THE RAMPARTS WE WATCH

or America fridges had ceased to disk as the first important act of his second term Woodrow Wilson signed an executive order which armed all US merchant ships with naval guns it was another compromise called by Woodrow Wilson armed neutrality [Music] [Applause] congressman Lawton good evening this is a Western Union I have a telegram for you from Washington signed Carter sergeant-at-arms the message reads three more American ships having been torpedoed the president has advanced the date of the special session of Congress to April 2nd that signed Carter Sargent at our armed neutrality had failed the American people looked to the White House for three years Woodrow Wilson had compromised with Germany and each new compromise had brought new indignity now his people wanted war [Applause] on the evening of April 2nd 1917 the entire nation awaited Woodrow Wilson's fateful answer [Music] [Applause] the answer came calling upon the nation to mobilize its resources and its manpower Woodrow Wilson declared that America had no quarrel with the German people sought no Dominion and no conquest but the Imperial German government had subjected the rights and the ideals of the United States to such violation as no nation of free men could endure it's a great speech so far here is the end of it now for democracy for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments for the rights and liberties of small nations for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of Breed people's as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free to such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortune with the pride of those who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend her blood for the principles which gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured God helping her she can do no other okay George three-column Fox on the front page run it over edit the president's war message with the main head Wilson calls for war [Music] [Music] - date of birth February 10th 1899 place of birth mile City Montana [Music] boys I'm not going to make a speech here today you're leaving home to begin the long trek to France though words of mine can tell you what you're going to fight for you all know the only thing I can say is we're all proud of you goodbye and good luck [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] with serious purpose the nation dug in for the biggest job it had ever tackled starting with a regular army of 130,000 and 70,000 half trained ill-equipped reserves the United States undertook a mobilization of manpower and resources without precedent in any age or any time to equip America's soldiers was us industry's first job production began on 14 million uniform 27 million pairs of shoes 3 and 1/2 million rifles and bayonets a quarter of a million machine gun in the nation's war effort every citizen was to take apart heed how about putting me to work is one of your four-minute main new young fellows have more than you can handle and I'd like to help in this war too about the Hatfield is pretty strenuous four or five speeches a day that doesn't worry me a bit I've been preaching sermons since you were a boy in knee pants all right when can you start dark now Pro Liberty loans the American people raised the huge sum of twenty four billion dollars [Music] within three months after the declaration of war came the draft the first military conscription since the War Between the States 24 million men of military aides registered for war service and waited for their numbers to come up in the nineteen months of war there were to be three drawings of the draft lottery Thank You stranger yep dad hutch my number would do up look here's another one by the spring of 1918 a nation that for half a century had not fought a major war had called nearly three million of its citizens to the colors [Music] another three million men were at work in u.s. war industries the biggest job was steel and more steel steel for the big shell more steel for the big gun with its experience and supplying French and British armies American industry in the first year produced 1 million tons of munitions meanwhile in France French and British manpower continued to hold off the powerful German war machine for their new ally 3,000 miles away was unprepared and could not send the trained men so desperately needed to stop the great German bribe of late 1917 it was not until early 1918 but America's first million were equipped and in trainings still ahead were weeks of body hardening marches long precious weeks of training for trench warfare for going over the top throws for convoys and submarine patrols rose for transport transferred to the army were the Navy's regiments of us marine soldiers sailors who were to take their places on the battlefields of France what find a fencing a sir yes I need you know I suppose that your father has been interned as an enemy agent yes sir I'm sorry but I have to tell you it will not be possible for you to go overseas with a regiment under the circumstances yes sir that's all I'm afraid aye aye sir [Music] [Applause] [Music] we're getting everything you want well almost that's fine nothing too good for our boys I have a package of sweet caps please why certainly Eddie did you know my outfit was leaving tonight miss April I suppose you're awfully glad your bed well dear evening Ruth mister lordy yes my boy could you do me a special favor doing favors is a congressman's main job well do you suppose you could have me ordered over to France in a hurry I'm afraid if I don't get over there pretty soon there won't be any war left to fight I wouldn't worry too much about that my boy good night use the favor goodbye Eddie good luck thank you [Music] under the command of Admiral William Simms since the declaration of war us destroyers had been helping to rid the Seas of the German u-boat with the aid of a new British weapon the depth bomb [Music] for a year us dreadknots had been with the British fleet that scapa flow now the efforts of a United America were producing results 1 million soldiers trained and equipped were ready to join their allies [Music] in May 1918 began the greatest overseas movement of troops in all history it was the citizen army of the world's greatest democracy to fight in a foreign land for American ideals for those ideals one man in every twenty was destined to give up his life [Music] [Applause] [Music] to the war weary people of Europe these fresh and determined men were like saviors they had come none too soon [Music] in the spring of 1918 Germany had launched her last and greatest offensive the first contingent of Americans met their baptism of fire and the heaviest fighting of the war [Music] [Music] [Applause] carrying on at home men women and children were doing their bit United toward a common goal [Applause] what miss hatch 15 radishes have I gone over the top in one single mammoth effort to help beat the Allied armies to keep alive Europe's 30 million refugees the American people resolved that no sacrifice could be too great or food would win the war to keep the endless convoys moving with their cargoes of food and materials of war to replace the thousands of tons of shipping destroyed by German submarines American shipbuilders were engaged in the greatest construction program of all times by the summer of 1918 more than a ship per day was going down the ways jep's of steel wooden ships even ships made of concrete to France in 1918 went many a u.s. political figure great and small what is the type of your artillery support miss Carozza vehicle not civilian support reject your support a very badly distress on cans allow me to reload we hadn't support both heavy artillery and seventy guys thank you on French soil and the ranks of the AEF two million strong for many young Americans destined to be among their nation's future leaders and to the front lines went Franklin Delano Roosevelt then the young assistant secretary of the Navy for ages to the point of recklessness American forces by the fall of 1918 had suffered nearly 300,000 casualties 50,000 killed in action Eddie here's a friend of yours it's Sean Lawton from back home waiting mr. Lawton how did you ever find out where I was mr. Lawton well that wasn't so hard gee I never expected to see anybody back home way over here there were to be more casualties but in the Argonne on September 29 Americans had broken the Hindenburg Line last stronghold of German forces on French soil throughout the first week of November there were repeated rumors of German capitulation a false report reached America that an armistice had been signed but the war went on then on November 11th 1918 [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] it had come with breathtaking suddenness no event in all recorded history had swept the minds and hearts of men throughout the world with so deep and wild a fervor of Thanksgiving [Music] [Applause] [Music] it had taken four long years and the combined efforts of most of the nations of the world to destroy the great German war machine which had threatened their civilization the American community in the winter of 1918 was preparing to celebrate a new year Americans faced their future with the confidence of a people who had accepted the gravest responsibility their age could offer they have fought for and preserved the way of life which was their American heritage well in a few minutes now that'll be 1919 and how about a toast you know I have never forgotten and I suppose I never will forget the president's words when he told us why we were going to war I would say to the things we fought for and won democracy the right of those who submit to Authority to have a voice in their own government the rights and liberties of small nations a piece that will bring safety to all peoples and make the world itself at last free [Music] guiding the Germany of 1940 and its war machine is the blueprint for world conquest a book which every good Nazi knows by heart its title mine camp its author adult Hitler democracy is a monstrosity born of Filth and fire while democracy talks we act borders are made by man and can be changed by man Germany will be the world power or nothing Almighty God bless our paddles first step to conquest and the Nazi scheme is to demoralize the enemy by propaganda to inspire fear and to breed terror at Bermuda British contraband control officers have intercepted tons of Nazi propaganda destined to make the Americas fear the might of Germany's great war machine most famous piece of confiscated Nazi propaganda is an english-language and picture fire topper baptism of fire thing the horror and detailing the technique of the blitzkrieg Hitler use this film to soften up resistance in the European nations he was about to destroy [Music] the appointed hour is at hand the attack is geared for lightning swiftness and irresistible power total war is a science that Germany has mastered [Music] the operations directed from the puris private railway carriage or the Fuhrer himself is the final source of all decisions and commands the orders go out to the various divisions and commanders assuring perfect coordination of the attack the first units to contact the enemy are those of the German air force the years of sacrifice to develop this great air force have not been in vain for thousands of planes will carry the attack to every part of the enemy territory [Music] [Applause] [Music] Stuka plane perfected by German engineers