Page 98 - All About History - Issue 09-14

HISTORY HOLLYWOOD

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Fact versus fi ction on the silver screen

The characters played by Ben Affleck
03 and Josh Hartnett, based on real-life
pilots George Welch and Kenneth Taylor, are
sent on a Tokyo bombing raid by Lieutenant
Colonel James Dolittle – but he would have
needed bomber pilots, not fighter pilots.

PEARL HARBOUR 04 a naval officer is handed a telegram
Following the first wave of attacks,
stating: “Be on alert. Attack by Japan considered
imminent.” The Navy was actually warning all its
officers as early as 26 November that Japan was

It was a hit at the box office, but how on target going to attack, they just didn’t know where.

was its historical accuracy?

Director: Michael Bay Starring: Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale,
Cuba Gooding Jr Country of origin: United States Year made: 2001
WHAT THEY GOT WRONG…

Several scenes show pilots
05 communicating easily with the control
tower and at one point a radio operator listens
to the dogfighting via pilot radios hundreds of
miles away in Hawaii. This wasn’t possible with
the radio technology of the Forties.

What they got right
A radar operator at Pearl
The Japanese torpedo bomber planes President Franklin D Roosevelt Harbour did see the Japanese
01 attack the Pearl Harbour military airfield, 02 discusses the possibility of the attacking forces approaching,
where one of the film’s main characters is taking Japanese invasion of the United States but a flight of B-17 Flying
shelter. But why would torpedo bombers take mainland, and then pulls himself out of his Fortresses was expected to be
arriving at the time so he was
a large detour to attack an airfield? How would wheelchair to make a point. This is completely instructed to ignore his radar
they be effective? And what on Earth would they out of character for Roosevelt and besides, reading, much like the film
torpedo there? Japan had no such lofty ambitions. portrays. © Alamy
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