''War Stuff'' is one of the best ways to delve into the darkest, and most glorious parts of the Human Spirit, besides, the good stuff is educational as well.
When I was growing up in the 1990s, my grandmother lived across the street from a man we called Uncle Red. The house belonged to his sister, but after she died he lived there alone. Uncle Red was a medic in the Pacific and suffered severe shell shock. He lived in a VA hospital for 10 years after the war. When he finally came home he took odd jobs around town like cutting grass. He would smile and wave. Sometimes he would say hello but nothing more. He was a totally broken man. When I knew him he was very old. He had the saddest eyes I have ever seen. My grandmother always told me to never ask him about the war. When I was young, I always viewed him as a sort of curiosity. But now that I’m grown, I realize that he sacrificed his entire life and his sanity to help save the free world. Uncle Red was a hero. I wish I could have told him that.
Lot of stories like that. Such a shame we only know realize it and so many of those veterans are gone. We never had a chance to thank them and honor them. It's easy to honor and praise the veterans who adjusted to civilian life well. But the ones who suffered mentally rarely got the thanks and care they needed.
You have done right by him for recognising his struggle and remembering him. And it sounds like your family were compassionate of him by affectionately nick-naming him Uncle Red
I remember in the 80's watching a documentary on WW1 that had a segment on shell shock victims that had footage of these catatonic old men in a sanatorium, it was chilling moment for me to realise that these shattered people had spent the last 70 odd years in that state.
I was thinking the same thing. There are tons of "reaction channels" out there but there's a reason Cassie is only one of two I watch. Comments like this are a good example.
Timeline check: Throughout these episodes, Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, was still in training. Kind of gives some perspective on how long they trained, particularly given that the Marines deployed in the Pacific had only a few months of training from the time they joined up until they were deployed on the front lines.
Airborne troops of WW2 were considered Elite/Crack troops, almost bordering on special forces. Hence all the training..I believe the Marines (other than raider units) we just general infantry. That and the Army always had better equipment and more money for training.
@@serene_actual Marines had Parachute Battalions (3) the 1st one started training in 1940. The Battalions all deployed in the Pacific, and while several operations were Planned, none were executed/ They were attached to Marine Divisions and fought as Infantry. The Parachute Battalions, along with the Elite Raider Battalions were Disbanded in Feb 1944 and the members were reassigned to regular Marine Infantry Units... Interesting Fact. Of the 6 Marines who were in the Famous Iwo Jima Flag Raising Picture two ( Ira Hayes and Harlon Block) were former Para Marines who fought on Bouganville.
Also, the 101st was slated for a specific mission for their baptism of fire, and that was D Day, June 6, 1944. I'm sure they were combat ready prior to that. They were fortunate to have all that extra training.
@@ryanhampson673 Wrong, the Marines are shock troops. But needs much when the devil drives. They used the First Marines on Gudalcanal a year before they were planned to
Just for your information, Chesty Puller joined the Marines in 1918 as a private and retired a three star General after the Korean War. He is the most decorated Marine in US history with nearly 50 awards, medals, and decorations including 5 Navy Crosses (the highest award given by the Navy and Marines, 2nd only to the Medal of Honor) and 1 Distinguished Service Cross, the Army version of the Navy Cross. At the end of every day in Boot Camp, even now, Marine recruits shout out, "Good night Chesty, where ever you are!
Nevertheless, if you read the book, "Chesty" Puller did make a series of tactical mistakes in the island campaign, which led to his being replaced in command. It wasn't necessarily his fault - he was facing a kind of strategy for which his experience simply hadn't prepared him, and it certainly doesn't take away from his achievements.
The Japanese warrior ideology held that death was better than surrender or dishonor. They would perform those suicide charges to try and die in battle and take as many Americans with them as possible rather than see their own defeat. By this time the Japanese navy was losing territory, and the Japanese soldiers on the islands knew they would not be reinforced or resupplied. With their defeat inevitable, many chose to die in order to preserve what they considered their honor.
