Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) | Movie Reaction | First Time Watching | Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day and thank you to Grandaddy Dudester for the Special Request! We both check out the story of the Pearl Harbor attack, Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970). Here's our reaction to our first time watching.
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[@dudermcdudeface3674]

The definitive Pearl Harbor movie. Never bother with the Ben Affleck trifle movie.

[@pablom-f8762]

"...cuz "Pearl Harbor" sucks, and I miss you....

[@fakecubed]

Skip the Ben Affleck movie. It's not worth it.

[@fakecubed]

@@GhostWatcher2024 Midway is also really good. It does have a bit of a romance story in it that I don’t much care for, but whatever.

[@Devil_Dawg2k23]

The only good part about the Pearl Harbor movie with afflick is Dorie Miller shooting down air planes

[@karidrgn]

​@@fakecubedthe new midway movie is great

[@gazoontight]

The black guy who came from the kitchen and manned the gun was Cook Second Class Doris Miller. He received the Navy Cross (second only to the Medal of Honor) for his actions that day.

[@phillipsuttles1926]

The new Aircraft carrier CVN 81 is named after Doris Miller in Honor of his service at Pearl Harbor.

[@jamesedwards2483]

Mess Attendant 2nd Class Was Personally Decorated With The Navy Cross By Admiral Chester Nimitz, Who Took Over For Admiral Husband E. Kimmel After He Was Fired!!

[@davidcorriveau8615]

IIRC he was also a champion boxer in the US Navy. (ships and bases competed against each other etc). Sadly Mr Miller was later killed in action, in 1943 I believe. Also Messmate (working in the kitchen) was about the only job a black man could have in the WW2 segregated Navy.

[@Devil_Dawg2k23]

Tora tora tora means tiger tiger tiger

[@Devil_Dawg2k23]

He getting an aircraft named after him

[@fallofcamelot]

To say the Japanese Navy and Army had some infighting is a massive understatement. They hated each other and regularly had running all out battles where people on both sides died. In fact multiple Prime Ministers were assassinated by one side or the other for being too close to the other side.

[@thelizardking3036]

And they never solved their problems. When the bombing of Japan started, they argued whoes responsibility it was to deal with the attacks. The army argued that it was the navy’s problem because the bombers came from over seas. The navy thought it was the army’s responsibility because they attacked land targets. Quite remarkable they came this far.

[@stevetheduck1425]

It's been said that the separation and conflict was due to political creatures making sure the two services had to fight each other to get money to equip themselves. Something familiar to anyone in the Pentagon today. At the very end of the Pacific War, the Japanese Army and Navy slowly began to work together, standardise items of equipment (mostly low-quality items of uniform and basic small arms), and begin to act together in the defence of Japan itself. Far, far too late, even Kamikaze attacks were either Navy or Army, right to the bitter end.

[@sjuthberg]

It's also mentioned in the story about USS Johnston in the youtube video "The Battle of Samar, - odds? what are those?" It's mentioned how the Japanese Army had been attacking the invasion fleets of Taffy1, 2, 3 sporadically for about a week, but failed to inform their "Counterpart/Rivals/Mortal enemies" the japanese Navy about the prescence of the Taffy-groups. The narrator also has a way of desccibing the events in a very unique and amuzing way.

[@JFS3]

I've seen it claimed that Yamamoto had to live onboard ships during the war as he would have been assassinated by Army officers if they could have gotten to him.

[@davidneel8327]

Recently listened to a story about Japanese POWs in America and the infighting continued in the POW camps.

[@GummiAnd]

This is such an underrated movie. Far better than the Michael Bay movie in my opinion.

[@willwozniak2826]

This is the BEST version out of them all!

[@TheMovieUniverse]

On the contrary this movie is legendary!

[@porflepopnecker4376]

My Dad was at Pearl Harbor as a Marine, and later fought in the South Pacific. As long as he lived he often woke up in the middle of the night with the most terrible nightmares imaginable. He hardly ever talked about it, but he did say once that the most awful thing about Pearl Harbor for him was seeing all the men flailing around in the burning water.

[@LothianTam]

Can just imagine, to think you'd escape the fire only to burn in oil infused water that's lighted, a nightmare of existence that itself is, never mind trying to help folk going through.

[@kevinmorbidthelostcronin1984]

My maternal father was in the engine room of one of the aircraft carriers that was supposed to be at Pearl Harbor that day. The crew were very unhappy about their delayed arrival ... until they /saw/ Pearl Harbor. In a weird twist of life, my father ended up stationed in Japan when I was a teenager. He introduced me to a work-buddy from the JADF. Apparently, he was training as a Kamikazi pilot, but caught Influenza. He was mad at the time. He is also the only survivor of his pilot friends. This played for both military forces every Memorial Day.

[@davidlionheart2438]

"Tora! Tora! Tora!" is, by far, the best telling of the Pearl Harbor story on film. No big box office stars, but a breathtaking cast of brilliant character actors: Jason Robards, E.G. Marshall, James Whitmore, Wesley Addy, Martin Balsam, George Macready, etc. The attack sequence is as epically impressive now as it was in 1970. This is how you make a war film.

[@fakecubed]

Yeah I grew up watching this film with my dad. I hated the Pearl Harbor film that came out that Hollywoodified everything.

[@aaaht3810]

Agree. Kept true to the facts with no silly sub-plots and romantic interludes. The attack on Hickam Field was spectacularly directed and filmed. No CGI. Better by far than 2001's "Pearl Harbor" which in my opinion was not worth watching.

[@jeffreybaker4399]

Absolutely agreed. While no for-entertainment film should be taken as a documentary, they managed to keep close to the historical fact as known in the 70s. Some poetic license is understandable but that is remarkably minimal.

[@pete_lind]

1970 film so there were WW 2 veterans in cast , Martin Balsam , B-24 radio operator , Jason Robards was radio operator on USS Northampton , one of those ships not in Pearl Harbor , James Whitmore 2nd Ltn. Marine corps , got ill on Saipan mission and was stationed to guard Panama canal . Wesley Addy managed to be Major in US Army Lot of those Japanese actors in this movie were military service age during WW 2 and 1927 law was clear , all men in Japan had to report at age 20 and those who were selected , served 2 years and stayed in reserve to age 40 , then by Emperors order during war all able-bodied men aged 17 to 40 were drafted for three years.

[@jeffreybaker4399]

@@pete_lind Good start to the list. Neville Brand (Silver Star, Purple Heart as an infantryman) could be added.

[@harpergras]

An all time classic movie that never gets old.

[@herrzimm]

The fact that they showed SO MUCH respect to the Japanese in this movie that they basically allowed Japanese crews to film their parts as historically accurate as possible. Something that was often NOT allowed by Japanese films crews without "over hyping" aspects for one reason or another... often for "financial backing" by producers who had a personal agenda telling a story. But with AMERICAN backing, the crew basically had a "free hand" to dive into absolutely EVERY aspect of records that shed a ton of light on exactly what was going on. AND the fact that the American backers allowed them to SPEAK Japanese without pressuring them for "English language" being spoken at parts just shows how much they were dedicated to making this movie as accurate as they could. Were there mistakes? Yes, here and there...things were a bit hyped or sometimes flat out WRONG. But overall, this is possibly the most accurate movie about Pearl Harbor EVER filmed. And that dedication to "TRUTH" on both sides of the story makes this one really stand out.... as well as the "test of time".

[@michaelvincent4280]

We shocked the Japanese with the care and honor we showed in creating the film Letters From Iwo Jima. Clint Eastwood did this film that no Japanese Director nor Producer would touch. We even created a classroom to educate the Japanese actors about this piece of their history they knew very little about. It was decided to do this separate story while filming Flag Of Our Fathers, as there was so much story to tell, on both sides.

