U.S. Army Serviceman's Guide to France & French People Cold War Nato Travelogue 64764 (1953)

Synopsis

How to get along in France (AFIF no. 40) is a 1953 Armed Forces Information film used to educate U.S. servicemen about to be stationed in France on French people, politics, customs, social and family life. The film opens with a shot of the Statue of Liberty (00:24), followed by a shot of New York City from across the harbor (00:33). Soldiers board a ship (00:55) as the narrator discusses the threat of communism and the Soviet Union to the “free world.” NATO troops march at headquarters just outside Paris (02:13). The film shows iconic landmarks in and around Paris (03:00), including the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and Roman ruins (03:30). There are also shots of people relaxing at cafes and on the beach along the French Riviera (03:40). People harvest grapes in a vineyard (03:54). Then there are portrait shots of French people from various regions of the country. Two U.S. servicemen walk down a street in France (04:48). The film discusses French politics and government, and it shows footage of France’s parliament in session (05:28) as well as a communist demonstration (06:37). The film then shows scenes from the two World Wars, including men running across a field during WWI (07:08), and tanks driving through the rubble of a town during WWII (07:20). Nazi soldiers march in France (08:09), but so do French resistance fighters (08:38). The film discusses the influence of communism in France while showing footage of U.S. soldiers arriving in France during WWII where they…

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Details

Running time

20 minutes

Collection

Ephemeral Films

Subjects on the Internet Archive

• Stock Footage