That's true, but in reality (traditional way i mean) your own interpretation was perfectly allowed, if you look at the battles of nagashino or sekigahara, only the leaders had to die to save their honor. Most of the soldiers never had die to save their honor, they were farmers and didn't had to do that. Takeda's army for example was perfectly allowed to retreat. Actually the samouraï way has been used by tojo (and he wasn't from a samouraï family neither) to legitimate his own interpretation Wich wasn't what he wanted. "true budhido is doing what is right, even if it is hard".
Better to die young, fighting for what you believe in, than to be old, stuck in a bed and burdening others. Many ancient civilisations held/hold that belief.
At some point you may be interested in watching two films about WW2 in the Pacific made by Clint Eastwood. One is called 'Flags of our fathers' and is about the battle for the Island of Iwo Jima from the USA side. The other is called 'Letters from Iwo Jima' and is about the battle to defend Iwo Jima from the Japanese side.
@@joeschmoe9154 I believe you that the film falls short of the book, but I am not sure I will ever read it ... Simply taken as a film, I think it's remarkable. Haven't watched it in the last years, but I remember a certain patience about it which made it strong.
Many thanks for your genuine reactions. My dad Corp. Charles W. Lyon was 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal. He survived the bombardment by the Japanese Navy, army artillery, and aerial attacks, but it was the malaria that almost killed him. He broke down one day, a year before he died, and finally told me what he experienced in the war. Horrific details......this Pacific series puts me into my dad's shoes and now I see and feel his anguish.
I was a Marine and this is my favorite series so it’s really enjoyable watching somebody who doesn’t know everything about the topic . World War history , tactics , and strategies is one of my favorite topics . Watching it through the eyes of somebody who doesn’t have a thorough understanding is awesome . Keep it up
Glad to see you recognize the dedication and sacrifice of these young men. My father and uncle served in frontline combat. My father was a naval officer and had his ship sunk by a Kamikaze during the battle of Okinawa. My uncle served as B-17 bomber squadron commander in the 8th Army Air Force and served two tours. I always remind myself, the young men who didn't make it back gave up all their tomorrows for my today.
Random medical sidenote: Enuresis that randomly shows up in adults (bedwetting) is usually the result of chronic feelings of inadequacy. Given the fact that Leckie was dumped by a woman he fell in love with (and a family he had bonded with), got told off by an officer before being thrown in military jail for a night, then demoted, you can see why he had that spell of enuresis. I remember feeling legit bad for Leckie after the end of the third and all throughout the fourth episode.
5th episode wasn't easy on Leckie either. He wrote that he was demoted several times. He was also overlooked for promotion at Guadalcanal. His lieutenant promoted Chuckler for moving the machine gun to protect their flank, although it was Leckie who initiated the action.
There was no Stella. That was invented for the series. Leckie had a string of casual flings in Melbourne, but he was aware that the girls were just fishing for a GI husband for their benefits, and wanted no part of it.
If you are interested in learning more about Leckie, I highly recommend his autobiography, "Helmet For My Pillow". It's well written, (which it aught to be given Leckie was a writer,) and it gives you perspective on the war through his eyes. It's also one of the sources this series is based on. If you like audiobooks, the Audible version is narrated by James Badge Dale, the actor who portrays him in The Pacific. It's really cool.
That’s what they were in real life too. Peleliu was the first shift in change of Japanese tactics; instead of Banzai charges, they switched over to attrition, making sure for every inch of ground the Americans were taking, it’d be paid in blood. The defenses on Peleliu would play a big role in the creation of the defenses on Iwo Jima. And this policy of attrition would come to a climax on Okinawa. The Marine Corps still considers Peleliu the bitterest battle the Marines ever fought.
@@nicolasvillamil7523 July 1 is Canada day our Independence Day. We Remember on November 11 our Remembrance Day your Armistice Day, but I appreciate your thoughts for a neighbour.
