Victory at Sea (1952)
Victory at Sea is a documentary television series about naval warfare during World War II that was originally broadcast by NBC in the USA in 1952–1953. It was condensed into a film in 1954. Excerpts from the music soundtrack, by Richard Rodgers and Robert Russell Bennett, were re-recorded and sold as record albums. The original TV broadcasts comprised 26 half-hour segments—Sunday afternoons at 3pm in most markets—starting October 26, 1952 and ending May 3, 1953. The series, which won an Emmy award in 1954 as "best public affairs program", played an important part in establishing historic "compilation" documentaries as a viable television genre. Over 13,000 hours of footage gathered from US, British, German and Japanese navies during World War II were perused in the making of these compelling episodes.
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Episodes
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1. Design for War: Battle of the Atlantic, 1939-19411952-10-26 · 30mWorld War II comes, and Germany succeeds in invading Poland and France. But is held back by England thanks to the vital convoys, Canada and the American naval forces' initial invol
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2. The Pacific Boils Over: Pearl Harbor, December 7, 19411952-11-02 · 30mUsing Japanese footage, we see the planning, execution, and ultimately the celebration of the Asian country's attack on Pearl Harbor. There's also an explanation provided for the a
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3. Sealing the Breach: Anti-Submarine Warfare, 1941-19431952-11-09 · 30mWith war now declared on the U.S. front, naval forces throughout the states have banded together to bring convoys of supplies across the Atlantic Ocean to our Allies in England. Ge
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4. Midway is East: Japanese Victories & the Midway Battle1952-11-23 · 30mJapan is ascendant as it successfully invades Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines. But the Americans draw first blood, first on the Coral Sea, and ultimately on Midway as they
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5. Mediterranean Mosaic: Gibraltar, Allied & Enemy Fleets, Malta1952-11-30 · 30mWorld War II comes to the Mediterranean Sea as Italian, French and British naval forces flex their muscle. British forces have the enviable position of guarding the sea as they esc
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6. Guadalcanal1952-12-14 · 30mAfter training in Australia and New Zealand, the U.S. Marines land on Guadalcanal. The U.S. Navy suffers defeat after defeat at the hands of the Japanese Navy around the island--in
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7. Rings around Rabaul: Struggle for the Solomon Islands1952-12-21 · 30mThe Japanese Navy is ascendant in its conquests, of which its linchpin is the main base at Rabaul in the New Britain Islands. This Victory at Sea episode refers to the US strategy
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8. Mare Nostrum: Mediterranean Command, 1940-19421952-12-28 · 30mMussolini calls the Mediterranean "mare nostrum"--our sea. And seeks to exploit it to the full. British and Greek military forces, however, defeat the Italians, forcing the Germans
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9. Sea and Sand: Invasion of North Africa, 1942-19431953-01-04 · 30mThe Soviet Union demand a "second front" as their country struggles under the might of the Nazis. The wish is granted as Roosevelt and Churchill in Casablanca agree on the first in
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10. Beneath the Southern Cross: War in the South Atlantic1953-01-11 · 30mThe South Atlantic becomes a front in the overall Battle of the Atlantic, from the pursuit of the Graf Spee to the battle between HMS Devonshire and the German raider Atlantis. The
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11. The Magnetic North: War from Murmansk to Alaska1953-01-18 · 30mThis episode of Victory at Sea explores the battles between the Allies and Germans over the Arctic Circle, and the convoys battling past Nazi-occupied Norway to Russia. Meanwhile,
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12. The Conquest of Micronesia: Carrier Warfare--Gilberts and Marshalls1953-01-25 · 30mThe ubiquitous aircraft carrier of the U.S. Navy goes into the attack in the Central Pacific at the Gilberts and Marshalls, destroying Japanese installations and taking the fight t
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13. Melanesian Nightmare: New Guinea Campaign1953-02-01 · 30mThe Allies are victorious in New Guinea as they repel the Japanese. They thus bring the fight through a series of island-hopping offensives using a new ship--the slow but vital LST
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14. Roman Renaissance: Sicily and the Italian Campaign1953-02-08 · 30mWhile Hitler's Germany starts its decline, Mussolini's Italy falls. Eventually, as destruction is heaped upon Naples and Rome, Italy accepts defeat and surrenders, allowing the all
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15. D-Day: Normandy1953-02-15 · 30mThe Allied invasion of Normandy--from preparation to execution--is detailed to very compelling effect courtesy of vintage footage from both sides. One of the most important turning
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16. Killers and the Killed: Victory in the Atlantic, 1943-19451953-02-22 · 30mThe U-Boats are ascendant, and their triumphs trumpeted over Germany. But the Allies hit back with new bases in lands bordering the Atlantic Ocean, new antisubmarine techniques, an
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17. The Turkey Shoot: Conquest of the Marianas1953-03-01 · 30mGuam, a U.S. territory, gets invaded by Japan a few days after Pearl Harbor and remains under occupation for two and a half years before the Americans arrive to take Saipan and Gua
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18. Two if by Sea: Peleliu and Angaur1953-03-08 · 30mBefore the Philippines, the United States first attacks Peleliu and Anguar. Through communiques, we follow the bloody battle in its ferocity.
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19. Battle for Leyte Gulf: Sea Battle for Leyte Gulf1953-03-15 · 30mThe Japanese fleet is fast disappearing, and the Imperial Navy conducts its last major operation in the Philippines. It ends in debacle: The risen battleships of Pearl Harbor aveng
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20. Return of the Allies: Liberation of the Philippines1953-03-22 · 30mJust after the U.S. entered World War II, the Japanese conquered the Commonwealth of the Philippines, an American protectorate, bringing despair to its people. But they still hope,
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21. Full Fathom Five: U.S. Submarines1953-03-29 · 30mIn this episode of Victory at Sea, we see how the U.S. Navy's submarines contributed to the Japanese empire's downfall, sinking thousands of tons of ships, and strangling the Japan
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22. The Fate of Europe: Black Sea, South of France, Surrender1953-04-05 · 30mSevastopol was liberated, and the Allies finally crush Germany. We also witness the meeting of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin on final plans for Germany's surrender and the formi
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23. Target Suribachi: Iwo Jima1953-04-12 · 30mThe United States fought two battles here--the U.S. Marines at Iwo Jima against the Japanese, and the U.S. Navy against the typhoon. During the now-legendary events depicted in thi
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24. The Road to Mandalay: China, Burma, India, and Indian Ocean1953-04-19 · 30mJapan invades China in 1936, but the Japanese are not satisfied, and they began to invade Indochina and Thailand, paving the way for the invasion of Burma. The U.S. and British Nav
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25. Suicide for Glory: Okinawa1953-04-26 · 30mIn one last ditch effort at glory, having lost most of their best men in military actions, Japan employs suicide pilots--the Kamikaze--men who would willingly crash their planes in
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26. Design for Peace: Surrender of Japan & Aftermath of War1953-05-03 · 30mThe atomic bomb is detonated, and its effects demonstrated at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With that, Japan surrenders, and their country's diplomats and military officials sign the off
Cast
Leonard GravesNarratorImages
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