dives thousands of feet upon their targets [Music] - new copilot dives up on a railroad junction to bomb the target he aims his machine directly down upon it [Music] the task of the air force in total war is to attack enemy airfields and disperse enemy concentrations of troops and materiel to disrupt enemy communications far behind the lines and to destroy the enemy's vital industrial centers [Music] against aircraft such antiquated weapons as armored trains are utterly useless because mastery of the air is vital to the Lightning attack airports both civilian and military are among our first objectives [Music] but in a few days the inferior our force of the enemy has been completely destroyed and the German air force ruled supreme to halt the advance of our forces the enemy has blown up his bridges [Music] but detachments of Engineers assisted by right flavor servicemen restore without delay any roads or bridges rendered impassable by the enemy and our troops continue their advance unhindered [Music] the Lightning attack demands the acceleration of all movements if bridges are scarce German forces even having mechanized units have ways of crossing rivers without them [Music] meanwhile parachute troops are dropped behind the lines these men are able to capture strategic telephone telegraph and wireless stations and cause great panic and confusion particularly among civilians ranging far ahead of the main body of the army Panzer divisions small mechanized highly mobile units have penetrated to enemy cities far behind the main Battlefront if the surprised enemy garrison cannot be overcome with hand grenades and light artillery their hiding place is sprayed with gasoline [Music] [Music] the infantry follows the mechanized divisions they destroy the main armies of the enemy hardened by long training the German soldier has incredible physical endurance sometimes he must advance 30 or 35 miles a day that no rest and little sleep for more than a week [Music] the capital city of the enemy nation is reached that in a few days when the enemy does not adopt the reasonable course of unconditional surrender his capital must unfortunately he destroyed [Music] nations which make war upon Germany must be prepared to face the consequences of their actions enemy at last has no alternative but surrender [Music] because of his senseless resistance the terms will now be less lenient there is no possibility of compromise with the victorious German army [Music] vast quantities of all materials of all kinds have been captured more than enough to replace what has been lost for the German forces it in the city German soldiers have greeted by loyal friends and admirers in every country Germany has such friends those who have been of service to Germany behind enemy lines are given an opportunity to identify a person to have persecuted them before the German conquest such persons will be shot [Music] as a result of their mad desire to Veitch war upon germany hundreds of thousands of the enemy's most able-bodied men have temporarily lost their freedom they will be formed and deliver battalions and sent to Germany to help for the harvests and otherwise to take the place of German fighters on other fronts under German supervision many of these men will do useful work for the first time in their lives the enemy is no more [Music] before the power of German arms and the terror of propaganda and upon quest Hitler has set no limits the slogan of his war machine today we are masters of Europe tomorrow we shall rule the world bend the upper right side viadon own civilization plainness of evolution cannon vomit fest in times of doing the streets come on Zahra feel and find the in America right Smith Jesus MA you're tiny Noah Wilson in the log a sign America England south sakes Americana think kinda so dark the other military own fake height is the best of a vice theorem in the Vedic identica dense the soba not knowing belt again today as in the years of 1917 and 18 the American people are preparing to meet the challenge of might makes right overwhelmingly we as a nation we are convinced that military and naval victory for the gods our force and hate would endanger the institutions of democracy in the Western world once more the future of the nation the future of the American people is at stake I courage sacrifice they both granting the love of freedom all of these are possible and the love of freedom is still fierce still steady in the nation today [Applause] our way of life is in competition with Hitler's way of life and I promise to outdistance him in any contest he may choose and I promise you that when we beat it we will beat him on our own terms and in the American Way [Applause] today under leaders United in their determination to meet force with superior force Americans themselves once more stand united against the powers of aggression and as Americans measure their nation's strength they remember that there have been other times of crisis when the people of America have taken up arms the founders of America fought for freedom and established their Republic by force of arms other generations of Americans have fought to preserve it and Americans today remember that their nation's courage has been tested under fire within the memory of men now living or in their brave little world Americans of a generation ago met price and emerged from its citizens of the greatest nation on earth now an old man like to make a toast to the generations yet to come in peace may they cherish the ideals which we are handing on down to them in crisis may they unite and no as we have known the joy and strength of uniting in war if it should ever come again may they hold the ramparts of our democracy and freedom until Kingdom Come [Music]