STRUGGLE TO CONTROL MEDITERRANEAN SEA
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Year Published: 1930s
Description: This late 1930s to early 1940s black and white film "Sea of Strife" is about the Mediterranean Sea and the centuries-long struggles to control it and the areas that border it from Carthage to Phoenicia to the present day. The end of the film focuses on the Italian aggression in Ethiopia and the Spanish Civil War, which was raging at the time the film was made. The conflict threatened to become international in scope, as Germany openly supported the Nationalist forces with air power. The film was produced by Front Page Productions. The film opens with a shot of a long camel train moving across the desert sand (:30-:42). Re-enactment is shown of ancient Mediterranean occupants loading a boat with supplies. A large wheel is hand-turned as a group of men pull a large stone slab up a hill. Men in ancient dress fight and throw fire brands. A map is shown of the Mediterranean Sea area (:43- 2:18). Remains of buildings are shown in Crete. Re-enactors show a large fight among fleeing people (2:19-3:17). A map of Carthage shows the shipping routes of 800 BC Phoenicians (3:18-3:42). A group of reenactors march in Rome. The Emperor eats as he and his female companion are fanned with large feathers. Roman soldiers ride in horse-drawn chariots. Sails are raised on an ancient ship, shown destroyed by Rome (3:43-5:00). A map shows the Old Roman Empire. Medieval soldiers ride through a town. Crusaders fight with swords on horseback. The city’s sick lie in the streets due to the plague (5:01-6:24). The map shifts from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. An English Clipper ship sails through the water (6:25-7:23). The story shifts to sometime prior to 1948 as Palestine is still occupied by the British. Palestine is shown. British soldiers march in the streets (7:24-7:45). People gather on the banks of a river in India. Highly decorated elephants walk in a line (7:46-8:06). The Rock of Gibraltar is shown. British destroyers patrol the Mediterranean Sea (8:07-9:05). 1935 Mussolini emphatically gestures as he speaks to a crowd from an upstairs balcony. The map shows the Italian soldiers invade Ethiopia. Troops fire cannons, a tank drives over a short cliff, planes drop bombs that explode, and troops run through the smoke and fire. Dead soldiers are shown. British troops stand with native Ethiopians (9:06-11:01). England’s military fleet moves through the Mediterranean Sea. The camera pans England’s fleet of planes protecting the Mediterranean (11:02-11:54). The map moves to Spain. Scenes of the Spanish Civil war show soldiers firing, planes buzzing overhead, crowds looking up at the sky running beneath the German and Italian planes as the air raid siren goes off, bombs are dropped, and buildings burn. Dead victims are shown in the destroyed areas (11:55-13:46). A submarine periscope is seen. Torpedoes move through the water towards a ship. A large tall ocean explosion occurs. Hit ships slowly sink into the water (13:47-14:39). Short clips already seen move through the history again of the conflicts in the Mediterranean Sea area, with additional footage of dead Spanish civilians (14:40-15:20). We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: "01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference." This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
Complete Record: This late 1930s to early 1940s black and white film "Sea of Strife" is about the Mediterranean Sea and the centuries-long struggles to control it and the areas that border it from Carthage to Phoenicia to the present day. The end of the film focuses on the Italian aggression in Ethiopia and the Spanish Civil War, which was raging at the time the film was made. The conflict threatened to become international in scope, as Germany openly supported the Nationalist forces with air power. The film was produced by Front Page Productions. The film opens with a shot of a long camel train moving across the desert sand (:30-:42). Re-enactment is shown of ancient Mediterranean occupants loading a boat with supplies. A large wheel is hand-turned as a group of men pull a large stone slab up a hill. Men in ancient dress fight and throw fire brands. A map is shown of the Mediterranean Sea area (:43- 2:18). Remains of buildings are shown in Crete. Re-enactors show a large fight among fleeing people (2:19-3:17). A map of Carthage shows the shipping routes of 800 BC Phoenicians (3:18-3:42). A group of reenactors march in Rome. The Emperor eats as he and his female companion are fanned with large feathers. Roman soldiers ride in horse-drawn chariots. Sails are raised on an ancient ship, shown destroyed by Rome (3:43-5:00). A map shows the Old Roman Empire. Medieval soldiers ride through a town. Crusaders fight with swords on horseback. The city’s sick lie in the streets due to the plague (5:01-6:24). The map shifts from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. An English Clipper ship sails through the water (6:25-7:23). The story shifts to sometime prior to 1948 as Palestine is still occupied by the British. Palestine is shown. British soldiers march in the streets (7:24-7:45). People gather on the banks of a river in India. Highly decorated elephants walk in a line (7:46-8:06). The Rock of Gibraltar is shown. British destroyers patrol the Mediterranean Sea (8:07-9:05). 1935 Mussolini emphatically gestures as he speaks to a crowd from an upstairs balcony. The map shows the Italian soldiers invade Ethiopia. Troops fire cannons, a tank drives over a short cliff, planes drop bombs that explode, and troops run through the smoke and fire. Dead soldiers are shown. British troops stand with native Ethiopians (9:06-11:01). England’s military fleet moves through the Mediterranean Sea. The camera pans England’s fleet of planes protecting the Mediterranean (11:02-11:54). The map moves to Spain. Scenes of the Spanish Civil war show soldiers firing, planes buzzing overhead, crowds looking up at the sky running beneath the German and Italian planes as the air raid siren goes off, bombs are dropped, and buildings burn. Dead victims are shown in the destroyed areas (11:55-13:46). A submarine periscope is seen. Torpedoes move through the water towards a ship. A large tall ocean explosion occurs. Hit ships slowly sink into the water (13:47-14:39). Short clips already seen move through the history again of the conflicts in the Mediterranean Sea area, with additional footage of dead Spanish civilians (14:40-15:20). We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: "01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference." This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
Transcription
