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Sinking the Supership
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Program Overview
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NOVA
investigates the sinking of Japan's Battleship Yamato through historical
records, archeological evidence, and eyewitness accounts.
The program:
follows an international crew of deep-sea divers and naval historians
searching for the remains of the Yamato. reviews the history of the battleship and the role it played as a weapon
of war. describes Japan's intent to build a supership twice the size of her
competitors and with extreme firepower. notes how the Yamato, which was put into service in 1941, was
designed with a bulbous bow intended to reduce the drag of the ship's enormous
hull. points out the secrecy under which the Yamato was built. chronicles how the battleship became obsolete when aircraft proved more
effective in combat at sea. relates how the Battle of Midway—in which the U.S. Navy defeated
Japan in an air assault—sealed the fate of the gunboat as an effective
wartime weapon. explains how, until its final fateful engagement, Japan never fully
committed the Battleship Yamato to battle for fear of losing a national
treasure. recounts Japan's use of kamikaze pilots as a desperate means to destroy
American aircraft carriers. details how Japanese commanders sent the Yamato—in what was
known to be a suicide mission—to attack American forces. chronicles the Yamato's final battle. recreates how naval historians believe the ship was sunk.
Taping Rights: Can be used up to one year after the program is taped off the air.
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