Author Archive: Retro

The story of the U.S. Army Chaplain Service as dramatized in the stories of three chaplains, Father Michael O’Keefe, Arnold Miller, and Tom Manning.

Documentary short demonstrating American reasons for interning Americans of Japanese ancestry following the outbreak of war between the U.S. and Japan.

Dir. John Huston and Frank Cappa. North African campaign during WWII, where Rommel is defeated by the Allies.

The Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 was a victory parade held by the Soviet army (with a small squad from the Polish army) after the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War. It took place in the Soviet capital of Moscow, mostly centering around a military parade through Red Square. The parade took place on a rainy June 24, 1945, over a month after May 9, the day of Germany’s surrender to Soviet commanders.

Military training film on the characteristics, capabilities, weaknesses, and recognition of the World War II Japanese fighter aircraft known as the Zero. In this, the “Japs” aren’t the real enemy, Reagan is. All too quick on the trigger in his fighter, he nearly downs fellow American Craig (Peter Gunn) Stevens. This film was meant to help train pilots to wait until they could make out the enemy, insuring they weren’t firing on a friend by mistake. The “Zero” in the title tells Regan to look at not only the shape of the plane, but the telltale meatball insignia. Note that this was not the ONLY training pilots received on the subject, but it was thought that a dramatization could help push home the point. Firing on and even downing friendly aircraft was a serious problem (as friendly fire is to this day).Reagan manages a sympathetic portrayal as the young pilot who almost made a fatal [...]

DOCUMENTARY, 24 Episodes/ 30 Mins Each

The fight to secure North Africa is described in this vivid classic documentary

Liberation of Rome (1944) Documentary short film depicting the successful Allied advance into Rome, freeing it from German control during World War II.

Documentary depicting the American assault on the Japanese-held island of Iwo Jima and the massive battle that raged on that key island in the Allied advance on Japan.