Army-Navy Agree on Merger (film #68 on Universal Newsreels). [Category: Military & Propaganda]

40s newsreel featuring stories about the merger of the US armed services, border skirmishes in Greece, the retirement of longtime Secretary of State James Byrnes, a feud over who has the legal right to be governor in Georgia, a cute little kids’ fashion show, and a fairly creepy story about the fur business which features fur animals in tiny cages and a bizarre fashion show of stuff made of fur, such as a fur bikini. Animal lovers will find this upsetting. Mostly, though, this is a fairly ordinary newsreel.

Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ***. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ***.

Commander of the UN Forces (film #7 in the Korean War section of WPA Film Library). [Category: Military & Propaganda]

This newsreel clip documents President Truman stripping General Douglas MacArthur of his command during the Korean War. The clip gives a short history of MacArthur’s military career but fails to say much about why Truman fired him. Still, this has some historical interest.

Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: *. Weirdness: *. Historical Interest: ***. Overall Rating: **.