Pearl Harbor, World on Fire

PBS: Thursday 15 and Friday 16 February at 8.40pm

A de facto declaration of war, Imperial Japan’s surprise attack on December 7, 1941 saw the United States drawn into the raging conflict that had already engulfed Europe and had now suddenly widened to encompass the Pacific theatre.

This illuminating documentary explores one of World War II’s key events and its historical and geopolitical context. What exactly did Imperial Japan’s leaders intend to achieve with their apparent emulation of Nazi Blitzkrieg tactics? Were the Americans forewarned by their own intelligence service and others? If so, why was pre-emptive action not taken?

Also explored are the myths have grown up around that ‘Day of Infamy’, with evidence of grave errors on both sides perhaps going some way toward explaining the course of events.