I dun know why... All my blogs seem to be abt war lately.

Today, as I was channel surfing, I happened to tune in to Arts Central. They were showing classic films, print-to-screen or smth like tt. Anyway, I ended up watching this show wif my dad called "Tora! Tora! Tora!". He was egging me to watch, saying "Eh, nice. Nice. This one must watch. " So I sank down into the sofa n hoped for the best. "At least it's coloured, "I was mumbling to myself.

What followed was undoubtly one of the most memorable films I have watched in my life.

Dun laugh, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" doesnt mean anything funny or related to parties. It was the command signal of the Japanese fighter pilots tt they had spotted their target n were going to strike. Yup, u guessed it, Pearl Habor (Note I use American spelling here. )

Now, dun mix up this film wif the other disastrous movie "Pearl Harbor". All the events in this film n the characters were real. There was no mushy love story at all in this movie, no lovers torn by war or any crap like tt. It was strictly a film on historical events n the motives n repercussions of the air raid. Itn was also neutral, an aspect tt I find lacking in most war films. There was no prejudice present.

The movie started out wif a lot of politics. It was mainly an introduction of some major characters in this real-life saga. The Japanese ambassador to America, top military brass, both Jap n American, n the events tt unfolded. Im ashamed to say there were too many faces n names, n I didnt really pay attention to what led to the air strike. So I m not really sure what Japan's reasons were. But anyway, one thing was for sure as 5 aircraft carriers left Japan. They were headed for Honolulu.

Of course, the Americans were watching ship movements n they had noted the strange actions of the Japanese. However, they cldnt really have been deemed as a threat. What followed was a lot of intrigue, n a cat-n-mouse game. As Japanese warships travelled ever closer, the Americans grew increasingly uneasy. Most bases in SEA were on the alert, the Philippines, Borneo etc.

According to the Geneva Convention, Japan was obliged to give an ultimatum before they declared outright war. The US was either to negotiate the lifting of a trade embargo or some other thing or Japan wld attack. Unfortunately, the declaration did not arrive on time. Unwary American miltary officials n officers based at Pearl Harbor went abt their normal Sunday routines. Even though a submarine was sighted tugging in some sort of buoy target into US waters, no red alert was given. As the captain told his agitated lower officer, "We need confirmation."

And confirmation it proved to be. Onboard the Japanese aircraft carriers, fighter pilots were gearing up for battle. Spirits were high, n everyone believed this to be a day of glory for Japan. As they approached their target, zero-fighters lifted into the sky, greeting the new dawn. As each plane took off into the rose-hued sky, ground crew n officers alike cheered.

On the American side, thing were getting even more frantic. They knew now tt there was going to be an attack, but the question was where? Or when? It was Dec 7, a Sunday. Many officers were off-duty in Pearl Harbor, n the base was not on alert. A recipe for disaster. There was a guess tt there was going to be an attack there at ard 1 pm in the afternoon, but no one was informed.

Japanese zero-fighters closed in, the leader a top air offcer by the name of Fuchida. They approached the green island on the sparkling blue sea. Soon, as they approached their target, a long-anticipated phrase crackled over the radio.

"Tora! Tora! Tora!"

The battle had begun.

Down in the harbor, on a jetty beside a battleship, a military band was playing. As officers saluted the raising of the American flag, a plane flew close over their heads. "Give me the number on tt one. I'll get him for flouting air safety rules-" The officer's words were cut short as the plane dropped a bomb, resulting in a towering column of flame.

Then, widespread chaos exploded all ard them. The miltary band members scattered as shots were fired at them, n 2 sailors attaching a flag jumped into the water to avoid the bullets. The squadron attacked mercilessly, dropping bombs n firing at everyone. Zero-fighters dropped torpedos into the water, which sped towards their target with frightening speed. Explosions followed as they made contact, amid the screams n yells of sailors n navy personnel. Anti-aircraft fire responded, shooting at the planes but most of the time missing, though a few planes went down smoking. It was however a losing battle. Without air cover, the battleships were sitting ducks.

Most of US fighters were onboard aircraft carriers, which had thankfully left earlier wifout being destroyed. They were the main targets, but were spared due to some quick thinking on the part of the Americans.

However, most of the available fighterplanes were being destroyed. On the basis tt they were at a higher risk of sabotage rather than air attacked, the planes had been ordered to be grouped in the centre of the open air base. The Jap zero-fighters saw the opportunity n closed in. The American didnt have time to respond or move the planes away. One bomb took out one plane, and the resulting explosions blew up surrounding ones. Soon, the air base was one enormous inferno. Ground crew tried in vain to put out the fires, but failed. Some pilots boarded their planes, only to be blown up too. One or two pilots got as far as preparing for take-off, when either serious damage or bullets turned them into moving fireballs.

Back in Pearl Harbor, crewmen onboard sinking battleships were dying, either trapped n drowning or blown up n shot at. It was like a scene form hell as many ships went down burning, n blackened corpses littered the decks. Many valiantly returned fire at the enemy planes, but met wif death as explosions knocked them into the water from their gun-posts. Some ships were evacuated. The sea was dark wif leaking fuel.

All this was witnessed by top officials who lived short distance away from the base. Caught half-way in their Sunday activities, they watched in horror as Pearl Harbor was dotted with towering pillars of black smoke n flame.

Soon, it was all over. Japanese fighters returned home victorious. The Japanese ambassador made one last call wif his American countepart, his head bowed in what seemed like shame. Not everyone in Japan wanted the war, many were hesitant, or dead set against it. Washington reeled in shock, n many Americans were silent wif grief.

As Japanese fighters returned to the ship, n the news was out, Yamamoto, the General who led the raid was quiet, even sombre. As his colleagues congratulated him, he quietly spoke.

He had heard on the American news, that Japan had made a fatal error. In sending out the declaration of war n the deadline of 1 pm, thay had forgotten to take into account time-zone differences. Japan had attacked 55 mins before Washington recieved the declaration. Everyone fell silent.

A day of supposed glory had turned into disaster for Yamamoto. As he silently strode out n looked at the waves of the pacific, he recalled his words.

We have awakened the sleeping giant, n filled him wif resolve.

Tt was the end of the movie, n the rest of history follows.