Episode 6: The Rising Sun

The sixth episode of the series focuses on the early days of the war in the Pacific, from Pearl Harbor through the bloody battle for Guadalcanal. The film also features South Carolina marines, their training on Parris Island and Navy veterans’ life at sea. Produced by SCETV and The State Newspaper.

The Rising Sun, Part 1
Episode 1

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This segment includes the Marine Corps Hymn, reflections on the attraction that the Marine Corps has for young people who want to serve, and memories of some individuals who made the decision to sign...
The Rising Sun, Part 3
Episode 3

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Veterans remember arriving after the attack on Pearl Harbor and seeing how devastating the losses to the United States Navy were. They didn't realize that well over 2,000 people had been killed...
The Rising Sun, Part 4
Episode 4

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Fritz Hamer, military historian, explains that Japan was an industrial power, but it needed the resources to maintain it. Japan's purpose was to nullify the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, then destroy the...
The Rising Sun, Part 5
Episode 5

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Midway Island was a U.S. outpost located about a thousand miles west of Hawaii. Prior to World War II, it was basically a weather station with some U.S. Naval groups on it to protect it. The Japanese...
The Rising Sun, Part 6
Episode 6

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Veterans recall what life onboard a Navy ship was like, including being bored, being seasick, how crowded they were, the schedule, poker and Monopoly, gambling, learning to drink, including some...
The Rising Sun, Part 7
Episode 7

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The island of Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific, was the major offensive area for the Japanese, in order to control Australia and the South Pacific. Veterans and historians reflect on...