Pearl Harbor - The View From Japan

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, Very Well Done, Yet Left a Little Wanting
Review: This seems to me a worth-while DVD; I don't regret buying it. It is somewhat mis-titled, for it actually briefly covers the entire ill-fated Pacific campaign. It has a strong focus on Admiral Yamamoto himself--his foresight and vision as a military leader, and his reluctance to enter into a fight with the U.S. It is interesting to hear a few words from the Japanese perspective, yet it seems that is all you get--a few words. There is little groundwork laid which might explain more fully Japan's reasons for attacking us. The DVD ends abruptly, with no final words of summary or mention of lessons learned. I suppose one can't blame them; they are, after all, reciting a long painful list of defeats which began only six months after the Pearl Harbor "turkey shoot". Nonetheless, though this overview is brief, it succeeds brilliantly, and makes fine use of map diagrams. One comes away with increased clarity about the scope of events in the war in the Pacific. The narration is dubbed over in English, and is outstanding. The DVD is very attractively packaged, using a semi-clear plastic case. Again, a worth-while purchase.