keywords: war, combat, world war two, wwII, japan, pacific, military, navy, pearl harbor, battleships, aircraft carriers
Synopsis: This dramatic World War II documentary details the planning and the battles (naval, land, and air) that lead to the defeat of the Japanese Empire... (read more)
Documentary film footage and graphics are used to describe the spread of Japanese military power.
Film footage includes scenes of the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The American people learned the names of tiny islands, such as Wake, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, Saipan, Guadalcanal, Kwajalein, as bloody battles were fought to control these important stepping stones leading to the gates of Japan. Before these battles could even began, two of the greatest naval battles in history, the battle of Midway and the battle of the Coral Sea, were fought to win control of the sea under the command of Admiral William Halsey.
Largely devoted to Naval/Marine achievements, contributions by the American Army and the Army Air Force
are highlighted. On April 18, 1942 Jimmy Doolittle led a daring bombing attack on Tokyo. For the first time in history bombers were launched from an aircraft carrier - the USS Hornet.
Selected scenes include the launching of a WWII ship after construction, troops departing from a landing craft on a Pacific island, jungle combat, large naval guns firing at night, and night battles with glow of tracer bullets being fired from ships at attacking aircraft. Combat ships include battle ships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and many types of planes. There is also a burial at sea scene.
