NARRATOR: AS WORLD WAR II APPROACHES, BOTH NAZI GERMANY AND ITS ALLY, JAPAN, ARE PLANNING VAST BATTLESHIPS.

THESE BATTLESHIPS ARE JUST ENORMOUS, THE BIGGEST THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN, AND THEY'RE DESIGNED TO BE UNSINKABLE.

NARRATOR: JAPAN WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO CONQUER THE PACIFIC.

WOW!

LOOK AT THIS!

NARRATOR: DETERMINED TO OUTGUN THEIR ENEMIES, THEY SECRETLY BUILD THE WORLD'S BIGGEST WARSHIP WITH IMPENETRABLE ARMOR AND 70-FOOT GUNS.

DR. TONY POLLARD: THOSE GUNS ARE ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE, AND WHEN THEY WERE FIRED, THE VERY EARTH SHOOK.

NARRATOR: THEIR MISSION, TO DESTROY THE AMERICAN PACIFIC FLEET.

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS ADMIRAL SOEMU TOYODA: SAIL TO THE WEST OF OKINAWA TO ATTACK THEM!

THIS WAS A CRAZY PLAN, SUICIDAL.

NARRATOR: THIS IS THE STORY OF A TITAN OF THE SEA: BATTLESHIP "YAMATO."

THE BIGGEST CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OF WORLD WAR II, ORDERED BY HITLER AND HIS JAPANESE ALLIES TO SECURE WORLD DOMINATION.

NOW THE RUINS SURVIVE AS DARK REMINDERS OF THEIR FANATICAL MILITARY AMBITION.

THESE ARE THE SECRETS OF THE WORLD WAR II MEGA WEAPONS.

NARRATOR: APRIL, 1945.

THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY'S BIGGEST WEAPON IS ON THE OFFENSIVE.

THE GIANT SUPER BATTLESHIP "YAMATO" IS UNDER ATTACK FROM WAVE AFTER WAVE OF AMERICAN CARRIER PLANES.

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS ENSIGN MITSURU YOSHIDA: CONTACT--3 LARGE FORMATIONS APPROACHING.

NARRATOR: BUT JUNIOR OFFICER ENSIGN MITSURU YOSHIDA HAS FAITH IN THE MIGHTY SHIP.

MAN AS ENSIGN YOSHIDA: HOW WE HAVE AWAITED THIS MOMENT.

OURS IS THE SINGLE HONOR OF BEING THE NATION'S PROTECTOR.

NARRATOR: THE CREW OF THE "YAMATO" CAN ONLY HOPE THIS MIGHTY FLOATING FORTRESS IS INVINCIBLE.

EVIDENCE OF HOW THE "YAMATO" BECAME THE GREATEST BATTLESHIP EVER BUILT IS BEING UNCOVERED BY ARCHAEOLOGIST TONY POLLARD ON A JAPANESE ISLAND ONLY 20 MILES FROM THE CITY OF HIROSHIMA.

WE'RE HEADING FOR THE PROVING GROUNDS AT KAMEGAKUBI, WHICH WAS A TOP-SECRET FACILITY WHERE THE JAPANESE NAVY EXPERIMENTED WITH THEIR SPECIAL PROJECTS AND TESTED THEIR WEAPONS.

THE FIRST STRIKING FEATURE AFTER GETTING OFF THE BOAT ONTO ONE OF THESE TWO PIERS IS A SLOT THAT RUNS ALL THE WAY ALONG, CUT THROUGH THE CONCRETE, AND I CAN SEE THERE'S ONE ON THE PIER OVER THERE AS WELL.

THESE WOULD'VE ACCOMMODATED THE BASE OF A HUGE GANTRY CRANE THAT ARCHED ACROSS THE GAP; THE IDEA BEING THAT SHIPS CAME IN, DOCKED BETWEEN THE TWO PIERS, AND THEN THEIR CARGO WAS LIFTED OFF BY THE CRANE AND TAKEN ALONG THESE RAILS IN THAT DIRECTION.

THAT CARGO INCLUDED THE GUNS FOR THE "YAMATO."

THESE WERE MASSIVE, 18 INCH IN DIAMETER, THE BIGGEST GUNS EVER TO BE MOUNTED ON A WARSHIP.

NARRATOR: THE STORY OF JAPAN'S MEGA SHIPS STARTS IN 1931, 8 YEARS BEFORE THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR II.

HUNGRY FOR NATURAL RESOURCES, THE JAPANESE SEIZE THE CHINESE REGION OF MANCHURIA, AND THEN SET THEIR SIGHTS ON THE REST OF SOUTHEAST ASIA.

BUT OLD COLONIAL POWERS ALREADY CONTROL VAST SWATHES OF THE REGION.

JAMES HOLLAND: THE OVERALL WAR AIMS OF JAPAN ARE TO FORCE THE BRITISH OUT OF THE FAR EAST, FORCE THE DUTCH OUT OF THE FAR EAST, AND TO NEUTRALIZE THE AMERICAN THREAT.

NARRATOR: DETERMINED TO EXPAND ITS EMPIRE, JAPAN PREPARES FOR WAR UNDER A VEIL OF SECRECY.

THE JAPANESE REALIZE THAT THEY COULDN'T POSSIBLY HOPE TO CATCH UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF WARSHIPS, SO THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND IT WAS "IF WE CAN'T GET THE NUMBERS, WE'LL HAVE A QUALITATIVE ADVANTAGE."

SO YOU BUILD AN ENORMOUS BATTLESHIP THAT BASICALLY IS EQUIVALENT OF SORT OF TWO OR THREE, WHICH IS CAPABLE OF TAKING ON MULTIPLE DIFFERENT ENEMY WARSHIPS AT ANY ONE TIME.

NARRATOR: NAVAL GENERAL STAFF ORDER A BATTLESHIP THAT WILL ANNIHILATE JAPAN'S ENEMIES.

THE MAN OVERSEEING THE DESIGN IS VETERAN NAVAL ARCHITECT AND FORMER VICE ADMIRAL DR. YUZURU HIRAGA.

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS DR. YUZURU HIRAGA: IF WE WERE TO DESIGN A SHIP WITH THE STATED ARMOR REQUIREMENTS AND 18-INCH GUNS AND STILL REACH SUCH HIGH SPEEDS, IT WILL BE A SHIP OF VAST PROPORTIONS.

[MASSES CHEERING] NARRATOR: IN NAZI GERMANY, HITLER ALSO DEMANDS MEGA SHIPS FOR HIS NAVY.

FOR HITLER, GIANT BATTLESHIPS ARE VERY MUCH A SYMBOL OF POWER, AUTHORITY, DOMINANCE, AND INDUSTRIAL MIGHT.

NARRATOR: GERMANY'S "BISMARCK" AND HER SISTER SHIP, "TIRPITZ," ARE FAST AND WELL-ARMED.

THEY WILL BECOME INFAMOUS THE WORLD OVER AS TWO OF THE MIGHTIEST BATTLESHIPS EVER BUILT.

WITH AN ARMS RACE RAGING IN THE MID-1930s, THE U.S. ALSO START PLANNING VAST BATTLESHIPS TO RIVAL THE JAPANESE AND GERMAN FLEETS.

MILITARY ENGINEERING EXPERT MIKE PAVELEC IS EXPLORING THE BIGGEST AND BEST AMERICA HAD IN WORLD WAR II.

THIS IS AMAZING.

THIS IS THE "WISCONSIN" BATTLESHIP, ONE OF THE 4 "IOWA"-CLASS BATTLESHIPS BUILT BY THE U.S. NAVY IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

THIS IS THE LARGEST, MOST POWERFUL, MOST DESTRUCTIVE SHIP THE NAVY EVER BUILT.