In the Navy the friendliness of the Australians was famous. I was in the Navy after 9/11 and my older shipmates had been in before 9/11 and they explained how radically things had changed. Before 9/11 when a US Navy ship came to port in Australia the people would meet you on the pier and everyone would kind of be adopted by a family, they'd make you dinner and you could sleep at their house, etc. After 9/11 (and I mean every year and decade since) the Navy was paranoid so no one was allowed near the pier, nobody could go out alone, everyone has to be back by midnight, and their whereabouts have to be documented. You basically have 0 freedom as a sailor anymore. So while the Australians were just as friendly the Navy it made it almost impossible for any of the old ways to continue. One of the ports I visited was Hobart Australia, basically the whole city was out welcoming sailors and men and women alike would invite me over to spend time at their house. Unfortunately I was bound by sticks in the mud who thought such hospitality was weird but I appreciated the invitations nonetheless.
Love your genuine reactions - I'm seventy years old - from a time when guys never cried. I find it therapeutic sitting here late at night getting weepy eyed watching you react to movies I love and are so moved by. May I suggest "Unbroken" - another true story of a real American hero in WWII and more recently "American Sniper" - that one will rip your heart out. Stay with what moves you... and thank you!
This one is a real gutwrencher. I’m glad so many people have been watching these reactions and connecting so strongly with it. It’s important to honor what these guys went through.
My Dad was in the Pac during WWII, Navy. I could never get him to talk about it. He DID talk about his liberty in Australia though. He said everyone was like the family Lucky visited.
My former father-in-law was like that. He lived near one of his Marine buddies. When they'd get together, they would talk about fist fights they got into while on liberty, but they never talked about their wars.
@@williammack6083 We had ALL kinds of races in our neighborhood, Polish, Russian, Japanese, German, Irish, Italian... It was funny at a BBQ all these racial jokes would come out, after two beers. Everyone would laugh. But the next day they would all be best buddies. I can't see that happening now adays.
@kay van 🤣🤣 During the Civil War the home front saved urine to make niter. An ingredient in gunpowder. With your logic they carried a jar with them everytime they peed for the rest of their life. 😂🤣
@@andygarcia5978 well........ That's absolutely not the meaning and that's all the problem it is interpretation. What tojo and the other...... "people" we can dare to call them so did..... Actually used the interpretation to lie for their purpose and propaganda. I understand why you said this and I'm not an expert and it take hours to explain.... But the meaning is now completely misunderstood because of ww2.... And because of others who used the "way ofbthe warrior" in the bad way. Actually bushido says you kill an innocent and unarmed guy it's dishonorable and it's bad, but this meaning is now misunderstood. Problem also that Japanese are bad in English (like me lol) they can't explain......but even if they were not angles neither (no one was)... There was a reason why the traditional families (mostly in the navy, like mine) couldn't stand tojo, the way he used these principles for his politics, to legitimate his own interpretation. It was like Stauffenberg in Germany, when he and the other German who fought with Jews during ww1, said they couldn't stand the nazis..... It's no joke...
Australian here. The main ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) fighting force at this point were off fighting the Italians and Erwin Rommel in North Africa/Palestine/Greece as well as thinly spread across South East Asia fighting guerilla battles trying to disrupt the Japanese in New Guinea (look up the battle of Kokoda), various battles in modern day Indonesia, Burma, Melacca and the Singapore disaster. Australia had just been threatened by land invasion which was miraculously heald off by the 'Kokoda Chockers' and had suffered bombing in Darwin and Japanese sub attacks in Sydney. America entered the fight against the Japanese after 3 years of intense fights across South East Asia with the Aussie and Kiwi militaries almost on their last legs out gunned and out manned at this point in the war. America and ANZAC relations have since been strong brothers in arms from this point on, and our diggers (soldiers) have fought side by side in every conflict we've both been involved in since WW1.
@@jojoemcgeejoe457 indeed. A great example of why morale is everything when it comes down to the fighting regardless of one's numerical or tech advantages.
