As hard as this series is to watch, it's just a highlight of what these men went through in WW II to help save the world from tyranny. I'm really enjoying your reactions to this series. Your emotions are honest, and you show real empathy for what these men had to deal with, Amy. It can be difficult to watch, but like you said, it happened. It's important that people remember our greatest generation's contribution to history. I'm looking forward to the next one.
When my dad landed as a marine on Saipan he was only seventeen yrs old. He said laying on the ground inside a two man pup tent during the monsoon rains all he could think of was what the hell he was doing there laying in water on the other side of the world.
I didn't like Snafu at first, but he grew on me as the series progressed. He's definitely a character. I've always wondered if the real Snafu was anything like how Rami Malek portrays him in the series.
Prior to Pelelieu there was the Battle for Saipan. After that the Japanese lost that Island they knew the war was lost. So, they changed their strategy. No longer would they fight to hold a stronghold, instead they would fight to kill as many Americans as they could in hopes that the US would tire of the war and settle for a negotiated cease fire that would benefit Japan more than an unconditional surrender. This why the fighting gets more and more barbaric as the Pacific war proceeds after the fall of Saipan.😢
My grandpa in Korea kept his pocket bible on him at all times after his discharge Grandpa went to every warship that took place Sunday morning to Wednesday evening he never missed and even volunteered. He told me he was not the frozen chosen. 1st marine division. I would ask him here and there until the day he died but would not say anything about it. Just that was then. I asked him when I was little if he was a hero. He just laughed and said no. I have all the pictures of him from boot camp to deployment. He never talked about it. I wanted to know but he refused to tell anyone
Isn't it funny that the bravest people don't see themselves as heroes. I can understand wanting to know, as I'd be the same, but we can only respect these men and what they chose to do with their stories. Thank you so much for sharing.
9:52 my grandfather said he lost his faith in religion after seeing combat/what war did to South Korean citizens. He’s not angry or scorn, just a man who thinks “an upper power wouldn’t let the things he saw happen to people.”
I think it's totally understandable that faith would be lost after seeing the horrors of the world. Even though I believe that religion doesn't determine the heart of a man, it's always hard to hear that someone's faith has been shattered enough for them to turn away from it.
As you watch the Battle for Pelelieu, keep this in mind, the whole battle was totally unnecessary. Plans for taking the Island were put together the previous year. Army General Douglas MacArthur insisted, right up to the day of the landings that he needed Pelelieu taken. His reasons were based on the original premise that 1. MacArthur needed the Japanese Air Force neutralized so his troops landing in the Philippines wouldn't be attacked from the air and 2. He needed Pelelieu as a staging area for his retaking the Philippines. Admiral Halsey disagreed noting that his carriers had seen very little air activities coming from Pelelieu. Sadly, MacArthur insisted and Admiral Nimitz and head of the Navy Admiral King sided with MacArthur. So Halsey's suggestion that Pelelieu be by-passed was over ruled. As it turned out Halsey was 100% right. The Battle for Pelelieu began on September 15 and ended November 27. MacArthur invaded the Philippines in MID October, a full 6 weeks before Pelelieu was secured. As you will see in these next few episodes, the Japanese had very little air power left on the Island. Furthermore, MacArthur wound up using the Island of Ulithie as a staging area. So 2000 Marines died and 8500 were wounded while 12,000 Japanese died for absolutely nothing except to satisfy the overly inflated egos of a few men. But it gets worse. If we had taken Halsey's recommendation we could have used that time to invaded Iwo Jima at least 6 months before the Japanese had the opportunity to fortify the Island, thus drastically cutting down the casualties suffered on that hell. So when it comes time to watch the Battle for Iwo Jima, keep these things in mind. As much as General Douglas MacArthur is admired and adored as an American Caesar, in my opinion he is overrated. He had moments of brilliance but when he screwed up he did it in spectacular fashion. IMO, he should have been fired before Christmas 1941 for his disastrous defense of the Philippines following the attack on Pearl Harbor. But that's another story.😮😢
Actually the marine corps took out all of my dad's gold fillings before sending him to the Pacific. Apparently for the war effort. Perhaps it was to avoid the gold falling into Japanese hands. Who knows?
This is the episode where the show starts to get *really* good. Also, are you watching the version that has Tom Hanks start each episode by providing historical context for what’s going down in the episode?
As hard as this series is to watch, it's just a highlight of what these men went through in WW II to help save the world from tyranny. I'm really enjoying your reactions to this series. Your emotions are honest, and you show real empathy for what these men had to deal with, Amy. It can be difficult to watch, but like you said, it happened. It's important that people remember our greatest generation's contribution to history. I'm looking forward to the next one.
My mother's father was stationed at Pelelieu Island during the war. I never met him. He died before I was born.
