FRANCE ACTUALITES NO 23 [Main Title]

(Vichy) French newsreel.

a) Film shows the ruins of historical and religious monuments and ordinary housing throughout France, devastated by "those who call themselves our liberators." Abrupt start of film moves from an open Bomb bay to Chartres, with its Hotel de Ville and library in ruins. Cathedral at Orleans stands mutilated, statue of Joan of Arc has lost her sword, people pump water from park pools. Remains of a Paris suburban train after strafing and bombing. Smouldering ruins in Chambery and refugee messages scrawled on walls. Lyon during a bombardment by Anglo-Americans assassinating defenceless French people. Commentary with bitter irony denounces this form of modern warfare. b) Pétain visits Nancy on 26 May. Enthusiastic crowds in the Place Stanislas sing "Marechal, nous voila"; Pétain calls on them to "have confidence in the future of France" during these testing times, then stands to attention and salutes as the Marseillaise is sung. The next day he reaches Epinal just after an air raid alarm then visits Dijon receiving a rapturous welcome in both towns, proof that the French consider him the legal head of the French government and the sole head of France. c) Von Rundstedt, Rommel, Sperrle and Krancke confer inside the Prince of Wales Hotel. d) Armoured fighting in the Crimea. German and Rumanian forces aided by Luftwaffe bombers successfully disengage from the enemy. Gross Deutschland Division in action, General von Manteuffel in the front line. Waffen SS troops pause for a cigarette. Russian village and T34 blaze. Faces of non-Aryan prisoners contrast with smiling Teutonic warriors, determined to fight to the death against Bolshevism.

35mm