Rising Sun

Overview

Rising Sun is a landmark 1980 Hong Kong documentary directed by Kong Chi-Man and produced by Edko Films. Featuring rare black-and-white archival footage from Japan, the United States, and global institutions, it offers one of the most comprehensive screen chronicles of the Pacific War. The first half focuses on the Second Sino-Japanese War, including the atrocities of the Nanjing Massacre, the Battle of Taierzhuang, and the heroic Defense of Sihang Warehouse, capturing China’s immense suffering and resistance. The second half explores the Pacific theater, depicting Japan’s clashes with the United States across key island battles and the catastrophic impact of modern warfare. The film closes with the haunting image of the atomic bomb, a stark symbol of the war’s devastation.