Original subtitles

Narrator: BY THE SUMMER OF 1945,

THE ALLIES ARE TEARING JAPAN \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO SHREDS.

Man: WE‘D SCATTER IN ALL DIRECTIONS

AND SHOUT, "THEY‘RE COMING!"

Narrator: A GROUND INVASION \h\h\h\h\h\hSEEMS IMMINENT--

THE LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT \h\h\h\h\h\hIN HUMAN HISTORY.

Man: WE KNEW THE BEACHES,

WE KNEW THE ORDER OF BATTLE.

Narrator: BUT ONE BOMB...

CHANGES EVERYTHING.

Woman: PEOPLE JUST SAT, \h\h\h\h\hCATCHING FIRE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: SOME MEMORIES WILL NEVER FADE.

\h\h\h\h\hMan: I EXPERIENCED THE COLLAPSE OF OUR NATION.

Narrator: AND NO SURVIVORS \h\h\h\hWILL EVER FORGET.

Man: MY MOTHER THOUGHT \h\hI HAD BEEN KILLED.

Narrator: HEAR THE VOICES

AND FEEL THE FIGHT.

♪

♪

David Braden: WE WERE \hGOING UP IN DAYLIGHT

AND DROPPING LEAFLETS THAT SAID,

\h\h\h\h"WE ADVISE YOU TO EVACUATE YOUR TOWN

\hBECAUSE WE‘RE COMING UP HERE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT 2 O‘CLOCK

TO BURN IT TO THE GROUND."

♪

Narrator: IN MARCH OF 1945,

\hGENERAL CURTIS LEMAY TOOK A TORCH TO TOKYO

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE WORLD‘S FIRST LARGE-SCALE USE OF NAPALM BOMBS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBraden: THE FIRST FIRE RAID ON TOKYO

FLATTENED 16 SQUARE MILES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE CITY.

LEMAY WAS ECSTATIC.

\h\h\h\h\hHE ORDERED MORE OF THOSE MISSIONS IMMEDIATELY.

♪

\h\h\hNarrator: LEMAY TARGETS ANY PLACE WITH A WAR INDUSTRY.

IN A MATTER OF MONTHS,

\hAMERICA FIREBOMBS 67 JAPANESE CITIES.

♪

FUELED BY WOOD AND WIND,

FLAMES WASH THROUGH JAPAN \h\h\h\h\h\hLIKE A FLOOD.

Funato Kazuyo: MOTHER,

WITH MY LITTLE BROTHER \h\h\h\h\hON HER BACK,

\h\h\h\hHAD HER FEET SWEPT OUT FROM UNDER HER BY THE WIND...

AND SHE ROLLED AWAY \h\hINTO THE FLAMES.

Narrator: AMERICAN FIREBOMBS

\h\hKILL AN ESTIMATED HALF-MILLION CITIZENS.

♪

LEMAY FILMS THE DAMAGE HIMSELF.

HIS FOOTAGE HAS NEVER BEEN \h\h\h\hBROADCAST BEFORE.

\h\h\hIN SOME PLACES, ONLY BRIDGES ARE LEFT,

CONNECTING NEIGHBORHOODS \hTHAT NO LONGER EXIST.

♪

Curtis Lemay: I SUPPOSE \hIF I HAD LOST THE WAR,

I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRIED \h\h\hAS A WAR CRIMINAL.

BUT ALL WAR IS IMMORAL.

AND IF YOU LET THAT BOTHER YOU, \h\h\hYOU‘RE NOT A GOOD SOLDIER.

♪

\h\hNarrator: JAPANESE FILM SHOWS THE RUSH TO EVACUATE.

♪

\h\hENTIRE CLASSROOMS OF KIDS MIGRATE FROM CITY TO COUNTRY.

BUT THEY DON‘T ESCAPE THE FEAR.

\h\h\h\h\hSato Hideo: BY 1945, WE NO LONGER HAD MANY CLASSES.

\h\hTHE MAIN THING WE DID WAS DIG AN ANTI-TANK DITCH

IN THE CORNER OF THE SCHOOLYARD.

IS

WITH A NEW ROAD

FROM THE INDIAN TOWN OF LEDO.

THE JUNGLE IS NO EASY PLACE \h\h\h\h\hTO MAKE A DETOUR.

Mose Davie: IT WAS RUGGED.

WE WERE ASSIGNED TO MILE ZERO,

WHICH WE CALLED "HELL‘S GATE."

Narrator: FROM THERE,

\hTHEY SLOWLY CARVE A NEW RIBBON OF ROAD

FOR 460 MILES.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hDavie: WE USED EVERY IMAGINABLE TOOL THEY HAD

TO MOVE THE EARTH.

Narrator: WORKERS NICKNAME IT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h"THE BIG SNAKE."

IT TAKES A BITE OUT OF EVERY MAN THAT WORKS ON IT.

Davie: I LOST ABOUT 55 POUNDS \h\h\h\hUP THERE ON THE ROAD.

