Japanese War Footage from WWII

[E Berlin]

Do you have a particular reason to think this film would be available
through the Library of Congress?  Normally, the federal government's source
for public domain historical footage is the National Archives.  It's also
possible that a public affairs person with the Marines (or the Navy) would
be able to provide some guidance.  I imagine it's possible that footage of
such intensity might be held back from public distribution, but I'm not sure
what the policy is on that.

E Berlin





----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Dancsok <dunchoke at hotmail.com>
To: <hweisspro at aol.com>
Cc: <kinejapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2000 11:22 PM
Subject: Japanese War Footage from WWII


> Dear Helen:
>
> In December of 1998 I visited Saipan where I toured Bonzai Cliff and
Suicide
> Cliff. Bonzai Cliff is the location where 1500 Japanese civilians
committed
> suicide by jumping into the sea. Suicide Cliff is considered the Last
> Command Post for the Japanese in Saipan and is the location where hundreds
> of Japanese soldiers jumped to their death. According to the tourist guide
> the U.S. Marines were able to film the Bonzai Cliff incident. My guess is
> that if this film exists (and it's a big if) then the Library of Congress
> would have it.
>
> Again in Saipan I picked up two books. One is "World War II Remnants:
Guam,
> Northern Mariana Islands" by Dave Lotz. This book shows the location of
all
> the important battles in Guam, Rota and Saipan. It has a pretty good
> bibliography as well. Of interest to you would be the films titled
"Official
> Operational Report. Part 1 Saipan, Part 2 Guam, Part 3 Tinian" These films
> were produced by the United States Marine Corps and are held in
Washington.
>
> The other book is titled, "Saipan, A Brief History and Tour Guide" by Don
A.
> Farrell and published by Micronesian Productions, CNMI Tinian, MP. This
book
> has scads of historical photographs of the location prior to, during and
> after the occupation of these islands by the Japanese. Unfortunately there
> are no credits with these photos but you could probably find them by
asking
> the author directly or contacting CNMI Archives, Northern Marianas
College,
> P.O. Box 1250, Saipan, MP 96950. Phone 670-234-5498.
>
> One more thing, (my apologies to the people on the list). When I was
working
> at an archives in Montreal a couple of years ago, I recall a story about
the
> Okinawan government suing the U.S. for the return of over 100 declassified
> films held at the Library of Congress depicting the capture and occupation
> of Okinawa by the U.S. Sorry, I can't remember who won the suit and who
hold
> these films now.
>
>
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