[@RenegadeSamurai]

I think it really helps that the japanese were able to speak japanese instead of english. It makes it all more believable. Same with "The longest day" where the language shifted between german, french and english all the time.

[@Mangolite]

It was a co-production between the US and Japan. The script was both in Japanese and English. Most of the Japanese portion must have to be edited down for the running time.

[@stevetheduck1425]

@@Mangolite Tora Tora Tora has extra sequences in it's Japanese version; Yamamoto visits the Emperor at the palace to explain himself, implying that the Japanese war council went with his plan because the emperor said so. This is not detectable in the very thorough records of all of the Emperor's meetings. - also a comedy sequence with two Japanese cooks on one of the ships, about the problems with the International Date Line, suggesting that the Japanese Navy is going to a place further West than they usually go. - which they do not understand means war, and this absolves all Japanese from blame. I mean, the Pearl Harbour attack happened on the 7th in the US, but on the 6th in Japan, after all.

[@michaeleberly7351]

As a Navy veteran I appreciate the the shout out, however Memorial Day is for those who died, Veteran’s day is for us. Incidentally Adm. Yamamoto attended the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI.

[@knoahbody69]

That's why he didn't want to attack the United States. He knew Japan would lose.

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

​@@knoahbody69 A lot of Japanese knew they would lose.

[@stevelabonte7923]

Thank you for your service and your reminder of who we honor on Memorial Day.

[@Hiraghm]

we still make the mistake of teaching our enemies how to fight.

[@veganguy74]

I also think that however well-intentioned, it’s inappropriate to say “Happy Memorial Day.”

[@alanholck7995]

The guy who had been working in kitchen who took over machine gun was Mess Attendant 2c Doris Miller; mess attendant was one of the few shipboard jobs available at time for African American Sailors at the time. He received the Navy Cross for his actions, and was killed in late 1943 when his ship was sunk by a torpedo fired by a Japanese submarine. There is an aircraft carrier, USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) currently on order, they plan to start welding steel in 2026.

[@GetMeThere1]

Awesome bit of trivia! Thanks for making me aware of it. Doris has his own Wikipedia article -- amazing.

[@texaspatriot4215]

He was from my hometown of Waco, Texas, there is a nice statue of him in Waco.

[@evanboyd1541]

A destroyer was also named in his honor too.

[@aaaht3810]

The fourth Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, CVN-81, scheduled to be commissioned in 2032, will be USS Doris Miller.

[@stevetheduck1425]

The US will stop naming aircraft carriers after presidents and secretaries of the navy? I'm going to wait and see... It would be a nice thing to do, to remember how they treated people, nearly seventy years late.

[@jtsincock]

"That guy who was working in the kitchen," is Dorie Miller. He is credited to have taken down two Japanese fighters during the attack on Pearl Harbor when he maned an AA gun and engaging with no training for such a roll. He was a Navy cook, like myself.

[@CRAZYHORSE19682003]

The funny thing is the stories of him shooting down aircraft are just myth. Miller himself said he THOUGHT he got one, but there is no way to tell.

[@PauloPereira-jj4jv]

The problem is: some say one, others say two and even SIX. So...

[@Sporkmaker5150]

@@PauloPereira-jj4jv Miller himself said he shot down one for sure and possibly a second.

[@DOUGLAS55ish]

He has a new Ford class Aircraft Carrier named after him.

[@johnc2438]

...and he was killed in battle later in the war.

[@Samminish]

Colonel Bratton was stationed in Japan for years and was fluent in Japanese .. .. After the war began, he spearheaded the drive to let Japanese-Americans serve in the 442nd RCT .. .. Japanese Families, from both Japan & USA, often visit his grave at Pearl Harbor on days like today!

[@davidnowhere2637]

Movies really have a different feel when you know its not cgi

[@Fatherofheroesandheroines]

My grandpa's cousin was on the Arizona. Through a quirk of fate, he got sent to go get paint just twenty minutes before the Japanese hit. Best..paint...run..ever!

[@waterbeauty85]

James Whitmore, whom you recognized from Shawshank, was great in the 1949 movie "Battleground" which was filmed just 4 years after the actual Batte of the Bulge and employed veterans from the 101st Airborne as advisors and extras for the movie.

[@d.1.a_mayby18]

Excellent movie and available on youtube atm.

[@michaelberry1382]

I absolutely love Battleground. As a young teen in the 80s I watched it with my grandad (world war 2 infantry vet. )…. Even though it was an older movie I loved it then! In fact I remember their cadence. “You had a good home but you left, you’re right, Jody was there when you left, your right”. I remember asking my Grandad who Jody was- and he said it was the slang term for guys who stayed stateside and stole girlfriends from soldiers deployed.

[@waterbeauty85]

The scene still inspires me when the exhausted men of the 101st are limping out of Bastogne. Then, as they pass the fresh troops who are coming in, Whitmore starts calling cadence, and they straighten up, get in step and march out proudly

[@michaelberry1382]

@@waterbeauty85 exactly!

[@Divamarja_CA]

I remember my dad (WWII vet) watching this on TV in the 70s. And because he was watching it, we were all watching it too. #1TVfamily

[@musiclifelove]

Were you lucky enough to snag a spot on the couch, or did you get the ol' floor seat?

[@d.1.a_mayby18]

@@musiclifelove I usually had a floor seat my self.....

[@visaman]

On Rhoda's tiny tv it was just Tora Tora T.

[@Philistine47]

"Tora! Tora! Tora!" is still the best Pearl Harbor movie ever made, or that's ever likely to be made. And it fit pretty well (REALLY well, for a Hollywood production) with the history of events _as that was understood in the late 1960s._ We've learned a lot since then, especially about how things happened on the Japanese side. For example, early in the film they made a big deal about the Japanese Army pushing for war while the Navy was reluctant, but in reality the entire Pacific War was the Navy's idea (the Army's idea was to attack the USSR, but they tried it at a place called Khalkin Gol in 1939 and it did not go well); another example, from near the end of the film, is the argument about launching an afternoon strike on Pearl Harbor - but there was no such argument, as everybody involved was just happy they'd managed to carry out their orders successfully without being bombed in return. It doesn't take away from the film as a film, but it's not a history lesson.

[@marsta1980]

The screenwriters based the "Third Wave attack" scene on the accounts of Mitsuo Fuchida who claimed at the time that he and other officers urged Nagumo to launch another attack. Current historians are fairly certain that Fuchida either exaggerated or made up the story in order to salvage his reputation. In hindsight, such an attack could have destroyed the dry docks and fuel depots, which would have caused a significant delay in the inevitable US counterattack. But it was a big risk and Nagumo probably made the right decision based on what he knew at the time. I think the Japanese Army/Navy rivalry was covered the same way -- relying too much on Navy sources. In any case, the Army plan to attack the Soviet Union was dead by 1941 because, as you mention, the Japanese Army was totally outclassed at Khalkin Gol. Once American instituted an oil embargo, Japan had only two options go to war in the Pacific or back down. It should be noted that Tora! Tora! Tora! was two movies in one -- the American sequences written and directed by Americans and the Japanese sequences written and directed by Japanese, and the Japanese filmmakers definitely had an agenda. The movie got all the big events correct: Yamamoto's reticence to attack the US*, the confusing signals by Washington leaving Kimmel and Short out to dry, the staff officer saying "don't worry about it" when the attack was detected on radar, the sortie of the USS Nevada**, and so on. For a Hollywood movie it's very much a history lesson, albeit some scenes have to be taken in context. Which is what anyone studying history has take into account. * - Sadly, one of the most powerful quotes in the film, Yamamoto's "sleeping giant" observation, is probably apocryphal. But it reflected his conviction that Japan had almost no chance of winning the war. In this case, I believe that the scene was a triumph of art over 100% accuracy. ** - My father was on the Nevada on 7 December 1941. He found the movie hard to watch as it brought up terrible memories, but he considered it an excellent retelling.

