Allied Coastal Air Force are loaded with armament and take off. Shows flights of Allied planes in the air, tanks and infantry advancing, artillery firing, naval bombardment, full fury of war as final offensive gets underway.
Tunisian Victory Reel-8
Allied final offensive in "Operation Torch" in Tunisia, French North Africa. The full force of the Allied Costal Air Force bomb German targets in Tunisia North Africa and are attacked by the German Luftwaffe. Shows gunners on Allied bombers firing at German fighter planes. Bombers drop bombs, ground explosions. On the ground shows Infantry advancing. Shows RAF P-40 Tomahawk fighter planes and P-38 Lighting fighter planes strafing ground targets.
Tanks and artillery firing.
Animated map shows American forces had blitzed their way into Bizerte, British forces smashed through the center to Tunis, British armor column advanced to Hammamet leaving the German army in small isolated pockets surrounded by Forces of the Allied Army . The German Army surrendered.
Shows the surrender of thousands of German and Italian soldiers. Shows wrecked and destroyed German planes, tanks, trucks, and equipment. Numerous scenes of POWs. Shows nationality of soldiers that fought in North Africa and cheering citizens greeting Allied Troops after the defeat of the German and Italian armies in North Africa.