THIS IS THE REAL BUSINESS END OF AMERICAN NAVAL POWER.

THESE BATTLESHIPS CARRIED 16-INCH GUNS THAT COULD FIRE A 2,700-POUND PROJECTILE ALMOST 24 MILES.

NARRATOR: IT TAKES OVER 60 MEN TO KEEP ONE TURRET FIRING, EACH GUN USING UP TO 6 OF THESE 55-POUND EXPLOSIVE CHARGES TO FIRE A SINGLE SHELL.

DR. MIKE PAVELEC: IT SHOOTS SO FAR THAT YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO SEE THE SHIP THAT YOU'RE FIRING AT BECAUSE OF THE CURVATURE OF THE EARTH.

IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD, THE JAPANESE REALIZED THAT THEY WERE GONNA HAVE TO COMPETE WITH DESIGNS LIKE THIS IF THEY WERE GONNA FIGHT THE AMERICANS, SO THEY WENT ON A BUILDING PROGRAM TO BUILD SHIPS THAT WERE BIGGER AND MORE POWERFUL THAN THE BEST THAT THE AMERICANS COULD PRODUCE.

NARRATOR: THE JAPANESE KNOW THERE'S ONLY ONE THING RESTRICTING HOW LARGE AMERICAN SHIPS CAN BE, AND THAT'S THE PANAMA CANAL.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS ALL OF THE NAVAL YARDS ARE ON THE EAST COAST, AND SO YOU HAVE TO PROJECT THE POWER INTO THE PACIFIC.

THE U.S.

RELIED ON THE PANAMA CANAL.

IT WAS A SHORTCUT INSTEAD OF GOING ALL THE WAY AROUND SOUTH AMERICA.

BUT THE PANAMA CANAL'S ONLY 110 FEET WIDE, AND SO BATTLESHIPS LIKE THE "IOWA"-CLASS WERE PRESSING THE SIDES AT 108-FEET WIDE.

VERY, VERY TIGHT FIT.

NARRATOR: BUT THE JAPANESE HAVE NO RESTRICTIONS.

TO OUTDO THE U.S., THE JAPANESE DESIGN A CLASS OF WARSHIP AT AN UNHEARD OF SCALE.

THE "YAMATO"-CLASS MEGA SHIPS WILL BE OVER 127 FEET WIDE AND 862 FEET LONG.

WITH A DISPLACEMENT IN EXCESS OF 72,000 TONS, THEY WILL BE 30% HEAVIER THAN THE AMERICAN "IOWA"-CLASS, AND ALMOST DOUBLE THAT OF ANY OTHER JAPANESE BATTLESHIP.

BUILDING SUCH A MASSIVE SHIP WILL BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE NAVAL ARCHITECT HIRAGA HAS EVER FACED.

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS DR. HIRAGA: WE DON'T HAVE BIG ENOUGH FACILITIES HERE.

MAN IN MEETING: THEN WE MUST BUILD SOME.

WE MUST HAVE A SHIP CAPABLE OF OUTSTRIPPING THE AMERICANS.

MAN AS DR. HIRAGA: WE HAVE MUCH TO DO.

[MEN SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] NARRATOR: WITHOUT A SHIPYARD LARGE ENOUGH FOR THEIR FIRST MEGA SHIP, THE JAPANESE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO MODIFY AN EXISTING ONE.

PROFESSOR TOSH MINOHARA IS IN HIROSHIMA AT KURE NAVAL YARD, WHERE THIS FIRST BATTLESHIP IS CONSTRUCTED.

WOW!

LOOK AT THIS!

THIS IS THE EXACT SPOT THAT THEY BUILT THE SUPER BATTLESHIP "YAMATO," THE WORLD'S LARGEST BATTLESHIP!

THIS, AT THE TIME, WAS THE LARGEST DRY DOCK IN JAPAN, BUT STILL IT WAS NOT LARGE ENOUGH.

THEY HAD TO DIG IT MUCH DEEPER, AND THEY EXTENDED IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, AND ONLY BY DOING THAT COULD THEY ACCOMMODATE THE SIZE OF THIS SUPER BATTLESHIP.

ONCE THEY HAD ENLARGED IT, IT WAS 1,100 FEET.

THAT IS NEARLY 3 AMERICAN FOOTBALL FIELDS.

140 FEET WIDE.

I MEAN, THIS IS NOT SEVERAL SHIPS; WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT ONE SHIP THAT WE'RE MAKING HERE!

IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE!

LOOK AT IT, ALL THE WAY BACK!

NARRATOR: DIGGING OUT OVER 462,000 CUBIC FEET OF EARTH, THE "YAMATO"'S KEEL IS LAID HERE ON NOVEMBER 4, 1937.

FIVE MONTHS LATER, AT A NAGASAKI NAVAL YARD, THE JAPANESE START BUILDING A SECOND MONSTROUS BATTLESHIP, THE "MUSASHI," AS JAPAN STARTS PREPARING FOR WAR.

NOW, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THE JAPANESE FACE IS HOW TO KEEP THESE MEGA SHIPS SECRET.

PROFESSOR TOSH MINOHARA: LOOK RIGHT HERE.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS ENORMOUS DOCK WAS COVERED BY THIS, THE STRUCTURE RIGHT HERE.

IT DOESN'T GO ALL THE WAY, IT STOPS RIGHT THERE-- PROBABLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE LENGTH OF THIS DRY DOCK-- BUT THAT WAS GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE IT SHIELDS THE VIEW FROM THE HILLS UP THERE.

SO, BY DOING THAT, THEY COULD REALLY HIDE THE DETAILS OF WHAT EXACTLY WAS BEING BUILT.

THIS BATTLESHIP IS NOT YOUR ORDINARY BATTLESHIP, AND THIS WAS THE LARGEST BATTLESHIP ON THE PLANET, SO EVERYTHING WAS HUGE ABOUT THIS SHIP.

AND SO, THEY HAD CRANES HERE, BUT THEY JUST WEREN'T GOOD ENOUGH.

SO WHAT DID THEY DO?

THEY HAD TO REINFORCE IT, MAKE IT STURDIER.

AND THEY REINFORCED TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY LIFT 300 TONS.

NOW, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

THERE'S PIECES OF HARDWARE THAT'S NEARLY 300 TONS GOING ON A SHIP-- AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE PIECE.

I MEAN, A WHOLE BUNCH OF THESE MASSIVE PIECES FIT ONTO THIS SHIP.

NARRATOR: FOR JAPAN TO GO TO WAR WITH THE BIGGEST BATTLESHIPS IN HISTORY, BOLSTERING A CRANE TO LIFT THE EQUIVALENT OF 4 SPACE SHUTTLES IS ESSENTIAL.

BUT TO GUARANTEE VICTORY, THEY ALSO NEED TO DESIGN THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL NAVAL GUNS, AND FIND A WAY TO KEEP THEM SECRET.

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS DR. HIRAGA: CAN YOU BRING ME THE BALLISTICS REPORT?

NARRATOR: WITH THE "YAMATO" ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, HIRAGA AND THE NAVY TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT DESIGN 9 70-FOOT-LONG GUNS WITH A DIAMETER OF OVER 18 INCHES, THE BIGGEST GUN EVER FITTED ON A WARSHIP.

THE WHOLE POINT TO THE BATTLESHIP IS THE BIG GUN.

YOU'RE GOING TO USE THIS SHIP TO DESTROY OTHER SHIPS, AND THE GUNS ARE THE FOCAL POINT.

NARRATOR: THIS SUPER-SIZED FIREPOWER NEEDS TO BE COVERTLY TESTED.

TONY POLLARD IS UNCOVERING WHAT REMAINS OF KAMEGAKUBI, THE TOP-SECRET FACILITY WHERE THE JAPANESE GO TO INCREDIBLE LENGTHS TO TEST THESE PIONEERING WEAPONS.

