Using rare and, in some cases, never before seen color footage, this documentary examines World War II from the perspective of the Japanese. The film also utilizes original letters and diary entries written by Japanese soldiers and civilians during the war. Japan’s War in Color looks to present both the innocent and the guilty parties involved in what was culturally touted as a Holy War, and examine the effect it had on all of their lives. It was assumed no color films existed in Japan until the victorious U. S. forces arrived in 1945. This documentary is remarkable proof that those assumptions were verifiably false. Now you can discover the story of a nation at war from its rare color films, plus letters and diaries from those who lived through it. Almost all the material in this color documentary has been recently discovered and allows the viewer to experience Japanese culture and events from an entirely new perspective. Subject matter includes Imperial Japanese troops in 1931 Manchuria, remarkable domestic scenes of 1930s Japan, preparation for war in 1939, and images of occupation in 1940s Shanghai.
