Customer Reviews

China Crisis [VHS]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"China Crisis" was the official Army Air Forces film that told the story of the Fourteenth Air Force in China. It shows the movement of supplies from India to China -- first by rail and barge and then by air "over the Hump" -- the Flying Tigers in their P-40s, B-24s and B-25s striking at the shipping lanes running from Japan to the southwest -- and Japan's 1944 Great East China "Ichigo" offensive. (The Japanese offensive is the "crisis" in the title.)

Few viewers will fail to be moved by the scenes of Chinese refugees fleeing the Japanese advance -- and by the American aircraft protecting the refugee columns from air attack. The scene of an American pilot, caught in his crashed and burning fighter, dramatically personalized the cost of war and the burden of decision. There had been insufficient tonnage available to carry airfield firefighting equipment over the Himalayas.

The footage in the film was shot by thirteen young Army combat cameramen assigned to General Chennault's 14th Air Force. Three hundred hours of footage resulted in a film less than one hour long. The lead photographer and film's guiding hand was the legendary Harold "Hal" Geer, who flew 86 missions with the Flying Tigers of the Fourteenth Air Force.

The footage was sent to New York for editing and compilation. The Army had also set up operations in a former Hollywood studio and was able to draw on other soldiers with film production skills to make the finished films.

The American government financed the war by the sale of war bonds to American citizens. The marketing of war bonds was very sophisticated. Movie stars and returned heroes appeared at large rallies to sell bonds. And each war bond campaign was anchored by a documentary film that showed Americans how the war was progressing. "China Crisis" was put together to be shown during the 8th War Bond campaign of 1946. Of course, the war ended in 1945, so the film was seen by only a few Americans at the time.

During the war more than sixty thousand American servicemen (and a few hundred service women) served in China. There are many stories of bravery, courage, and skillful flying by the Flying Tigers, the Hump Pilots, the Doolittle Raiders, and the men of the 14th, 10th, and 20th Air Forces in China during World War II. "China Crisis" is the best documentary on air operations in the CBI, and one of the best documentary films to come out of the war.

-30-