IT'S NOT REALLY WHAT YOU EXPECT IN THE JUNGLE: A NICE RED BRICK BUILDING.

THIS IS ALL VERY GRAND, REALLY.

OH, WOW!

LOOK AT THIS!

THIS IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

YOU SEE THIS?

WE'VE GOT A TUNNEL WITH SOMETHING ELSE INSIDE IT.

IT'S A DOUBLE SKIN.

GRIEF.

LOOK AT THE WAY THIS-- THE CONCRETE PLINTH'S COMING OUT, CONNECTING THE INNER SKIN OF THE MAIN VAULT WITH THIS INNER SKIN.

WHAT THIS DOUBLE SKIN DOES IS PROVIDE A SHOCK ABSORBER, AND THAT MEANS THAT ANYTHING INSIDE HERE IS REALLY WELL PROTECTED.

THE ONLY OTHER PLACE I'VE SEEN THIS DOUBLE-SKIN CONSTRUCTION IS THE WOLF'S LAIR IN PRUSSIA, WHICH WAS HITLER'S OWN HEADQUARTERS.

BUT WHY DID THEY GO TO ALL THIS TROUBLE?

WELL, THE ANSWER MUST BE DOWN HERE SOMEWHERE.

WHAT WE'VE GOT ARE A SERIES OF CONCRETE PLINTHS.

THESE MUST BE TO MOUNT SOME FORM OF EQUIPMENT.

AND WHEN WE TIE ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS TOGETHER, IT STARTS TO MAKE SENSE, BECAUSE IN HERE WAS THE VERY SENSITIVE EQUIPMENT THAT MEASURED AND COLLECTED THE DATA FROM WHERE THE GUNS WERE BEING FIRED.

NARRATOR: THE "YAMATO"'S GUNS ARE SO POWERFUL THAT EVEN HERE, OVER 800 FEET FROM THE TEST SITE, ALL EQUIPMENT HAS TO BE INSULATED FROM THE SHOCKWAVES THE GUNS CREATE.

THOSE GUNS ARE ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE, AND WHEN THEY WERE FIRED, THE VERY EARTH SHOOK, AND THAT VIBRATION AND THAT SHOCK COULD REACH THIS FAR WITHOUT EXTREME PROTECTION.

NARRATOR: THE JAPANESE GO FURTHER BY BUILDING 3 SHOCK-ABSORBING MOUNDS BETWEEN THE MEASURING EQUIPMENT AND THE FIRING RANGE.

DR. POLLARD: THIS IS THE TUNNEL THAT WOULD'VE BROUGHT THE AMMUNITION FOR THE GUNS THROUGH TO THE GUN LINE.

THERE WOULD'VE BEEN RAILS THROUGH HERE, SO AMMUNITION ON THE WAGONS BEING PULLED ALONG, WHICH MEANS... THAT THIS AREA HERE IS THE REAR OF THE GUN LINE.

OH, THIS LOOKS GOOD.

LOOK.

THROUGH HERE, THESE STEPS JUST DISAPPEAR UP INTO THE JUNGLE CANOPY, BUT UP THERE WOULD'VE BEEN OBSERVATION POSTS WHERE TECHNICIANS COULD SIT BEHIND THE GUNS AND MONITOR THE TRACK OF THE SHELLS AS THEY'RE FIRED TOWARDS THE TARGETS.

SO IF WE GO UP HERE-- YEAH, I CAN JUST ABOUT SEE THE HILL ON THE OTHER SIDE.

JUST BELOW ME HERE WOULD'VE BEEN A ROW OF 4 OR 5 GUNS, THE AMMUNITION BROUGHT OUT THROUGH THE TUNNEL BELOW MY FEET, AND THAT AMMUNITION WOULD'VE BEEN FIRED AT TARGETS AT THE FOOT OF THE HILL AND ALSO INTO THE HILL ITSELF.

BUT OTHER SHELLS WERE FIRED OUT TO SEA, AND I CAN JUST ABOUT MAKE OUT THE WATER THROUGH THE TREES HERE, AND THOSE SHELLS FIRED OUT TO SEA PASSED THROUGH VELOCITY TOWERS, AND THEY MEASURED THE SPEED OF THE SHELLS, AND THEY WORKED OUT THAT THEY WERE SHOOTING THESE GUNS AN INCREDIBLE 25 MILES.

NARRATOR: NO BATTLESHIP EVER BUILT HAS FIRED THIS FAR.

WITH SUCH COLOSSAL POWER, THESE 70-FOOT-LONG SUPER GUNS REQUIRE SUPER-SIZE AMMUNITION.

PROFESSOR TOSH MINOHARA HAS LOCATED ONE OF THE VERY FEW SHELLS THAT STILL EXIST.

THIS IS THE ACTUAL ORIGINAL SHELL THAT WAS USED ON THE "YAMATO."

THERE ARE ONLY A FEW REMAINING.

YOU CAN SEE THE CONE RIGHT HERE.

WELL, THIS CONE WOULD ACTUALLY FALL OFF IN MIDAIR, AND THAT WAS DESIGNED SO THAT THE WAY IT'S SHAPED WOULD DO SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE HULL OF THE SHIP.

THIS ARMOR-PIERCING SHELL WEIGHS 3,000 POUNDS.

THAT'S APPROXIMATELY AN AVERAGE FAMILY CAR, SO THIS IS ACTUALLY A FAMILY CAR SLAMMING INTO ANOTHER SHIP.

NARRATOR: THE "YAMATO" OUTGUNS EVERY SHIP IN THE WORLD, BUT NAVAL DESIGNER HIRAGA IS DETERMINED TO HAVE HER PROTECTED BY SUPER-THICK ARMOR.

THIS IS A BATTLESHIP THAT IS DESIGNED TO ABSORB ALL KINDS OF PUNISHMENT.

NARRATOR: MIKE PAVELEC IS WITH ONE OF THE LAST SURVIVING PIECES OF THIS STAGGERING ARMOR PLATE.

THIS IS A PIECE OF THE ARMORED STEEL FOR THE "YAMATO"-CLASS BATTLESHIP TURRETS, THE FACING OF THE TURRETS.

THIS IS 26 INCHES OF HARDENED STEEL, INCREDIBLY STRONG, INCREDIBLY HEAVY.

THIS PIECE WAS BROUGHT BACK FROM JAPAN AT THE END OF THE WAR.

THE AMERICANS FOUND IT AT A JAPANESE NAVAL YARD AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO TEST IT.

THEY TESTED IT UNDER PERFECT CONDITIONS AND WERE ABLE TO PENETRATE THE ARMOR.

THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT POINT-BLANK RANGE, BUT THIS SORT OF SHOT WOULD'VE NEVER OCCURRED IN WARTIME UNDER HEAVING SEAS AT GREAT DISTANCES.

THIS IS VIRTUALLY IMPREGNABLE ARMOR UNDER WARTIME CONDITIONS.

THIS IS THE BIGGEST, HEAVIEST, THICKEST ARMOR EVER PUT ON A BATTLESHIP.

NARRATOR: BUT THE WEIGHT OF THE ARMOR COMBINED WITH THE HEAVY GUNS CAUSES A MAJOR PROBLEM.

ALL OF THE ARMOR BITS THAT WENT ON THE "YAMATO" ACCOUNTED FOR 22-AND-A-HALF THOUSAND TONS OF STEEL.

THE MAIN CONCERN FOR THE NAVAL ARCHITECTS IN JAPAN WAS HOW TO KEEP THIS MUCH STEEL AFLOAT.

NARRATOR: IF THE JAPANESE MEGA SHIPS ARE EVER GOING TO TAKE ON THE U.S. NAVY, THEY NEED A WHOLE NEW APPROACH TO BATTLESHIP DESIGN.

IN THE EFFORT TO CREATE A FLOATING SUPER FORTRESS, NAVAL ARCHITECT HIRAGA AND HIS TEAM COME UP WITH A NUMBER OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS.

ONE OF THE WAYS TO REDUCE THE WEIGHT OF ALL OF THIS ARMOR WAS TO WELD IT, ELECTRICALLY WELD IT, RATHER THAN USING RIVETS, WHICH IS HEAVIER.

ANOTHER THING THAT THE JAPANESE DID WAS THEY MADE THE ARMOR PART OF THE STRUCTURE RATHER THAN ADDING IT ON AFTER THE KEEL WAS ALREADY BUILT.

NARRATOR: THE SHIP'S HULL IS ALSO ARMORED IN A SO-CALLED ALL-OR-NOTHING DESIGN, WHICH PROTECTS ONLY THE VITAL CENTRAL SECTION OF THE SHIP.

ALL THE ARMOR WAS ON THE ARMORED CITADEL, LEAVING NOTHING FOR THE BOW AND THE STERN, AND THE JAPANESE HOPED TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS BY HAVING EXTENSIVE COMPARTMENTATION IN THOSE TWO AREAS.

NARRATOR: THE MORE VULNERABLE BOW AND STERN ARE DIVIDED INTO OVER 1,000 WATERTIGHT COMPARTMENTS THAT ALLOW SECTIONS OF IT TO BE SEALED OR FLOODED AS NECESSARY.

THIS FLEXIBILITY ALLOWS THE "YAMATO" TO STABILIZE IF HER HULL IS EVER BREACHED.

THE JAPANESE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WHEN THEY FLOAT THIS THING FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT IS, TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, UNSINKABLE.

NARRATOR: HOWEVER, THE ARMORED MIDSECTION CAUSES AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM: WHAT IT HAS GAINED IN STRENGTH, IT HAS LOST IN SPEED.

THE "YAMATO" IS NOW WIDER, AND THEREFORE SLOWER.

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS DR. HIRAGA: THIS IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO.

HERE IS THE INITIAL DESIGN, HERE.

IF WE MAKE THIS SORT OF MODIFICATION, INSTEAD OF THE WAVES COMING HERE, WE CAN MAKE THE WAVES GO LIKE THIS.

SO THE WATER RESISTANCE REDUCES BY 8% PERCENT.

THEN IT BECOMES FASTER, AND IT CAN SPEED UP LIKE THIS.

NARRATOR: HIRAGA'S TEAM DECIDE UPON A STATE-OF-THE-ART COMPONENT: THE BULBOUS BOW, A RELATIVELY RECENT INNOVATION THAT ASSISTS THE WATER FLOW AROUND THE HULL.

THAT MEANS A LITTLE BUMP THAT COMES OUT ON THE BOW OF THE SHIP, WHICH MAKES THE SHIP EASIER TO BREAK THE WATER.

NOW, THIS INCREASES SPEED, BUT THERE IS AN ADDED ADVANTAGE, AND THAT IS THAT IT INCREASES FUEL EFFICIENCY.

SO, DESPITE THE MASSIVE SIZE OF THE "YAMATO," IT WAS ACTUALLY A VERY, VERY EFFICIENT PIECE OF MACHINERY.

NARRATOR: AND THIS FUEL EFFICIENCY IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL.

BY THE SUMMER OF 1941, JAPAN IS EMBARKING ON A BRUTAL WAR OF CONQUEST ACROSS ASIA.

IN RETALIATION, THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES FREEZE JAPANESE ASSETS AND INFLICT AN OIL EMBARGO.

ON DECEMBER 7, 1941, WITH THE "YAMATO" ONLY A WEEK AWAY FROM COMMISSIONING, THE JAPANESE FEEL READY TO TAKE THE PACIFIC.

ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE JAPANESE FLEET, LAUNCHES A SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR IN HAWAII.

JAPAN IS AT WAR WITH THE U.S. DR. PAVELEC: IN PLANNING THE JAPANESE ATTACK AT PEARL HARBOR, JAPANESE LEADERSHIP WANTED TO GIVE THE AMERICANS A KNOCKOUT BLOW THAT WOULD SIMPLY KEEP THEM FROM FIGHTING THE JAPANESE SO THAT THEY COULD ESTABLISH THEIR EMPIRE IN THE PACIFIC.

NARRATOR: BUT ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO HAS HIS DOUBTS, AS HE REVEALS IN A LETTER TO A JAPANESE NEWSPAPER.

MAN AS ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO: "A MILITARY MAN CAN SCARCELY PRIDE HIMSELF "ON HAVING SMITTEN A SLEEPING ENEMY.

"IT IS MORE A MATTER OF SHAME FOR THE ONE SMITTEN.

"I WOULD RATHER YOU MADE YOUR APPRAISAL AFTER SEEING WHAT THE ENEMY DOES.

"IT IS CERTAIN THAT, ANGERED AND OUTRAGED, HE WILL MAKE A DETERMINED COUNTERATTACK."

NARRATOR: AND IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR TO PERSUADE THE U.S. TO GO TO WAR AGAINST JAPAN AND HER NAZI ALLIES IN EUROPE.

NO MATTER HOW LONG IT MAY TAKE US TO OVERCOME THIS PREMEDITATED INVASION, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN THEIR RIGHTEOUS MIGHT WILL WIN THROUGH TO ABSOLUTE VICTORY.

[CONGRESSMEN CHEER] NARRATOR: ON DECEMBER 16, 9 DAYS AFTER PEARL HARBOR, THE FIRST JAPANESE MEGA SHIP, THE "YAMATO," IS FORMALLY COMMISSIONED AT KURE.

THE "YAMATO," NAMED AFTER AN ANCIENT WORD FOR "JAPAN," BECOMES THE FLAGSHIP OF THE JAPANESE NAVY.

ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO STARTS PREPARING HER FOR BATTLE.

THE "YAMATO" FACES HER FIRST TEST IN JUNE, 1942.

THE JAPANESE PLAN TO WIPE OUT THE AMERICAN NAVY AT THE MIDWAY ISLANDS.

ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO USES THE "YAMATO" AS HIS COMMAND CENTER, 300 MILES AWAY FROM THE INITIAL ASSAULT, ARMED AND READY TO AMBUSH THE AMERICANS WHEN THEY ARE LURED TOWARDS HER.

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO: THE FIRST UNIT WILL ATTACK THE CARRIER, AND THEN BRING DOWN THE BATTLESHIPS.

THE SECOND UNIT, DO YOUR BEST TO BRING DOWN ALL THE REST OF THE NAVY FLEET.

THE JAPANESE PLANNED A DECISIVE BATTLE AGAINST THE AMERICAN FLEET AT MIDWAY.

THIS WAS GONNA BE A SET-PIECE OPERATION, AND THE "YAMATO" WAS GONNA PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE HERE BECAUSE SHE WAS HELD IN RESERVE SO WHEN THE AMERICANS COMMITTED THEIR FLEET, THEY WOULD BE FINISHED OFF BY "YAMATO" AND THE OTHER JAPANESE BATTLESHIPS AND CRIPPLE THE AMERICAN FLEET FOR THE REST OF THE WAR.

NARRATOR: BUT YAMAMOTO IS UNAWARE THAT THE AMERICANS HAVE BROKEN HIS CODED MESSAGES TO THE FLEET AND ARE EXPECTING THE ATTACK.

HOLLAND: BECAUSE THE JAPANESE WERE TRYING TO HIDE THEIR TRUE INTENTIONS FROM THE AMERICANS, THEIR FORCES ARE VERY, VERY SPLIT UP.

SO THEIR CARRIER FORCE BECOMES SEPARATED FROM THEIR CAPITAL SHIP.

SO THE "YAMATO" IS WAY AWAY FROM THE CARRIER FORCE.

NARRATOR: THE JAPANESE FLEET IS AMBUSHED BY AN AMERICAN AIR ASSAULT.

FOUR JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS ARE LOST.

DESPITE HER FIREPOWER, THERE'S LITTLE THE "YAMATO" CAN DO.

SO CONSUMED IN OUTGUNNING AMERICAN SHIPS, THE JAPANESE FAIL TO FORESEE THEIR VULNERABILITY TO A MASS AERIAL ASSAULT.

THE NAZIS ALSO REALIZE THEIR BATTLESHIP, THE "TIRPITZ," IS VULNERABLE TO AIR ATTACK AND SEND HER INTO HIDING.

REALIZING THIS WEAKNESS, THE JAPANESE SEND THEIR MEGA SHIP, THE "YAMATO," AND HER NEWLY LAUNCHED SISTER SHIP, THE "MUSASHI," TO A SAFE HAVEN.

THE TINY ATOLL OF TRUK IN MICRONESIA IS JAPAN'S MILITARY SUPPLY HUB IN THE PACIFIC.

WITH EXTENSIVE ARTILLERY DEFENSES, TRUK IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST HEAVILY PROTECTED NAVAL BASES IN THE WORLD.

TRUK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE JAPANESE BECAUSE IT'S A MAJOR BASE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

IT'S FROM THERE THAT THEY CAN CONDUCT OPERATIONS AND STORE AIRCRAFT AND AMMUNITION, AND WITHOUT THAT, THEIR REACH WITHIN THE SOUTH PACIFIC IS MASSIVELY CURTAILED.

NARRATOR: ON TRUK, TONY POLLARD IS EXPLORING THE EXTENSIVE FORTIFICATIONS DESIGNED TO DEFEND THE "YAMATO" AND "MUSASHI" MOORED IN THE LAGOON.

DR. POLLARD: THE JAPANESE WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS TO DEFEND THE ISLANDS IN TRUK LAGOON, AND HERE IS A FANTASTIC EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE DEFENSES: A VERY STURDILY BUILT PILLBOX RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE SHORE.

IN FACT, IT'S COLLAPSED INTO THE SEA, BUT THIS WOULD'VE BEEN SET SLIGHTLY BACK ONTO THE BEACH.

GUN LOOPS IN THE SIDE, LOOKING ALL THE WAY ALONG THE BEACH AND OUT TO SEA, AND LOOK AT THAT.

I CAN SEE EVEN FROM HERE THIS CONCRETE'S ABOUT TWO METERS THICK.

WOW.

LOOK AT THAT: EVIDENCE OF AN IMPACT.

ALL IT'S DONE IS POKE A LITTLE HOLE OUT OF THE SIDE.

AND HERE'S ANOTHER GUN LOOP POINTING ALL THE WAY ALONG THERE.

AND I CAN SEE IN THE DISTANCE ANOTHER PILLBOX, AND EVEN BEYOND THAT, ONE FURTHER STILL.

AND WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE BEACH PROTECTED BY THESE PILLBOXES, LOOKING OUT INTO THE BAY WHERE THE FLEET WAS ANCHORED.

THE ENTRANCE IS IN THE BACK, BUT IT'S AN OPEN SPACE PROTECTED BY THIS STRUCTURE, WHICH IS A COLLAPSED BLAST WALL, WHICH WOULD'VE STOOD HERE, AND IF A SHELL LANDED BEHIND THE PILLBOX, THE EXPLOSION WOULD'VE HIT THIS WALL AND THE SHOCKWAVE STOPPED FROM GOING IN AND KILLING THE GUYS INSIDE.

IT'S MORE COMPLICATED IN HERE THAN YOU MIGHT IMAGINE.

THERE'S THIS SECONDARY STRUCTURE WITH SLOTS CUT INTO THE TOP OF THIS CONCRETE PLATFORM, CORRESPONDING TO THE 3 GUN SLITS.

AND THIS IS A HEAVY-WEAPONS MOUNT.

IT COULD'VE BEEN A MACHINE GUN-- IT COULD EVEN HAVE BEEN A PIECE OF LIGHT ARTILLERY-- AND THIS IS WHERE THE BACK DOOR IS IMPORTANT AGAIN.

YOU CAN'T HAVE A CLOSING DOOR, BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANY FORM OF BACK BLAST FROM THIS WEAPON, THE SHOCKWAVE IN HERE IS GONNA BE AMPLIFIED AND KILL THE CREW.

IT'S SMALL IN HERE.

THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY MORE THAN 3, MAYBE 4 MEN IN HERE.

IN COMBAT, THIS WOULD'VE BEEN AN INCREDIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION, AND YOU'VE ALWAYS GOT THAT SENSATION, I WOULD IMAGINE, THAT ONCE YOU'RE IN HERE, IT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT TO GET OUT.

AND THE AMAZING THING IS THAT THROUGH THIS EXACT GUN PORT, THEY WOULD'VE SEEN THE SUPER SHIPS, THE "YAMATO," AND HER SISTER SHIP, THE "MUSASHI."

NARRATOR: BUT TO PROTECT THE PRIZE OF THE JAPANESE FLEET FROM INBOUND ENEMY AIRCRAFT, THEY'LL NEED SOMETHING WITH MUCH MORE FIREPOWER.

DEEP IN THE JUNGLE OF TRUK ATOLL LIE ASTONISHING REMAINS OF THE LAND-BASED WEAPONS USED TO DEFEND JAPAN'S MEGA SHIPS.

DR. POLLARD: OH, LOOK AT THAT.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE... AND A DEAD GIVEAWAY HERE ARE THE TWO BARRELS.

IT'S A TWIN MOUNT, WHICH TELLS ME THIS IS AN ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN.

MOST OF THEM WERE TAKEN AWAY AND SCRAPPED AFTER THE WAR.

THE SIZE OF THIS THING...

IT'S DESIGNED TO TURN 360 DEGREES AND CANT UP AT A STEEP ANGLE SO IT CAN PUSH SHELLS OUT INTO THE SKY AT ATTACKING AIRCRAFT.

AND HERE'S THE CABIN WHERE THE AIMER WOULD'VE SAT, AND HE'D HAVE OBSERVATION PIECES HE CAN LOOK UP.

I CAN IMAGINE A MAN SAT IN HERE, LOOKING UP AT THE SKY, AND HE'S ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THE GUN IS CONTROLLED.

AND YOU CAN STILL SEE BEARINGS AND GEARS, AN INCREDIBLY COMPLEX PIECE OF MACHINERY.

BUT IN ITS DAY, IT WOULD'VE BEEN HIGHLY MOBILE AND ABLE TO COVER THE BAY WHERE THE "YAMATO" WAS SAT.

SO IF THE NEED AROSE, IT COULD PROVIDE DEFENSIVE FIRE.

NARRATOR: THE "YAMATO" HAS ITS BIG GUNS, BUT THEY ARE TOTALLY INEFFECTUAL AGAINST AERIAL ASSAULT, SO SHE RELIES ON THESE LAND-BASED DEFENSES.

I WOULDN'T REALLY HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN IN HERE WHEN THESE GUNS WERE GOING OFF.

NOT GOOD FOR THE EAR DRUMS, THAT'S FOR SURE.

AND WE CAN SEE HERE FROM THE DIAMETER OF THE MUZZLE, THIS IS A 12.7 CENTIMETER, SO IT'S OVER 4 INCHES.

AND THESE ARE HEAVY SHELLS, BUT THEY'RE AIRBURST SO THAT THE AIM IS TO KNOCK THESE PLANES OUT OF THE SKY, AND THE DOUBLE BARRELS ALLOW THE FIRE TO BE KEPT UP AT A HIGH RATE.

THESE SHALLOW NICHES ARE SET ALL AROUND THE EDGE OF THE GUN PIT INTO THE CONCRETE, AND THESE WOULD'VE PROVIDED A STORE FOR LIMITED AMOUNTS OF READY-TO-USE AMMUNITION ALREADY PREPPED TO PUT INTO THE GUN, AND THE POINT IS THAT WHEREVER THAT GUN IS POINTING, THE BREACH WILL ALWAYS BE CLOSE TO ONE OF THESE.

SO RAPID RELOADING IS ESSENTIAL HERE IF THEY'RE GONNA PROTECT THE FLEET WITH THIS ANTI-AIRCRAFT COVERAGE.

OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE PRETTY SMALL.

SO, AS THAT GUN IS FIRING, IF THERE IS AN AIR RAID, THESE ARE GONNA BE DEPLETED FAIRLY QUICKLY.

SO THERE MUST BE SOMEWHERE, A STORE WHERE QUANTITIES COULD BE BROUGHT IN TO KEEP THESE REPLENISHED.

THERE'S A VERTICAL SHAFT WITH A LADDER IN THE SIDE OF IT.

OH, GOD.

I'M NOT CRAWLING IN THERE, THAT'S FOR SURE.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THIS IS FOR AMMUNITION, ACTUALLY.

TUNNEL SEEMS TO GO OFF IN TWO DIRECTIONS, SO IT MUST BE AN EXTRA STORE, WELL-PROTECTED UNDERGROUND, WHICH MEANS THIS UNIT IS BASICALLY SELF-CONTAINED.

WHEW, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT VERY NICE DOWN HERE.

OHH.

THIS WAS DESIGNED AGAINST AIRCRAFT, ONE OF THE MAIN THREATS THAT THESE BIG SHIPS FACED... AND, IN FACT, THIS WAS A NAVAL GUN.

SO WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS HERE TO PROTECT THOSE SHIPS OF THE FLEET WHERE THE "YAMATO" WAS SAT ANCHORED.

NARRATOR: AND IT WON'T BE LONG UNTIL THEY ARE CALLED UPON TO PROTECT THE "YAMATO."

IN AUGUST, 1942, THE ISLAND OF GUADALCANAL COMES UNDER ATTACK AS THE U.S.

LAUNCH THEIR FIRST MAJOR OFFENSIVE IN THE PACIFIC WAR.

YAMAMOTO PLANS A DECISIVE PUSH TO DRIVE THEM OFF THE ISLAND, BUT AMMUNITION AND FOOD RATIONS ARE RUNNING LOW.

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO: WE MUST GET MORE SUPPLIES THROUGH TO OUR TROOPS.

IF THE ARMY HAS BEEN STARVING THROUGH LACK OF SUPPLIES, THEN THE NAVY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITSELF.

NARRATOR: YAMAMOTO SENDS A TOTAL OF 53 SHIPS, BUT NOT THE "YAMATO."

AFRAID THAT THE NAVY'S FLAGSHIP WILL BE EXPOSED AND UNABLE TO REPEL A U.S. AIR ATTACK, YAMAMOTO KEEPS HER IN THE SHELTER OF TRUK LAGOON, AND USES HER AS HIS CONTROL CENTER.

GUADALCANAL WAS THE LAST CHANCE FOR THE JAPANESE TO INFLICT A DECISIVE DEFEAT ON THE AMERICAN NAVY, BUT THEY FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE OPPORTUNITY.

NARRATOR: IF DEPLOYED, THE "YAMATO" COULD'VE USED HER DEVASTATING FIREPOWER TO HELP STAVE OFF THE U.S.

ASSAULT.

BUT THE MIGHTY BATTLESHIP REMAINS ANCHORED AT TRUK, AND GUADALCANAL SOON FALLS.

THE "YAMATO" WAS AT TRUK FOR 8 MONTHS, AND SO THE NICKNAME AMONG THE SOLDIERS WAS THE "YAMATO" HOTEL.

AND AS A SAILOR, YOU WERE VERY PROUD TO BE ON THIS "YAMATO" BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS NICE-- THERE WAS EVEN AIR CONDITIONING.

NARRATOR: WITH WAR RAGING, THE JAPANESE NAVY GO ON A RECRUITMENT DRIVE.

ONE OF THEIR NEW CADETS DESTINED FOR THE "YAMATO" IS 20-YEAR-OLD MITSURU YOSHIDA.

MAN AS ENSIGN YOSHIDA: "DEAR MOTHER, TRAINING IS GOING WELL.

"I MISS COLLEGE, BUT I'M MAKING MANY NEW FRIENDS.

"WE SPOKE OF THE 'YAMATO' TODAY; "I HOPE THAT ONE DAY I GET TO SAIL WITH HER.

IF SHE DOES NOT STRIKE FEAR INTO THE AMERICANS, NOTHING WILL."

NARRATOR: WHILE THE "YAMATO" REMAINS AT TRUK, IN APRIL, 1943, ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO TOURS THE FRONTLINE.

BUT HUNTED BY THE AMERICANS, HIS AIRCRAFT IS SHOT DOWN, AND HE'S KILLED.

NEXT, THE AMERICANS TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO TRUK LAGOON, AND THE JAPANESE SHIPS HIDDEN THERE ARE ABOUT TO FACE THE TOUGHEST TEST OF ALL.

MARK STILLE: THE AMERICANS, BY THE EARLY PART OF 1944, PLANNED TO RAID TRUK AND CATCH THE JAPANESE BATTLE FLEET INSIDE THE LAGOON.

THIS WOULD'VE BEEN A GREAT WAY TO PAY THE JAPANESE BACK FOR PEARL HARBOR.

NARRATOR: JUST BEFORE DAWN ON FEBRUARY 17, 1944, THE AMERICANS LAUNCH OPERATION HAILSTONE.

TRUK LAGOON, HOME TO THE "YAMATO" AND HUNDREDS OF JAPANESE SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT, COMES UNDER ATTACK.

OVER 500 AIRCRAFT WERE USED IN THAT ATTACK, LAUNCHED FROM 9 AIRCRAFT CARRIERS.

AMERICAN WARSHIPS CIRCLED THE ATOLL, WAITING FOR JAPANESE SHIPS TO TRY AND ESCAPE, SO THEY COULD TAKE THEM OUT, JUST LIKE A PACK OF SHARKS.

IT PUT THE DEFENSES TO THEIR ULTIMATE TEST.

NARRATOR: THE JAPANESE ARE TAKEN COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE.

WITH ONLY A HANDFUL OF PLANES SCRAMBLED IN TIME, IT'S UP TO THE ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS TO DEFEND THE FLEET.

TONY POLLARD IS HEADING TO ANOTHER HAUNTING RELIC OF THIS EPIC BATTLE.

THE JAPANESE DEFENSE OF TRUK WAS DIRECTED FROM A COMMAND CENTER AT THE EASTERN END OF THE LAGOON.

THE JAPANESE TURNED ONE OF THE ISLANDS INTO WHAT YOU COULD ALMOST DESCRIBE AS A PERMANENT AIRCRAFT CARRIER.

THIS IS THE ISLAND OF ETEN, AND YOU CAN SEE IT EVEN LOOKS LIKE AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER IN PROFILE; IT'S STUNNING.

LOOK AT THIS THING.

IT'S ALMOST BEEN SWALLOWED UP BY THE JUNGLE.

BUT ONCE YOU GET THROUGH THE GREENERY, LOOK AT IT.

IT'S A REALLY SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE.

WE'VE GOT TWO STORIES HERE.

WE'VE GOT THESE HEAVILY REINFORCED BLAST DOORS AND WINDOWS.

VERY IMPORTANT BUILDING.

WE'VE GOT STRAFING MARKS ON THE WALL WHERE MACHINE GUN BULLETS FROM AN AMERICAN AIRCRAFT HAVE RAKED ACROSS THIS CONCRETE SURFACE.

BUT WHEN WE MOVE TO THIS SIDE, IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY ENTIRELY.

LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS OUTSTANDING DAMAGE.

BOMB HAS JUST COME STRAIGHT THOUGH HERE.

IT'S LIKE A SNAPSHOT OF OPERATION HAILSTONE, THIS AMERICAN RAID.

THIS MUST'VE BEEN A HECK OF AN EVENT AS THESE AMERICAN PLANES CAME IN, DISCHARGING THEIR MACHINE GUNS, RAKING EVERYTHING.

AND LET'S NOT FORGET THERE'S AN AIRFIELD OUT THERE WITH PLANES ON IT.

AND IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU CAN THROW IN ALL THE STEEL AND CONCRETE YOU WANT, BUT IF THE ENEMY'S DETERMINED ENOUGH-- WHICH THE AMERICANS CERTAINLY WERE-- YOU CAN KNOCK THESE PLACES OUT.

NARRATOR: THIS DISPLAY OF AERIAL FIREPOWER CASTS DOUBT NOT ONLY ON THE ISLAND'S DEFENSES, BUT ON THOSE OF THE "YAMATO" HERSELF.

LOOK AT THIS LUMP HERE.

YOU CAN SWING THAT LIKE A PENDULUM.

IT'S JUST THESE STEEL REINFORCING RODS THAT ARE KEEPING IT SUSPENDED.

NARRATOR: THE ISLANDS ARE DECIMATED, WITH 270 PLANES DESTROYED AND 191,000 TONS OF SHIPPING SUNK.

IF THE JAPANESE EVER NEEDED A REMINDER OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CARRIER-BORNE AIRCRAFT, TRUK IS THE BATTLE THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT ONCE AND FOR ALL.

NARRATOR: SOME SHIPS AVOID THE ATTACK.

WITH AN ASSAULT ANTICIPATED, THE JAPANESE MOVE THE "YAMATO" AND "MUSASHI" TO SAFETY.

WITH TRUK DECIMATED, THE "YAMATO"-CLASS MEGA SHIPS ARE NOW MORE VULNERABLE TO AIR ATTACK THAN EVER BEFORE.

SO THE JAPANESE RETROFIT THE SHIPS WITH ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPONRY.

THIS IS THE FAMOUS NUMBER 4 DOCK, AND THIS IS WHERE BATTLESHIP "YAMATO" WOULD COME IN FOR REPAIRS OR UPGRADES.

ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS WERE ADDED-- THEY WERE ALL DONE HERE.

AND IT'S JUST--LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS DOCK... AND IT'S SO DEEP.

I MEAN, THERE'S THIS CRANE HERE.

SHE WOULD, LIKE, TOWER OVER THIS CRANE.

HER SUPER STRUCTURE ITSELF WAS MORE THAN 18 STORIES HIGH.

IT SHOULD COMPLETELY FILL THE WIDTH OF THIS DOCK.

THE JAPANESE WERE KEENLY AWARE OF THE GROWING POWER OF AMERICAN AIRCRAFT, AND THEY MADE GREAT EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE VULNERABILITY OF THEIR SURPLUS FLEET TO AMERICAN AIR STRIKES.

FOR "YAMATO," THIS INCLUDED GIVING HER MODERN RADAR, WHICH ENABLED HER TO DETECT AMERICAN AIRCRAFT APPROACHING THE FLEET.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY VASTLY INCREASED THE NUMBERS OF ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS ABOARD THE "YAMATO."

NARRATOR: THEY INSTALL OVER 100 ADDITIONAL GUNS.

BY OCTOBER, 1944, THE WORK IS COMPLETE, AND THE "YAMATO" AND THE "MUSASHI" SAIL INTO BATTLE AT LEYTE GULF, THE LARGEST NAVAL CONFRONTATION OF WORLD WAR II.

[ALARM] THE "YAMATO" FINALLY HAS THE CHANCE TO FIRE HER 18-INCH GUNS AT AMERICAN SHIPS, HITTING AT LEAST ONE CARRIER.

BUT HER ARMOR ALSO FACES ITS FIRST BIG TEST.

SEEN IN THESE RARE AND DECLASSIFIED U.S. NAVY PHOTOGRAPHS, THIS IS THE ACTUAL MOMENT THE "YAMATO" IS HIT BY TWO BOMBS.

THE GUN TURRETS ARE PROTECTED BY 26 INCHES OF ARMOR.

BUT THE DECK IS MORE VULNERABLE, AND A BOMB PENETRATES THE CREW QUARTERS.

DESPITE THE DAMAGE, THE "YAMATO" ESCAPES, AS THE AMERICANS CONCENTRATE THEIR EFFORTS ON THE "MUSASHI."

HOLLAND: THE BATTLE FOR LEYTE GULF IS A DISASTER FOR THE JAPANESE.

THE AMERICANS HAVE DEVELOPED A NEW TYPE OF EXPLOSIVE.

IT'S TORPEX, WHICH IS DOUBLE THE POWER OF TNT.

AND THE PRE-WAR ESTIMATES OF HOW MUCH DAMAGE THESE BATTLESHIPS COULD ABSORB WAS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF A WARHEAD BEING FULL OF TNT, NOT TORPEX.

IT'S ESTIMATED THAT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 11 AND 15 TORPEDOES STRIKE AT THE "MUSASHI."

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S SOME 16 BOMBS HIT IT AS WELL.

AND IT IS THAT COMBINATION OF MASS NUMBERS OF TORPEDOES, WITH MORE POWERFUL WARHEADS HITTING IT THAT EVENTUALLY DOES FOR THE "MUSASHI."

NARRATOR: THE "MUSASHI" GOES DOWN WITH THE LOSS OF OVER 1,000 LIVES.

21 JAPANESE SAILORS ARE KILLED OR INJURED ON BOARD THE "YAMATO"... AND ONE OF THEIR REPLACEMENTS IS NAVAL CADET MITSURU YOSHIDA.

MAN AS ENSIGN YOSHIDA: "DEAR MOTHER, ONLY ONE YEAR TO TRAIN.

"IT HAS BEEN TOUGH, BUT GOOD NEWS.

"I'VE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE 'YAMATO.'

"I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO PROUD.

"EVERYONE IS COUNTING ON ME AND MY 3,000 SHIPMATES.

WE WILL NOT FAIL OUR COUNTRY OR THE EMPEROR."

NARRATOR: ONLY 4 MONTHS AFTER COMING ON BOARD, YOSHIDA AND THE "YAMATO" PREPARE FOR WHAT COULD BE THEIR FINAL BATTLE.

ON APRIL 5, 1945, THE "YAMATO," JAPAN'S LAST SURVIVING MEGA SHIP, IS CALLED UPON TO DEFEND THE JAPANESE HOMELAND.

ISSUING THE ORDER IS ADMIRAL SOEMU TOYODA.

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS ADMIRAL TOYODA: SAIL TO THE WEST OF OKINAWA TO ATTACK THEM AND DESTROY!

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] NARRATOR: THE JAPANESE ISLAND OF OKINAWA, ONLY 350 MILES SOUTH OF MAINLAND JAPAN, IS UNDER ATTACK.

IF THE ISLAND IS LOST, THEN JAPAN ITSELF COULD FALL NEXT.

TOYODA'S PLAN WAS FOR THE "YAMATO" AND HER 9 SUPPORT SHIPS TO SAIL HERE TO OKINAWA, AND THERE TO ENGAGE THE AMERICAN INVASION FLEET WITH HER HUGE GUNS... AND WE'RE TALKING THERE ARE AROUND 1,500 AMERICAN SHIPS.

IF NECESSARY, THE "YAMATO" WAS TO BE BEACHED AND TURNED INTO A FORTRESS, AND HER GUNS USED FROM THE SHORE.

THIS WAS A CRAZY PLAN, SUICIDAL.

NARRATOR: ON THE AFTERNOON OF APRIL 6, THE "YAMATO" SETS SAIL WITH 9 ESCORT SHIPS BUT NO AIR COVER.

ON OKINAWA, THE BATTLE IS WELL UNDERWAY IN WHAT IS TO BE THE LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT IN THE PACIFIC WAR.

BY THIS STAGE, THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY ARE THROWING KAMIKAZE PLANES, KAMIKAZE ROCKETS, KAMIKAZE BOATS, AND KAMIKAZE CAPITAL SHIPS AS WELL AT THE OKINAWA INVASION.

NEWSCASTER: SKY FULL OF BLACK AS THE JAPS ATTACK WARSHIPS SUPPORTING THE INVASION OF OKINAWA.

SCENES OF PLUNGING PLANES AND ENEMY BOMBS LAND PERILOUSLY NEAR.

NARRATOR: BUT THE "YAMATO" IS STILL A DAY'S SAILING FROM OKINAWA.

ON THE BRIDGE, IT'S THE JOB OF ENSIGN YOSHIDA TO STAND WATCH, A PRESTIGIOUS ROLE FOR ONE SO YOUNG.

HE'S EAGER TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY.

MAN AS ENSIGN YOSHIDA: HOW WE HAVE AWAITED THIS MOMENT.

OURS IS THE SINGLE HONOR OF BEING THE NATION'S PROTECTOR.

ONE DAY, WE MUST PROVE OURSELVES WORTHY.

NARRATOR: BUT ENSIGN YOSHIDA'S DREAM IS NOT TO BE.

AS IT TURNS OUT, THE "YAMATO" IS INTERCEPTED BEFORE IT GETS TO OKINAWA, AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY PUMMELED.

[RADAR OPERATOR SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] [ALARM] [SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS ENSIGN YOSHIDA: CONTACT--3 LARGE FORMATIONS APPROACHING.

NARRATOR: AT 12:32 HOURS, AROUND 150 ENEMY AIRCRAFT APPEAR OUT OF THE THICK CLOUD AND UNLEASH HELL.

[SAILOR SHOUTS IN JAPANESE] THE NEW ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS DO WHAT THEY CAN, BUT WITH NO AIR COVER OF HER OWN, THE "YAMATO" IS EXPOSED.

[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE] MAN AS ENSIGN YOSHIDA: THERE IS MORE THAN 100 ENEMY AIRCRAFT!

TWO FORMATIONS: RANGE, 80,000 FEET; DIRECTION, 85 DEGREES.

NARRATOR: THE "YAMATO" IS POUNDED WITH BULLETS AND BOMBS, BUT THE BIGGEST THREAT TO HER THICK ARMOR ARE THE TORPEDOES.

MAN AS ENSIGN YOSHIDA: TWO GRUMMANS; PORT, 25 DEGREES; ELEVATION, 8 DEGREES; RANGE, 13,000 FEET; FLYING TO STARBOARD!

MAN AS ENSIGN YOSHIDA, VOICE-OVER: THE TRACKS OF TORPEDOES ARE A BEAUTIFUL WHITE AGAINST THE SEA, AS IF SOMEONE WERE DRAWING A NEEDLE THROUGH THE WATER.

THEY COME PRESSING IN, AIMED AT "YAMATO" FROM A DOZEN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

NARRATOR: SEVERAL TORPEDOES PUNCH INTO HER PORT SIDE.

WHAT THE AMERICANS HAVE DISCOVERED IS THAT THE BEST WAY TO SINK THESE THINGS IS TO PUMMEL THEM FROM ONE SIDE ONLY SO THAT THE KIND OF CORRECTING GEAR THAT THEY HAVE ON THE BATTLESHIP CAN'T COME INTO PLAY.

MAN AS ENSIGN YOSHIDA: WATER CONTROL, HEADQUARTERS HAS TAKEN A TORPEDO HIT!

[SHOUTING IN JAPANESE] NARRATOR: WITHOUT THIS CONTROL ROOM, THE "YAMATO" CAN NO LONGER PUMP WATER AROUND THE 1,000 SPECIALLY DESIGNED STABILIZING COMPARTMENTS.

FOR THOSE INSIDE THE CONTROL ROOM, THERE IS NO ESCAPE.

BY 2 P.M., THE "YAMATO" IS LISTING AT 20 DEGREES, AND THE ORDER IS GIVEN TO ABANDON SHIP.

MAN AS ENSIGN YOSHIDA: THERE'S NO HOPE OF TRIMMING THE LIST!

RUN!

NARRATOR: WITH HER PORT SIDE FLOODING, THE UNSINKABLE MIGHTY BATTLESHIP BEGINS TO CAPSIZE.

AS SHE GOES DOWN...

THE REAR AMMUNITIONS STORE EXPLODES.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY THE U.S. NAVY, THE IMMENSE PILLAR OF SMOKE STRETCHES ALMOST 20,000 FEET INTO THE AIR, AND CAN BE SEEN 120 MILES AWAY.

WHICHEVER WAY YOU LOOK AT IT-- I KNOW IT'S A WEAPON OF WAR-- BUT THIS IS STILL AN ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL PIECE OF ENGINEERING.

IT IS A-- IT IS A MAJESTIC VESSEL, AND FOR IT TO END IN JUST SUCH A WAY IS TRAGIC, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A WEAPON OF WAR.

AND OF COURSE, THE GREATEST TRAGEDY OF ALL IS THAT SOME 3,000 JAPANESE SAILORS GO DOWN WITH IT.

NARRATOR: 276 MEN ARE SAVED, INCLUDING ENSIGN YOSHIDA, WHO IS RESCUED BY ONE OF THE "YAMATO"'S ESCORT SHIPS.

BUT JAPAN'S NAVY HAS BEEN DEALT A FATAL BLOW, AND JUST 5 MONTHS LATER, JAPAN IS DEFEATED.

THE "YAMATO" AND ITS SISTER SHIP, THE "MUSASHI," ARE NEVER REALLY USED IN THE ROLE THAT THEY'RE DESIGNED FOR: TAKING ON OTHER SHIPS AT LONG RANGE, SUPPORTING OPERATIONS ON THE LAND AS WELL AS OFFSHORE NAVAL POWER.

THE PROBLEM WAS THEY WERE SUCH A SYMBOL OF JAPANESE IMPERIAL NAVAL POWER THAT THERE WAS A KIND OF RELUCTANCE TO USE THEM IN CASE SOMETHING WENT HORRIBLY WRONG.

AND SO BY THE TIME THEY DO GO INTO ACTION, IT'S JUST TOO LATE.

AND THE STORY OF THE "YAMATO"-- AND ALSO ITS SISTER SHIP, THE "MUSASHI"-- IS REALLY A STORY OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES.

NARRATOR: ONCE THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC IS OVER, ENSIGN YOSHIDA BECOMES A SUCCESSFUL BANKER, AND WRITES A MEMOIR OF THE "YAMATO"'S FINAL MISSION.

MUCH LIKE THE NAZI MEGA SHIPS "BISMARCK" AND "TIRPITZ," THE "YAMATO" MARKS THE END OF THE AGE OF BATTLESHIPS.

AIRCRAFT CARRIERS NOW DOMINATE THE SEAS, BUT THE "YAMATO" HAS A LASTING LEGACY AS ONE OF THE LAST BATTLESHIPS TO GO DOWN FIGHTING.