31:21 one of the most underrated on screen performances of the whole entire series. The mental anguish and fatigue he showcases is spectacular and absolutely heart breaking and believable. Respect to the real hero's and Marines.
Episode 3 was really shot around my home town of Melbourne. The showgrounds where they were sleeping is still used and many of the inner suburbs near the city have the old houses so they didn't have to mock anything up. Also some of the old trams are still in use around the inner city.
Australian men (10% of them) had signed up to the war years before and were fighting in North Africa and Singapore at the time, so Americans coming to town with large pay packets, access to rationed goods (chocolate, silk, meat, booze) and being foreign helped them. 'overpaid, oversexd and overhere' was the common theme from the locals. American troops also started a few confrontation in regards to pubs and bars, where black US soldiers were allowed to drink in because there wasn't segregation like back in the USA. Lookup the Battle of Brisbane for one of the larger revolts. The series was filmed in Melbourne and surrounding areas (and further North in Australia for the jungle stuff) so being able to film on location outside the station and at a suburban football/cricket stadium to stand in for the real MCG which was used as a camp is pretty neat.
I don't care what genre you're watching. I'm here for your reaction, which are simply the best of the best available on youtube. I like it when you laugh at comedies, get scared during Ghostbusters or Aliens, are filled with joy during Lord of the Rings or show extreme empathy during war movies. You have the best emotional reactions I've ever seen and that covers all the emotions. You're just the kind of person anyone would want for a movie friend. So you just keep on keeping on and react to whatever. You're the queen of the channel and you let us visit your realm.
for perspective, the 1st Marine Division spent 4 months on that One Island 8/7/1942 until12/9/1942. Compared to Band of Brothers, that's everything from Ep 2 until Ep 5. Barely mentioned are the 7 major naval battles off the island that lead to a total of SIXTY-SEVEN ships sunk; including 3 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 9 cruisers and 27 destroyers. Also 1300 aircraft destroyed.
At 14:27 - Leckie isn't being demoted, but he's being punished in that he won't be in the same unit as his friends, and he (in theory) won't be fighting on the front line for the most part. Up until then Leckie was in a specific Company (a Company = roughly 150 men). In Battalion intelligence he'd be in the next organization level up (~500 men) serving in the headquarters unit for both his old company and 2 other front line companies. It might in effect be kind of a demotion in that he was Corporal (leading a team) in his company, but as a Corporal in an intel unit he might not have any such responsibilities.
Also just want to say - can ya’ll imagine what a caring and helpful society we’d have if the Cassies of the world were in charge of companies and government?
“They deserved a night of letting go after what they went through.” Trust me, Marines have never needed an excuse to drink. That wasn’t a special occasion. It was just Friday night.
I lived in a house in Manchester UK with 6 separate bedsits as a student. In one of the bedsits was an old man who had been living their for years, you could see he was still physically strong and solid, with a sharp brain when you encountered him in the large shared kitchen. He Kept himself to himself, quiet, polite. I gradually got to know him and discovered he was Polish soldier during WW2, he never spoke about the War to me or shared any stories, apart from that, no matter how much I tried to loosen his tongue with my occasional weekend knock on his door with some whisky, his favourite tipple. He would only talk about his work in the local Polish community helping other people out with odd jobs and going to Church. Apart from that, after a few whiskies together he would just stop talking without any reason and sit in his chair silently staring at nothing as though I wasn't even there, it was as though he was asleep with his eyes still open, not moving a inch like black silhouette just sitting in a chair. It was quite eerie when he did, I used to think he'd fallen asleep, but his eyes were always open; That's when I would quietly say goodnight as I left him to what I felt was his own wistful thoughts and memories of his life and War experiences. I never found out if he was ever married or had children, but in the two years I lived their as a student, he never had a single visitor, except me from the room upstairs. It made me wonder how many other WW2 Veterans ended up living alone in rooms? I can tell you this, from his size and build and just the way he moved about even as olde man he had a real presence about him that earned instant respect from anyone who lived in the other rooms, even without knowing anything about him. There was just something about him that old me I wouldn't have liked to faced him in his prime during a battle for the streets and towns of Holland, Belgium, France or where ever he'd been. I was a fit athletic young man in my early 20s, still am but older! But I used to weigh him up physically, wondering, and to be honest he could have 73 or 83 for all know, but I still didn't fancy my chances! He still looked as strong a bull! 😳 🙏❤️
"Everyone really wants that gun." Yeah, it is a war trophy. It's not the fact that it's a gun, it is an enemy's gun so therefore it is worth something. It's the same thing in Band of Brothers with the German Luger pistol.