[@stevetheduck1425]

@@marsta1980 The third wave thing is interesting, given that all but one torpedo plane attacking in the second wave were shot down before they could launch. The surprise didn't last very long, and a third wave would likely have been annihilated, coming as it would, hours after the second had left. .

[@Woody_Hart]

If you look real closely at the U.S. Navy Band playing the National Anthem, I’m in the back row 3rd from the left. Skinny guy with dark frame glasses. We each got paid $72 per day for 3 days and for a total time on screen of only about 35 seconds!

[@ranger-1214]

I worked with a man who was aboard the Nevada and helped get it underway. He helped save the life of an Ensign, and received the Silver Star. Most of the officers were ashore so a skeleton crew had to get her underway. The Nevada (BB36) was intentionally grounded at Hospital Point to keep the channel clear and also prevent possibly rolling over like the Oklahoma, and so was able to get back into the war after repairs. This man retired a Captain (O-6) and lived a long life after, even was President of the USS Nevada Association for a while. His stories of that day were both great and tragic.

[@josephmayo3253]

Probably the best movie ever made about Pearl Harbor.

[@futuregenerationz]

This film provided contextual information above all. It's actually a good history lesson.Other filmmakers like Christopher Nolan remove every piece of contextual information possible, claiming some sort of minimalism. You may capture the confusion seeing history through a straw, but you learn as little actual history as possible. From the days of the great movie soundtrack composers.

[@bjornh4664]

Yeah, when I watched "Dunkirk", I felt sorry for the (mostly younger) people in the audience who had no knowledge of the battle and evacuation. There was so little exposition that it was hardly mentioned that they fought the Germans.

[@vapoet]

The other mother I put in the same class of giving a true history lesson is The Longest Day. It's another one where both sides of the battle are presented.

[@paulstroud2647]

The scene when the shot-up plane crashes into the parked aeroplanes was a genuine filming accident when the burning plane went off course - the stuntmen on the ground were literally running for their lives. The shot was so good it was left in the film

[@fakecubed]

I always assumed it was genuine war footage from that day.

[@AudieHolland]

They had rigged the plane with cables so they could keep control of it and that it would not fly. They lost complete control and the plane actually tried to get airborne.

[@stevetheduck1425]

@@fakecubed Very few people were filming that early in the morning. The film often shown of the Arizona exploding comes at almost the end of a normal home movie of a family going to the beach a few days earlier...

[@scottdarden3091]

As a veteran I personally prefer instead of saying Happy Memorial Day, just say have a greatfull Memorial Day 😊

[@miker252]

Now you have to watch Midway (1976.)

[@YourGodStalin]

Tora! Tora! Tora! and The Longest Day are 2 of the best older war movies of all time. Tora means Tiger, it was the signal for the attack to start.

[@ctidd]

A Bridge too Far (1975) is another classic adapted from a Cornelius Ryan book.

[@hamiltonkingsley6212]

Tora was actually the signal that surprise had been achieved.

[@wkanost]

I saw this at a drive in theater as a child in 1971. I was eight and it made an impression on me that has lasted until this day.

[@andyb7942]

I saw it a drive-in theater too in Kailua, Hawaii.

[@Rickard52]

Tora Tora Tora” was the Japanese code expression for the signal to begin the attack on Pearl Harbor. “Tora” is a Japanese word that means “tiger,” but the full phrase is considered an abbreviation for totsugeki raigeki, which implies “lightning attack.”

[@stevetheduck1425]

The sequence was, for the Japanese: codeword 'climb mount Niigata' to signal that the attack should go ahead, as relations had broken down. The plan was executed, but the planes could have been recalled up until the time they made landfall over Hawaii. The commander of the Japanese air group gave the order 'To, To, To' ('attack' three times) as he had not received the order to call off the attack, later he signalled 'Tora, Tora, Tora,' to tell the fleet that he had achieved surprise and was doing the whole attack according to the plan, six groups of planes, three in each of two waves about ten to fifteen minutes apart. The target choice actually went badly, with almost all of the torpedo planes attacking the same few ships (including the Utah, which was an older, mostly unarmed, non-sea-capable training battleship), the high-level bombers mostly missing their targets (notably not the Arizona), and the dive bombers mostly attacking lesser targets like a group of four cruisers, and three ships in the same dock for repairs, which left few weapons for other high-priority targets such as dry-docks and fuelling facilities. The apparently co-incidental absence of the three aircraft carriers which were the highest-priority targets, may have been due to a minor Admiral who ordered them to sea South of Hawaii or to transport planes to other locations (such as Midway Island), or to let their pilots gets some training time. If he did this due to the earlier warnings has never been confirmed, but if so, he may have changed the course of the Pacific War.

[@shelbyseelbach9568]

Incorrect. "Tora Tora Tora" was radioed back to the fleet from the first wave of attack planes as the attack began. It was the code that signaled that complete surprise had been accomplished and for the fleet to begin preparing the next waves of attackers for launch. Fairly common knowledge.

[@PauloPereira-jj4jv]

​@@stevetheduck1425... actually they never considered to recall the planes. Once they left Japan, the plan was to attack.

[@ronlackey2689]

@@stevetheduck1425 Why was the absence of the Americans carriers "apparently co-incidental (sp)" as you stated? They were delivering aircraft to Midway and Wake Islands. Storms at sea delayed their return else they would have been at Pearl at the time of the attack. Nothing conspiratorial or sinister about that.

[@volkerp.2262]

The radio signal "to ra, to ra, to ra" ("to" for totsugeki, "attack", and "ra" for raigeki, "torpedoes/torpedo bombers") was the signal that the attack was to be carried out in the complete surprise variant, with the torpedo bombers first. The signal was also received by American radio operators, but they understood "tora," the Japanese word for "tiger," instead of "to ra." This led to the radio message becoming known as "tora, tora, tora".

[@filthycasual8187]

I love that in this movie, the USS Enterprise CV-6 is name-dropped. She was a legendary aircraft carrier from this era, only surviving member of her class. She won multiple commendations and medals and passed on her name to the CVN-65 that got decommissioned a few years ago.

[@ironhide238]

My paternal grandfather fought in Normandy. However, he was in the Wehrmacht and my father often told me about it. how much his father suffered from what he had experienced and also how badly this affected him. on the one hand he was overwhelmed by the gigantic allied armada and on the other hand how one soldier after the other stormed across the beach and the number increased even after many had fallen. troops steadily advanced and the beach was overrun. my grandfather was of course a prisoner of war until the end of the war. after the war he had three children and my father only knew the stories of the older siblings and his mother. because my father was only two years old when my grandfather committed suicide at the age of 30.

[@jimreilly917]

That’s horrible. May the US and Germany now remain Allies at peace.

[@ironhide238]

@@jimreilly917 the horrors of war! Yes, I wish all the time that we continue to stick together. personally i believe in nato and also in the values of the eu. also to the usa as an ally. because the usa is the only country that is not intimidated by either russia or china. but nobody needs a war anymore and actually nobody wants it either - at least I hope so. but because of WWII, many people think that all Germans are nazis, but during the second world war, many people didn't know that concentration camps existed. my maternal grandmother for example. only found out about it after the end of the war. what i liked was what spielberg said while filming schindler's list. at first he found it difficult to work with the german actors, but when the german and jewish actors celebrated a jewish festival together. he stood in the corner and started to cry and from then on he said "i will never again blame humans for the atrocities of the ancestors."

[@AudieHolland]

I have read somewhere that German machine gunners would go insane after being too long on the job.