THE RATIONS AND THE HEAT \h\h\h\h\h\hTOOK ME BAD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BUT THE EFFORT PAYS OFF.

\h\h\hA STREAM OF SUPPLIES BEGINS TO FLOW INTO CHINA.

NOW THE PRESSURE ON JAPAN

\h\hSEEMS TO BE COMING FROM EVERY DIRECTION.

BURMA CAN NOW STAND FIRM \h\h\h\hWITH THE ALLIES.

\h\h\h\h\hJAPANESE TROOPS DISSOLVE INTO THE JUNGLE,

ISOLATED AND ABANDONED.

♪

HERE, FREEDOM IS A RELIEF.

♪

IN THE AMERICAN WEST, \h\hIT‘S BITTERSWEET.

SINCE 1942,

MORE THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND \h\h\h\h\hJAPANESE AMERICANS

\h\h\hHAVE BEEN FORCED INTO INTERNMENT CAMPS.

♪

\h\hKIDS HAVE BEEN GROWING UP AS LITTLE MORE THAN PRISONERS.

\h\h\hTakeo Shiroma: WHEN I GOT TO CAMP,

I WAS A JUNIOR.

\h\h\h\h\hMY DIPLOMA WAS FROM THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE FEARS THAT PUT THEM HERE

HAVE NOT MATERIALIZED.

THEY HAVEN‘T BECOME SPIES \h\h\h\h\h\hOR SABOTEURS.

INSTEAD, THEY‘VE BEEN \h\h\hQUIETLY SHOWING

JUST HOW AMERICAN \hTHEY REALLY ARE.

♪

SO EVEN WITH THE WAR \h\h\h\hGRINDING ON,

AMERICA OPENS THE GATES.

\h\hRoberta Shiroma: THAT WAS A DIVIDING LINE IN OUR LIVES--

BEFORE CAMP AND AFTER CAMP.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: ROBERTA AND TAKEO SHIROMA

WILL HAVE TO START OVER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTakeo Shiroma: MY PARENTS LOST THEIR BUSINESS.

Narrator: IT‘S LIKE THEY‘RE \h\h\hIMMIGRANTS ONCE MORE,

DEPARTING WITH A FEW SUITCASES

TO A COUNTRY WHOSE \hLOFTY PRINCIPLES

DO NOT APPLY TO THEM.

\h\h\h\hMANY AMERICANS DON‘T WANT THEM BACK.

\h\h\h\h\hONE SENATOR SUGGESTS THEY ALL BE DEPORTED TO JAPAN.

WEST COAST NEWSPAPERS \hDECRY WHAT THEY CALL

"CALIFORNIA‘S JAP PROBLEM."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTakeo Shiroma: MY FATHER COULD NOT GET A JOB.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY SAID, "HAVE YOU LOOKED AT YOUR FACE?

WE CAN‘T HIRE YOU."

Narrator: SOME EVEN \hCLING TO THE CAMPS

WHEN THEY COULD FREELY LEAVE.

\hBUT THE SHIROMAS TRY TO HEED WISDOM

FROM THEIR ANCESTRAL HOME.

Roberta Shiroma: WE HAVE A PHRASE

THAT WE HEAR ALL THE TIME.

IT‘S CALLED "SHIGATA GA NAI."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT MEANS "IT COULDN‘T BE HELPED."

IT‘S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED,

AND YOU LET IT GO.

Narrator: THAT WILL BE EASIER \h\h\h\hFOR SOME THAN OTHERS.

\h\hIN ANOTHER DESERT OF THE AMERICAN WEST,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hB-29 CREWS LINE UP FOR INSPECTION.

\hJames Price: HE TOLD US THAT WE WERE IN AN OUTFIT

THAT MIGHT END THE WAR.

Narrator: THEN...

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY PREPARE FOR A HIGH-STAKES GAME

OF TARGET PRACTICE.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE TRINITY TEST USHERED IN THE ATOMIC AGE.

\h\hBUT NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DROP SUCH A BIG BOMB OUT OF A PLANE.

\h\h\h\hSO B-29s TAKE OFF WITH DUMMY BOMBS CALLED "PUMPKINS"

TO DROP ONTO THE DESERT.

♪

\h\hPrice: I GUESS THEY JUST PLOWED UP THESE TUMBLEWEEDS

SO WE COULD SEE A TARGET.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FROM MORE THAN 5 1/2 MILES UP,

THEY LET IT GO.

ON THE GROUND, EXPERTS OBSERVE \h\h\h\h\hTHE BOMB‘S DYNAMICS.

Price: THE FIRST ONES TUMBLED.

THEN THEY CHANGED THE TAILFINS.

PEOPLE FROM LOS ALAMOS WERE DOWN THERE TIMING

HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE THEM TO FALL.

SOMEONE JOKED THAT THEY STOOD \hIN THE CENTER OF THE TARGET

\h\hBECAUSE THEY FELT THAT WOULD BE THE SAFEST PLACE.

