zaarnak

This brisk documentary compiled many live action shots into a brief story of WWII in the South Pacific Theater right through to the end. We are confronted with flashing images of war acquired at some risk by combat cameramen in all services. Therefore, we have only impressions, but based upon actual observations not conjecture. All situations, causes and effects, are not clearly explained, of course, but there is no guesswork.

Battles in the North Pacific (under Admiral Nimitz)were battles of destruction and acquisition of positions. Battles in the South Pacific (under MacArthur) were often battles of denial and acquisition of position. Destruction in the South was usually incidental.

Since the war began with Japan's violent reaction to the 1938 blockade of areas in the South - to curtail oil supplies - it was logical to reestablish control of the area as soon as possible for the same reasons. Japan also needed rice (and other foodstuff)from South East Asia if the war was to be sustained. We needed to interrupt shipping.

There is only one other comment regarding this documentary. The author seems to have dismissed the still-classified deception operations employed in the Leyte operation (wherein the Japanese fleet inexplicably broke off its positioning maneuver). Furthermore, I would tend to assume that fresh memory trumps revisionism in history every time.