Unsettled History, America, China and the Doolittle Tokyo Raid

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Summary

The "Doolittle Raiders" were one of the most famous American aviation units of World War II. The new documentary UNSETTLED HISTORY: AMERICA, CHINA AND THE DOOLITTLE TOKYO RAID examines a key moment...

The "Doolittle Raiders" were one of the most famous American aviation units of World War II. The new documentary UNSETTLED HISTORY: AMERICA, CHINA AND THE DOOLITTLE TOKYO RAID examines a key moment in American/Chinese history, exploring how the two sides recall a daring 1942 raid on Tokyo, and how this shared event is remembered in different ways, the reasons for this divergence and what lessons it may hold for today. In the film, the memory of the Raiders is kept alive by their children and grand-children, as well as by descendants of the courageous Chinese men and women who rescued many of them from likely capture, torture, or even death at the hands of the Japanese military.On April 18, 1942, sixteen U.S. Army aircrews embarked on their first combat mission. They had enough fuel to reach their targets -- military and industrial sites in Tokyo and five other Japanese cities - but not enough to go much farther. Even if they somehow made their way to the relative safety of China, no one knew they were coming. In 2018, the children of the "Doolittle Raiders" visited China, to literally walk in their fathers' footsteps. But is this mission remembered in China as heroic or misguided? And what kind of reception did they receive at a time when US/China relations were bad, and getting worse? One historical event, two different narratives.

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