When my dad landed as a marine on Saipan he was only seventeen yrs old. He said laying on the ground inside a two man pup tent during the monsoon rains all he could think of was what the hell he was doing there laying in water on the other side of the world.
My dad was 17 on Saipan. Had some kind of jungle rot on his ankle for decades
I didn't like Snafu at first, but he grew on me as the series progressed. He's definitely a character. I've always wondered if the real Snafu was anything like how Rami Malek portrays him in the series.
My brother was an extra in this series as one of the Japanese. He dislocated his shoulder in the scene where Jon Seda mowed down all the Japanese.
That sounds painful, but it's also a really cool story to be able to tell.
Yeah they had to do 6 takes before getting it right. It happened on the last take while flanking them.
I hate how WW2 history is so Eurocentric. My father and all my uncles fought in the Pacific. For me, the Pacific was the war!
Prior to Pelelieu there was the Battle for Saipan. After that the Japanese lost that Island they knew the war was lost. So, they changed their strategy. No longer would they fight to hold a stronghold, instead they would fight to kill as many Americans as they could in hopes that the US would tire of the war and settle for a negotiated cease fire that would benefit Japan more than an unconditional surrender.
This why the fighting gets more and more barbaric as the Pacific war proceeds after the fall of Saipan.😢
My grandpa in Korea kept his pocket bible on him at all times after his discharge Grandpa went to every warship that took place Sunday morning to Wednesday evening he never missed and even volunteered. He told me he was not the frozen chosen. 1st marine division. I would ask him here and there until the day he died but would not say anything about it. Just that was then. I asked him when I was little if he was a hero. He just laughed and said no. I have all the pictures of him from boot camp to deployment. He never talked about it. I wanted to know but he refused to tell anyone
Isn't it funny that the bravest people don't see themselves as heroes. I can understand wanting to know, as I'd be the same, but we can only respect these men and what they chose to do with their stories. Thank you so much for sharing.
16:38 This tank is meant for fighting infantry, you can even blow this thing up with a rocket or handful of grenades.
9:52 my grandfather said he lost his faith in religion after seeing combat/what war did to South Korean citizens. He’s not angry or scorn, just a man who thinks “an upper power wouldn’t let the things he saw happen to people.”
I think it's totally understandable that faith would be lost after seeing the horrors of the world. Even though I believe that religion doesn't determine the heart of a man, it's always hard to hear that someone's faith has been shattered enough for them to turn away from it.
As you watch the Battle for Pelelieu, keep this in mind, the whole battle was totally unnecessary. Plans for taking the Island were put together the previous year. Army General Douglas MacArthur insisted, right up to the day of the landings that he needed Pelelieu taken. His reasons were based on the original premise that 1. MacArthur needed the Japanese Air Force neutralized so his troops landing in the Philippines wouldn't be attacked from the air and 2. He needed Pelelieu as a staging area for his retaking the Philippines.
Admiral Halsey disagreed noting that his carriers had seen very little air activities coming from Pelelieu.
Sadly, MacArthur insisted and Admiral Nimitz and head of the Navy Admiral King sided with MacArthur. So Halsey's suggestion that Pelelieu be by-passed was over ruled.
As it turned out Halsey was 100% right. The Battle for Pelelieu began on September 15 and ended November 27. MacArthur invaded the Philippines in MID October, a full 6 weeks before Pelelieu was secured. As you will see in these next few episodes, the Japanese had very little air power left on the Island. Furthermore, MacArthur wound up using the Island of Ulithie as a staging area. So 2000 Marines died and 8500 were wounded while 12,000 Japanese died for absolutely nothing except to satisfy the overly inflated egos of a few men.
But it gets worse. If we had taken Halsey's recommendation we could have used that time to invaded Iwo Jima at least 6 months before the Japanese had the opportunity to fortify the Island, thus drastically cutting down the casualties suffered on that hell.
So when it comes time to watch the Battle for Iwo Jima, keep these things in mind.
As much as General Douglas MacArthur is admired and adored as an American Caesar, in my opinion he is overrated. He had moments of brilliance but when he screwed up he did it in spectacular fashion. IMO, he should have been fired before Christmas 1941 for his disastrous defense of the Philippines following the attack on Pearl Harbor. But that's another story.😮😢
Dont put precious metal in your mouth for the record.
Actually the marine corps took out all of my dad's gold fillings before sending him to the Pacific. Apparently for the war effort. Perhaps it was to avoid the gold falling into Japanese hands. Who knows?
Oh, interesting! It does make you wonder if they already knew what might happen to the gold but didn't want to alarm anyone.
This is the episode where the show starts to get *really* good. Also, are you watching the version that has Tom Hanks start each episode by providing historical context for what’s going down in the episode?
No, I haven't been able to find them, unfortunately. I don't understand why there's a version where the intro is taken out.
Who is we?
Me, you, myself, I and all the others 🤣😂
Better landing craft. More Japanese.