[@oobrocks]

Super accurate and no love story: perfect ❤. Trivia: Oscar winner for special effects

[@TheSDB13]

Waterloo and a A Bridge Too Far are other great historically accurate war films to check out

[@stevetheduck1425]

Waterloo 1970 has it's problems, such as the single mention of Wellington's army being a mix of allied nations, and then ignoring everything that the Dutch-Belgians, German and other allied units did in the battle. This was to reduce the scope and length of the film to manageable proportions, but even Prussia's involvement is reduced to a few mentions and two or three shots that show them. 'A Bridge Too Far' is pretty darn good, but suffers from being based upon one writer's single book on the subject, ignoring much of what actually happened, and almost everything the Germans were doing.

[@Highice007]

History Buffs covered both of these

[@donaldball3245]

"Tora! Tora! Tora!" was seen as the Pacific war's answer to "The Longest Day" in Europe.

[@OldManAmerican]

My Dad was at a Washington Redskins game when Pearl was attacked. The started calling out Admirals, Generals, Senators etc... before anyone found out what had happened. I can't imagine what it was like when they did. Great reaction!

[@danielcobbins8861]

My dad was at that same game, at Griffith Stadium, when the announcer came on an said that all military personnel were to report to their duty stations at once. He found out about the attack later that day.

[@RichardSpeights]

In the military, when the band begins playing the Star Spangled Banner, it must finish the tune - no matter what. That was the point of the scene plus the comic relief to a tense scene.

[@user-gt2uf8cq9y]

The female flying teacher at the start of the attack was Cornelia Fort. She later joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots and became the first female pilot in American history to die on active duty in 1943.

[@darrenrunning5415]

"Infighting between the branches" doesn’t even begin to cover it.

[@Philistine47]

It is often said, semi-seriously, that the Japanese Army and Navy fought each other more fiercely than they ever fought the Allies.

[@barryfletcher7136]

This was an amazingly good film that was NOT recognized at the time.

[@stretmediq]

Tora Tora Tora is one of the most historically accurate movies ever made

[@johnt8636]

The whistles, are called pipes. Yes, because it looks like a pipe. The "tunes" they play are also called pipes. And each pipe is distinct and is a separate command. A pipe will wake you up in the morning. A pipe will make everyone on board stop what they're doing and listen. A pipe will welcome someone aboard. All navies use them, and the Bosun's Pipe goes back centuries. I have my late father's pipe. Fun fact: The scene where the guys on the flight line are running for their lives from the exploding planes, they were actually running for their lives. That scene went wrong when the remotely controlled plane took a hard left.

[@43nostromo]

"Patton" was also released in 1970, which won the Oscar for Best Picture. Both "Tora Tora Tora" and "Patton" contained brilliant and iconic scores by master composer Jerry Goldsmith.

[@darrenobayashi6528]

Very observant to notice the cook who took to the machine gun. He is Doris Miller, who was awarded the Navy Cross (Highest award, just behind the Medal of Honor), in WW2 African Americans could only have jobs as cooks and janitors. But Miller jumped to the guns and fought bravely as the attack began.

[@Big_Bag_of_Pus]

He's slated to have one of the new _Gerald Ford_ -class carriers named after him, CVN-81.

[@colormedubious4747]

IIRC, his battle station was either running ammo to the gunners or he was a loader, so he knew how to work the gun. He worked it like a BOSS.

[@jimtatro6550]

I was about 10 years old when I saw this on TV, great movie. Thank you to all who have served.

[@williambranch4283]

General Billy Mitchell figured out the plan for attacking Pearl in the 1920s ... he was court-martialed. A double agent told J Edgar in September (and the Portuguese embassy in Tokyo told the US embassy in Tokyo) that the Japanese showed too much interest in Pearl. The Americans mostly thought that the Japanese would attack the Philippines first and that Macarthur would be successful in defending it.

[@markhamstra1083]

That’s amazing about Mitchell, considering that the Pacific Fleet wasn’t even moved to Pearl Harbor until 1940. Or maybe you’ve got that story more than a little messed up?

[@williambranch4283]

@@markhamstra1083 War Plan Orange (naval war with Japan) was first approved of in 1911. This plan was updated frequently thru 1938, when the "island hopping" plan was adopted to be implemented by Nimitz. General Mitchell was a great advocate of naval air power, which the battleship admirals hated, but aircraft carriers were developed in spite of opposition in all major navies. The Japanese had the same problem, building the useless Musashi and Yamato. February 7th, 1932 the US Navy attacked Pearl from US aircraft carriers using bags of flower against Battleship Row and the airfields using over 150 planes and achieved complete success (on a Sunday morning). The truth is out there - X Files

[@markhamstra1083]

@@williambranch4283 The 1911 War Plan Orange and U.S. Navy’s Fleet Problems of the 1930s have little to nothing to do with Billy Mitchell in the 1920s. You are wildly throwing whatever you can find against the wall, hoping that your conspiracy theory will stick. Yes, in his 1925 book Mitchell did envision a Japanese attack on Hawaii, but his hypothetical Japanese attack was radically different from what occurred on December 7, 1941. In Mitchell’s scenario, the Japanese used land-based bombers since he didn’t think that aircraft carriers were capable of launching an effective, concentrated attack. The hypothetical bombers would have used airfields on a northern Hawaiian island and on Midway, having been assembled there after being transported in crates by submarines. Using this to claim that Mitchell figured out the Japanese plan for attacking Pear Harbor is absurd. Mitchell was not court-martialed for this, but rather for his public statements and other actions in the aftermath of the crash of the Navy dirigible _Shenandoah._ Yes, U.S. war planning in the Pacific had for decades envisioned fighting the Japanese - they were the only likely and obvious opponent. Some of the planning and war gaming in the years before the 1941 attack did involve Japan attacking Hawaii and Pearl Harbor. It also considered many things that didn’t happen, such as Japan attacking the Philippines first or blocking the Panama Canal by sinking ships in it. Sure, leading up to December 7, 1941, the U.S. and it’s Navy knew that war with Japan was likely and that Pearl Harbor was vulnerable to some attacks, including carrier assault. But that they anticipated conflict with Japan in broad terms or had even war gamed some successful attacks on Pearl Harbor is simply not the same thing as having figured the time and manner of the actual Japanese attack in operational detail. There was plenty of actual blame to be assigned for failures at Pearl Harbor, and there was in actual history already more than enough misassigned blame without any need to add your attempts to fling more against the wall.

[@bertpunkaficionado8357]

I was in the Navy when Pearl Harbor (2001) was released. In fact, my carrier at the time was used as the carrier Doolittle's raid takes off from at the end. No one I knew liked the film. Not even the most Gung Ho, Ate-Up, Atta-Boy Lifer. The ship got a screener to show the movie on one of the ship tv channels (we were at sea). They showed it on a loop on one channel. People were mocking it. One day, they came on the 1MC (the ship public address circuit/speaker) to call for people to come to the deck and do a FOD walk (walk the length in group to look for nuts, screws, debris). They said "come on up. I know you're not watching Pearl Harbor. That movie sucks." We had a great laugh. Anyway, I grew up watching Tora Tora Tora and absolutely love it.

[@mitchellmelkin4078]

I salute both of you for presenting this, whether or not it came through with a member request and today being Memorial Day!!! Without searching, I'm very dubious of finding other reactors ever having made the same choice!!! The film's indeed highly noted for it hewing closely to the historical record and laying out the intricacy of the run-up to the war, as well as the attack itself (at least, as was known at the time). It's definitely a film worth viewing again on occasion, with a number of pretty moving sequences to take in, despite it not playing up any undue dramatic type of feeling, as you both remarked upon. I saw this in one of those downtown movie palaces (when I was 12), built during the period of the looming transition to talkies and some years afterwards. Once more, thank you greatly for offering the treat of sharing the experience, but this time, as you both see it for the very first time!!👏 👏 👏

[@ChicagoDB]

“Taking Chance” starring Kevin Bacon, is my favorite Memorial Day movie watch…

[@GentleGiantJason]

Probably the best Pearl Harbor movie ever made. Love it so much

[@stonecutter3172]

The reason the aircraft had 3 crewmen is simple. You have the Pilot, a Navigator/Radio Operator, and a Tailgunner. The Japanese A6M Zero fighter was at the time of the attack was the best fighter in the world for maneuverability and range. Hit it with gunfire it falls apart. The typewriter that was used in the Japanese Embassy to type the 14 part message is still in the Japanese Embassy in its own room as a REMINDER to all to do their job in the efficient manner possible.

