Tora! Tora! Tora!

A scene from Tora! Tora! Tora! [Photo/Mtime]

Tora! Tora! Tora! is a 1970 American-Japanese film directed by Richard Fleischer that dramatizes the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The title is the Japanese codeword used to indicate that complete surprise had been achieved, but in this case was an acronym for "totsugeki raigeki", meaning "lightning attack".

In 1941 the Japanese are at odds with the United States on a number of issues which they attempt to resolve via their Washington embassy. In case this diplomacy fails, the military hatches plans for a surprise early Sunday morning air attack on the US base at Pearl Harbor. American intelligence break the Japanese diplomatic messages but few high-ups are prepared to believe that an attack is likely, let alone where or how it might come.

Since warnings fail to reach the Pearl Harbor, the incoming Japanese fighter pilots don't receive any anti-aircraft fire as they approach the base. As a result, the squadron leader radioed in the code phrase marking that complete surprise for the attack has been achieved: "Tora! Tora! Tora!"

Tora! Tora! Tora! was nominated for 5 Academy Awards, including for Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography, and won one for Visual Effects.