The Pacific War in Color

A look at life in the Pacific before, during, and after the attack on Pearl Harbor, presented through home movies and combat footage.

Months after the Pearl Harbor attack, shock waves reverberate in every corner of the Pacific; Americans deploy to stem the enemy's advance; after culture clashes, Allied forces later bond over efforts to thwart Japan's move to control New Guinea.

In 1943, the United States engages in a new series of island-hopping invasions; the first stop is the Tarawa Atoll, where troops embark upon the largest amphibious invasion ever staged in the Pacific to fight one of the costliest battles of the war.

By the summer of 1944, the United States is gaining the upper hand in the Pacific War with better training, troop numbers and supply lines; it aims for the heart of Japan's inner defense ring, engaging in a naval battle for Saipan in the Marianas.

Allied forces move to take the valuable islands of Tinian and Guam that threaten American air operations; meanwhile, Gen. Curtis LeMay is tasked with planning and executing a fire bombing campaign against Japan.

Allies slug it out on the island of Peleliu in a campaign to pave the way for Gen. MacArthur's return to the Philippines; footage shows troops enduring the muddy muck in the Philippines; Japan unveils a devastating new tactic, the kamikaze.