Midway

Durch die Einnahme des Midway-Atolls am westlichen Ende der hawaiischen Inseln erhoffte sich Japan 1942 die absolute Überlegenheit im Pazifik. Die amerikanische Flotte sollte zerstört und dadurch der Weg zur Westküste der USA frei werden. Diesem Vorhaben war der Angriff auf Pearl Harbour und die Schlacht am Korallenmeer vorausgegangen – zwei Schlachten, aus denen die Japaner nicht eindeutig als Sieger hervorgingen. So sollte “Midway” die Entscheidung bringen, bevor die Amerikaner ihre Position im Pazifik zu sehr festigen konnten.

The Battle of Midway (June 2, 1942) After the disastrous Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, only one isolated atoll prevents an enemy invasion of Hawaii. Midway Island is where the Japanese fleet converges on a tiny American base with a massive strafing and bombing attack. The Japanese expect to wipe out American defenses and keep the U.S. out of the Pacific. But, because of advance intelligence, U.S. Navy Pilots are able to locate the Japanese carriers and destroy them in one of the most decisive Pacific battles of World War II.

June 1942 - By any ordinary standard, the United States Navy was hopelessly outclassed. They had no battleships, the enemy eleven. They had eight cruisers, the enemy twenty three. They had three carriers (one of them crippled) the enemy had eight… They knew little of wa. On one of the carriers none of the Navy pilots had ever seen combat, nor had any of the Army fliers. Of the Marines, 17 of 21 new pilots were just out of flight school - some with less than four hours of flying time since then. They were plagued with equipment problems. Some of their dive bombers couldn't dive - the fabric came off the wings. Their torpedoes were slow and unreliable, the torpedo planes even wors. They were up against the finest fighting plans in the world, the Zero….. Yet they prevailed.
The Battle of Midway was the most important battle of the war in the Pacific during WW2. Not only was it a demoralizing disaster for the Japanese Navy and the War Commanders, but it deprived the Japanese of their important strategic resource that was essential in the naval battles of the Pacific War - Aircraft Carriers.

In one of the most famous naval battles in history Enterprise and sister carriers Yorktown and Hornet, turn the tide of the Pacific War. In just a few violent days in the waters off Midway Island, the American carrier fleet defeats the Japanese Navy, and the Enterprise helps secure one of America's first victories in WWII.

It's June 1942 and the world's fate is about to be decided by a handful of pilots and their untested aircraft. Experience an inside look at the Battle of Midway, captured through rarely seen battle footage and firsthand accounts from its hero dive-bombing pilot, "Dusty" Kleiss. This is an hour-by-hour recount of one of the most pivotal conflicts of the 20th century. Take a closer look at how this desperately needed victory came about through the design of U.S. airplanes, the skill of the pilots, the element of surprise, and a stroke of luck.

It's June 1942 and the world's fate is about to be decided by a handful of pilots and their untested aircraft. Experience an inside look at the Battle of Midway, captured through rarely seen battle footage and firsthand accounts from its hero dive-bombing pilot, "Dusty" Kleiss. This is an hour-by-hour recount of one of the most pivotal conflicts of the 20th century. Take a closer look at how this desperately needed victory came about through the design of U.S. airplanes, the skill of the pilots, the element of surprise, and a stroke of luck.

The 26 episodes were culled from over 13,000 hours of footage shot by the U.S., British, German and Japanese navies during World War II. Narrated by Leonard Graves and set to a score by Richard Rodgers, this program offered a remarkable look at the realities of naval warfare and the extraordinary challenges faced by the Allies. From U-boat "wolf packs" to the epic battles at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, every major naval engagement of World War II is captured in some of the most riveting combat footage ever shot.

The war in the Pacific was essentially a maritime war. This 6 hours of footage will take you through detailing the planning and the battles that lead to the defeat of the Japanese Empire, Gruelling day-to-day activities and harsh weather conditions of protecting Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. The amphibious invasion of Iwo Jima, including aerial bombing plus ground force action using fl ame throwers…An amazing and dramatic collection of documentary’s, giving a detailed account of all that went on at sea from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Selected works from acclaimed directors: Frank Cappa & John Ford. Narration from John Huston & Henry Fonda.

A dramatization of the battle that turned out to be the turning point of the Pacific Theatre of World War II

Few batties have been so decisive or decided so swiftly. In only four minutes the elite of Japan's naval airpower was devastated by a surprise US divebomber attack.