[laughter] prof. chin: but the 1962 law was, you know, i think, responsive to demands in the economy, and we wanted people to immigrate that were going to make economic contributions the country.going to make economic contributions to the country. >> again, one of the marks of a great ape or is that i have to cut off the questioning and answering. [applause] >> you are watching american weekend, every weekend on c-span three. to join the conversation, like us on facebook at c-span history. , american history tv's real america brings you archival films that divides context for today's issues.

bomb" is a film that documents the campaign against japan. the 35 minute film concludes with the august 1945 atomic bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki. ♪ >> early in 1945 hour b-29s began full-scale operations against japan. 1500 miles back from bases in

saipan, tinian, and guam. here the bombers concentrated their massive airpower and planned the ultimate crushing defeat of japan, down to the last bomb. here was the beginning of the end for the road to tokyo. after six months of reoccupation, there were few signs of war along the summer shores of glom. -- summer shores of guam. american citizens again, smiling and friendly. unaware that america -- america moved mountains of material, equipment, and supplies across the pacific. they changed their dirt roads and broad highways. and nearby new communities of

american citizens have set up housekeeping with various types of self-service. a few laundry problems and no modern inconveniences. big business under the long arm of on the command -- from guam, tinian and saipan -- behind this expanding power was planning. the plan began on the ground with maintenance. heart stands, ground crews worked a and tonight during the weeks to keep more he 29's on

the line. by july the bomber command is an efficient well oiled machine of destruction. here is the cause of that machine. -- here's the final caulk of that machine. -- final cog of that machine. let's find a what they're going to do, and why, and what. it began 12 hours ago. with a general receiving a report for tomorrow's weather in japan. tomorrow's forecast is typical. in the east, tokyo area will be 6/10 of 22,000, 3/10 at 14,000 feet, closing up after 11 a.m. >> how the general -- how will the general solve that one? the old man considers every

vital factor and makes his decision. four wings will strike tokyo at 8:00. they will go in under that weather and bomb and 12,000. now it is the question of target selection. first priority is number 573. 573 is already three quarters destroyed. at the moment number 574 is still untouched. operations check the tactical plan for's -- tactical plan for 574. the general ok's the target and commences all executive tales to his staff. operations with his deputy chief of staff and project officer goes to work setting up the changes. the mountain of preparation -- correlated facts and figures

have been distilled and tactical plan -- distilled into tactical plan 574. smoke markers will be dropping i lay planes at project assembly point. a wing will carry and 47 incendiary clusters. fused a quarter second read ads -- altitude of attack, 12,000 feet. the wing will carry capacity fuel loads of possibly 7300 gallons per plane. calibrated airspeed of -- will be by all aircraft on the bombing run. 140 east will be the same for all planes to offer a good contrast checkpoint. three surface vessels to proceed

to position ask. lifeguard duties at positions why. two on those two stations e. 429's will orbit at the following positions. each section of the plan is double checked to supervise certain aspects of planning. the lieutenant colonel was recently brought over the staff as project officer. this offers as extensive combat experience. he will company this mission to observe new smoke signals at assembly point. a field order is dispatched to the wings. take off time is dispatched to the controller, who coordinates the vast network of communications gathered here at the heart and nerve center of command.

here in the control room panels and a mission board are maintained to show at a glance the countless up-to-the-minute details of all daily operations. each mission is afforded a flight. one for each wing are laid out to indicate the flightline's. close to iwo jima, the halfway point. empress c -- and proceed to specify the field order of proper targets. a timetable of statistics for each wing is planned and flown as recorded from hourly reports, beginning with take off time.

two veteran crews it is just another day's work. one more 1500 mile fall. 15 hours, 7000 gallons, four engines, 11 guys. a water jump across 20 degrees. destination tokyo. it's like taken off in mexico for targets in canada.

145 planes one minute of hard, 67 tons each. those b-29 takeoffs are tough. that first long moment is the worst. sometimes it takes luck to beat it. at 100 miles north, to more b-29 wings prepare for takeoff. 134 aircraft from the 58th wing.

100 more from the 300 13th wing. at taipan, the wing lines of for takeoff. 100 53 are added to the mission striking clause.

the last b-29's airborne at 15-40. the tower of saipan relays this information to the controller back at guam. first and last takeoff times of each wing are recorded here and make up a series of tabulated mission reports. copies of these reports are dispatched to headquarters in washington and posted on a control room report board. during that first hour the b-29 has settled down for the a grind, saving precious gas,

cruising 1000 feet off the water, ability, experience, confidence writing each plane. a plan of action for 11 men trained and tested to work as one. locking island checkpoints. after about four hours of flight the bombers pass closer to iwo jima. a black pretty pork chop, 8000 square miles paid for by our marines. we made some quick changes. cutting way the sulfurous volcanic crossed and rolling the surface into one enormous flat top. three big airstrips. general has -- general and his staff --

