Unit 731 - Did the Emperor Know? (Original title)
Date: 13 August 1985 (Television)Country: United KingdomDirector: David C. Rea
Synopsis: Documentary which examines the work of Japanese Imperial Army unit 731 which experimented with proscribed chemical and germ weapons during World War II, with interviews with prisoners who were used in the experiments and investigation of why the experimentors remained unprosecuted after the war.Synopsis: Germ warfare was banned by civilised nations before World War II. But behind the treaties and international agreements, experimental work in the building of bombs and shell filled with tetanus, anthrax and plague went on. Unit 731 is a secret branch of the Japanese Imperial Army which tested their weapons on thousands of prisoners-of-war. At the end of the war, a special deal was made to protect the scientists from prosecution as war criminals.
Genre: Factual TV
Subjects: Chemical warfare, Japanese army, World War II, Weapons testing (weapon systems), Japan
TV Transmissions
Date: 13 August 1985Broadcast company: ITVCountry: United KingdomTransmission time: 22:30-23:30Slot duration: 60 minsLanguage: English - Colour - Sound
Date: 27 April 1991Broadcast company: Channel FourCountry: United KingdomTransmission time: 20:05-21:05Slot duration: 60 minsNetwork
Title: [Stage - 13 Feb 1986: no known title]Language: English
Description: Programme sold to Soviet TV.
In: Broadcast 20 Sep 1985 Page: 31
Title: [Broadcast - 20 Sep 1985: no known title]Language: English
In: Television Today 15 Aug 1985 Page: 45
Title: [Stage - 15 Aug 1985: no known title]Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Article on the submission of the documentary by TVS to the Foreign Office before transmission.
In: Variety 21 Aug 1985 Page: 110
Title: [Variety - 21 Aug 1985: no known title]Language: English
In: The Listener v114 n2922 15 Aug 1985 Page: 3
Title: [The Listener - v114 n2922 15 Aug 1985: no known title]Language: English
Description: Peter Williams discusses the discovery of the details of the Japanese research.
Film, Video or Digital materials held in BFI National Archive(8)
Digital materials(3)
Description: AS-11 UK DPP SD - MXF OP1aD10 - BFI identifier: N-654566
Status: Master
Description: MOVV210 - BFI identifier: N-654567
Status: Master
Description: WAVTX date: 1991-04-27BFI identifier: N-3616469
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Video materials(5)
Description: VHS cassetteTX date: 1991-04-27BFI identifier: C-757215
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Description: 1-inch C-FormatTX date: 1991-04-27BFI identifier: C-757871
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved videotape
Description: 1-inch C-FormatDuration: 53.11 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALTX date: 1985-08-13BFI identifier: C-182183
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Description: VHS cassetteDuration: 53.11 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALTX date: 1985-08-13BFI identifier: C-182184
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Description: Digital BetacamDuration: 53.15 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-1396121
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved videotape
Date: 13 August 1985 (Television)Country: United KingdomDirector: David C. Rea
Synopsis: Documentary which examines the work of Japanese Imperial Army unit 731 which experimented with proscribed chemical and germ weapons during World War II, with interviews with prisoners who were used in the experiments and investigation of why the experimentors remained unprosecuted after the war.Synopsis: Germ warfare was banned by civilised nations before World War II. But behind the treaties and international agreements, experimental work in the building of bombs and shell filled with tetanus, anthrax and plague went on. Unit 731 is a secret branch of the Japanese Imperial Army which tested their weapons on thousands of prisoners-of-war. At the end of the war, a special deal was made to protect the scientists from prosecution as war criminals.
Genre: Factual TV
Subjects: Chemical warfare, Japanese army, World War II, Weapons testing (weapon systems), Japan
TV Transmissions
Date: 13 August 1985Broadcast company: ITVCountry: United KingdomTransmission time: 22:30-23:30Slot duration: 60 minsLanguage: English - Colour - Sound
Date: 27 April 1991Broadcast company: Channel FourCountry: United KingdomTransmission time: 20:05-21:05Slot duration: 60 minsNetwork
Credits
(4)
Production Company: Television South, Producer: Peter Williams, Researcher: David Wallace
Cast
(1)
Peter Williams ()
Articles held in BFI Reuben Library
(5)
In: Television Today 13 Feb 1986 Page: 17Title: [Stage - 13 Feb 1986: no known title]Language: English
Description: Programme sold to Soviet TV.
In: Broadcast 20 Sep 1985 Page: 31
Title: [Broadcast - 20 Sep 1985: no known title]Language: English
In: Television Today 15 Aug 1985 Page: 45
Title: [Stage - 15 Aug 1985: no known title]Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Article on the submission of the documentary by TVS to the Foreign Office before transmission.
In: Variety 21 Aug 1985 Page: 110
Title: [Variety - 21 Aug 1985: no known title]Language: English
In: The Listener v114 n2922 15 Aug 1985 Page: 3
Title: [The Listener - v114 n2922 15 Aug 1985: no known title]Language: English
Description: Peter Williams discusses the discovery of the details of the Japanese research.
Film, Video or Digital materials held in BFI National Archive(8)
Digital materials(3)
Description: AS-11 UK DPP SD - MXF OP1aD10 - BFI identifier: N-654566
Status: Master
Description: MOVV210 - BFI identifier: N-654567
Status: Master
Description: WAVTX date: 1991-04-27BFI identifier: N-3616469
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved digital file
Video materials(5)
Description: VHS cassetteTX date: 1991-04-27BFI identifier: C-757215
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Description: 1-inch C-FormatTX date: 1991-04-27BFI identifier: C-757871
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved videotape
Description: 1-inch C-FormatDuration: 53.11 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALTX date: 1985-08-13BFI identifier: C-182183
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Description: VHS cassetteDuration: 53.11 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALTX date: 1985-08-13BFI identifier: C-182184
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Description: Digital BetacamDuration: 53.15 minutesLine standard: 625Colour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-1396121
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved videotape