*Footage of this era and subject is rarely available in high-resolution scans.
WARNING: GRAPHIC MATERIAL
Title:
Objective: Security — U.S. Marine Corps and Okinawa, 1945
REEL ID:
L071R011
RUN TIME:
00:24:10
Description:
This wartime government film combines U.S. Marine Corps combat documentation with Victory Loan messaging, capturing the realities of security operations in the Pacific Theater during the final months of World War II. Issued in 1945, Objective: Security uses footage from Okinawa to emphasize the continued dangers faced by American forces even after major combat operations had concluded.
The reel opens with Victory Loan appeals urging viewers to “Buy Bonds” and “Hold Them,” reinforcing the Seventh Victory Loan campaign and the government’s push for continued financial support during the war’s closing phase. These segments frame the footage that follows, linking civilian responsibility on the home front to military service overseas.
The core of the film focuses on U.S. Marine Corps activity on Okinawa, documenting patrols, secured positions, and post-battle conditions on the island. Rather than depicting frontline combat alone, the footage emphasizes occupation duties, perimeter defense, and the ongoing effort to maintain order and security in a contested environment. These scenes reflect the Marine Corps’ role in stabilizing territory amid lingering resistance and the aftermath of intense fighting.
Produced for military and civilian exhibition, Objective: Security functioned as both an informational film and a morale tool—illustrating the necessity of vigilance, discipline, and sustained support as the war in the Pacific approached its conclusion.
Today, the reel stands as an important visual record of late-war Marine Corps operations and the messaging used to connect battlefield realities with the American home front.
Tags:
World War II, 1945, U.S. Marine Corps, Pacific Theater, Okinawa, Objective Security, Victory Loan, War bonds, Buy bonds, Hold them, Military film, Government film, U.S. propaganda, Occupation duties, Security operations, Combat aftermath, Postwar transition, 16mm film, Black and white footage, Public domain footage, Archival war film, Historical documentary