Narrator: IT‘S NOT A BULLSEYE.

BUT WITH THE REAL BOMB, \h\hIT MIGHT NOT MATTER.

♪

ON AUGUST 5th,

ANOTHER AIR CREW PREPARES \h\h\hFOR A RUN ON JAPAN.

IT‘S BECOMING ALMOST ROUTINE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS IS THE 345th BOMBARDMENT GROUP,

NICKNAMED THE AIR APACHES.

THEY‘RE ON IE SHIMA,

A LITTLE ISLAND OFF OKINAWA

THAT‘S NOW A BUSTLING AIR BASE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE TARGET IS THE TOWN OF TARUMIZU,

JUST 430 MILES AWAY.

♪

\h\h\h\hCAPTAIN JOHN HANNA FILMS THE ACTION HIMSELF.

WITH JAPAN UNABLE TO MOUNT \h\h\h\hMUCH OF A DEFENSE,

\h\h\h\h\h\hHANNA‘S PLANE CAN SCRAPE THE ROOFLINES.

♪

\h\h\hTHEY MAKE RUNS ON A COASTAL FACTORY

THAT MAKES ROCKET-PROPELLED \h\h\h\h\h\hSUICIDE PLANES.

AND THEY FIREBOMB NEARBY HOMES

\h\h\hTO CRIPPLE THE WORKERS AS MUCH AS THEIR WORKPLACE.

♪

THE 345th RETURNS TO BASE

\h\hWITH A FEW SCRATCHES FROM ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE.

♪

TARUMIZU IS WRECKED.

TODAY‘S RAID IS 325 PLANES

AND THOUSANDS OF BOMBS.

TOMORROW, IT‘LL BE JUST ONE.

♪

TEENAGER YAMAOKA MICHIKO

\h\h\h\hIS ON HER WAY TO DOWNTOWN HIROSHIMA.

\h\hYamaoka Michiko: I WAS IN THE THIRD YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.

I LEFT THE HOUSE AROUND 7:45.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FROM THE ISLAND OF TINIAN,

\h\hCOLONEL PAUL TIBBETS IS ON HIS WAY TO JAPAN.

\h\h\h\h\h\hPaul Tibbets: WE HAD LULLED THE JAPANESE

INTO A SENSE OF FALSE SECURITY.

FOR A WEEK

I SENT A SINGLE AIRPLANE UP \h\h\h\hOVER THESE TARGETS.

\h\h\h\hI WANTED THEM TO THINK WE WERE RECONNAISSANCE PLANES.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMichiko: I WASN‘T PARTICULARLY AFRAID

WHEN B-29s FLEW OVERHEAD.

\h\hI LOOKED UP TO SEE IF I COULD SPOT THEM.

THAT WAS THE MOMENT.

♪

THERE WAS NO SOUND.

I FELT COLORS.

\hI REMEMBER MY BODY FLOATING IN THE AIR.

I DON‘T KNOW HOW FAR \h\h\h\hI WAS BLOWN.

\h\h\hI TRIED TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT MY VOICE COULDN‘T COME OUT.

I SAID TO MYSELF, \h"GOODBYE, MOM."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTibbets: BELOW THE MUSHROOM CLOUD,

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS BLACK AND BOILING UNDERNEATH,

LIKE A BOILING POT OF TAR.

\h\hMichiko: FIRES BURST OUT FROM JUST THE LIGHT ITSELF.

\h\h\hNOBODY LOOKED LIKE A HUMAN BEING.

PEOPLE COULDN‘T SCREAM.

THEY JUST SAT,

CATCHING FIRE.

♪

\h\hTibbets: BY THAT TIME, WE WERE OUT OVER THE WATER

AND ON OUR WAY BACK HOME.

IT WAS AN EASY FLIGHT.

♪

I DIDN‘T HAVE THE ABILITY

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO VISUALIZE WHAT THIS THING REALLY WAS.

THERE WAS NO MEASURE, NO SCALE BY WHICH TO JUDGE THIS THING.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AS TIBBETS LINES UP FOR A MEDAL,

\h\h\hRUMORS SWIRL ABOUT THE DAMAGE IN HIROSHIMA.

Tibbets: THE GUYS CAME IN WITH THEIR EYES WIDE OPEN

AND ASKED...

"JESUS! IS THIS TRUE?"

Narrator: A FEW DAYS LATER,

\h\hAMERICANS ROLL OUT ANOTHER ATOMIC BOMB--

EVEN BIGGER IN SIZE AND POWER.

THEY NAME IT "FAT MAN."

INSIDE IS A LUMP OF PLUTONIUM ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SOFTBALL.

THEY SEAL THE SEAMS

\h\h\hTO KEEP MOISTURE AWAY FROM THE DELICATE COMPONENTS INSIDE.

SINCE THE BOMB HIT HIROSHIMA,

JAPAN HAS SENT NO MESSAGE \h\hTO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

IT IS SILENT...

