Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack

Hosted by Tom Brokaw, this National Geographic special provides a solid overview of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, complete with archival footage and commentary by historian Stephen Ambrose. What sets this program apart from the hoards of similarly-themed titles, however, is the distinct National Geographic focus: here undersea explorer Robert Ballard (whom many will recall from NG's earlier Secrets of the Titanic [VL-5/87]) heads up an expedition to search for a midget submarine--one of five sent out by the Japanese to support the air attack--that was sunk hours before the raid began. In addition, the program offers the first underwater glimpse of the doomed U.S.S. Arizona, which on that "day of infamy" became the final resting place of more than 1,100 servicemen, and explores the heated issues concerning the protection of this national shrine while safeguarding the surrounding ecosystem (the battleship continues to decay and corrode underwater and still houses a half million gallons of oil). Sure to be a popular addition to the burgeoning collection of Pearl Harbor-related titles, this quality production is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (L. Stevens)