Nazi Megastructures: America's War

Learn the extraordinary story of how Japan planned and carried out the surprise air attack on the U.S. Navy in Hawaii, from Admiral Yamamoto’s bold idea through months of secret preparation, pilot training, innovations in torpedo design and clever ruses to deceive U.S. military intelligence, culminating in a devastating strike on America’s mighty Pacific Fleet on December 7, 1941.

June 1944: The Japanese are in retreat across the Pacific. At the island of Saipan, they face a pivotal battle. If they lose, a deadly new American weapon — the B-29 long-range bomber — will be within range of Japan for the first time. But the empire believes a mighty weapon of its own will win the battle — a deep-rooted tradition of aggression and sacrifice in battle.

September 1944: The Japanese suffer catastrophic defeats across the Pacific. Wasting men in a futile attempt to expel the enemy at the beach is no longer viable if they are to protect the Home Islands. On Peleliu, the Japanese build an island-wide defensive megastructure that creates a killing zone unprecedented in the Pacific. What unfolds is one of the most brutal battles of World War II.

This is the story of Japan’s final months of World War II. When America threatens to invade, the Japanese turn their country into a fortress and unleash a terrifying new weapon, suicide bombers. With surrender not an option, the Japanese prepare for the ultimate showdown on home soil. They plan to mobilize the entire country. Civilians must be ready to fight in hand-to-hand combat.

Hitler’s final throw of the dice to win World War II — a surprise winter attack against the Allies least defended front line — the Ardennes. Spearheaded by SS Panzer Tiger tanks, the Germans try to cut the Allied forces in two and destroy them. The Germans ruthless advance results in the worst war crimes ever committed against Americans. For the Americans, it’s the bloodiest battle of the war.

An allied invasion of Hitler’s Fortress Europe is inevitable, and under the leadership of distinguished commander Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, the Germans begin a comprehensive program to turn coastal areas into killing zones. They still have no idea where and when the invasion will come, and in a fascinating game of cat and mouse, the Allies keep them guessing all the way up to June 6 — D-Day.