AS IF IN SHOCK.

SO AMERICANS LOAD UP FAT MAN

AND HEAD FOR THE NEXT TARGET--

THE CITY OF KOKURA.

♪

WHEN THE B-29s ARRIVE,

KOKURA IS SOCKED IN,

WITH CLOUDS AND SMOKE \hFROM BURNING CITIES.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY PEEL OFF FOR THEIR SECONDARY TARGET.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hA SCOTTISH POW IS IN A PRISON CAMP NEARBY.

\h\hAlistair Urquhart: I SAW A PLANE FLYING.

\h\h\hTWO MINUTES LATER CAME A TREMENDOUS CLAP OF THUNDER

FROM NAGASAKI.

♪

\h\h\hA GALE-FORCE WIND NEARLY KNOCKED ME OVER.

♪

Narrator: JAPAN ISN‘T SURE \h\h\hWHAT‘S HITTING THEM.

♪

\h\hAMERICA ISN‘T SURE WHAT IT‘S UNLEASHING.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hONLY THOSE UNDER THE MUSHROOM CLOUD REALLY KNOW.

\h\h\hBUT THE WORLD WILL SOON FIND OUT.

♪

♪

THE NEXT DAY,

THE JAPANESE CONTACT THE SWISS,

WHO PASS MESSAGES TO THE AMERICANS,

EVEN AS THEIR CARRIERS \h\hLAUNCH MORE RAIDS.

MEANWHILE, THE SOVIET UNION \h\h\h\h\hINVADES MANCHURIA,

\hOPENING ANOTHER FRONT JAPAN CAN BARELY DEFEND.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hDAYS GO BY AS EACH SIDE DELIBERATES

AND TRANSLATES

AND NEGOTIATES.

[ENGINES ROARING]

♪

BOMBS KEEP DROPPING.

ON AUGUST 13th,

1,000 CARRIER PLANES MAKE THEIR FINAL DIVE ON TOKYO.

\hIN 1942, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE.

♪

NOW IT‘S UNSTOPPABLE.

[AUDIO RECORDING IN JAPANESE]

A SCRATCHY RECORDING \hOF A STRANGE VOICE

GOES OUT OVER JAPANESE AIRWAVES.

IT‘S EMPEROR HIROHITO.

REVERED AS A DISTANT \h\hGOD-LIKE FIGURE,

\h\h\h\h\h\hHE HAS NEVER ADDRESSED THE PUBLIC...

UNTIL NOW.

Translated: WE HAVE DECIDED \h\h\hTO EFFECT A SETTLEMENT

OF THE PRESENT SITUATION

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBY RESORTING TO AN EXTRAORDINARY MEASURE.

\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: HE USES AN ARCHAIC JAPANESE DIALECT

THAT FEW CAN UNDERSTAND.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT SOON, THE NEWS BECOMES CLEAR.

JAPAN SURRENDERS.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE WORLD GASPS IN A MOMENT OF DISBELIEF...

♪

\h\h\hAnnouncer: ...COMING OUT OF TOKYO THAT EMPEROR HIROHITO

\h\hHAS ACCEPTED THE TERMS OF SURRENDER AS DRAFTED...

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THEN EXHALES IN RELIEF.

♪

♪

NAVY SHIPS RACING TOWARD JAPAN \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBEGIN TO COAST.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hChris Walker: WE HAD OUR SHIP LOADED,

TOTALLY LOADED FOR US TO INVADE.

\h\h\hRobert Tippen: WE GOT THE MESSAGE.

I RAN UP TO THE BRIDGE WHERE A GOOD FRIEND WAS SIGNALMAN.

HE SPELLED OUT "WAR IS OVER."

\h\h\h\hJames Redding: THE CAPTAIN ANNOUNCED,

"IT‘S AGAINST NAVAL REGULATIONS,

BUT ALL HANDS CAN LAY DOWN \h\h\h\h\hTO THE SCULLERY

FOR TWO CANS OF BEER."

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: ALL ACROSS THE PACIFIC,

MEN SLATED FOR THE FINAL ASSAULT GET THE NEWS OF THEIR LIVES.

\hStraus: I GUARANTEE YOU THERE WAS A LOT OF RELIEF.

I DON‘T KNOW HOW MANY OF US \h\h\h\hWOULD HAVE SURVIVED

THE INVASION OF JAPAN,

BUT NOT VERY MANY, \h\hI DON‘T THINK.

♪

Narrator: IN THE PHILIPPINES,

WORD SLOWLY GETS OUT.

SERVICEMAN DAN ROCKLIN

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFILMS A NATION SLOWLY RISING FROM ITS KNEES.

♪

\h\h\hFROM EVERY CORNER OF THEIR FALLEN EMPIRE,

JAPANESE WHO FOUGHT \h\hFROM THE SHADOWS

FINALLY EMERGE INTO DAYLIGHT.

