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Music It's just after midnight on March 10th, 1945, and the city of Tokyo is under attack.

34-year-old French journalist Robert Gilaun runs through the streets of the Japanese capital.

It's late, but he has no problem seeing his way. A huge fire is raging, lighting up the night sky.

Robert has chosen not to seek the safety of an air raid shelter, though. Instead, he's joining the

effort to battle the inferno. A few hours ago, dozens of American B-29 bombers appeared in the sky over Tokyo.

They dropped incendiary bombs on the city's docks and industrial district,

and a combination of high winds and highly flammable building materials

soon whipped up a firestorm.

The flames spread across the city, and the blaze is now so ferocious

that Tokyo's fire crews have put out a call for help.

Robert stops running as he reaches a burning building a few blocks from his own home.

A handful of firefighters are trying to tackle the fire.

Their face is black and sooty.

Robert grabs a pump from an exhausted-looking fireman and begins cranking the handle.

The fireman nods and thanks and takes the hose that's attached to the pump.

He aims it at the flames, but little more than a dribble emerges from the end.

The city's water supplies are running out. So the fireman waves Robert

forward, trying to get closer to the burning building. But then the roof caves in and the walls

...