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  4. Decision: The Conflicts of Harry S. Truman - City Under Siege, Episode No. 3

Motion Picture MP80-2

Decision: The Conflicts of Harry S. Truman - City Under Siege, Episode No. 3

Administrative Information

Original Format(s)
Motion Picture
Footage
907 feet
Running Time
25 minutes
Film Gauge
16mm
Sound
sound
Color
Black & White
Produced by
Columbia Pictures - Ben Gradus in association with Screen Gems and David Noyes
Restrictions
Restricted
Description

Episode 3. City Under Siege. The subject of this program is the Berlin Airlift. Unfortunately, the Decision series is copyright Sony Pictures Entertainment, and the Truman Library may not reproduce any episodes without their consent.

Date(s)
1964

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Moving Image Type
Motion Picture

Shot List

  • Reel 1
2:15   Newspaper headlines and scenes of German surrender at Rheims.
2:30   Harry S. Truman announces German surrender, May 7, 1945.
2:53   Truman speaks of Stalin at Potsdam (stands before photo of Stalin) calls him and "old bastard" and says he would make agreements and break them the next day. Said you could have no confidence in Stalin, he didn't care who he double-crossed.
4:18   Victory in Europe Day scenes; war-torn Germany.
5:11   Food packages given to Germany, posters to "Give" German children.
5:50   Russian devastation of Germany - destruction and revenge.
6:08   Truman speaks about European economic recovery and way Soviet Union destroys countries it conquers.
6:40   Marshall Plan scenes.
7:00   Russian attempt to cause panic in Germany and flood Berlin with worthless money; Black Market and inflation.
7:40   Russia tries to drive out invaders at gunpoint; City of Berlin and surrounding territory is taken by the Russians.
7:56   Truman at maps; shows aggression of Russia.
8:30   Winston Churchill and General Dwight D. Eisenhower speak. Churchill urged Eisenhower to have a direct confrontation and not allow Russians into Berlin, but Eisenhower declined in favor of a standoff because he believed Berlin was not of strategic value.
8:55   Russian troops marching.
9:00   Truman speaks at map of Berlin about General Lucius Clay's assistance in dividing Berlin into a Russian, American, British, and French sector.
9:58   Joseph Stalin.
10:00   Berlin map showing supply lines; blockade of supplies to West Berlin.
11:00   Truman speaks of Berlin Blockade.
12:00   Truman speaks of Republican Convention at this time nominating Thomas E. Dewey to run against him this year.
12:15   Thomas Dewey speaking on foreign policy.
12:30   Truman speaks of re-election.
12:46   Berlin crisis scenes of children watching menacing puppet show.
13:07   Atomic Bomb blast, narration speaks of risk of a third world war.
13:08   Electricity shut off in Berlin, factories languished; scenes show people of West Berlin chopping down trees, digging in gardens; narration describes hardships.
14:15   Scenes of life going on - a chorus line of female dancers entertain servicemen. Bob Hope and Irving Berlin at microphone.
14:44   Airplane flying.
14:53   Truman speaks of decision to use Berlin Airlift. Scenes of Russian sector of Berlin.
15:50   Riots in Poland, Czechoslovakia, and other Soviet satellites.
16:12   Truman says he wrote in his diary he had a terrible feeling we were close to war.
16:1   American scenes of dancing, men playing checkers, etc.
16:25   Truman calls meeting of Generals Omar Bradley, Hoyt Vandenberg.
17:10   Scenes of young soldiers; Truman speaks of thoughts that went through his mind, when contemplating the possibility of a third world war.
17:30   Berlin Airlift planes.
18:00   Philadelphia - Democratic Party Convention. Truman speaks of pigeons being released at convention. Truman is re-nominated (Truman does not appear in scenes).
18:45   Whistlestop campaign, Margaret and Bess shown.
19:20   Truman (at desk) speaks of keeping up his work as President during the campaign.
19:30   Airfield, Berlin Airlift scenes.
20:05   Weather interfaced with Berlin Airlift. Scenes of radar operators; pilots, etc.; 31 Americans die because of crashes.
20:41   Winter scenes of Berlin, children carrying firewood, babies in hospitals; Truman speaks of Russian inhumanity in refusing to allow milk supplies in even though children were dying; Truman tells of Russian radio address which claimed American troops fired on hungry mobs and killed hundreds. This broadcast was a lie.
21:14   Berlin Airlift scenes in clear weather.
21:45   Airplane drops candy bars down to waiting children. Truman voice-over speaks of success of Airlift and increased efficiency of it.
21:53   Loading planes; pilots readying themselves for flight.
22:15   Truman speaks of Russian air maneuvers over air lanes Berlin Airlift planes were using.
22:23   Airplanes flying.
22:30   Truman (at desk) says on September 26, 1948 he decided to go to United Nations. Spoke of U.N. as symbol of peace.
23:17   Andrei Vishinsky speaks at U.N. saying Russia would not take part in any discussion before Security Council.
23:20   Berlin Airlift scenes, scenes of bread baking, etc.
24:00   On May 2, Berlin Blockade was lifted, scenes show trains entering West Berlin; Germans voting.
24:36   Puppet show, children watching good triumph over evil.
24:58   Truman (at desk) reads from Bible