Reel 5 of The World at War (1942) captures the devastation of the Belgium campaign and the remarkable evacuation at Dunkirk. The reel begins with scenes of chaos as war refugees flee the advancing Nazi forces. Burning oil tanks in Antwerp and aerial views of Brussels—declared an open city—underscore Belgium’s inevitable fall. German troops meet no resistance as the Anglo-French Army is driven to the sea.
The focus shifts to Dunkirk, where British and French troops mount a desperate evacuation. British Spitfire planes rise to challenge Luftwaffe dive bombers over the beaches, engaging in dramatic aerial battles. The footage includes a plane crashing into the sea and another exploding on impact with the ground. German planes drop bombs on evacuation ships, while close-ups show Allied soldiers boarding vessels of all sizes. The reel concludes with haunting images of abandoned and destroyed military equipment scattered across Dunkirk’s beaches, a stark reminder of the sacrifices made during this pivotal retreat.
The World at War (1942) - U.S. Government WWII Propaganda Film