Search - National Geographic's The Battle for Midway on DVD

An awe inspiring look at history

brian beirne | 01/16/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Robert Ballard who has done similar work on the Bismark and the Titanic sets his sights on the USS Yorktown which was lost in the final hours of the Battle of Midway, June 1942. He brings along members of the Yorktown crew and members of one of the Japanese carriers also sunk in the battle. The initial search for the Japanese carrier is hampered by defective equiptment. Finally giving up Ballard moves on to the Yorktown. He is successful in finding the ship. The pictures of the Yorktown are amazing. The program is in documentary format, going back and forth from a history of the battle, a history of the passengers, to the modern day attempt to locate the ships. Anyone interested in WW2, Naval history, Ocean exploration, or human interest stories will find this program engrossing. The DVD also contains added extras of pictures and another program which make it worth the price."

The Battle for Midway - Excellent!

Doug Betts | Hartville, OH USA | 05/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Battle for Midway is an excellent documentary. Inter-woven in the story of the modern-day search for the sunken carriers USS Yorktown and the Japanese Kagi are the stories of veterans who lived through it and the military strategies behind one of the most important turning points of World War II. The most compelling part of the documentary for me, however, is the constant reminder of the terrible price of our freedom we enjoy today. In one day alone over 1,400 young men gave their lives in the Battle for Midway. The film does an excellent job of portraying what was asked of an extrodinary generation of young men and women from around the world. The cost was tremendous and this film is a good reminder of that and in my opinion should be mandatory viewing in high school history classes."

The turning point of the Pacific War

Jeffrey T. Munson | Dixon, IL | 01/21/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Robert Ballard, locater of the Titanic, Bismarck, and the lost fleet of Guadalcal, has ventured to the Pacific island of Midway, site of perhaps the greatest naval battle ever fought. As per his previous expeditions, Ballard has brought along both Japanese and American survivors in the hopes of finding the American carrier Yorktown, and the Japanese carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu. Ballard fails to find the Japanese carriers, but he succeeds in finding the "Fighting Lady", the U.S.S Yorktown, resting 17,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. The ship is in immaculate condition considering it has been submerged for 50+ years. The video has excellent original battle footage, as well as the complete story of the expedition. If you enjoy World War II history, check out this video. You won't be disappointed."

Beautifully Done

washizu | Wilmington, NC United States | 04/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"National Geographic has always been known for the quality of its work in all fields, but in this particular show I believe they have gone beyond the expectations. I cannot begin to describe how happy I was to see this documentary the first time. It is divided into two sections that are intercut, one being on a ship with Dr. Ballard (Found the Titanic) looking for the Yorktown and the Japanese carriers sunk at Midway, and the other is a recreation of the actual Battle of Midway through historical footage. What is best about this particular work is it fairness to both sides. Within the historical sections of the video, it portrays both the Japanese and American sides in what I would call a fair and accurate light. No side is made up of monsters and no side is completely innocent. On the modern side of the story, it is wonderful to see the interactions between the Japanese and American veterans that are on the ship with Ballard during the search. It is an important reminder to us all that on both sides the people fighting on the ground were just that, people. They were young men fighting for their country. A particularly touching part of the episode is when the Americans join the Japanese veterans in asking the soul's of their fallen comrades to rest peacefully and offering them flowers brought from Japan. There are too many excellent points about this video to list here. I think anyone interested in World War II will love this episode."