The early Pacific battles bring heroism and hardship, success and failure… long before victory. In the aftermath of World War I, the vast Pacific Ocean became the setting for a struggle between imperialistic Japan and isolationist America. Japan, eager for resources it lacked, invaded Manchuria, and later China. The situation in the Far East set Japan on a collision course with the United States, a course that ultimately led to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Japan's success on December 7th began an unbroken tide of victory and conquest. For the next six months, the military forces of Imperial Japan swept virtually unchecked throughout the Pacific. However, in May of 1942, the tide began to turn at the Battle of the Coral Sea, before the pivotal American victory at Midway opened the way for the United States to strike back. The question was when and where. On August 7, 1942, Marines of the First Division went ashore on Guadalcanal, the opening move of what would become a six month struggle to wrest control of the lower Solomon Islands from the Japanese. Much of the American strategy for the war in the Pacific was derived from the experience on Guadalcanal. The story of these early Pacific battles is one of heroism and hardship, success and failure, and ultimately, final victory. Experience first hand these pivotal battles through the vivid images captured by the combat cameramen and as told by those who were there. Over 8 1/2 hours, contains combat veteran first person accounts.

Part 3 Pacific Turning Point Pt. 1

PACIFIC TURNING POINT. Running Time Over 2 1/2 Hours. This documentary focus on the events and battles of 1942 and 1943 that turned the course of the war. After Pear Harbor, U.S. and Britain declare war on Japan. Japan launched a relentless assault that swept through the US territories of Guam, Wake Island, and the Philippines, as well as British-controlled Hong Kong, Malaya, and Burma. Just hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Philippines fell under the Japanese sword in the opening move of what would become an inhuman ordeal for many of the American and Filipino defenders. On the morning of December 22, the main Japanese attack began at three points on northern Luzon, with a second large landing south of Manila two days later. Douglas MacArthur, commander of all U.S. and Filipino army forces in the Philippines, began executing plans to make a final stand on the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island. But Bataan defenders, low on ammunition, food, and medicine, could not hold back a final Japanese offensive. Their battle ended on April 9, 1942, when Army Major General Edward P. King surrendered to Japanese General Masaharu Homma. About 12,000 Americans and 63,000 Filipinos became prisoners of war. What followed became known as the Bataan Death March — one of the worst atrocities in modern history.

Chapters included The Tide of Conquest; The Battle for the Phillippines; The Early Combat; The Battling Bastards of Bataan; The Phillippines' Final Agony

Chapters included Japanese Paradox; Great Depression; China Incident; Drift to War; Last Days of Peace; Eleven Minutes of Terror; Battleship Row; Hell in the Harbor; Second Wave

Full Version Available Upon Request
Related Documentary