The Pacific

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Marine Sgt. John Basilone prepares for deployment to the Pacific, while aspiring journalist Robert Leckie joins the Marine Corps. Eugene Sledge, barred from enlistment due to a heart murmur, bids farewell to his friend Sidney Phillips, who is heading to boot camp. Eight months later, the 1st Marine Division, including Leckie and Phillips, lands on Guadalcanal to capture a key airfield and prepare for expected Japanese counterattacks.

Basilone and the 7th Marines arrive on Guadalcanal to reinforce the 1st Marine Division, which is defending a key airstrip. He plays a crucial role in fending off a Japanese night attack but endures a devastating personal tragedy. After four months of intense combat and hardship, the weary and ill members of the 1st Marine Division are withdrawn from the island.

Leckie, Basilone, and numerous other soldiers arrive in Melbourne after a grueling four-month campaign on Guadalcanal, where they are celebrated as heroes. While Basilone receives the Medal of Honor and is sent back to the U.S. to promote war bonds, Leckie forms a close bond with an Australian woman and her Greek immigrant family.

Sledge joins the Marines and trains at Camp Elliott before the 1st Marine Division launches an assault on Cape Gloucester in New Britain. As Leckie and his fellow Marines face fierce Japanese resistance, they also struggle with the challenges of the oppressive jungle environment. After surviving the battle, Leckie is stationed on Pavuvu, where he begins to show signs of combat stress and is sent to a naval hospital on Banika for evaluation.

Basilone gains public recognition during his nationwide war bonds tour. Meanwhile, on Pavuvu, Sledge is assigned to the 5th Marines and temporarily reunites with Phillips, while Leckie returns to his unit. Sledge experiences his first combat as the 1st Marine Division faces strong Japanese opposition during the landing on the heavily fortified island of Peleliu.

Faced with extreme heat, scarce water, and fierce enemy resistance, Sledge, Leckie, and other Marines struggle to secure the Peleliu airfield. Leckie is wounded and evacuated after witnessing severe injuries among his comrades, while Sledge begins to understand the harsh realities of survival in battle.

The Marines, including a newly nicknamed "Sledgehammer," push forward in the brutal battle of Peleliu against a fanatically resisting Japanese force. Haunted by the death of a respected leader and the horrors of war, Sledge struggles with the limits of his morality. After securing their objective, the Marines retreat to Pavuvu, forever altered by their experiences on the island.

Basilone, growing weary of his war bond campaign duties, is granted permission to train combat-bound Marines at Camp Pendleton. There, he begins a passionate but brief romance with Marine Lena Riggi, who is initially hesitant. Both are aware their time together is limited, as Basilone is soon deployed to the battle at Iwo Jima.

Sledge and the 1st Marine Division, having fought through Okinawa for over a month, are tasked with replacing an Army division engaged in the fiercest battle on the island. The harsh environment and ethical challenges of encountering civilians test the Marines' resilience and morale.

Following Japan's surrender, Leckie returns home after recovering from his injuries, resuming his job and beginning a new relationship, while Sledge goes back to Alabama to reunite with his family and Sid Phillips. Lena visits Basilone's family, sharing a heartfelt moment with them. Sledge, however, struggles with the emotional aftermath of the war, uncertain why he emerged relatively unharmed.