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Private Notes
The untold story of the American 8th Air Force's bloody battle to defeat the German Luftwaffe in the months leading up to D-Day. Told through the gripping, first person accounts of three American airmen and Stars & Stripes reporter Andy Rooney, this special showcases breathtaking aerial combat--original, color footage, never before seen by most Americans--of the B-17s Flying Fortresses, P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs on missions such as Regensburg, Schweinfurt and Berlin. Never-before-seen 8mm footage of the airmen on the bases, the devastation in Germany, and the Luftwaffe perspective is also highlighted. Flying 25,000 feet above the earth in oxygen-devoid air, and temperatures as low as 50 below zero, the 8th Air Force fought a war unlike anything ever before experienced. By the end, they would suffer more than 26,000 combat deaths--more than the US Marines lost in all of World War II. Narrated by Emmy nominated actor, Rob Lowe.
Forever etched into history with its famous image of U.S. Marines hoisting 'Old Glory' over Mount Suribachi, the Battle of lwo Jima reveals a far greater story than just an iconic photograph. The Americans wanted the small island for its strategic airfields, which would bring their bombers within range of Japan's home islands; for the ragged Japanese, it represented a last-ditch effort to stop the oncoming Allied juggernaut on its island-hopping march towards Tokyo. The result was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, as fortified Japanese defenders gave no quarter to the wave of men and steel that crashed onto the volcanic blacks sands of lwo Jima.
Additional interview footage with war veterans Jack Werner, Chaeles Scheffel, Roscoe Blunt Jr, Jimmie Kanaya, Shelby Westbrook, and Jack Yusen.
Historian Don Miller, Producer Lou Reda, and others talk about searching for and obtaining the footage used in the series.
Historian Don Miller, Producer Lou Reda, and others talk about the state of the source materials and efforts made to restore and preserve them for future generations.
Darkness falls... and Europe falls under Nazi control. America was unprepared for joining the war and got hit hard with the attack on Pearl Harbor. North Africa and Guadalcanal were the first bloody battlegrounds.
The Allies take on the daunting forces of the Axis, with victory far from certain. Charles Scheffel battles Rommel's forces in Tunisia and Jack Werner faces bitter combat in the northern Pacific.
The Marines assault Tarawa in one of the bloodiest battles yet waged. MacArthur island-hops and Italy's front lines claim a casualty.
The Allies lay plans for the invasion of France; Bert Stiles and the 8th Air Force attempt to clear the skies over Normandy, while the Pacific remains a quagmire. D-Day arrives.
The Allies are bogged down in Normandy's hedgerows in the aftermath of D-Day, while on Saipan, victory turns to horror.
The Allies race toward Germany as American Marines battle for ground on Peleliu and across the bloody Pacific.
American forces storm the Philippines while Shelby Westbrook is shot down over Europe. Jack Yusen battles the dangers of the deep when his ship is sunk after a heroic duel.
The Marine assault on Iwo Jima brings horror and glory. Pilot Bert Stiles engages a German fighter with disastrous consequences. Reinforcements arrive in Europe to push the Allies toward victory.
The Battle of the Bulge pushes the Allies to the brink, and Rockie Blunt barely survives the fight. Okinawa erupts as the Japanese make their last stand. Hitler is handed a final ultimatum.
With the end in sight, Okinawa is a bloody obstacle to victory. The third Reich ends with a single gunshot. America delivers the final blow to Japan and the world celebrates the fall of the Axis.
