SEMPER FIDELIS: THE UNITED STATES MARINES IN WWII

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SUMMARY:
America's fighting elite from pre-war training to final victory in the Pacific. Witness their story through the lenses of Marine combat cameramen in this stunning and unforgettable collection of authentic, historical film footage. From bloody beaches and dense jungles to barren hilltops, follow the Marines into battle and observe the most legendary engagements in Marine Corps history.

• 3 hour DVD version available
• From the Timeless Media
DOCUMENTARY, 7 x 1 hr, 2001

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES:
• Color / B&W

DETAILED SYNOPSIS:
The history of the United States Marine Corps is a proud one, steeped in heroism, self-sacrifice and esprit de corps. Here is America's fighting elite – from pre-war training to final victory in the Pacific. Witness their story through the eyes and lenses of Marine combat cameramen in this stunning and unforgettable collection of authentic, historical film footage. From bloody beaches and dense jungles to barren hilltops, follow the Marines into battle and observe the most legendary engagements in Marine Corps history.

Experience firsthand the war in the Pacific – tremendous in scale, costly in life, forever imprinted on the minds and hearts of those who were there. Never before had the world seen such heroism and self sacrifice as was exhibited by the Marines in the pivotal battles of WWII – including Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and many more. Each episode includes combat veteran interviews. Relive it now, with this tribute to America's force-in-readiness – The United States Marine Corps.

Volume One:
Desperate Days - 59 minutes
The Marine Corps traces its roots back to the birth of our nation. In this volume, trace the history of the Corps as it has evolved from providing ships' security during the American Revolution to land combat during WWI. Yet it was Japanese aggression in Asia during the 1930s that eventually determined the Marine's ultimate role: that of amphibious assault. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor strikes a blow that brings America to its knees, yet a spectacular recovery allows America to stem the Japanese tide of aggression just six months later at Midway
Chapters: Heritage of the Corps, Into the Abyss, Pearl Harbor, The Rising Sun, Midway Pestilence

Volume Two:
Guadalcanal – Part One - 63 minutes
Before the war began, Japan had hoped to engage the Americans in what they termed "The Decisive Battle, " a winner-take-all clash that would determine the course of the war. Guadalcanal was that battle. In this volume we joint the 1st Marine Division as it launches the first American offensive of World War II and witness the opening moves in what will become a six-month struggle to wrest control of the island from the Empire of Japan.
Chapters: Converging Courses, First Offensive, Battle of Savor Island, First Days Ashore, Battle of the Tenaru, The Kawaguchi Brigade, Battle of Edson's Ridge

Volume Three:
Guadalcanal – Part Two - 61 minutes
Cactus was the American code name for Guadalcanal, and for the men who fought and died there, the name was eerily prophetic. The most significant asset of the marines was an airstrip known as Henderson Field. The Japanese fully understood its strategic value and sought to wrest control of the airfield through a series of furious attacks, culminating in two incredible naval battles in mid-November. Watch as the Army takes over with the Marines on the brink of exhaustion. The pressure of the Japanese builds to the breaking point as they struggle to regain control over what came to be known as "The Island of Death."
Chapters: Actions Along the Matanikau, Battle for Henderson Field, Actions at Point Cruz & Koli Point, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, The Final Push

Volume Four:
Island Hopping - 60 minutes
Against all odds, the Marines have driven the Japanese from Guadalcanal. Now they seek to carry the fight deep into Japan's Pacific Empire. The isolation of Rabaul will be the first step towards winning control of the entire South Pacific front. In the Central Pacific, the Marines launch their first amphibious attack on a heavily depended beach at Tarawa. The bloody three-day battle cost the Marines heavily, but the lessons they learn at Tarawa will probe invaluable for the many beach assaults that yet remain on the road to Tokyo Bay.
Chapters: Bougainville, Tarawa, Cape Gloucester

Volume Five:
Thrust in the Central Pacific - 58 minutes
Tarawa has provided expensive lessons and the new formula for conquest is perfected by the Marines at Kwajalein and Eniwetok. A new challenge is faced and overcome as the Marines assault the larger, more complex islands of the Marshalls. Saipan and Tinian, former Japanese strong holds, fall and Guam is reclaimed from the aggressor's grasp. All will form the foundation of airbases from which American bombers will strike the Japanese home islands.
Chapters: Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, Tinian

Volume Six:
Hell On Earth - 62 minutes
More airbases must be seized, some to guard the flank of MacArthur's return to the Philippines, others to provide havens and support for crippled bombers. Once again, the Marines answer the call and enter the maelstrom of fire at Peleliu and Iwo Jima. Both are infamous battles with a tenacious fanatical enemy; Peleliu because of the controversy over the necessity for seizing a place that cost so much to take, Iwo Jima for its volcanic, denuded landscape seemingly alive with endless caves from which an implacable foe emerges to harass and kill. The unforgettable spectacle of the flag being raised over Mount Suribachi forever secured the Marine Corps its place in history.
Chapters: Peleliu, Iwo Jima

Volume Seven:
The Final Battle - 62 minutes
The Marines land on sacred Japan - Okinawa. The Japanese are ready in their extensive underground defenses and are told to make the Marines pay a high price. The divine wind is called forth and young Kamikaze pilots throw themselves at the Allied fleet ringing the island. "Make them pay, throw them back," is the Japanese battle cry. So pay they do, as the Marines relentlessly advance into the teeth of the fanatical Japanese defense. But they will not be thrown back and the rising sun is set in what will be the final battle for the Marines in WWII
Chapter: Okinawa

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