[@Big_Bag_of_Pus]

No, they weren't five minutes late. They were an hour and five minutes late.

[@steelers6titles]

Tokyo kept Nomura and Kurusu in Washington in the dark, talking, even as bombs were falling. In contrast, the U.S. had recalled its ambassador to Germany in 1938 after Kristallnacht, although a staff remained at the embassy in Berlin until Germany declared war on the U.S. on December 11, 1941, four days after Pearl Harbor. Germany had recalled its ambassador to the United States, Hans-Heinrich Dieckhoff, in response to the U. S. recalling its ambassador.

[@jimglenn6972]

Finally someone reviewed this movie! Great job. I think the found the sunk Japanese submarine about 10 or 15 years ago. There were still people who were sure it didn’t exist. Finally, years later, the commander got credit. A great movie and very realistic. The sister movie to this is “Midway” that shows the revenge that the carrier fleet reek in Japan. It was done with the same production team and is also very good. There are some dramatic elements but it is definitely worth a watch. Some one suggested “The Final Countdown” with is almost completely set on the USS Nimitz. Another excellent choice.

[@88wildcat]

Midway is a great film but it would have been so much better without the Hollywoody fictional subplot involving Charlton Hesston and his son. I get it, you signed Charlton Hesston to star in the movie so that is exactly what he is going to do but knowing how accurate everything else is about that movie it just aggravates me that so much time is spent on two totally fictional characters.

[@mitchellmelkin4078]

@jimglenn6972, It's wreaked, not reek.

[@alanhigh8125]

Several years ago, a still-live Japanese torpedo was found embedded in the sand somewhere along the shoreline. It was still in such good shape that the red paint was intact.

[@MiBones]

@@88wildcat I believe that Heston's role in the movie, although brief, show the conditions of Japanese Americans and the internment camps. Basically untold history.

[@billbutler335]

Around 6:39 you mentioned 3 men in the Japanese Torpedo Bomber, they were the Pilot, Bombardier/Navigator, and Gunner/radioman.

[@long-timesci-fienthusiast9626]

Hi Guys, it`s great to finally see someone react to this film. For me, this is my favourite film about Pearl Harbour. If you are considering a war film for June 6th, please consider the 1962 film (The Longest Day). It also shows things from all sides, with lots of international stars. from just beforehand until the end of the day.

[@steelers6titles]

Tremendous co-production. The Japanese did what they knew best--the planning and carrying out of the attack. The Americans did what they knew best--the reaction to the attack.

[@AudieHolland]

The Americans did what they were best at getting caught with their pants down.

[@shainewhite2781]

One of thw greatest war movies ever made! Its told from both American and Japanese perspectives. However, Roger Ebert called this "One Of The Worst War Movies Ever Made." What a joke! This is an amazing epic war film that people should more often, because this is history right here.

[@videor44]

Ebert was right

[@auerstadt06]

Ebert gave a thumbs down to "Full Metal Jacket."

[@Markus117d]

It was this movie that got me interested in history, Precisely because it does tell the story from both sides perspective. Rather than just being a propaganda piece as are a lot of more modern US movies which rewrite history for "Artistic purposes" ( Grinds teeth 😡 ) lol...

[@Mangolite]

Doris “Dorie” Miller was serving as a cook aboard the battleship West Virginia when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Although not trained on it-Black naval recruits were typically confined to the Stewards Branch, cooking and serving food-he manned an anti-aircraft gun. Although he is not identified by name, Miller is portrayed by Elven Havard in the 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora! and was performed by Cuba Gooding Jr. in Pearl Harbor (2001).

[@jamesbrown4092]

Interesting detail in this movie: If you look closely, you'll see that the actor who plays Yamamoto keeps the first two fingers of his left hand folded. This is because the real Yamamoto lost those two fingers at the Battle of Tsushima. It is said that if he had lost a third, he would have been invalided out of the navy.

[@steelers6titles]

Vice-Admiral Chuichi Nagumo's flagship, the carrier Akagi, was later sunk at Midway.

[@pauld6967]

Many stories to relate in connection with this great movie. One of my favorites is the vindication of the U.S.S. WARD. In addition to the depth charges dropped it reported putting a shell through the midget sub's conning tower and was practically universally disbelieved. Decades later the midget sub was located, photographed and confirmed that it had been hit in the conning tower by a shell from one of WARD's deck guns.

[@StephenLuke]

This film is one of the best WWII films I ever watched in my life! I'm a WWII buff and I'm impressed with the accurate parts in the film.

[@bran1886]

Didn't expect this, an all time classic.

[@antonnola]

It's rumored that Admiral Yamamoto knew they could never defeat the US, but did his civic duty anyway and was even surprised they pulled off the attack on Pearl Harbor. It's also rumored FDR allowed the attack to happen to get the US involved in the war, but many things are lost to history. This really was a great concept in film making having both an American and Japanese studio film their own parts.

[@Big_Bag_of_Pus]

The whole "FDR allowed it to happen" conspiracy theory has historically been popular with the same type of people who assert that 9/11 was an inside job, the moon landings were faked, and the Earth is flat.

[@dansiegel995]

Rumor? No, that''s called a Conspiracy Theory.

[@The_Highlander001]

Admiral Yamato spent time in theU.S. he went to Harvard University and he attended to the U.S. Naval War College. He traveled America and he said I can give you one year, maybe two, after that there will be no victory.

[@ConstantineFurman]

@@dansiegel995 I don't know about that FDR part, but the part about Admiral Yamamoto is true.

[@fakecubed]

@@ConstantineFurman It's not any sort of secret. Anyone with a clue in Japan knew they couldn't beat the US in a war, and Yamamoto was no fool. Even if the US had lost its entire carrier fleet, Japan lacked the ability to wage a war against the American mainland, and the industrial might of the US was too great, and it was well-known that the US was building a new fleet of ships anyway. The ones they sank at Pearl Harbor were basically obsolete, due to be replaced soon. The carriers themselves were an older class. Japan's only hope was that the US would be so devastated by their initial strike that Japan could force the US into a quick peace agreement to avoid a prolonged war, and while that was being negotiated they figured they could seize a bunch of Pacific islands and territories in Asia and get established there and be in a stronger position. But all they did was give American pro-war politicians the excuse to drop the hammer, and enrage the American people into signing up in droves to fight. Pearl Harbored is considered to be a Japanese partial victory, but I would call it their first defeat, because it started a war they could not win.

[@1Fracino]

It's a really good film that details all of the communications fuckups that led to the horrific, no warning attack on Pearle Harbour. Midway is the next Film you should see, made in 1976. The US gets it's revenge in the most devastating fashion imaginable.

[@AudieHolland]

Keeping the entire fleet at Pearl made no sense without any combat air patrols guarding the skies.

[@timbrady3090]

The scene with the pilot training, I believe they were actually going toward each other but thought it may have been too risky to do. Short and Kimble were found to be responsible for the failure, they were actually scapegoats. Later on during attack on Midway, they attacked the outer islands of Alaska. They found a Japanese fighter (zero) that had crashed but was intact. They salvaged it and used it to find out it strengths and weaknesses. Also, after they artack on Pearl Harbor, we attacked Japan. They say that while in a bomber they flew over a silhouette of an aircraft carrier on the ground and thought about putting bombers on carriers and attacking Japan. Movie is 30 seconds over Tokyo. Very good movie.

