Tora! Tora! Tora! is a film based on the real event that occurred during World War II. Synonymously, the title came from the very code word used by the Japanese to initiate the bombings of Pearl Harbour. A strategy that has left Americans in shock. While this movie does not place their crosshairs on the action, it focuses more on the context of this event. The movie itself was made by a Japanese and American company to show their views prior to the incident and emit little to no bias as it is mentioned by their own knowledge regarding the Pearl Harbour attack.

A pivotal move by the Japanese that kick-start an armed conflict with the United States. An effort made by gambling their luck and the further provocation from the Imperial Japanese Army; a rival to the Imperial Japanese Navy. In which, there and then had placed the Japanese in a winning streak during the early years of WWII. This movie could be paired with the 2019 Blockbuster, MIDWAY, which serves as a suitable sequel following the same bias. A movie that has gilded historical films until now.

Letters from Iwo Jima 7/10

Letters from Iwo Jima is a movie focusing more on the emotional aspects of the Japanese perspective during the Battle of Iwo Jima. The last “true” defensive battle by the Japanese led by General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, an “odd” general more akin to western strategy than the conventional suicidal Gyokusai tactic which had made the Japanese suffer immensely. This change of tactics had bought the Japanese forces more time, thus extending their attack from days to weeks. With their spirits high were they able to see the setting sun together.

This film encapsulates the many emotions the soldiers felt by the Japanese and humanising them after several decades of demonisation without understanding the faults from the twain. Ever since the real letters were found, the topic of war crimes done by both sides seems to be on par with each other and the demonisation for the “losers” is unjust. In war, there is no black and white as the contexts are mandatory to be addressed and not silencing one another to make a point, which has clutched morals even with society today.