Originally broadcast on the Military Channel, this four-part documentary provides a comprehensive overview of one of the most astonishing missions of World War II: Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle's air raid on Japan on April 18, 1942, a mere four months after the brutal Pearl Harbor attack that caught Americans off-guard. Conceptually, the assault appeared nearly impossible to execute, given the limits of American aviation technology at the time and the belief that Japan was too protected for a direct hit. Narrated by Gary Sinise, The Doolittle Raid mixes historical footage, expert commentary, maps, and interviews with four of the participating crewmen to examine the mission's logistical concerns, not the least of which was the problem of having bulky B-25 bombers take off from aircraft carriers that were not designed to accommodate them. Under Doolittle's supervision, the bombing mission only created minimal damage to the Japanese targets, but it generated an extraordinary psychological victory through its breaching of the supposedly impenetrable Japanese mainland. Although the story has been told in a number of war-related documentaries, as well as the classic 1944 MGM drama Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, this in-depth treatment offers wider scope. DVD extras include a fascinating interview with Edward Saylor (an engineer gunner on the Doolittle crew), and a 16-page viewer's guide that includes a Q&A with Carroll V. Glines, Doolittle's official biographer. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Missions That Changed the War: The Doolittle Raid
(2011) 2 discs. 176 min. DVD: $49.99. Athena (avail. from most distributors). Closed captioned. ISBN: 978-1-59828-758-5. Volume 28, Issue 3
Missions That Changed the War: The Doolittle Raid
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