The Lost Fleet of Guadalcanal

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War Documentary published by National Geographic in 1993 - English narration

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Undersea explorer Robert Ballard, whose earlier expeditions led him to the submerged wrecks of the Titanic and the German battleship the Bismarck, again provides a compelling link to history in this 1993 reconstruction of the six-month battle for Guadalcanal. That island, in the South Pacific's Solomon chain, was the prize in the pivotal 1942 struggle pitting beleaguered Allied forces against an onslaught of imperial Japanese ships, troops, and air power. Even then, strategists on both sides correctly believed the outcome would determine the balance of military power in the Pacific theater of World War II.

The saga of Guadalcanal, as effectively traced through modern interviews, archival movie footage, and still photographs, is gripping on its own terms: following a series of victories in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the Japanese were poised to forge an air link to Australia with an airstrip on the jungle island. An invasion force of U.S. Marines took the airstrip, but a swift enemy counterattack shattered supporting naval cruisers, isolating the ground troops. Over the next six months, reversals of fortune--including oversight and arrogance in the Japanese command and incompetence and indecision among U.S. brass--provided added suspense. By the time Guadalcanal was firmly held by an occupying Allied force, the northern water passage, dubbed Iron Bottom Sound, was strewn with the wrecks of some 50 warships from both sides.

The Lost Fleet of Guadalcanal thus begins with submarine footage of those wrecks, then weaves its tale of undersea adventure with the human drama played out a half century earlier. Giving the story added emotional weight are the reminiscences of combat veterans from both Allied and Japanese armed forces, including visibly painful recollections of the horrific battles, which left thousands dead in the swamps and jungles of the island, as well as on the ocean floor. The gravity of the campaign, as well as the intelligence of its presentation, are underscored by an on-camera introduction from President George Bush.