\h\h\h\h\hJoe Rackley: THEY STARTED COMING IN

AND PUTTING THEIR RIFLES DOWN.

THAT WAS THE END OF THEM.

Iitoyo Shogo: WE FELL FROM HEAVEN TO HELL OVERNIGHT.

Narrator: MEN WHO SPENT \h\hTHE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS

TRYING TO ANNIHILATE EACH OTHER

ARE NOW FACING EACH OTHER.

\h\h\hBill Walker: THE JAPS ALL CAME IN FROM THE JUNGLE

AND GAVE US THEIR SWORDS.

OF COURSE, ALL OUR OFFICERS \h\h\h\h\hGOT THE GOOD ONES.

\h\h\hNarrator: IN CHINA, JAPANESE TROOPS ARE HERDED INTO BOXCARS--

\h\h\h\hA DEMORALIZING START TO THEIR LONG JOURNEY HOME.

\h\h\h\hShogo: I EXPERIENCED THE COLLAPSE OF OUR NATION.

IT WAS REALLY WORSE THAN DYING.

\h\h\hNarrator: IN JAPAN, THERE IS SHOCK AND SHAME.

\hKumagaya Tokuichi: NOBODY TRULY THOUGHT

JAPAN WOULD LOSE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: SINCE ITS ANCIENT BEGINNINGS

IN THE FIRST CENTURY,

\h\hIT HAS NEVER KNOWN A FOREIGN OCCUPATION.

THE PRIDE OF EMPIRE

\h\h\h\hDISINTEGRATES INTO A CLOUD OF FEAR.

♪

THEY ARRIVE IN WHITE PLANES--

THE COLOR OF SURRENDER--

AT GENERAL MACARTHUR‘S \h\h\h\h\hINSISTENCE.

\h\h\hHE DOESN‘T WANT ANY MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

THE RISING SUN HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A GREEN CROSS.

THE JAPANESE DELEGATION EMERGES.

THEY‘VE JUST LANDED \hIN THE PHILIPPINES

TO MEET WITH MACARTHUR.

\h\h\hTHE FUTURE OF JAPAN IS NOW UNDER NEGOTIATION.

\h\h\hMACARTHUR WELCOMES ALLIES OF EVERY STRIPE.

\h\h\hA GLOBAL ARRAY OF MILITARY UNIFORMS

MARCHES INTO MANILA.

THEY WILL TALK ALL NIGHT

OVER HASTILY TRANSLATED \h\hMAPS AND DOCUMENTS.

AND THEY SETTLE ON A DATE

TO FORMALLY CONCLUDE \h\hTHE PACIFIC WAR.

♪

\h\hA DISTANT MOUNT FUJI PRESIDES OVER TOKYO BAY.

\h\hFOR ALL THE THOUSANDS ON BOARD THE USS MISSOURI,

THE FOCUS IS ON ONE MAN--

NOW SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS.

\h\h\h\h\h\hDouglas MacArthur: I HAD RECEIVED NO INSTRUCTIONS

AS TO WHAT TO SAY OR WHAT TO DO.

I WAS ON MY OWN,

STANDING ON THE QUARTERDECK

WITH ONLY GOD AND MY OWN CONSCIENCE TO GUIDE ME.

Narrator: MACARTHUR STANDS TO \hFACE THE JAPANESE DELEGATION

AND STAKES HIS CLAIM.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMacArthur: I ANNOUNCE IT MY FIRM PURPOSE

TO PROCEED IN THE DISCHARGE \h\h\hOF MY RESPONSIBILITIES

WITH JUSTICE AND TOLERANCE,

\h\h\h\hTO ENSURE THAT THE TERMS OF SURRENDER

\h\h\h\h\hARE FULLY, PROMPTLY, AND FAITHFULLY COMPLIED WITH.

Narrator: FINALLY, IN THE CALM \h\h\h\hOF A SEA-SALT BREEZE,

\h\hTHE INCESSANT POUNDING OF THE PACIFIC WAR CEASES

WITH THE QUIET SCRAWLS OF SOLEMN SIGNATURES.

\h\h\hTHE CEREMONY ENDS WITH A FEROCIOUS ROAR--

A FLYOVER OF NEARLY 500 B-29s.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNOW BOTH SIDES HAVE TO MAKE A SUDDEN TURN

FROM COMBAT TO COOPERATION.

A LASTING PEACE IN THE PACIFIC \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS AT STAKE.

♪

JUST WEEKS EARLIER,

THIS WAS THE PLAN--

AN ALL-OUT FULL-FORCE CHARGE

\h\h\hINTO THE DRAWN SWORDS OF A 2,000-YEAR-OLD EMPIRE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hINSTEAD, THE ALLIES APPROACH UNARMED.

♪

Roy Simmons: WE DIDN‘T HAVE \h\h\h\h\h\hANY AMMUNITION.

MACARTHUR DID NOT WANT \h\h\h\hANY INCIDENTS.

NOT ONE INCIDENT.