[Music] back in the unrecorded ages of history there was a race of men called the Mediterranean with their crude tools they constructed their buildings and built their cities human labor was cheap human life was cheap [Music] they wandered over the face of the earth always seeking new lands on which to settle and wherever they went they traded [Music] they Ward savagely amongst themselves continuously seeking to conquer their neighbors or to protect their own lives and possessions from the invasions of others this cradle of human history is to the best of our knowledge located somewhere near the shores of the Mediterranean Sea three great continents touched this mammoth see Africa Europe and Asia for a thousand years and before recorded history peoples have struggled for supremacy over each other and the Mediterranean Sea has been the stage for these conflicts in Crete has been found the remains of a great nation seagoing nation who enjoy the long period of peaceful trading their greatest city gnosis existed about 5000 years ago for 3,000 years they were at peace with their neighbors but the Greeks came from the north sacked and burned their great and overthrew an entire civilization setting up perhaps an even greater one [Music] the waters of the Mediterranean Sea ran red with blood of human strife 3,000 years ago [Music] another great see people rose to prominence about 800 BC the Phoenicians their greatest city was Carthage on the North African coast and she ruled the West Mediterranean Carthage centre shifts to what is now Spain Portugal and France and far out into the Atlantic but another power was in its ascendancy and was destined to come to grips with Carthage in a death struggle that left its scars on all future European if not world history Rome Rome quickly developed into a rich and powerful military nation with her growth she began to look beyond her own borders for further conquest her eyes turned inevitably to Africa and Carthage was Africa Rome was a young nation Carthage was an old established seapower Rome casts her last with a band of pirates in the Mediterranean and went to war with the Carthaginians fleet after fleet was thrown against Carthage it took three wars and 118 years of fighting before Carthage was countered she was destroyed completely and relentlessly wiped off the face of the earth they City there's one time numbered over a million souls became non-existent Rome had conquered two great powers who might have set a different course in history may the blue waters of the Mediterranean run red again from then on until it's declined Rome embraced all of the Mediterranean Sea as well as the greater portion of the then civilized world the Mediterranean was truly a Roman lake but Rome was destined to break apart and the Imperial Roman Empire gradually crumbled away barbarians from the north the west and east came and plundered they invaded and ravaged the once powerful Empire the Mediterranean Sea again became the theater for conquest [Music] continuous savage warfare and feudalism spread its darkness over Europe medieval ISM became rooted culture art and literature were buried for a later age to uncover the Crusades were fruitless wars between Christians and Muslims plagues and disaster ravage the earth ignorance and superstition were almost insurmountable barriers trade was dead the Mediterranean Sea lost her importance the struggle for world power had shifted to the Atlantic Ocean here the seas were high and the winds were fierce new ships new nations as Europe came out of its Dark Ages so came a new power on the world stage England under Henry the eighth and Elizabeth England stretched her mighty arms over the seas and became mistress her ships sail the seven seas and where they went there went her flag truly the Sun never set on the British flag history brings us to our own time England's Empire was established now she had to keep it protected and develop it and she found that the Mediterranean Sea was her most important waterway through the Mediterranean lay her path to Egypt that vast territory fed by a rich and bounty giving Nile the heritage of the past lay heavy on this ancient land and England had to respect their traditions to Palestine that age-old center of struggle between Jew and Muslims England's mandate over Palestine offered a home to a people who wished nothing but peace track Persia India and the Far East India weather hundreds of millions of people vast wealth and strange customs and unrest the key to her vast empire is Gibraltar that huge rock which is the Gateway to the Mediterranean Sea in spite of all modern instruments for having and holding at radiotelegraph swift transportation and modern means of production these ships of the sea were and are their strongest links in that worldwide realm Mike was right and the Mediterranean Sea became an English Lake what in the years to come conflict again loomed over the horizon Italy under the iron-fisted dictatorship of Mussolini became conscious of her new power we want more land cried Italy we want colonies shouted ill do chained but we're across the sea and into Africa the honour of Italy must be avenged for a defeat suffered forty years ago and Rome went to Africa once again [Music] [Music] set out to build another empire in Africa but in order to keep it intact she must control the Mediterranean Sea [Music] war was on and the Mediterranean became a passage to death and duction [Music] but england's fleet was on the Mediterranean Sea she's still ruled muscley knee built a navy of small fast powerful ships and submarines marinho strim was Roman once before when she crushed the poundage Brian not now it builds a huge fleet of planes that could range over the whole Mediterranean might is right and then came another eruptions Spain [Music] [Music] but a civil war and watch not only Spaniard caught Spaniards but in which the nations of all Europe were deeply concerned and deeply involved [Music] here was a steak worth fighting for and Mussolini took a long chance should he win LLL do che would be in a position to cut the lines of communication in Britain's Empire should he lose he would lose more than just soldiers [Music] suddenly the world cried pirates a modern Pirates of the Seas the submarine whose undersea craft no one knew but it preyed on neutral shipping that dreaded monster of the deep was on the loose striking without warning sinking ships and Men [Music] [Applause] [Music] a conference of Nations was called Italy refused to attend whose undersea craft a year later England and Italy came to terms they entered into a partnership on the Mediterranean Sea this sea is an international highway no one nation no one race can long control this trade way so necessary to the lifestream of so many the waters of this sea have placidly covered the scars of history but the conflict continues the Mediterranean Sea will in the future as it has in the past play its role as a sea of strife
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