National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Robert Ballard tackles one of the enduring mysteries of World War II—the role of a Japanese midget sub in the attack on Pearl Harbor. As he heads out to locate the sub's wreckage, Ballard is intrigued by the possibilities. Was the submarine Pearl Harbor's first casualty? Could it have escaped the U.S. destroyer that fired upon it? And, perhaps most critical, why didn't the sub's presence tip American forces to the approaching attack?

Ballard's quest is only part of the story. Survivors' accounts describe the attack in gripping, horrifying detail, and commentary by esteemed historian Stephen Ambrose sets Pearl Harbor into its historical context. Footage from a remotely operated submersible yields unprecedented glimpses of the U.S.S. Arizona, the downed battleship that still rests in the murky waters of Pearl Harbor.

Not available for shipment outside of the U.S. and Canada.

• Approximately 85 minutes
• © 1999
• Does not include closed captioning.