Retrospect- Personal Responsibility

mrs. Douglas Edwards bringing you retrospect a film excursion in the past events events which form the patterns by which we live today retrospect is brought to you by the Office of Civil and defense mobilization in cooperation with your local civil defense offers signed your local station now here's your host does the said work what all men are really after said Joseph Conrad is some form or perhaps only some formula of peace in the past 50 years for major peace treaties have been written into the pages of history each at the time of its ratification represented a turning point in world affairs and each was preceded by the drama of a formal surrender ceremony the first and second of these ceremonies occurred 22 years apart in the same city not by coincidence but by an act of calculated irony World War one ended on November 11 1918 Germany signed the official surrender document in this railroad car at Compiegne France seven months later at their sie Germany submitted to stern political military and naval conditions and relinquished large sections of her European territory and all of her colonial possessions only a few years would pass after this big bore meeting before Hitler would be promising revenge for the humiliation of 1918 promising that heads would roll and so it came to pass on June 22nd 1941 in the second world war less than 10 months the Maginot Line said France to the free world was impregnable but the irresistible force of Hitler's war machine had found the Maginot Line of pitifully immovable objects now came that glorious moment had promised the master race the expiation of November 1980 and what could be more fitting than that same railroad car at Compiegne in which Germany had been brought to her knees the sweet irony of it was music to the nun marshal Philippe Petain the hero of world war one represented the French Frances grand old soldier would later betray his country by collaborating with him the French contingent solemnly boarded the Train filed in to face their subjective fate at saluted the Fuhrer then took pen in hand seal French defeat in one humiliation stroke five years later Germany's turn came again before the formal armistice took place Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery commander-in-chief the anglo-american armies in Europe accepted the surrender of half a million German troops the date was May 4 1945 [Music] then on May 7th the general Eisenhower's headquarters in a schoolhouse in Reims France and unconditional surrender ceremony took place [Music] signing on behalf of the German government Colonel Gustav yodel Hitler's right-hand man on military affairs for the United States general walter beetle smith Eisenhower's chief step general of the army Douglas MacArthur presided over the final Japanese surrender on September 2nd 1945 18 days earlier the Empire of Japan had accepted unconditional surrender terms after almost four years of war justice and retribution had finally been achieved in a dramatic 20 minute ceremony on the deck of the battleship Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay a stern looking MacArthur watched his Mamoru shigematsu signed on behalf of the Emperor the Japanese all formally attired went through the motions with stiff grimace a highlight of the ceremony came when general Tama perpetrator of the infamous Bataan Death March signed for the Japanese military established he did not even bother to be seen two years later at the war crimes trials in Tokyo general Hama was sentenced to hang after all Japanese representative signed there came the most dramatic moment of the ceremony General MacArthur seated himself at the table to sign for the United States then the flourish of poetic justice he turned and gave his pen to general Jonathan Wainwright the courageous defender of curriculum a peace treaty of the future would also be preceded by a surrender ceremony and the surrender ceremony by a war if war is to be prevented one way is through preparedness the director of the Office of civil and defense mobilization has called upon every American to help strengthen the defense of the country by strengthening the defense of his own home today's guest is mr. George Glenn from the office of civil and defense mobilization mr. Glenn we've heard about the OSI dm's national plan now just what is this plan the national plan with its thirty-nine annexes is the blueprint for survival and recovery it is the model for all state and local governments today there are 50 of these state plans 240 metropolitan area plans and over 2500 community plans our national plan covers these specific jobs for the protection of life and property example preparations for the continuity of government warning damage assessment communications maintenance of law and order and many many others it also covers mobilization of the national resources the National manpower annex for example deals with in nations manpower availability the health plan coverage steps to assure medical care the food plan outlines responsibilities for conservation and distribution of food the list is very extensive but this will give you an idea mr. Glenn are all these plans being converted into action yes for example we have completed an excellent warning system the continuity of government program is completed in most states we have stockpiled 225 million dollars worth of medical and engineering supplies over 2000 emergency hospitals are stored throughout the country we have 8 billion dollars worth of materials stockpile for recovery with an ample supply of food in the commodity credit stockpile as you