Know Your Ally: Britain
Encyclopedia
Know Your Ally: Britain was a 45 minute propaganda
film narrated by Walter Huston
and produced by the United States War Department and Signal Corp
to solidify Anglo
-American
solidarity within the ranks as well as counter Nazi propaganda aimed at weakening the Alliance
.
team making a touchdown
and the crowd cheering. The narration begins, informing us that that victory was won by a team where everyone knew the job they had to do: "We're playing another kind of a game now, only this one isn't for fun. It's for keeps." the narrator declares, with shots of a tank
battle now on screen. British life and society are briefly introduced. The narrator notes especially the high population density
of Britain and the solidarity that this inspires between various elements of its society.
In 1938, the year the Yankees won the pennant, the British were going about their daily life, working and cheering football on their day off. 300 miles (482.8 km) away, however, others were cheering for Hitler
. The Brits try to reason with him through the Munich Agreement
, but he breaks his word, invading Czechoslovakia
and Poland
. Now "John Britain," as he is personified, is at war, and pretty soon he is at war alone, since western Europe soon falls to the Nazis.
Various differences in British and American culture are addressed, sometimes humorously, other more soberly, such as the position of the monarchy
and the peers in British society. "Britain is like your Grandma's house; she's been around a long time and keeps a lot of old things she doesn't wish to part with."
The British Empire
is a trickier subject, with the narrator explaining the home-rule of Canada
, South Africa
and the other white dominions, then giving a rosy picture of how much self-government India
has, and how, because of its strategic significance – "an effective block by the democratic world to keep the Nazis and Japs from uniting" – it can't be independent just yet.
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
film narrated by Walter Huston
Walter Huston
Walter Thomas Huston was a Canadian-born American actor. He was the father of actor and director John Huston and the grandfather of actress Anjelica Huston and actor Danny Huston.-Life and career:...
and produced by the United States War Department and Signal Corp
United States Army Signal Corps
The United States Army Signal Corps develops, tests, provides, and manages communications and information systems support for the command and control of combined arms forces. It was established in 1860, the brainchild of United States Army Major Albert J. Myer, and has had an important role from...
to solidify Anglo
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
solidarity within the ranks as well as counter Nazi propaganda aimed at weakening the Alliance
Anglo-American relations
British–American relations encompass many complex relations over the span of four centuries, beginning in 1607 with England's first permanent colony in North America called Jamestown, to the present day, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of...
.
Synopsis
The film opens with a shot of a footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team making a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
and the crowd cheering. The narration begins, informing us that that victory was won by a team where everyone knew the job they had to do: "We're playing another kind of a game now, only this one isn't for fun. It's for keeps." the narrator declares, with shots of a tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
battle now on screen. British life and society are briefly introduced. The narrator notes especially the high population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of Britain and the solidarity that this inspires between various elements of its society.
- Here's where he lives – a little island no larger than the state of IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. Half a million people live in Idaho. 96 times that number live in Britain. The Nazis and the Japs scream about Lebensraum – "living space" – but on a square mile of Britain there are more people than on a square mile of Germany or Italy or Japan.
In 1938, the year the Yankees won the pennant, the British were going about their daily life, working and cheering football on their day off. 300 miles (482.8 km) away, however, others were cheering for Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. The Brits try to reason with him through the Munich Agreement
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
, but he breaks his word, invading Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. Now "John Britain," as he is personified, is at war, and pretty soon he is at war alone, since western Europe soon falls to the Nazis.
Various differences in British and American culture are addressed, sometimes humorously, other more soberly, such as the position of the monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
and the peers in British society. "Britain is like your Grandma's house; she's been around a long time and keeps a lot of old things she doesn't wish to part with."
The British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
is a trickier subject, with the narrator explaining the home-rule of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and the other white dominions, then giving a rosy picture of how much self-government India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
has, and how, because of its strategic significance – "an effective block by the democratic world to keep the Nazis and Japs from uniting" – it can't be independent just yet.