[@billbutler335]

As a general note, full specifications of the AM-6 Zero were sent to the military by Claire Chenault from a downed plane that was recovered by the Chinese when he was an advisor the Chinese government. The information was dismissed by the high officials in Washington due to the belief that the Japanese were incapable of building such an aircraft.

[@timbrady3090]

@@billbutler335"It was found intact by the Americans in July 1942 and became the first Zero acquired by the United States during the war that could be restored to airworthy condition. It was repaired and flown by American test pilots." This is what came up on Google search and saw documentary talking about them finding the plane and restoring it to flying condition. The test pilot told them the best ways to defeat it and what not to do when dog fighting the Zero.

[@billbutler335]

@@timbrady3090 The had the specifications, not an actual aircraft in early 1941. You are correct in that we got our hands on a real Zero in July 42 but they knew about it earlier and just didn't believe it.

[@timbrady3090]

@@billbutler335 hadn't heard of that part but I know his Flying Tigers did a lot of damage to their planes

[@matta5498]

You now have to watch the 1976 film Midway. It depicts the battle that turned the war in the Pacific.

[@karidrgn]

The newer midway film is better. Those who can id planes are annoyed that the 1976 film uses planes that weren't built yet as part of the attack.

[@matta5498]

@@karidrgn You're welcome to you're opinion, I've seen both and prefer the 76 version. The CGI in the newer version was a turnoff for me.

[@karidrgn]

@@matta5498 I think then we can all agree about the horrid Pearl Harbor. the CGI is a joke as they forgot to edit out the modern battleships of one of the planes flybys. And then the made up romance ick. My husband also dislikes the made up romance in Midway. That couple with the inaccurate planes detract from an otherwise decent film.

[@tomterific390]

@@karidrgn including F9F Panther JETS. The 1976 movie sucked donkey dicks. Same producers as for Tora Tora Tora, but since the latter was a box office flop, they must've decided Midway had to have a love story in it.

[@tomterific390]

@@matta5498 CGI is always overdone, but at least the newer Midway movie actually made an effort to use aircraft correct for the period, instead of doing everything on the cheap--using outtakes from Tora Tora Tora and even worse, archive footage of planes that were not deployed for another year or more, including Korean War-era jets.

[@mikedignum1868]

Such a good film about the attack. Much better than the remake a few years ago. Watch a film called The Final Countdown, which gives a what-if view of the attack. A modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

[@healthtrooper]

That sounds like a power fantasy not a what-if...

[@richruksenas5992]

It's not a what if. They copped out at the end and nothing happened. Always pissed me off.

[@bertpunkaficionado8357]

@@richruksenas5992 They didn't cop out. The storm that sent them back swallows them and returns them. And, Pearl Harbor did happen.

[@crofootski]

The Final Countdown is a pretty cool sort of sequel-just-imagine movie. I've watched it a bunch of times and enjoyed it every time. Lots of live carrier action and a good score. Has the world's oldest dog, too.

[@stephenkoehler4051]

Something that isn't well known is that Ambasador Kurusu, one of the Japanese negotiators, was against the war in spite of being present for signing the Tripartite pact. He was actually married to an American, whom he met while being posted to the Chicago consulate. He attempted to resign before the war but was recalled by the Emperor for the Tripartite pact negotiations. He was kept out of the loop as far as the Pearl Harbor attack. The whole thing was secret to the point that the Japanese embassy staff was unaware of the attack until it happened.

[@Col_Fragg]

FYI: The older Japanese actor at 28:15 is Eijiro Tono and he's portraying Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo. Tono's politics were to the Left and he was a member of Leftist political organizations at a time when being a member was a dangerous thing. He never served in the military but during the last year of the war, he toured with a government sponsored theater troupe whose mission was to raise the moral of Japanese workers and thereby raise productivity. You might also recognize Tono from "Seven Samurai" (1954) and "Yojimbo" (1961) where he is prominently featured.

[@colormedubious4747]

FYI, there were TWO waves launched by the IJN. Nagumo, believing that his primary duty was to preserve the striking power of the Kido Butai, called off the THIRD planned wave that was intended to take out the tank farms, drydocks, and other repair facilities. Since he did not, all but a few of the USN's capital ships that were crippled by the attack were ultimately put back in service and helped turn the formerly mighty IJN into artificial reefs throughout the Pacific. My father was transferred to Wheeler AFB while they were filming this movie. We didn't see any of the actual moviemaking, but the Officer's Club at Wheeler was closed for a while so they could film some interiors. You see it in a few scenes. The old runway at Wheeler was also used for some of the exteriors and aircraft takeoff and landing scenes. It's the runway in the shallow valley with revetments visible in the background. My friends and I used to ride our bikes down there and marvel at the bullet holes and other damage from the attack (the Japanese had strafed and bombed the field, which is why it's called the "old runway." A new runway was built parallel to the main road through the base some time after the attack). They also filmed quite a few scenes on Ford Island (like the infamous scene where the remote-controlled plane unintentionally achieved flight and they had to blow it early before it could kill some stunt men, as well as the kamikaze blasting into the hangar-- yes, Virginia, that was a full-scale PRACTICAL stunt, not VFX or a model) and built a partial mock-up of the USS Arizona on barges in the harbor. Quite a bit of 1969 leaked into the movie. The most hilarious example is the giant cross in Kolekole Pass, which was erected after the war to memorialize the casualties of the attack. Laughter erupted in the Base theater when that cross appeared on the screen, because we ALL knew when it was built. Other anachronisms include most of the cranes and control towers near Pearl Harbor and quite a few post-attack admin buildings. Most of the IJN aircraft were played by modified North American Aviation T-6 Texans because NO flyable IJN aircraft survived the war (FAFO). The IJN carriers that weren't obvious models were played by the USS Yorktown (wearing a fake bow to hide her catapults) and the launch and fly-by scenes were filmed off the California coast. The B-17 crash was not scripted. The plane had a jammed landing gear, so they filmed the hell out of its emergency landing and decided to stick it in the movie.

[@Cailus3542]

It's worth noting that historians broadly agree that Nagumo was right not to launch a third wave, or send in the battleships. Hawaii was now alert and actively defended. More, the Japanese planes would've been returning to their carriers after dusk, something that they weren't trained for., and would've resulted in heavy losses. There was also the serious threat of US counterattack, either from Hawaii, a carrier or a submarine. Nagumo needed to preserve his force for future engagements, especially against the British, who had a powerful force at Singapore and could deploy a large fleet of their own (which they did two months later). The US carriers were also still a huge threat, as later events would prove.

[@colormedubious4747]

@@Cailus3542 People often forget just how badly the IJN pilots screwed the pooch. Their target priorities were: 1) Sink the USN's carriers (totally not their fault that no carriers were present to be attacked), 2) Sink A (singular) battleship -- yes, just ONE for the symbolism and demoralization value, and 3) sink or cripple as many other high-value warships as possible -- mainly the USN's cruisers, of which there were EIGHT in port that morning. None of the pilots wanted to return and report that they'd hit a "mere" cruiser, and they were (each and every man) fixated on smoking a battleship, to the extent that, in a ridiculously target-rich environment, they kept bombing and torpedoing the same already-crippled battleships repeatedly instead of seeking fresh meat. Only three of the eight cruisers present were even damaged. The sub base was basically untouched. All but two support vessels suffered nary a scratch. Most of the destroyers were largely undamaged, except for the two that shared a drydock with USS Pennsylvania and got blown to pieces only by virtue of proximity and sloppy aim. The pilots tasked with attacking the airfields, however, accomplished their mission remarkably well. 169 USN and USAAC aircraft were destroyed. The IJN, on the other hand, lost only 29 planes over Oahu and had to push another 19 into the sea after they returned due to excessive damage. That's a pretty decent ratio, and there could have been no counterattack launched from Oahu. Nagumo was concerned about submarines, but he probably didn't know just how useless American torpedoes were in the early days of the war. The American carriers were probably the only real threat he had cause to be worried about but, in the chaos immediately following the attack, the USN was probably reluctant to risk losing them to IJN submarines, which carried the finest torpedoes in the world at that time, and there was suddenly a critical lack of land-based planes to deploy in an extensive search for the Kido Butai. Nagumo's force was relatively safe, and he decided to make it even safer by withdrawing. Given what he knew at the time, it was probably the correct decision. He would, of course, have the opportunity to make VERY incorrect decisions about seven months later.

