https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/a7a1e216-75bd-4412-ae3f-a9707e2c256d Want to support this channel and help us preserve old films? Visit https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com Dating to 1941, this black and white, silent film from Castle "War in the East British-Greek Victories" chronicles the Italian victory in Ethiopia in 1936, and shows some of the early successes that the Greek Army achieved against Italian forces, and British successes in North Africa -- in particular the Battle of Bardia -- in 1940-41. While largely forgotten, both of the campaigns shown in this film had meaningful impact on the war. In particular, Greece's defeat of Mussolini's forces in 1940 was "The First Victory" against Axis forces in WWII. The embarrassing losses suffered by the Italians indicated that Il Duce's forces were of inferior quality. Most importantly, the situation forced Hitler to invade Greece and thus delayed the opening of Operation Barbarossa, something that might have cost Hitler victory in the East. Opening titles: Castle Films presents The News Parade - British-Greek Victories (:08). Rome-Berlin Axis pact is signed in 1936 between Italy and Germany; Benito Mussolini watches soldiers marching in review (:27). Ethiopia is invaded by fascist Italy, Addis Ababa falls in 1936, the highly mechanized troops fire machine guns (:55). Soldiers on the ground (1:09). Albania is next goal of Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini (1:22). Troops are hoisted in a cargo net (1:32). Mussolini declares war on France (1:47). In the Mediterranean, Italy's navy is attacked by Royal Navy ships (2:04). Gunners shoot down an Italian plane (2:29). Italian airmen is rescued and surrenders (2:43). A fire is extinguished on a warship's turret (2:59). Il Duce pushes east into Greece (3:16). Greek citizens march, troops move a wagon bogged down in the mud (3:25) and a primitive light tank is shown. Greek troops achieve a surprising victory, driving the Italians back into Albania (3:47). Greek troops push a truck off a road; bodies of dead Italians are shown (4:12). Snow falls on a line of Italian prisoners (4:31). Italian troops are nows POWs (4:50). British General Archibald Wavell maps a broad offensive campaign, widely known as Operation Compass. The first step is to rout Mussolini’s troops from the town of Sidi Baranni, Egypt, 10–11 December 1940 (5:11). Australian troops arrive in Suez, Egypt, Sudan, and Kenya on a huge ship (5:29). In Ethiopia, Haile Selassie rallies his people; Ethiopian troops march (5:51). South African troops join in the fray (6:19). Troops, possibly part of the French Foreign Legion, cross the desert on camels; troops wade across a river (6:33). General Wavell's force strikes; troops sprint and drop for cover (7:00). British Sexton self propelled gun moves across the desert as resistance melts away (7:11). Italian equipment is shown abandoned after a hasty retreat; dead Italians are shown as well as smashed aircraft and armor (7:42). Italian troops surrender en masse as Sollum and Capuzzo, near the Egypt-Libya border, fall (8:24). In Bardia, near Egypt in eastern Libya, Britain’s Royal Navy blasts the Italian Army's supply port (8:55). British troop crosses out the name of Bardia on a chalkboard (9:19). General Wavell’s forces advance (9:34). A Sexton self propelled gun moving at high speed (10:00). Italian forces continue to retreat (10:12). British artillery. A building on fire (10:38). British forces sweep west through Tobruk, Derna, Cyrene and Benghazi; biplanes sweep across the desert (10:53). Italian biplanes are shown wrecked on the ground (11:17). The Italian troops who proudly marched for Il Duce (11:34) are compared to the defeated POWs (11:46). In India, Italian troops head for prison camps (12:36). More Italian prisoners (13:07). End credits (13:13). Operation Compass was the first large British military operation of the Western Desert Campaign (1940–1943). Allied forces attacked Italian forces of the 10th Army under Marshal Rodolfo Graziani in western Egypt and the eastern province of Libya, from Dec.1940 to Feb. 1941. The Battle of Bardia took place 3-5 January 1941, as part of Operation Compass, the first British military operation of the Western Desert Campaign. It was the first battle of the war in which an Australian Army formation took part. The 6th Australian Division under Major General Iven Mackay assaulted the Italian fortress. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. 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