I will keep commenting this, but after “The Pacific”, you need to watch “Generation Kill”. It’s a super authentic depiction (based on a true story) of the 1st Marine Recons “road trip” through Iraq, in ‘03. A lot less violent than “Band of Brothers”, and “The Pacific”. But no less graphic and impactful.
I just discovered your channel, and I am really impressed. Your appreciation of learning history at the same time as reacting is so admirable! And your personality makes for great reactions. You also display something that is rare on these type channels.....you actually appreciate the subtleties of these movies. Count me a subscriber! (By the way, my father served in the Pacific as a medic)
Those sillies who don’t like that you’re doing a lot of war-related reactions are more than welcome to make their own reaction videos about things that they want to watch. Keep on watching whatever it is that interests you. There are inherently a lot of emotions involved in war stories and that’s why they captivate so many people. I love your videos, you’re so sincere and it’s a pleasure to watch.
I’m gonna keep dropping comments on each of these because I’m so grateful that you’re reviewing these and learning about the war. And you have a really open viewpoint about all of it. You’re a sweetheart, and you do awesome reviews. Content like this is SO emotional for people like me whose grandfathers fought in this war. My grandfather literally sent home pictures from Australia and New Guinea (and bunches of other islands) all the way to Okinawa. He was a farm boy from Arkansas who had never traveled more than a 100 miles from his birthplace until the war. And got around on horseback prior to it. You handle all of it very well and with a lot of respect and deference. It’s really nice to watch.
I hope when you finish this series, you'll do the other one that Tom Hanks produced for HBO. It's the story of the Gemini and Apollo astronauts and their missions "From the Earth to the Moon." Remember, there are no routine space missions. Even today, every flight is a test flight. It's an amazing series. Oh! And don't forget Hanks's film about the 13th Apollo mission. It's astounding.
Buckle up for the rest of this series. I applaud you for watching this, I think it is a story that must not be forgotten. I'm especially fond of the Marines, no branch has bled more. Of course I respect all branches, but always felt the Marines were and are special. You please keep being you - watch whatever interests you, I've really enjoyed your reviews.
I love that you're reacting to war movies. Very few react channels (especially woman run react channels) react to the really gnarly realistic war films and tv shows. So I say keep it up as long as it interests you. Many of us are here for it.
A little background on Gibson's story of hiding in the slit trench. In case you didn't know, a slit trench is a latrine sanitation trench filled with excrement. This is the place Gibson was talking about trying to take shelter from the bombing as another man died on top of him.
Thank you for doing these. My grandfather was a WW2 veteran during the siege and invasion of the Philippine Islands. He never really talked about his experience. As most of those men never did. But its important to watch these so you can learn from history, so we don't repeat it. Thank you again Miss Cassie.
You keep watching war genre, it makes me happy rewatch it and plus a reaction. It also makes me happy that you are making aware of our history and the fallen. It also helps those who haven't seen them want to rewatch part of our history and pay respect. Thank you for uploading war genre. Keep up the good work
I absolutely love and appreciate your reaction to the Pacific. I strongly believe in people learning from our history and I have subscribed simply because you give room into your life, for the respect to the past.