♪

Narrator: THOUSANDS OF TROOPS

\h\h\hPOUR ONTO THE SOIL OF THEIR SWORN ENEMY...

WITHOUT FIRING,

WITHOUT DUCKING,

WITHOUT DYING.

JAPANESE DISARM THEMSELVES UNDER ALLIED SUPERVISION.

AMERICANS LOOK RIGHT \h\h\hINTO THE JAWS

OF WHAT AWAITED THEM.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hKilpatrick: FROM THE WATER LINE TO TOKYO,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEVERY YARD OF IT WAS ENTRENCHED AND BARRICADED

WITH TUNNELS AND CAVERNS.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BLOODBATH.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AMERICANS ARE FASCINATED WITH

THE WAR‘S OPPOSING PERSPECTIVE.

THEY PLAY WITH GUNS THAT WERE \h\h\h\h\hONCE AIMED AT THEM.

THEY FIND A JAPANESE SHIP

\h\hWITH ALLIED PLANES PAINTED ON THE SIDE--

A CHEAT-SHEET FOR GUNNERS.

AND ONE TAKES A TOUR \hOF A JAPANESE SUB.

\h\h\h\h\hCharles Pase: I‘M SURE THEY HATED US.

\hBUT SOME OF THEM TRIED TO INTRODUCE

\h\h\h\h\hSOME SORT OF INCIPIENT FRIENDSHIP,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS IF, IN THE BACK OF THEIR MINDS,

\h\hTHEY RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE HUMANS,

JUST LIKE THEY WERE.

♪

Narrator: THE VICTORS ARE NOW FULLY ASHORE.

♪

NEXT COME THE VANQUISHED.

♪

SEVEN MILLION JAPANESE

HAVE BEEN SPREAD ACROSS \hASIA AND THE PACIFIC,

FIGHTING FOR THE HOMELAND \h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY REMEMBER.

♪

SOME HAVE BEEN GONE FOR YEARS,

WITH NO IDEA WHAT THEIR NATION \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHAS ENDURED.

♪

FACE MASKS AND A BLAST OF DDT

STAVE OFF THE IMPORT OF DISEASE.

\h\hBUT THERE‘S NO CURE FOR THE SHOCK OF DEFEAT.

JAPANESE CITIZENS

\hIMAGINED THEIR ENEMIES AS RUTHLESS BARBARIANS.

NOW THESE FOREIGN ARMIES ARE WALKING AMONG THEM.

Simmons: THEY TURNED \hTHEIR BACKS TO US

AND HUNG THEIR HEADS.

I ASKED THE INTERPRETER, \h"WHAT ARE THEY DOING?"

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND HE SAID, "THAT‘S THE SIGN OF SUBMISSION."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: ALLIES BOMBED AND BLOCKADED

THE JAPANESE INTO STARVATION.

NOW THEY UNLOAD C-RATIONS.

MacArthur: WE DIDN‘T INTEND \h\h\hTO FEED THEM FOREVER.

WE NEEDED TO MAKE JAPAN \h\h\h\hSELF-SUFFICIENT

AS SOON AS IT WAS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.

Narrator: THIS IS A TALL ORDER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMUCH OF JAPAN IS SIMPLY NOT THERE ANYMORE.

♪

TOKYO IS HALF GONE.

♪

FOR MILE AFTER MILE,

\h\hIT LOOKS LIKE A FOREST CLEAR CUT DOWN TO STUMPS.

♪

REBUILDING IS A JOB TOO IMMENSE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR MANY TO GRASP.

SO THEY SIMPLY GET TO IT...

WITH PICKS...

AND SHOVELS...

AND BARE HANDS.

IN TWO CITIES, IT‘S EVEN WORSE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hArt Anderson: WE FLEW DIRECTLY OVER NAGASAKI.

FROM GROUND ZERO,

EVERYTHING RADIATED OUT \h\h\h\h\h\h360 DEGREES.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hJerell Crow: WE WENT TO HIROSHIMA.

YOU CAN‘T IMAGINE.

FOR MILES, THERE WAS NOTHING.

NOTHING LEFT.

THIS CITY WAS BURNED DOWN \h\h\h\hTO THE SIDEWALKS.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BUT THE BOMB‘S LASTING IMPACT

IS NOT IN THE RUBBLE OF BRICK AND MORTAR.

IT‘S IN THE SCARS OF MIND AND BODY.

♪

INSIDE HOSPITALS ARE INJURIES \h\hBEYOND ANYONE‘S TRAINING.

♪

ANYONE WITHIN HALF A MILE \hWAS INSTANTLY SCORCHED.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTWO MILES AWAY, SKIN SPONTANEOUSLY IGNITED.

♪

\h\h\h\hHIROSHIMA TEENAGER YAMAOKA MICHIKO SURVIVES,

BUT THEN HAS TO ENDURE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMichiko: PEOPLE THREW STONES AT ME

AND CALLED ME MONSTER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hONCE MY MOM TRIED TO CHOKE ME TO DEATH.

