The Pacific War

Although most of the existing film footage from World War II is in black-and-white, René-Jean Bouyer's The Pacific War features footage in vivid color—partially the result of a program authorized by President Roosevelt himself—that not only records the U.S. campaign against Japan but presents a sound overview of the larger historical context, necessary to an understanding of the war in the Pacific. Proceeding from the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 through the various stages of the American response—both the grueling island assaults against entrenched Japanese forces and the disasters at sea—the film also looks at the sacrifices made on the home front in support of the war effort, before concluding with the Japanese surrender and subsequent transformation of Japanese society. Much of the footage here—ranging from shots of Japanese planes attacking American aircraft carriers to the appearance of Emperor Hirohito for the first time before his adoring people—is fascinating, and while The Pacific War is a French television production, the only moment its origins are discernible is when the presence of a general from de Gaulle's Free French forces is mentioned during material covering the Japanese surrender. Otherwise, the viewpoint is—from an American perspective—unabashedly patriotic. An exceptionally well-made WWII entry, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)