know the shelter program is moving ahead at a good pace shelters are being constructed in private homes such as this shelter here for instance such as this for the private home office buildings and schools these are a few of the accomplishments but I must repeat again the individual citizen is the key to an effective civil defense program well now mr. Glen as a citizen what can I do to help my family survive well there are five steps to home preparedness first know your warning signals and what they mean these signals are the same throughout the nation a study blast of three to five minutes means take action as directed by your local government the second signal is a wailing tone or a series of short blasts lasting for three minutes this means take cover immediately in the best available shelter second know your community plan for emergency action as I said over 2500 communities already have emergency plans ready to activate on a moment's notice how can we find out just exactly what those plans are mr. Glen call your local civil defense office mayor city manager or other local officials if there is no plan exert your rights as a citizen and request that a definite plan be drawn up now third protect your family by providing an adequate fall out shelter and stock it with a two-week supply of emergency food and water and for at least one member of every family should be trained in first aid call either Red Cross or civil defense and find out when the next course is being given in your community 15 this is the last step make sure you know the conelrad frequencies of 640 and 1240 on your a.m. radio dial in case of attack this will be the only means of receiving official instruction or information these are the five steps mr. Edwards they're not complicated difficult nor will they take much time but they may save your life during attack five very important steps indeed Thank You mr. Glenn for your information on individual survival steps and don't forget to stop in at your local civil and defense office ask for your free copy of this handy wallet size card listing the home preparedness information on one side and the warning signals on the other get your copy carry it with you at all times for centuries the royal family of Great Britain has held a high place of dignity and veneration in the hearts of the British people a Briton who shouts god save the queen might also be saying God saved the symbol of our greatness since the turn of the century four kings and two queens have occupied the throne of England this was London as it looked in nineteen one the 63rd year of the Victorian era Victoria had occupied the throne longer than any monarch in English history at her death she was known as the grandmother of Europe her five children having all married into other european royal families Edward the seventh ruled from 1901 to 1910 strengthening contact between the crown and the people [Music] when Edward died his oldest living son was crowned George v the new king found the pomp and ceremony of royal functions to be annoying he was a good sportsman fond of hunting and attending the races his greatest period of popularity came during the catastrophic period which he had done his best to forestall World War one George the fifths for the great part of the war visiting the wounded in the hospitals of World War one on three occasions he made visits to the troops on the Belgian and French battle groups [Music] in the early 20s defensive whales would follow his father to the throne as Edward the eighth he made a visit to the United States at that time he had already met the woman he loved the shock of the only voluntary abdication in English history would come only 11 months after his coronation in May of 1935 George v celebrated the 25th year of his reign eight months later Great Britain was mourning his death he had been one of the most popular Kings in all of English history on May 12th 1937 after the abdication of Edward the eighth the Duke of York ascended the throne as George the sixth during World War two the new king and his family shared the perils of their subjects by maintaining residence in Buckingham Palace throughout the German Blitz [Music] when George the sixth died in 1952 Great Britain crowned its first ruling queen in 51 years Elizabeth the second among Englishmen everywhere there was hope that their new Queens ascendancy might foreshadow Great Britain's return to what was known as the spacious age of Elizabeth well before we close the show today this final and vital reminder that we can survive nuclear war if each of us knows and takes action on the five fundamental steps to preparedness 1 know your warning signals and what they mean to know your community plan for emergency action 3 prepare a fallout shelter stuck it with a 14-day food and water supply for take a first-aid course 5 know the conelrad frequencies 640 and 1240 on your a.m. radio dial each individual who follows these steps can help protect America we hope you've enjoyed a glimpse at the world in retrospect and that you'll be with us on our next excursion into the past this is Douglas Edwards saying goodbye for now [Music] [Applause] retrospect starring Douglas Edward was brought to you by the office of civil and defense mobilization in cooperation with your local civil defense office and your local station survival in the nuclear age is a personal responsibility touching every American family make sure you take part learn the facts about civil defense preparedness start your home preparedness program today the prepared family builds a prepared nation civil defense is an American tradition [Music]