Attack and Counterattack 1941-1943 - December 7, 1941 – The horrific Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor destroyed the U.S. Pacific Fleet. American moral reeled, but within six months, it was the enemy’s turn to suffer at the Battle of Midway. They lost four aircraft carriers, one cruiser, and 322 planes. The U.S. went on the offensive, launching a deadly campaign of amphibious assaults that began with the Solomon Islands. It was there that U.S. forces would learn the grueling and bloody nature of war in the Pacific – Guadalcanal. This comprehensive look at the earliest battles of World War II features actual live-action footage and gripping, wartime storytelling.
Victory in the Pacific 1944-1945 The tide of war was turning and the Japanese were on the run. Tinian fell and the U.S. captured airbases within striking distance of Tokyo. In October 1944, Japan’s Imperial Navy was effectively knocked out of the war in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. After four months of bitter jungle fighting, next came Iwo Jima and a 36-day battle that was the bloodiest in Marine Corps history. Finally they reached Okinawa, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, the last strongholds. The empire of the Rising Sun was falling.
America Taken by Surprise - America never thought the Japanese could attack their forces at Pearl Harbor – especially without warning. Leaders downplayed the threat to the Pacific Fleet, while focusing on the Nazi threat in Europe. Did Roosevelt conspire with Churchill to get America into World War II, even if it meant being attacked by Japan? This fascinating program answers the question: Why was America taken by surprise? Learn what really happened onboard eight battleships during the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor.