[President Franklin Roosevelt] The political situation in the world
has now reached a stage where the very foundations of civilization
are seriously threatened.
- [crowd clamoring] - War is a contagion.
The peace of the world,
the welfare and security of every nation,
including our own, is being threatened by that very thing.
Let no one imagine that America will escape.
Yes, we are determined to keep out of war.
Yet we cannot insure ourselves
against the disastrous effects of war,
and the dangers of involvement.
[voice echoes]
- [Pearce] Sully, get up! Come on! - [grunts]
We need to get to the gun directors.
They're firing way too low.
[projectile whistling]
Take cover! Get down!
[tires screech]
Drive!
- Hey. Are you okay? - [groans]
[groans]
[man screaming]
[Dick] Come on, Murray.
Jesus.
What are they doing?
When she went over, everyone below deck was probably trapped inside.
[Murray] Did you know anyone aboard Arizona?
[Dick] Yeah.
My roommate from the academy.
Lieutenant Roy Pearce.
[chuckles]
[Nimitz] Congratulations, sir.
You're the right man to run the Navy.
The situation in the Pacific
is far worse than has been reported.
We have three carriers. The Japs have ten.
We have zero functional battleships, they have nine.
They have more cruisers, more bombers, more fighters, and...
much of their equipment is more modern.
We'll just have to count on the men that we have out there to...
hold the line.
I don't envy the new commander.
It's me, isn't it?
A lesson, I assume,
you have taken to heart.
Sir, I'm the intelligence officer responsible for overseeing
the greatest intelligence failure in American history.
Close the door.
Morale is at an all-time low, and for good reason.
The Japanese are advancing on all fronts at a terrifying pace.
I nevertheless know the fighting spirit of our men.
And I have faith in them.
But I also need to know
that they have faith in themselves.
I need you to be my Admiral Yamamoto.
Get in his head. Tell me what he's gonna do next.
Your first assignment:
we need to throw a punch.
I got eyes on a second enemy airfield on Taroa Island.
I'm counting maybe 30 bombers and heavy fighter cover.
You hear that, boys?
If we don't knock out that airfield, they'll go after Enterprise.
And I want a place to land when this is over.
[gunfire]
Enemy fighters, 11:00!
We got company. Start your runs!
[sighs]
- What? No. - Taking these hostage.
Just half an hour.
Does America winning the war
really depend on Edwin Layton working himself to death?
Some of our boys bombed Tokyo today.
They were supposed to land in Free China,
but they're probably gonna run out of fuel and have to ditch in the China Sea.
If by some miracle they actually make it into Japanese occupied territory,
they'll be tortured and executed.
What can you do?
Most likely nothing.
But we're not gonna lose any more men because I didn't dig deep enough.
I'll fix you a sandwich.
Send a secure message to Admiral Halsey.
I want Enterprise to join Yorktown and Lexington in the Coral Sea.
- And tell Halsey time is a factor. - Yes, sir.
- There's something else. - There always is.
- I heard a theory. - What kind of theory?
According to one of my officers, Coral Sea is just a warm-up.
He thinks that the Japanese are planning something bigger. Much bigger.
What makes him think that?
Little bits and pieces that we've intercepted.
A message about a battleship not being ready for an upcoming operation.
Request for maps of the Aleutian Islands.
What's the target?
We don't know yet.
Do you trust this officer?
He's the most brilliant man I know.
Well, have him figure it out.
[Xuesan] Always no match.
I don't have a lick of confidence in those damn torpedoes.
So I want you in a dive bomber.
And Best, I'm bumping you up from XO.
You're the new skipper of Bombing Six.
Good luck, boys.
Well, I guess you're gonna have to learn to fly an SBD.
I've logged plenty of hours in the Dauntless.
Not diving at a live target.
Can't be that hard. I mean, you do it.
[man shouting in Japanese]
So, I just got off the phone with Washington,
[knocks]
[Halsey] Come in.
An eyes-only message from Pearl.
Nimitz.
He wants us to be spotted.
Because if the Japs see us,
we can break our standing orders with Washington and return to Pearl.
[lighter clicks]
We never received this message.
[officer] Sir? The admiral needs you.
[Nimitz] Okay.
Make it count.
How's Lindsey?
Not good, sir.
[door opens]
[door closes]
[Dick sighs]
- Do you trust the intelligence? - I'm trying.
Because we're betting a hell of a lot on this hand.
Yeah.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but, uh...
I liked you better when you were cocky.
- Hey, you don't have to worry about me. - Oh, really?
You've been blaming yourself for that kid who went down.
How do I make it right?
Make sure your men are ready for tomorrow.
And you bring back as many of 'em as you can.
[door opens]
Ship sighted.
[chattering, indistinct]
[ship horn blowing]
Beautiful!
Are you okay?
Keep shooting. Keep shooting!
Japanese air attack reported on Midway.
And one of our scout planes just sighted the enemy fleet.
Spotted where?
He reports carriers bearing 320 degrees,
180 miles Northwest of Midway.
Well, Layton, you and Rochefort were only off
five minutes, five miles and five degrees.
Well, we'll endeavor to do better next time, sir.
Give our pilots the enemy position. Tell them to attack.
Yes, sir.
[Dick] Hey, Lindsey!
You still owe me 10 bucks.
You trying to collect before I get myself shot down?
Nah, I know you're good for it, Lindsey. You don't have to fly today.
Nobody would doubt your courage.
I will lead my squadron in.
Good luck, sir.
I'll be right behind you.
I'll meet you at the Japanese fleet.
I've got a ship.
Jap destroyer at flank speed.
What do you wanna bet she's trying to catch up with the carriers?
[McClusky's radio man] Sir, we've been up here for almost two hours.
What if we run out of fuel, and the whole squadron has to ditch?
Then I'll probably end up scrubbing potatoes at Leavenworth.
To hell with it. Follow me, boys.
I hope you're right, McClusky.
Bombing Six on me.
[sighs]
[Genda speaking Japanese]
[chattering, indistinct]
Goddamn it. That magnificent son of a bitch actually found them.
[on radio] All right, boys.
Bombing Six, we've got the first bastard in line.
[Kroeger on radio] Feeling a little lonely, sir?
Wish we'd brought more planes to the party.
[Dick] You always wanted to be a hero, Kroeger.
Now's your chance.
[shouting in Japanese]
[Dick] Okay, Murray.
We put that carrier out of action even if we have to crash on her deck.
Good luck with sharks.
We'll need something to eat.
Wait. Wait. I see something.
Looks like a destroyer.
American or Jap?
[speaking Japanese]
[in English] You, tell us your ship,
or we throw you overboard.
Cigarette?
[speaking Japanese]
I wanna spend more than a few days at a time with my wife.
See my little girl grow up.
And you're right.
If we go out there,
we probably aren't coming back.
But this is our job,
and we're the guys who have to hold the fort till the cavalry arrives.
Look, if you really can't fly,
I'll find someone else.
But you should get back in that plane.
You'll remember this moment for the rest of your life.
And if you know that you came through when people were counting on you,
you'll be able to face anything.
We've come this far, Murray.
Don't make me go back out there without you.
Any news?
The kids are out back. Go, go.
Hi.
Cindy heard a rumor from the base.
There's a big battle,
and one of our carriers is sinking.
And the pilots?
It sounds like we lost a lot of them.
I'm gonna go powder my nose quickly.
[breathing heavily]
[breathes deeply]
The Japanese might charge with their battleships.
So we will withdraw for the night.
But their fleet might be out of range in the morning.
Nimitz ordered us to be judicious.
We won a great victory today.
What happened to Bruno?
PBY flew over his last known position.
They spotted an empty life raft.
[speaking Japanese]
[knocks]
[Yamamoto speaking Japanese]
[Dick] Half our men...
dead or missing.
Yeah.
Hey, whatever happened to that whiskey?
I was waiting for you to sneak out of sick bay.
[Dick sighs]
[coughs]
We did it.
The Navy's never gonna let me fly again.
Well, get good at something else.
You have the rest of your life to figure it out.
Oh.
[sighs]