Ep 6. Banzai! - Japan Strikes 1931 - 1942

The World At War is a 26-episode documentary series that explores World War II through various perspectives and covers major events and important figures of the war. In season 1 episode 6, titled Banzai! - Japan Strikes 1931 - 1942, viewers are taken on a journey through Japan’s expansionist policies and their involvement in WWII.

The episode starts by introducing the viewer to Japan’s political situation in the 1930s, particularly the rise of militarism and the influence of the army over the government. Japan saw itself as a superior race and believed in the concept of a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. They claimed that they were liberating the people of Asia from Western imperialism but in reality, it was a strategic move to gain control over territories and resources.

The episode then delves into Japan’s invasion of Manchuria in 1931, which they claimed was for the protection of Japanese interests in the region. This marked the beginning of Japan’s aggressive expansionist policies. The viewers are then taken through the events leading to the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937 and Japan’s brutal occupation of China. The viewer sees firsthand the atrocities committed by the Japanese army, including the Rape of Nanking, where hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians were brutally killed.

The episode also covers Japan’s alliance with Germany and Italy and their decision to extend their war efforts beyond Asia and into the Pacific. The viewer sees how Japan’s sudden attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 led to the United States joining the war effort and marked a turning point in the war.

Throughout the episode, the viewer is presented with interviews from historians, witnesses, and military leaders, as well as archival footage and photographs that help bring these events to life. The episode does an excellent job of showcasing the geopolitical and cultural climate that led to Japan’s involvement in WWII and the atrocities committed by the Japanese army during their occupation of China.

Overall, Banzai! - Japan Strikes 1931 - 1942 is a well-crafted episode that presents the viewer with a comprehensive understanding of Japan’s involvement in WWII and their impact on the war effort. It is a haunting reminder of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army during their occupation of China and is a crucial episode in understanding the complexities of the war effort as a whole.