AllMovie

The Tarawa atoll was thought to be impenetrable. It is a series of islands surrounded by 22 miles of coral reef that kept the WWII Marines from landing. Tarawa was defended by more than 4,000 Japanese Marines. Their armory included eight-inch naval guns, AA guns, A-T guns, and innumerable machine guns. Their positions were fortified with concrete and coconut logs. The battle at Tarawa proved to be one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. This documentary presents color footage filmed by Marine photographers that captures the intense combat scenes.