Wake Island: Alamo of the Pacific
2003 · 105 min · ★ 10.0 · Documentary, History, War
This documentary is a captivating account of the defense of Wake Island by a small contingent of United States Marines and civilian contractors. From December 8th until December 23rd, 1941 the defenders thwarted an aerial attack and an attempted amphibious landing from a naval task force before finally being overwhelmed by the third attempt by the Japanese Imperial Navy.
Directed by Craig Haffner · Written by Martin Gillam
Your Rating
Cast
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Will Lyman Narrator - B Brad Borman Himself
- R Robert F. Haidinger Himself
- J John R. Dale Himself
- R Ralph J. Holewinski Himself
Make it a double feature
3h 21m togetherBoth from Craig Haffner.
More from Craig HaffnerSee all →
The Irish in America · 1997The Irish in America
★ 10.01997
MovieDocumentaryHistory
This extraordinary program follows the nation's first immigrant group on their journey into the American Dream. From war hereo and President Andrew Jackson to union organizer "Mother" Jones, you'll meet the colorful Irish-Americans who fought and worked their way past oppression, and into history. Dramatic re-creations, stirring readings, songs, and interviews with leading historians offer insights into the events that have made the Irish an integral part of the American fabric.
Mummies: Tales from the Egyptian Crypts · 1996Mummies: Tales from the Egyptian Crypts
★ 10.01996
SeriesDocumentary
Journey back to the rich and fantastic world of ancient Egypt - a world where animals could magically jump out of a hieroglyph and change the meaning of your writing. Where giant pyramids were a gateway to the afterlife. Where a king's ransom could by an elaborate preservation of your corpse.
Join us as the world's greatest Egyptologists and the latest computer technology bring this extraordinary world to life. We'll unlock the secrets of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, decipher long-secret hieroglyphs and explore the glittering sepulcher of the legendary Tutankhamun. We'll even get an inside look at the recently discovered KV-5, believed to be the family tomb of Ramses the Great.
Aliens, Dragons, Monsters & Me · 1983Aliens, Dragons, Monsters & Me
★ 9.01983
MovieDocumentary
Documentary about the life and work of Ray Harryhausen.
More Dinosaurs · 1985More Dinosaurs
★ 9.01985
MovieComedyDocumentary
Gary Owens needs more dinosaurs and sends Eric Boardman on the ultimate dinosaur safari to find them. Join the hunt for a living dinosaur in the jungles of Africa, separate the facts from fiction in dinosaur movies, visit Dinosaur National Monuent and much more. There's no bone unturned in this award winning program
The American Revolution · 1994The American Revolution
★ 9.01994
SeriesDocumentary
Thorough documentary of how the American Colonies rebelled against England and the personalities involved in the creation of a new nation.
D-Day: The Total Story · 1994D-Day: The Total Story
★ 9.01994
SeriesDocumentaryWar & Politics
This is the ultimate chronicle of the largest amphibious invasion in history. The momentous decisions and tragic losses, pitched battles and desperate strategies come alive with extensive footage from both Allied and Axis government vaults and revealing interviews with soldiers, commanders and civilians. Trace the development of D-Day from the initial plans and strategies to the final breakthrough that sent Allied troops roaring to Paris. Follow the strategies of Eisenhower, Montgomery, Marshall and Bradley and the counter-attacks and defenses of their German opponents. See how the heroism and valor of individual men was vital to salvaging success from plans that went awry in the first few minutes. And get an incredible, front-line view of the pitched battles that sent so many men to their grave.
Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs · 1985Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs
★ 8.21985
MovieComedyDocumentary
Gary is turning into a dinosaur, and Eric must find the cure. This becomes a globetrotting journey into everything dino while searching for the magic waters needed to stop Gary's odd transformation. Will Eric be too late? Get ready to meet the Garysaurus!
Sink the Bismarck! · 1996Sink the Bismarck!
★ 8.01996
MovieDocumentaryWar
Detailed and fascinating documentary telling the history of the famous German battleship of World War II. The urgent British hunt and the German ship's efforts to escape are described through vintage film and recollections of both British and German veterans of the battles.