a last minute briefing check just to make sure your fighter escort knows all rescue positions. out on the line the p 50 ones are warming up for the longest fight -- the p-50 ones -- p-51s are warming up for the longest flight on record. about the time our wings are passing iwo jima the p shooters are taking off. scheduled to join them 3.5 hours later off the shore of japan. after a rendezvous, the p 51

heads for an assembly point. reports of the controller back at guam -- >> pilot to crew. we are to start our climb. check oxygen equipment. >> tell buggy he better get out to his doghouse. >> the crews prepare for the vital business ahead. until they come off target and head home it is all business. the central fire control system is warmed up. super human brainpower at the

flick of a switch. each flexes his sites and tries a coordinated fire control with a few short bursts to clear the guns. after pushing up the bombers arrive close to assembly point. oxygen masks are adjusted and ready for instant use. which now turn off to wait for the finest return on rally point. lead bombers begin to circle, dropping the new smoke markers for assembly.

the project officer observes this tactical plan in action. from various own positions, the group separates. and form on their lead ships. which head for an initial point. the big parade is on. landfall is picked up, along with enemy coastal batteries. -- becomes heavier and more accurate.

diving head on to the formations. other fighters -- set to explode on the oncoming b-29s. our p-51s go after them. their job is to protect the b-29s paid for some of those fighters, they will meet the blast of bomber guns.

from the turn and initial point from the turn and initial point -- getting ready for business.

fighters falloff. but those clouds are beginning to close in and it looks worse ahead. the tokyo area breaks clear. the bombardier's begin to draw a beat on 574. the planes sit tight for the bombing run. here's where we pay off.

two aircraft planes and an air drone are prepared to receive 4000 tons of destruction. the first wave of b-29 has found their objective. succeeding bomber groups add to the smoking carcass.

tactical plan 574 is now accomplished. the bombers go downwind across the acres of tokyo. close-up camera shows the skies of the spectacular fire strikes last march. 51 square miles of treatment. across the bay -- this is fighter country. with the big bombers homeward bound, the p-51job's down for

straight runs. with the big bombers homeward

drop down t 50 ones for strafing runs, concentrating on it just gives from here to the enemy coast. and cut off pair up vital lifelines, blasting away at communications, radio installations, power lines.

swooping down on enemy transportation, railroads, small suburban factory.

and airfields. then on to shipping targets -- andters, fishermen, harbor coastal craft. it's the same enemy.

after strafing, our fighters come back to rally point and the planes.between nine

with the first sight of you are jima, fuel gauges are close to empty but spirits rise. they rise up and finish with a kick and zoom in to victory. one salute for each jap killed. after the last fighter groups bring in thoseds

wimping b-29s. that runway is a beautiful site as they let down with engines out, low on gas and beat up by flak and fighters. in three months, nearly 2000 cripple or gas shy between lines had a haven at iwo jima. mustan understand why they those marines and name their planes after them. iwo jima still has its hazards. whether can turn this station hopeless. fog and quick overcast often blacked out the airstrip and that means orders to bailout. nine mighta between drop in.

from here, you can see how the cloud cover smothers the runway and realize what one pilot went through. guard bombersoast daggers back only to flatten out at the last part raking second. -- heart raking second. by some miracle, the whole crew got away safely before 2000 gallons of flaming gas enveloped

them. firefighters risk their lives to save the ship. this takes courage beyond the line of. most wings areh, nearing their basis. exhausted crews wait out the last endless our when time seems to stop. their position is radio didn't and controller gets word of the of trojan light. at last, the familiar marianas appear on the horizon. across bomb -- a quad -- across long.

15 hours ago, they left the other and of that runway. it is a leisure to be back and a pleasure to roll on solid familiar blacktop. good to feel a sudden heat and be among the living, swapping details the ground crew , flak, fighters, the close calls, the one that got away. the 29 crewshose

will not be able to talk it over today. 11 men and a bomber that didn't quite make it. the rescue squad carrying the hot metal. burningin that wreckage, a man has learned to feel. one life saved and 10 lost.

many other days and night to their toll on young american service of our relentless expanding airpower. by the end of july, our b-29s had all but obliterated the enemies ability to make war. thousands of missions would hit japan with twice the tonnage that fell on germany. the question was how much longer would a beaten japan hold out? in august, we made a test never applied to germany. sea and airland, forces gathered for the last invasion, the b-29s. -- dropped two atomic bombs. which hastened the surrender of

japan and saved untold thousands of american lives. ♪ though the mission of our air forces which began nearly four years ago was accomplished. >> you are watching american history tv, all weekend, every weekend on c-span3. to join the conversation, like us on face book at c-span history. >> all weekend long, american history tv is showcasing port huron, michigan. to learn more, go to

c-span.org/cities tour. we continue now with our look at the history of port huron. by, energized. we have radar and gps. [horn blowing] built in 1942as and sailed for 70 something years. that was one of the best returns america got