[@user-gl5dq2dg1j]

@@colormedubious4747 Given how effective Japanese torpedoes were I'm sure they assumed ours were good. It would take much screaming by angry sub commanders to start fixing that problem. One lucky survivor of the attack was the Neosho, a fast fleet oiler which allowed for the various raids in the first few months of the war and helped Lexington and Yorktown get to the Coral Sea in April. Its demise may have spared the carriers for the day and allowed for the sinking of a light Japanese carrier, the damaging of a fleet carrier and the decimation of the other fleet carrier's air wing. The battle of the Coral Sea was at least as important as Midway because it stopped the sea invasion of Port Morrisby and the lessening of strength of the Japanese had available for operations against Midway.

[@stevetheduck1425]

@@user-gl5dq2dg1j Another surviving ship from Pearl Harbour that made the headlines later was the USS Phoenix, a cruiser, that many years later, and re-named the ARA General Belgrano, was sunk during the operations to recover the Falkland Islands from their Argentine invaders.

[@dewaynejelks9088]

I believed the best movie for this time period is "The Winds of War". As a sailor, I have great respect for "Tora! Tora! Tora!". Other really good NAVY films are "Midway" from the 70s' NOT the new one, "In Harm's Way" and "Gray Lady Down". "The Winds of War" is outstanding even if it isn't Memorial Day.

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

I own this on VHS ! Man I feel old saying that !

[@williambranch4283]

Aviator Commander Fujita was at Pearl and Midway and survived. It was disbelieved at the time that there was an engagement between a Miget sub and the US Navy outside the port entrance. Only a few years ago it was found in very deep water ... with a big hole shot thru its conning tower, killing both sailors inside. None of the Midget subs were successful. We fired the first shot.

[@colormedubious4747]

It doesn't matter who fired the first shot. We fired the LAST shot.

[@donaldstone540]

A second wave would've destroyed the fuel farm and the drydocks. The entire pacific fleet fuel supply was at Pearl. Destroying the drydocks would've greatly diminished the ability to repair the damaged ships at Pearl. The only ships not repaired and put back in the war were the Arizona, the Utah, and the Oklahoma. The Oklahoma was righted and floated and in tow to the West Coast when it sunk in a storm.

[@mitchellmelkin4078]

@donaldstone540, Actually, the third wave, not the second.

[@les4767]

What makes this film remarkable is the fact that it was filmed by 2 different productions: An American one and a Japanese one. You get the background and events leading up to the attack from both sides of the conflict and it's quite enlightening.

[@southtexasprepper1837]

For those that are not familiar with Japanese, "Tora! Tora! Tora! " translates to "Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!"

[@mitchyoung93]

Yes, it was the signal that their attack had been successful.

[@southtexasprepper1837]

@@mitchyoung93 The Imperial Japanese only mistake was that they didn't follow up with a second attack. Principally going after the Dry Docks and Fuel Tank Facilities.

[@DominusLuna]

When I was little my parents used to drop us off at the theater like every Sunday (they did that back then. I was about 8 and had two younger siblings with me) and I saw the previews for this on the big screen. They were still showing Vietnam War footage on tv and this movie seemed to fit all that excitement of the times.

[@davefranklin4136]

I have seen this movie many times, and have it on DVD, but you must have a different (Director's cut?) version. There were scenes I've never seen before. Tora means tiger in Japanese. Tora, tora, tora was the code from the strike leader, Commander Fuchida, that they had achieved surprise. To address what you asked at the end: the movie is quite accurate. IMO it is far better than Pearl Harbor, even if it is long and a little slow, with perhaps one exception: Pearl Harbor did a good job showing USS Oklahoma capsizing. The U.S. only lost two BBs in the war: USS Arizona, which is of course still sitting on the bottom at Pearl and is a memorial, and USS Oklahoma; she was not repaired during the war.

[@oobrocks]

Thank u 🎉

[@colormedubious4747]

Oklahoma was righted and partially repaired. She sank in heavy seas as she was being towed to the mainland for additional repairs. Utah was sunk during the attack, but she was already obsolete and just used for target practice with only about 50 men aboard. She's still on the bottom at Pearl, too. The rest of the battleships were repaired and sent back into the fight for some well-deserved payback.

[@Charlie-wt6hv]

I had a teacher in High School who had us watch the film. When the part where the Battleship Nevada was getting under way he said " that's me at the helm steering the ship ". He had enlisted in the navy in 1939. After Dec.7th he was transferred to the carrier Saratoga where he served till early 1943. He was sent to officers candidate school and by the end of the war was in command of his own ship, a mine sweeper. Commander Roy Johnston was his name.

[@bobsit1945]

Was a Navy Corpsman with Marine Artillery unit from Okinawa that was at nearby Camp Fuji for exercises when the movie came out, and was able to watch it in a crowded theater in Tokyo. Was surprised at the somber attitude of the audience at the time.

[@netzahuacoyotl]

My father worked for a company in Harlingen, TX whose owners were involved in the Confederate Air Force, an unfortunately named society dedicated to preserving and maintaining WWII military aircraft. The organization was housed at the old air base, which is now the Harlingen International Airport. The old airbase had hangars, offices and barracks from the WWII era. The film production used some of the aircraft and locations there. My dad’s employer had him take measurements in one of the hangers for the film’s preproduction and he took me along to hold the end of the tape measure. So I can say I participated in the production of this film.

[@darrenobayashi6528]

Tora Tora Tora was one of my favorite movies as a kid, spurred my interest in the Pearl Harbor attack. As a pre-teen I read all the non-fiction books on the attack (living in Hawaii probably has a lot to do with it also) but the movie had lots of eyewitness accounts that was written about. Such as the plane that was giving lessons as the Japanese flew by. Or the Radio station playing music, they played music when aircraft were being ferried from the mainland so they can follow the signal, they left it on for the B-17s arriving. Small little details that they included really made me (as a bright eyed kid) engrossed in the facts of the Pearl Harbor attack. This was such a great movie as a kid, as an adult it does leave a lot to be criticized. The joint collaboration of Japanese and American production crews made a lot of disjointed editing. But as a kid it was interesting to see both sides. The amazing aerial shots and airplane stunts were a stand out. The models were ehhh, I know there was not much better ways of filming it, but yeah, it does remove you from the story when you see it now. This movie and the Midway movie (which used many of the aerial footage from Tora) were my favorite movies for a long time as a kid. So nice to visit them with you guys. Have a great Memorial Day! Thank you for those who sacrificed for our country!

[@foxmcleod64]

One of my favorite war films! It's an incredibly well made movie. Thank you for watching this for Memorial Day. My grandpa served during WW2 as a pacific theater as a landing craft pilot. He lied about his age to get in after Pearl Harbor. The stories he told me were all humorous in nature, but I could tell he'd had seen some things that he didn't want to talk about.

