This 1958 film reports on the meaning
of the term "the common defense" which has changed a
great deal since the time our founding father
immortalized that phrase in the Constitution of the
United States. In those days, the Army was the bulwark
of the young nation's defense. But in the years and the
wars that followed, the mighty Sister Services of the
Navy / Marine Corps and the Air Force came into being
and developed equal stature.
The three services operate under a
unified command, working together as the Armed Forces of
the United States. Together, they share new weapons
brought forth by the era of missiles and nuclear arms
and contribute their resources to the military
exploration of the new world of outer space.
The U.S. Armed Forces form a mighty,
flexible shield which by its very existence deters the
sinister designs of the forces of aggression ...
discharging with glory its great and proud
responsibilities ... the common defense of the United
States.
Episode from The
Big Picture series (1950-1984) Video courtesy of U.S.
Army / Department of Defense
The Common Defense
