Inside Japan’s War

PBS: Monday 25 – Thursday 28 September at 8.40pm

In December 1941, Imperial Japan asserted itself to menacing effect on the world stage in the midst of the fight against Hitler, attacking American forces at Pearl Harbor and bringing the USA into what had become the Second World War.

While this aspect of the conflict has been extensively documented from the Allied side, the view of the war through Japanese eyes has remained relatively unexplored. Why did Japan fight, and with what objectives? What was everyday life like for ordinary Japanese citizens during this time?

Employing archive material, personal accounts, expert interviews, graphics and animation, this series addresses such questions, offering illuminating insights into Imperial Japan’s military motives, culture, startling initial success as an aggressor, and eventual dramatic surrender.