\h\h\hIF A GIRL HAS A FACE YOU COULDN‘T BE BORN WITH,

I UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN A MOTHER \hCOULD WANT TO KILL HER CHILD.

Narrator: IN HIROSHIMA, FEW FAMILIES ARE INTACT.

\h\h\h\h\hMOURNERS GRIEVE AT OVERCROWDED CEMETERIES.

NO ONE KNOWS WHEN OR IF

A NEW JAPAN WILL EMERGE FROM THE ATOMIC SHADOW.

Reuben Kandler: WE‘D HOPED FOR THIS MOMENT FOR YEARS

AND DREAMT THAT ONE DAY \h\h\h\hIT MIGHT ARRIVE.

BUT WE‘D NEVER KNOWN \h\h\hTHAT IT WOULD.

Narrator: 140,000 ALLIED \h\h\h\hPRISONERS OF WAR

TAKE THEIR FIRST STEPS \h\h\h\h\hTOWARD HOME.

FROM A POW CAMP IN THAILAND,

THEY BOARD FLIGHTS TO VIETNAM.

♪

AN OLD HOTEL IN SAIGON \h\h\h\hPUTS THEM UP,

AND IT FEELS LIKE THE RITZ.

IN SINGAPORE,

SIKH SOLDIERS FROM INDIA \hCOME OUT OF CAPTIVITY.

\h\h\h\h\hU.S. TROOPS SALUTE THEIR FREEDOM.

IN THE PHILIPPINES,

\h\h\h\h\h\hJAPAN HAD CALLED ITS 90,000 PRISONERS OF WAR

"GUESTS OF THE EMPIRE."

NOW THEY HITCH RIDES \h\hAND JOIN CONVOYS

TO CARRY THEM AWAY FROM DESPAIR,

TOWARD HOPE.

♪

IN JAPAN ITSELF,

36,000 POWS HAVE ENDURED \h\hDARKNESS AND DECAY.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hRichard Williams: WE HAD TO CARRY 90% OF THEM

OUT ON STRETCHERS.

\h\hSOME OF THEIR BONES WERE STICKING THROUGH THEIR SKIN.

Narrator: FORMER CAPTIVES \h\h\h\hFLOOD THE STREETS,

GETTING THEIR FIRST SIPS \h\h\h\h\hOF FREEDOM...

\h\h\hAND THEIR FIRST CRACK AT THE ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT MESS TENT.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY BEGIN THE LONG JOURNEY HOME...

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.

♪

\hMORE THAN A QUARTER OF WESTERN ALLIED POWs

DIED IN CAPTIVITY.

\h\h\h\hJAPAN PLANNED TO EXECUTE THE REST--

ALL THESE MEN--

ONCE THE LAND INVASION BEGAN.

\h\h\h\h\hSOME HAD DUG THEIR OWN MASS GRAVES.

Kandler: WE TALKED ABOUT

WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO \h\hWHEN WE GOT HOME...

WHO WE COULDN‘T WAIT TO SEE...

AND HOW ALL THE PROBLEMS \h\h\h\h\hOF NORMAL LIFE

COULD NEVER BOTHER US AGAIN--

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNOT AFTER WHAT WE‘D BEEN THROUGH.

♪

\h\hRedding: WE PICKED UP OVER A THOUSAND MILITARY PERSONNEL.

THE SHIP WAS SO CROWDED.

BUT NOBODY COMPLAINED.

WE WERE HOMEWARD BOUND.

Narrator: THEY CRAVE FAMILY.

Jack Lent: MY MOTHER THOUGHT \h\h\h\h\hI HAD BEEN KILLED.

WHEN I WAS IN HAWAII,

\h\h\h\h\h\hI CALLED HER AND TOLD HER I WAS FINE.

THEN I HIT THE BARS \hAND SAW THE GIRLS.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THEY CRAVE THE FAMILIAR.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRedding: WHEN WE GOT TO SAN FRANCISCO,

PEOPLE WERE THROWING FLOWERS.

THERE WAS A BIG SIGN--

"WELCOME HOME."

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THEY CRAVE HOME COOKING.

Arthur Owen: IN TARAWA,

\h\h\h\hWE ATE NOTHING BUT CRUSHED PINEAPPLE

AND CANNED VIENNA SAUSAGE.

I ATE ENOUGH VIENNA SAUSAGE TO MAKE A ROPE AND SWING ME HOME.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FINALLY, THEY CRAVE NORMALCY.

Kay Clementson: THE FIRST THING \h\h\h\hAFTER I GOT DISCHARGED,

\h\h\hI WENT STRAIGHT TO A DEPARTMENT STORE.

I BOUGHT ME A WHOLE SUIT \h\hOF CIVILIAN CLOTHES,

FROM HEAD TO FOOT.

AND I PUT IT ON RIGHT THERE.

MAYBE I SHOULDN‘T SAY THIS,

\h\hBUT I JUST TOOK MY UNIFORM AND DROPPED IT IN THE GARBAGE

AND WALKED ON OUT.

