Special Delivery (film)
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| Special Delivery | |
|---|---|
| Produced by | U.S. Army Air Forces |
| Release date(s) | 1946 |
| Running time | 12 min. |
| Country | U.S.A. |
| Language | English |
Special Delivery was a short 1946 propaganda film produced by US Air Force about Operation Crossroads, when Bikini atoll was evacuated, filled with old ships and bombed several times over in 1946.
[edit] Plot summary
The film begins with shots of American bombers flying in formation and the narrator giving the audience a dictionary definition of a "special delivery" and the vital role that air power played in winning the late conflict. He goes on to say that the Air Force can have constructive, as well as destructive uses -- several examples are shown of this, including the dropping of food and supplies to remote areas, using the B-29s to get serum to Alaska, and using helicopters to rescue the wounded. These are all examples of the peaceful uses of the air power that had been created for war. Various new aircraft are also shown, such as an early jet, and a "flying wing".
Only about midway through the film is Bikini mentioned. The audience is told that an armada of old ships is being placed in the atoll and that the Air Force is going to bomb it to test the damage an A-bomb would produce on the various kinds of vessels. Herds of animals, such as sheep, are also placed on the ships to test the bombs effects on living things. No mention is made of the Bikini islanders.
Finally, with much fanfare, the bomb is loaded onto a plane called Dave's Dream and dropped on the test armada. All the personnel whose duties require them to watch the proceedings are given protective goggles to watch "man's most terrible weapon".
