South Carolinians in WW II

General - Military History, World War II

This video series contains graphic descriptions of war as experienced by the WWII veterans and others who had direct, first-hand experiences in the conflict. Their accounts are based on events they participated in or witnessed, and reflect the real brutal nature of the events to which they were exposed.  Produced by SCETV and The State Newspaper.

Teachers are encouraged to preview the videos before showing them to students.

 

The Rising Sun, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Fritz Hamer, military historian, explains that Japan was an industrial power, but it needed the resources to maintain it. Japan's purpose was to nullify the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, then destroy the...
The Way Home, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Our veterans discuss the era in which the atomic bomb was used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and their recollections of this time..
A New Front, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Also known as the Battle of Anzio, Operation Shingle was an allied amphibious campaign, under command of Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, and Major General John P. Lucas. S.C. veterans remember the...
A Path to Victory, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

The Allies were finishing up the liberation of France and they were hoping the war would be over by the end of the year. Montgomery was the Allied commander of that section and he was looking for a...
A Time to Fight, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

The story of the Doolittle Raiders is told, including.that of Bill Farrow, one of three top students in a nationwide search of colleges and universities, chosen to receive pilot's training at...
A World War, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Veterans and family members recall the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor in detail.
Liberation, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

The Siegfried Line ran along the entire border of Germany from north to south. There was barbed wire, and there were land mines, and Dragon's Teeth, which were concrete blocks, that no tank could pass...
The Island War, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

With Japan's navy in ruins, America unleashed its air forces. Our veterans describe their experiences, their training, and the aircraft they flew.
The Rising Sun, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Midway Island was a U.S. outpost located about a thousand miles west of Hawaii. Prior to World War II, it was basically a weather station with some U.S. Naval groups on it to protect it. The Japanese...
The Way Home, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

On August 11, 1945, the Emperor of Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration, which specified the unconditional surrender of Japan. The war was over, the Americans rejoiced, and the troops headed home...