THAT WAS ONE HAPPY DAY.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hJohn Rich: THE TRAINS WERE RUNNING.

AND THE STREETCARS WERE RUNNING.

THE JAPANESE WERE VERY BUSY.

Narrator: A NEW JAPAN BEGINS \hTO RISE OUT OF THE RUBBLE.

MACARTHUR GUIDES THE OCCUPATION

WITHOUT APPEARING \hAS AN OVERLORD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMacArthur: I ADVISED THE JAPANESE PEOPLE

TO SEEK A HEALTHY BLEND

BETWEEN THE BEST OF THEIRS \h\hAND THE BEST OF OURS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: HE OPENS CIVIL LIBERTIES...

AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS

BEYOND THE DEEP TRADITIONS \hOF SHINTO AND BUDDHISM.

\h\hHE ALSO FLOODS THE COUNTRY WITH TEN MILLION FREE BIBLES.

♪

BASEBALL IS ALREADY A PASTIME \h\h\h\hBOTH COUNTRIES ENJOY.

MACARTHUR‘S OWN HOME MOVIES

\h\h\h\hCAPTURE HIS WIFE JEAN TAKING IN A JAPANESE BALLGAME.

ONCE, SHE EVEN THROWS OUT \h\h\h\h\hTHE FIRST PITCH.

THE USO REACHES ITS FINAL STAGE,

WITH DANNY KAYE PLAYING IT UP \h\h\h\hFOR OCCUPATION TROOPS.

♪

MARKETS GET BUSIER.

♪

PEOPLE GET FRIENDLIER.

♪

A NEW OPENNESS SLOWLY BLOSSOMS.

♪

MACARTHUR ALLOWS HIROHITO \h\h\h\hTO REMAIN EMPEROR.

HE GOES FROM RECLUSE \hTO PUBLIC FIGURE.

♪

KIDS WHO WOULD NOT DARE \h\hLOOK HIM IN THE EYE

NOW SURROUND HIM WITH CHEERS.

♪

HERE, HE MAKES HIS FIRST VISIT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO HIROSHIMA

TO HONOR THE BOMB VICTIMS.

♪

IT‘S DECEMBER 7, 1947--

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEXACTLY SIX YEARS AFTER THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR

SPARKED THE PACIFIC WAR.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAnnouncer: JAPAN, THE LAND OF FUJI-SAN,

IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING \h\hOF ALL COUNTRIES TO VISIT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: TO HELP THE REBUILDING EFFORT,

\h\hAMERICA BEGINS ENCOURAGING TRAVEL

TO THE COUNTRY IT JUST DEFEATED.

\h\hTOURISM BRINGS CASH AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE--

TWO THINGS THEY HOPE \h\hCAN BRING JAPAN

INTO THE FAMILY OF FREE NATIONS.

TRAVEL FILMS PROMISE A LAND OF EXOTIC SIGHTS AND SOUNDS.

[SINGING IN JAPANESE]

BUT WITH ENOUGH WESTERN TOUCHES \h\h\h\hTO ATTRACT THE SKITTISH.

\hTOURISM IS THE NEW POST-WAR PROPAGANDA.

THE MESSAGE MAY BE PANDERING,

BUT IT DOES HINT AT THE PROMISE.

♪

\h\hFROM THE EDGES OF A VAST OCEAN...

\h\h\h\hAND FROM THE ASHES OF ITS GREAT CATACLYSM...

\h\hNEW GENERATIONS WILL BEGIN BRIDGING

THE GREAT PACIFIC DIVIDE.

BUT FOR THIS GENERATION,

IT WILL NEVER AGAIN BE THE PEACEFUL SEA.

♪

\hKobayashi Hiroyasu: I WONDER WHAT WAR IS.

I WONDER WHY WE DID IT.

I‘M NOT TALKING ABOUT \h\h\hVICTORY OR LOSS.

I MERELY FEEL HEARTBROKEN \h\h\hFOR THOSE WHO DIED.

HOWEVER MUCH YOU‘RE GLORIFIED,

IF YOU‘RE DEAD, THAT‘S IT.

♪

\hGeorge Haggerty: PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY,

THIS MOVIE WAS REALISTIC...

♪

OR THAT MOVIE WAS NOT.

WAR IS SOMETHING YOU DON‘T GET \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN ANY MOVIE.

\h\h\hTHE PUNGENT ODOR OF DECAYING BODIES...

\h\hTHE CONSTANT CLATTER OF AUTOMATIC WEAPONS...

SUSPENSEFUL WAITING...

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEN THE IMPACT OF WHISPERING ARTILLERY SHELLS...

SCREAMS OF THE WOUNDED \h\h\h\h\hAND DYING...

THE OVERWHELMING SMELL \h\h\hOF GUNPOWDER...

♪

YOU DON‘T GET ANY OF THAT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN A MOVIE.

♪