allied invasion france 1944

On The French Front Re-birth of the French Army. Shows the soldiers and tanks of the Fighting French 2nd Armored Division in Great Britain preparing for the invasion of Europe or D-Day. Image of the "Cross of Lorraine" painted on side of tank. CU of two French nurses that are included in the Fighting French force. Fully equipped with American dress and weapons of war the Fighting French land on the Normandy beachhead. Shows tank of the French 2nd Armored Division exiting landing ship. CU of French General Philippe Leclerc. Shows the French people welcoming the French Army soldiers. Operation Dragoon (former code name Anvil), Allied invasion of southern France. Shows the gliders that will deliver Allied Forces behind German lines in the Invasion of Southern France. Shows General Alexander Patch looking at large map with invasion staff. Allied troops loading artillery gun on glider. Shows C-47 aircraft taking off with a British glider in tow. Air-to-air scenes of planes and gliders in flight. Allied ships bombard southern coast of France. German (Nazi) plane shot down and crashes into the ocean. Shows landing craft loaded U.S. soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division, the 45th Infantry Division, and the 36th Infantry Division moving toward beachhead under a smoke screen. Shows captured of German prisoners (German POWs). Image of tank equipped with "Toad mine flail" device. Footage of half-track armored vehicle and tanks. Shows heavy bombing of St. Malo France after German Commander refused to surrender. Shows liberation of Russian women taken as slaves by the Nazis at Leningrad. Gun camera footage of the 8th American Air Force planes attacking German convoys, train rolling stock, and other ground targets. Shows tank firing gun, shell strikes building, brief CU front of tank. Shows destruction of French towns. The Polish Armed Forces in the West won high praise for their contribution in the fighting to defeat Nazi Germany. Shows Polish Commanders of the Polish area troops with their Commander, British General Montgomery. Shows bombers of the Allied Air Force bombing the roads, bridges, and tanks to slow the retreating German armies. CU of British Avro Lancaster bomber in flight.