
"December 7th," directed by John Ford, begins with the aftermath of the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, nicknamed "the Navy's hundred million
dollar fist." Authentic footage of the invasion is mixed with reenactments
to provide a complete portrait of the events of that fateful day. An
extended sequence pays tribute to the American soldiers killed in the
attack, many of whom are individually profiled, complete with
testimonials offered by surviving family members. American bravery is
not only embodied by the fallen, it is proven by the resolve that comes
in response to the attack. The film culminates in a profile of the
Navy's recovery of one sunken vessel in particular, employing the effort
as a metaphor for the American cause, "a symbol of the fighting spirit
of our men who build and man our ships." Much like this successful
refitting, the film suggests that American forces will rise from destruction, stronger than they were before.