Allied air attacks on Germany; Rhine offensive

Staff Film Report no. 46; Combat Bulletin, no. 46. (with intertitles) Reel 1: "E.T.O. - Allied Air Attacks on Germany" AVs of bomber planes, bombs dropping, bombs exploding, many scenes shot at night or at dusk. 13 February: RAF Lancasters and German Scarecrow bombs exploding in mid-air. Pathfinder flares and incendiaries mark immediate targets. AAF Flying Fortresses bombing German communication centers and freight yards. Attacks on Dresden; destruction. 22 February: RAF planes over enemy territory, "a typical day of all-out bombing." RAF bombs highways and viaducts, onslaught on German transport. 1900 heavy bombers from the 8th and 15th Air Force groups strike at rail targets.Rocket-firing typhoons peel off to strike at enemy installations and supplies. 23 February: German industrial city of Pforzheim hit by more than 400 RAF bombers, night sky, bombing raid, explosions. Raid lasts 20 minutes, town is destroyed. 7 March: 700 Lancaster bombers over Cologne, Germany to destroy concentrations of German troops leaving the city. German scarecrow bomb destroying a Lancaster. Narrator reports that cathedral in Cologne is not targeted and remains standing. 08:21:56 "E.T.O - Rhine Offensive" MLSs, MCUs and CUs of a ground offensive. 23 February: American drive to the Rhine launched with assaults against Ruhr riverline. Various CUs, faces of men of the troops of the 1st and 9th armies, await the signal, tanks protective fire at river's edge. Early morning mist over West bank as members of 104th Division, 415th Regiment move up assault craft. Bridge head operation move forward attack on factory segments of Dueren (German industrial town). Building by building Nazi defense is overcome. US troops complete the capture of Dueren without encountering opposition. VS, CUs, MCUs, members of the 9th Army units ready to attack Linnich, 16 miles NW, down river. MCUs, soldiers navigating in light wooden boats down the Ruhr River. Boats overturn, but are uprighted, soldiers move onto join infantry. Construction of footbridge by combat engineers under machine gun fire. Troops cross bridge, US soldiers advance, capture towns. 19th infantry division crossing infantry support bridge. Major General Gerhardt's troops (survivors of Normandy). General Gerhardt makes crossing along with his troops and makes advance into river fortress town of Juelich. Town is cleaned out by US soldiers, US soldiers shoot into cellars to route out any "last ditch defenders." Surrender tricks of Nazi soldiers in American uniform, waving white flag, seeking to expose US soldiers to enemy sniper fire, are shot down.