Calling this movie a propaganda film is no insult--it was released very shortly after the actual fall of Wake Islan and was an effective way to put a face on these doomed defenders and energize the people at home in the war effort. Since it was completed so quickly, the exact details of the final doomed days of the soldiers was a bit murky so the studio filled in the gaps with fictionalized accounts of this struggle.The film begins just before December 7, 1941 and the island is in the process of being turned into a military base. Civilian engineers and soldiers cover the barren island and they are unaware that they were directly in harm's way. Soon, the troops on the island would face invasion and annihilation.As I said, the individual accounts of heroism were fictionalized through the creation of some characters such as those played by William Bendix and Robert Preston (who seem like an old married couple with their banter) as well Albert Dekker (who, as usual, plays a loudmouth patriot), Brian Donlevy and Macdonald Carey. The acting was very effective even though by today's standards some of the stories seem a bit clichéd--they were perfect for the time.While far from one of the very best war films made during WWII, it was better than average and is well worth a look. Excellent quality and a rousing script make for a very good film.A final note because I am an aviation nut. I hated one part of the film--the aerial scenes were often bad, as monoplanes (with a single wing) often magically became biplanes in mid-air (with two wings). While I could forgive them making Japanese planes that looked nothing like the real thing, having them change so radically in mid-flight was unforgivable. Did they think the audiences wouldn't notice?

Have seen this excellent movie numerous times over the years but, as I recall, years ago there was a scene where the radio operator told the marine commander that Pearl Harbor wanted to know if they needed anything. The marine commander, Brian Donvely, said "yes, tell them to send more japs". That scene has been cut out of the movie for the last 25 years or so. I know that the scene was originally in the movie because I have read the book by Major James Devereaux (actual commander of the marine detachment published in 1947- I have the paperback. Devereaux said he had seen the movie after he came back from the Japanese prison camp where he spent the war and stated he had never made that statement, that they had all the japs they could handle. Comments from anyone?

This isn't too bad if you don't mind war time propaganda and like some of the other war movies like Bataan and Guadalcanal Diary. This one was directed by John Farrow and doesn't have any really big stars like Brian Donlevy and William Bendix. The movie starts out right before pearl harbor in which a new captain shows up, played by Donlevy, and some of the men are bored. Some of them want to leave but after Pearl Harbor they all want to stay. Then the Japanese come and start bombing 'em and they are running out of supplies fast. This movie is just like Bataan but it's hard to tell which one is better. It's a decent movie and it's great that they don't make any more wartime propaganda pictures any more.

I have actually been to Wake Island and was able to explore the history that took place there in December, 1941. A sign stating "Where America's Day Really Begins" greets you on the airstrip as you disembark, reflecting the fact that they are on the other side of the date line. Inside the terminal, a small museum containing relics of the war tells the story of the Marines and civilian contractors stationed there.I began viewing the relics with no knowledge of what had occurred, and was originally only interested in them as an antique novelty. It was after I began reading the stories that accompanied the items, put together by survivor's, as I stood there on no more than a couple hundred yards of sand, that the magnitude of what they must have faced hit me. On each subsequent visit I would try to learn more about the battle, exploring the dunes and eventually reading a few books containing survivor's reports. With that said, the viewing of the film was a bit spoiled.I have a difficult time seeing the film as little more than propaganda designed to feed an already salivating audience looking for revenge in post-Pearl Harbor America. The true story of Wake Island is not one of a Marine Battalion's last stand, it is one of a reeling Pacific Fleet following the Pearl Harbor attacks that called off a rescue effort. It is a story of civilian contractors that were forced into labor, then executed. It is a story of Marines that would spend years as POWs enduring treatment unimaginable to most people reading these comments. It is the story of the families that would wait with uncertainty about the fate of their loved ones.Wake Island is a good war drama, but other than location and date it offers little in the way of historical accuracy. To treat it as realistic does an injustice to the brave Americans who fought there.