[@hamiltonkingsley6212]

Great movie. One of the few I went to the theatre to see 4 times. I watch the DVD every December. Oklahoma capsized because it was hit with 6-7 torpedoes on one side. West Virginia was also hit with 6-7 torpedoes, but 2 sailors in damage control, WITHOUT WAITING FOR ORDERS, started counterflooding, so West Virginia settles into the mid right side up.

[@davidclarke7122]

I'd love to see them view Battle of Britain, maybe for remembrance day in November

[@jamespaton6047]

Battle of Britain Day is September 15th

[@davidclarke7122]

Yes, but the Yanks don't know about that!

[@johnmccarron7066]

One of the reasons the attack on Pearl Harbor was so effective (and a major contributing factor to the myth that FDR knew Pearl Harbor was going to be attacked on December the 7th), was that the US knew an attack was coming...they just didn't know where. There was clear evidence that the Japanese were planning a major military operation, and there was a good likelihood that the United States would be targeted in that operation. Based on the pattern of their campaigns, It was strongly believed that they would continue their conquest through southeast Asia, with the primary target being the Philippines (which were attacked on December 8th). It was the plan to support the Philippines with the Pacific fleet if this happened. It was unthinkable for the japanese to send a fleet as far as it did to attack Pearl, because it was considered far too remote and risky a target. There were initial rumors that Pearl was being considered a target, but that was before any formalized planning had taken place, and easy to dismiss. In the confused run up to the actual attack, any evidence that's pro was the target was functionally lost in translation. The general military consensus was still convinced that the Philippines were going to be the target, and they were genuinely baffled when they realized what was happening. They put so much preparedness and anticipation in place for another target, they literally couldn't shift their focus away from it as they were being attacked.

[@steelers6titles]

The fleet at anchor came first. A lightning attack. Tora tora tora.

[@user-gl5dq2dg1j]

Due to the International Date Line, the attacks on the Philippines were only a few hours after Pearl Harbor. Which means MacArthur failed to prepare and especially after the attach on Pearl was negligent in how he deployed is air forces.

[@UnclePengy]

My dad was at Pearl Harbor. Survivor culture was my heritage. I watch this movie every December 7th. One of the best war movies ever. Many of the airplanes used in the film are still flying, and they do Pearl Harbor reenactment shows at air shows across the US. This is the best Pearl Harbor movie ever made (forget that Ben Affleck heresy). Made with real planes and locations and 100% practical effects. They intentionally made it in a documentary style, I'm glad you caught that. Some people didn't understand that when it came out, and the movie (no pun intended) kind of bombed when it was released (Roger Ebert famously panned the film), but has since been recognized as one of the greatest war films of all time.

[@hellowhat890]

41:03 "That guy just about shit his pants there." Oh yeah, definitely. Because that plane really did veer off-course and almost killed the extras. All of them frantically trying to avoid getting killed was actually what genuinely happened on the set. That really is them running for their lives because the plane suddenly came crashing towards them.

[@Cheryworld]

IN HARM'S WAY - John Wayne at Pear Harbor, goes on to win the war with a little help from Kirk Douglas and Burgess Meredith (from Rocky) and Henry Fonda. Cool movie

[@scottjo63]

And not only music by Jerry Goldsmith for Tora Tora Tora, also In Harms Way.

[@jamespaton6047]

@@scottjo63 From Here To Eternity with Burt Lancaster and Frank Sinatra is another great movie.

[@scottjo63]

@James Paton saw both movie version and TV mini series with William Devane taking the Burt Lancaster role. Also with Natalie Wood and Peter Boyle who took the Ernest Borgnine role of Fatso. Both good.

[@jamespaton6047]

@@scottjo63 Another mini-series which is similar to that is Pearl with Angie Dickinson, Dennis Weaver and Robert Wagner made about the same time in the late 70's.

[@banzi403]

This is a perfect example of an excellent historical war movie. Lots of facts, not buckets of blood and bad acting like certain other war movies made since the mid 90's

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

And which films are those?

[@banzi403]

@@ericsierra-franco7802 saving private ryan

[@steelers6titles]

"Billy's grandpa" is Jason Robards, portraying Lt. General Walter Short.

[@reggievangleason9511]

I enjoyed your reaction. I saw this movie with parents in big theater, 1970. At time of release, millions of vets were still with us, as was my Dad, a Navy vet. My Uncle was at sea with the Enterprise carrier group. He said they saw planes in far distance, but assumed they were American. They were not.

[@shallendor]

This is such a great movie, best movie about the attack on Pearl Harbor! Go For Broke is my favorite serious war movie, Mister Roberts is my favorite comedy war movie and Kelly's Heroes is my favorite war heist movie!

[@Tr0nzoid]

After living in Hawaii, I saw this as really little kid. Even though I had been on the USS Arizona memorial and knew the attack already happened, it was really jarring to see it depicted.

[@MST3Killa]

Just realized the officer who says, "The general has poor handwriting" is the same actor from the movie Stalag 17, another ww2 movie about prisoners of war. I don't know if I've ever noticed him in this before and yet I've seen Tora Tora Tora probably a dozen or more times.

[@tomloft2000]

I think you're right about the carriers. It was a tragedy losing the battleships and lives, but it forced the Navy to beef up it's supply of carriers. The tide in the Pacific turned when the U.S. gained dominance in the sky.

[@Dularr]

In Harm's Way - John Wayne. Starts with the carriers during Perarl Harbor.

[@mgwilliams1000]

Of course, as the opening credits state, based on Gordan Prange's "Tora Tora Tora". However, for some serious historical insight to both sides of this, including the military and congressional hearings afterward, highly recommend Grange's "At Dawn We Slept", 1981. Great reaction to a fine film.

[@mitchellmelkin4078]

@mgwilliams1000, I had the great privilege of taking a course he taught at UMD, way back when. It was about WWI. As has been widely noted, his lively, animated, and engaging style of presenting material was greatly treasured.

[@tomterific390]

Prange never wrote a book entitled, "Tora Tora Tora." His two books on Pearl Harbor were "At Dawn We Slept" and "December 7, 1941." The other book on which this movie was based was "The Broken Seal," by Ladislas Farago, which was all about Operation Magic and the breaking of the Japanese secret code, which was achieved back in the 1920s.

[@mgwilliams1000]

He did write a two-part essay titled Tora, Tora, Tora for Readers Digest in 1963.

[@jamesstrickland517]

Pearl was my father's home port he was stationed on an oiler that was with one of the carrier task forces in the Aleutians they wanted to give chase but did not have the fuel so were ordered to Frisco for resupply. My father joined the Navy at age 17 in 1938 he retired in 1961. He spent all of WWII in the Pacific and survived two ships being sunk under him he was a machinist mate.

[@johnc2438]

I was a young sailor in VR-21 at Naval Air Station Barbers Point (just west of Pearl Harbor) in 1970 when location filming was done for the movie. One portion of the field was earmarked for replica Japanese warplanes and several B-17s; and some of the old, unused hangars on one side of the field were "targeted" for destruction during filming. During the filming period, a real Japanese anti-aircraft squadron flew in for joint training with one of our anti-submarine squadrons. The real Japanese fliers had a "Twilight Zone" moment but also enjoyed posing by their "WWII" counterpart aircraft! We did, too! I also took slide photos (still have 'em) of a B-17 that came in for an unscheduled emergency landing when one of its landing gear would not lower. The plane circled the field until film crews could be positioned to shoot the landing. The landing was used in the movie and later in "Midway."

[@lawrencejones1517]

This movie is a bookend to The Longest Day, about the June 6, 1944 Normandy landings. It's a bit wider in its scope than Tora Tora Tora, as there are allot of different characters at both the high and the low end. But it's done in the same fashion, from every point of view. Not just American and German, but also the French, the British, and the Canadian pov, too. It was released in 1962.

[@fakecubed]

I'd go for Midway next, continue the naval theme. It's basically a sequel without actually being a sequel.