Shades of Gray (1948)

"Shades of Gray" is a 1948 U.S. Army documentary that provides a stark, unflinching look at the mental toll of combat on soldiers and the early efforts to treat what we now recognize as post-traumatic stress disorder. The film interweaves interviews with visibly traumatized soldiers—some trembling with shock or overwhelmed by memories of battle—with clinical scenes of army psychiatrists diagnosing and attempting various treatments, including hypnosis, sedative injections, and electroshock therapy. Alongside these personal accounts, the film features stock footage of combat training and wartime operations, juxtaposed with scenes of routine military life in mess lines, barracks, and rehabilitation workshops. By blending raw, confessional moments with demonstrations of then-novel psychiatric practices, "Shades of Gray" offers a candid portrayal of both the physical and psychological challenges faced by soldiers and the military's evolving approach to mental health care during and after the trauma of war. Email us at footage@avgeeks.com if you have questions about the footage and are interested in using it in your project.