Dinosaur Secrets Revealed · 2002Dinosaur Secrets Revealed
★ 8.02002
MovieDocumentary
Dinosaurs roamed and ruled earth for more than 150-million years, then suddenly vanished leaving only fossils to fascinate and befuddle us. In a feature-length unique approach to historical analysis of these creatures, we don't focus on the latest technology or the most controversial theory. Instead, we look chronologically at what we've gotten wrong about dinosaurs throughout the short history of scientific study of these magnificent, misunderstood creatures, and see where paleontologists are digging today.
The Great Escapes of World War II · 1997The Great Escapes of World War II
★ 8.01997
SeriesWar & PoliticsDocumentary
No walls could hold them. No punishment could scare them. No enemy could stop them.
In this unforgettable collection, former POWs, resistance fighters, soldiers and guards tell the incredible stories of their thrilling adventures. Through dramatic re-creations, rare photographs and film's, you'll race for the last train out of Paris, risk certain death in Europe's underground railroad, and crawl through the tunnels of the real-life breakout now known as The Great Escape.
Titanic: The Complete Story · 1994Titanic: The Complete Story
★ 7.31994
MovieDocumentaryHistory
The "unsinkable" Titanic was a dream come true: four city blocks long and a passenger list worth 250 million dollars. But on her maiden voyage in April 1912, that dream became a nightmare when the giant ship struck an iceberg and sunk in the cold North Atlantic. More than 1,500 lives were lost in one of the greatest disasters of the 20th century. Now, using newsreels, stills, diaries, and exclusive interviews with survivors, Titanic: The Complete Story recounts the sensational history of the premier liner. In Part I: Death of a Dream, the largest ship ever built is christened in Ireland before a cheering crowd of 100,000. Witness the disaster this trek becomes as numerous iceberg warnings go unheeded and the ship sinks in the icy North Atlantic. In Part II: The Legend Lives On, over-packed lifeboats edge away from the crippled liner as a futile SOS signals flare into the night--leaving 1,500 passengers to a watery grave.
Ghosts of Gettysburg · 1995Ghosts of Gettysburg
★ 6.81995
MovieDocumentary
A history of the supernatural at Gettysburg.
Biography · 1987Biography
★ 6.71987
SeriesDocumentary
Biography is a documentary television series. It was originally a half-hour filmed series produced for CBS by David Wolper from 1961 to 1964 and hosted by Mike Wallace. The A&E Network later re-ran it and has produced new episodes since 1987. The older version featured historical figures such as Helen Keller and Mark Twain, or long-dead entertainment figures such as Will Rogers or John Barrymore. The A&E series has placed the emphasis on such people as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Plácido Domingo, Freddie Mercury, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Eric Clapton, Pope John Paul II, Gene Tierney, Selena, Diego Rivera, Mao Zedong and Queen Elizabeth II, and fictional characters like The Phantom, Superman, Hamlet, Betty Boop, and Santa Claus. The program ended up profiling enough figures that in 1999, A&E spun it off into an entire network, The Biography Channel.
The Presidents · 2005The Presidents
★ 6.52005
SeriesDocumentaryWar & Politics
The show documents each of the Presidents in the union, starting with George Washington, following a chronological order up until George W. Bush. Each President's segment begins with the narrator giving a brief dossier about each one, from their political affiliation, family, and notable traits. The show then highlights the history behind each presidency, linking each one to the following.
Left Luggage · 1998Left Luggage
★ 6.31998
MovieDrama
While escaping from Nazis during the WWII, a Jewish man dug suitcases full of things dear to his heart in the ground two. The war deprived him of his family, and afterwards he endlessly turns over the soil of Antwerp to find the suitcases, which makes him look obsessed. He keeps checking old maps and keeps digging, trying to find, in fact, those he lost. His daughter Chaya is a beautiful modern girl looking for a part-time job. She finds a place as a nanny in the strictly observant Chassidic family with many children, although her secular manners clearly fly in the face of many commandments. One of the reasons she is accepted is that mother of the family is absolutely overburdened by the household, so she stays despite the resistance of the father, normally - an indisputable authority in the family. She develops a special bond with the youngest of the boys, four-year old Simcha, so far incapable of speaking.
Midnight in Savannah · 1997Midnight in Savannah
★ 5.51997
MovieDocumentary
Documentary on a murder associated with members of Savannah, Georgia society. This becomes an occasion to delve into the interaction of Savannah's high life and low life in lurid detail: the mores, the eccentric residents, and the history of this coastal city.
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