Visions of War: Sieg Im Westen

Demilitarization and disarmament activities of German factory areas. One shot shows hundreds of WW I type German fighter planes dismantled and wrecked. Strike riots and communistic street fights, in front of Brandenburg Gate. Scenes from Nurnberg "Peace" Congress. Promulgation of new German Constitution in the Garrison Church of Potsdam with Hindenburg, Hitler, Papen, in March of 1933.

German troops enter Rhineland, Vienna, Austria and Sudetenland. Germans looked at Czechoslovakia as a possible jumping off place for an attack against the Reich. Beginning of Polish campaign on September 1, 1939 to the siege of Warsaw and the reaching of the preliminary demarcation line between Russia and German military interests. German destroyers and torpedo boats invade Norway.

German troops in parade formations listen attentively to Hitler's Order of the Day to the Army in the West Wall. Germany, seeking to protect the Ruhr area, monitors the Maginot Line awaiting an impending attack. French demolish bridges and roads in order to impede German attack. Hitler, Brauchitsch, Keitel in headquarters discuss battle tactics. German infantry deployed advance.

The River Meuse and the Albert Canal are shown with the six Allied lines of defense. First Line - The Ijssel Position. Second Line - The Grebbe Position. Third Line - The Meuse Position. Fourth Line - The Peel Position. Fifth Line - The Willem Canal Fortifications. Sixth Line - The Albert Canal Fortifications. German assault and shock troops use rubber boats with ladders to cross River Meuse.

French Maginot Line troops in company formation move out of barracks in double quick step. More than six hundred million soldiers are on the French side. Colonel General V. Rundstedt dawns the idea of a surprise attack west of Namur and Brussels. Armies of General V. Kluge, General List and General Busch breakthrough between Maubeuge and Sedan by crossing the Meuse River.

German artillery units prepare fire direction plans for light, medium and heavy fire. French soldiers in an effort to defend Hill No. 505 lay down fire upon approaching Germans. Rommel's unit breaks through to Abbeville. His Armored Force followed by Cavalry and Infantry travel to the channel coast at Abbeville. Allied attempt to avoid the Dunkirk evacuation by counterattacking Arras.

German heavy tanks and Panzer grenadiers advance in open country. British and French tanks retreat through the streets of Dunkirk. Allied soldiers board the evacuation vessels as the coast line begins burning. Eight Stukas in attack formation peel off before a hectic dogfight in the channel skies. Multiple British anti-aircraft machine gunners aboard a warship focus their fire toward the skies.

Chief of Armament Production Artillery - General Fromm and his aide discuss strategy. General Weitz and Kreiss, leaders of Second and Ninth German armies prepare an attack scheme on Somme, Oise-Aisne Canal and Weygand Line. German Stukas group into attack formation. French town taken from inside HE-111 with heavy anti- aircraft batteries fire in the direction of the German direction.

Concealed German heavy tanks break out to start an attack on Somme Line, morning of June 5, 1940. A German plane, "Fieseler-Storch", on reconnaissance mission shows terrain of combat below. German Panzer vehicles advance from southern slopes of Somme River. Detailed animation shows the situation of Weygand Line and disposition of army group Van Bock, Van Rundstedt before breakthrough to Rouen.

German infantry cover crossing of Oisne-Aisne Canal. Attack of army group Von Rundstedt after Rouen had been reached. The army group of General Von Witzleben in support attacks against the Saar Line, the army group Von Leeb and the Dollmann Army crossing the upper Rhine. The Panzer forces of General Kleist, General Guderian, General Hoeppner and General Booth support the breakthrough operation.

German infantry and light and heavy infantry close support weapons attack the fore-field of Verdun. German medium field artillery fires at distant fortification hill. French soldiers eventually surrender. German parade before General Busch from Verdun to Domremy, La Pucelle and Neufchateau. Moving upon the Swiss frontier the German soldiers enclose on the French armies in Alsace-Lorraine.

Colonel General Von Brauchitsch aides in command as German bicycle troops cross ponton bridge and infantry cross the Rhine. German engineer and infantry shock troops advance under fire from French defenders of Maginot Line. Hitler, Keitel, Goering and Raeder can be seen in Compiegne for armistice negotiations. French delegation arrives with Gen. Huntziger.