Crusade In The Pacific

Pearl Harbor and the offensive immediately after

The years preceding the Pearl Harbor attack.

Japan's armies surge into Manchuria. There, the Chinese must labor to exploit their own nation's resources and infrastructure to the invaders benefit. Meanwhile, the Japanese militarists eagerly plan their next conquests. America goes to war after a surprise Japanese bombing raid spectacularly pulverizes the US fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Allied and Japanese films bring home the ferocity of Japan's lightning-fast attacks all across the vast Pacific. Meanwhile, American troops are put through their paces, training for the innumerable landings soon to come. Rarely seen footage shows combat exercises simulating movement under fire, complete with live ammunition.

The capture of Japan's most vital warbase

War on a second front strains Japan's resources

Covers fighting that left Manila in ruins

Crusade in the Pacific looks at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Allied forces need the island to launch support aircraft for long range bombers over Japan. The Allies land on the beach and face strong resistance from the Japanese. The U.S. eventually take Mount Suribachi and the southern half of the island, but suffer a large number of casualties. The Allies move north and after after a difficult battle, they take control of the island.

Crusade in the Pacific looks at the battle of Okinawa. American Army and Marine forces land unopposed and meet little resistance as they split the island in half. Later, as armies move north and south, fighting grows more fierce. Allied forces eventually capture the north half of the island. In the southern half, stiff Japanese resistance and rain bog down offensive operations. After weeks of fighting the advancing American troops eventually overwhelm defenders. In the end, the Battle of Okinawa proves costly for both sides.

Crusade in the Pacific examines the air war over the Japanese home island. It looks at the early Doolittle Raid over Tokyo and discusses later B-29 "super fortress" attacks based out of China and the Mariana Islands. It then examines the air delivered Nuclear Attacks at Hiroshima and Nagasaki which to the surrender of Japan.

Crusade in the Pacific examines the surrender and occupation of Japan. Japan surrenders unconditionally to the Allies after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The formal instruments of surrender are signed on the deck of the U.S.S. Missouri though surrender ceremonies take place all across the Pacific theater. General Douglas MacArthur is declared Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Japan and begins reconstruction efforts. Japanese leaders are held responsible for the war and are punished though the Emperor is absolved of responsibility. Japan experiences a number of cultural changes in the wake of the occupation including democracy and women's rights.

Crusade in the Pacific examines the growth of independence movements in Asia in the wake of World War II. In the Dutch East Indies, Sukarno declares Indonesian independence and defeat Dutch efforts to retake their colony. In India, the British hands over control to Jawaharlal Nehru. They also oversees the creation of the nation of Pakistan. The two new nations soon come to conflict in the region of Kashmir. The Philippines are granted independence from the United States and struggles to adjust to self-government. In Indochina, French colonial armies attempt to suppress the independence seeking people of Viet Nam. Meanwhile, the China, the Nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek fight a civil war with the Communists under Mao Zedong. The Communist quickly seize the mainland forcing the Nationalists to flee to Formosa.

Crusade in the Pacific examines the Korean War. After World War II, Korea is divided along the 38th Parallel. In the North, the Soviet Union influences a Communist government under Kim Il-sung. In the South, the United States shepherds a young Republic. The Korean peninsula is plunged into war when North Korea invades the South. The North quickly overwhelms the armed forces of the South until the United Nations intervenes. The conflict sours relations between the United States and Soviet Union. The United States enters the war and halts the North Koreans at Pusan. Later, an amphibious landing in Inchon turns the tide against the North Koreans. As the U.N. forces move north across the 38th parallel and head toward the Norther Border of North Korea.