I watched a lot of these when it came out last November. Definitely worth watching. A lot of the stories are really chilling. The Japanese civilians that jump off the cliff rather than be "captured" by the allies was astonishing.
I found it interesting that the Japanese would scream "F*ck Babe Ruth" while on patrol. Great series.
OMG Shirtless, I don't have HBO... yet... how do I make sure you get your "sign-up" bonus for when I sign up?
I'm pumped for the Band of Brothers marathon I'm having before the first episode of The Pacific.
Thank you Mr. Hanks, you have proven once more to be considered as one of America's favorite WWII vets.
Tom Hanks is a WWII vet?
Amazing series. A must see for all kids who think war is glamorous in some way or like a video game. It's not. It's a dirty, rotten business and just goes to show what kind of sacrifice these service men made and continue to make in the name of freedom.
Watch this, Band of Brothers and The Civil War by Ken Burns in the same month and then explain to me how anyone can not support our troops. Combat is a toxic and corrosive environment that consumes people mentally, physically and emotionally. Combat knows only death and destruction. It is not glamorous. It is not exciting. It is terrifying and crippling and the only real heros are the ones who merely do their duty. Those who do more are truly Gods of War and are the exception, not the rule. God bless those who walk into harms way so that you and I can sleep in peace.
It is documentaries such as these that illustrate how terrible war really is. I strongly believe that Colonel Dave Grossman's book 'On Combat' should be required reading in high schools to help slow our culture of violence. A wake-up call to the young and impressionable who only experience violence in the form of Mortal Kombat, Call of Duty and flashy movies.
People can support the troops while disagreeing with the war. I think that people typically think that the Civil War and the World Wars were necessary. That's all I'm going to say because I hate getting political.
and a guy with a BA in history; this show does it for me. It doesn't sugar coat it. It doesn't give you BS filler. It shows it as truly as it can for cable TV. I can only hope that the true footage of other glorified wars gets revealed, and shows just how brutal and bloody war really is.
Well-said. I (and many of us) are incredibly fortunate to have never had to be drafted and fight in a war. My grandfather, a WWII vet, reminds me of this frequently, saying, "probably the best thing that's happened to you that you don't grasp is that you were born at a time where you haven't had to fight in a war," meaning being drafted. Anyone who has been in war- my grandpa, vets, etc- will tell you it is not glamorous and is to be avoided at all costs and only undertaken as a last resort. On a similar note, watching "Band of Brothers," and, specifically, #9 last night- "Why We Fight," this point was made by the fresh-faced O'Keefe who arrives on the lines and wants some "action," i.e., some fighting. He is quickly reprimanded/made to understand that war is not glamorous, and death and destruction are not positive experiences. I can only imagine what it's like to fight next to men and women whose safety is intertwined with yours, and to watch them become injured, maimed, or die. It must be an incredibly harrowing experience and emotionally life-altering.
The pacific looks awesome, cant wait
I can't wait either. Been reading "Helmet for My Pillow," by Robert Leckie. Up next: "With the Old Breed," by Eugene Sledge. Just finished "Shadows in the Jungle: The Alamo Scouts Behind Japanese Lines in WWII," by Larry Alexander.
Add "Ghost Soldiers" to your list... Bataan Death march through the invasion of The Phillipines... great book
Thanks. I'll have to look through my piles of books to see if it's in there.
I was watching this Saturday when my 2nd grade daughter sat down next to me. She asked me why the Japanese did not surrender after the first bomb and why it took a second (Hiroshima/Nagasaki). I told her I was not sure and that maybe they thought we had just one bomb. She looked up at me and says, "They were probably too prideful. Pride makes you do dumb stuff." Then she just gets up and walked out. I was speechless.
...surprise me with their keen (and unexpected) insights on life. My youngest (now in 8th grade) has been doing this since she was your daughter's age and it always leaves me similarly dumbfounded. My recommendation to you: nuture this ability by continuing to speak openly to her about issues without assuming she's too young to get it.