I’m so glad you are watching this. My dad was there. He took me there three times a week. Until I left home. They had a rough time and their families had a rough time. 😊
I appreciate your honesty, sincerity, and genuine caring for these true heroes. It says a lot about you that you’re actually researching these battles to not only learn, but you’re trying to understand these very young, broken men. Some of the most intense battles are yet to come believe it or not. God Bless you Cassie !! 🙏🏻✝️❤️
And also as a Japanese officer gun, they were not issued by the army/navy, they were supossed to be buyed by the officer itself, the Nambu type 14 was the most common one among them.
You just do what you do .. the fact that this is a whole new genre for you gives the best " reactions" about the horrors of war and the psycological stuff that happens ... keep this content comming plz.. ohh and if you havent been asked already .. Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of our fathers, told from the american side and the japanese side at the battle of Iwo Jima, should be in your " portfolio " of movies about WWII
Sure this comment wont be seen 2 years later, but check out an interview with Sid Phillips (the young soldier with the beautiful young Australian woman being chaperoned by her grandfather). He tells a story about many years after the war when his wife calls him up at work to tell him his old Aussie girlfriend has shown up in Mobile for a visit. She was married at the time with several children and stayed to visit for several weeks. Eventually her son fell in love with Sid's daughter and they were married. Quite a story.
I would suggest "Taking Chance" as another movie to check out. But make sure to bring your tissues. Nothing in the way of action, but how the US deals with bringing home their fallen soldiers.
I served in the Navy from 1988 t0 2010. I can confirm Australia, to this day, remained one of the favorite countries to visit. There was a time in the early 90s, fathers would come to the ship and offer Sailors land and jobs to stay and marry a daughter because of what they termed a "lack of suitable local men". Never believed that story until I saw it for myself.
John Basilone was from Raritan N.J. ! My long distant cousin is Married to his son. They have a statue put up in his honor! I grew up one town over from Raritan.
Thank you for the great reactions! War films are a favorite genre of mine and I think you have an excellent viewpoint in your reactions to war stuff that is refreshing. Please do what you enjoy and I hope that means more war-related content! There are so many amazing war productions for you to explore.
Regarding that Canadian: he was on a Raid that took place in a location called Dieppe. Very famous raid. We learned all about it in the Raid course when i went through.
Because of their visit to Melbourne Australia in WW2 the 1st Marine Division adopted an Australian folk song as their anthem, "Waltzing Matilda" they still use it today.....
@@liverpool6058 Um yeah I know mate, the 1st Marine Division liked the song so much they adopted it for themselves. I never said they were the first to use it?
@@kenlawton1531 my apologies mate, miss read your comment. That's a really cool fact that they brought it into the Marine's culture. The Pacific stage was the moment our militaries and nations at that grew to really become brothers.
We thought a lot of our corpsmen. Several said they'd rather serve with Marines than just be a number in a hospital. I knew an 'independent' that had served almost exclusively with the infantry. He would bitch that the Navy had a way to do everything, while Marines were all chaos. I would add "When the shooting starts, the plan goes to s***; we're just practicing:" He got so he wouldn't let me finish. Good series. Thanks.
One of the most kindest, sweetest, and generous men I ever knew, and had been a Machine Gunner in The US Army during World War II, This man had fought in the Philippines in the jungle against the Japanese. When I met him more than 40 years ago, I was 12, He was friendly, kind and pretty playful. I didn't even know till he had almost passed, About Him having been a combat veteran in the Philippines.
Bob Leckie's Helmet for my Pillow and Sledge's With the Old Breed were world-famous books written after the war and must-reads for any WW2 history student/buff. The series is mostly based on these books. In a later episode Leckie and Sledge share a scene, but they never met each other during or after the war.
12:45 it's a harsh reality, but the only way to prepare them for what they face is to do it for real in a controlled environment. If they start getting used to being comfortable and rested with full bellies, it'll make it that much harder for them to go back in the field.
I'm from Melbourne Australia & when they were shooting here, our city its cars, everything was made to look like 1940's. It was fun to see but very surreal. My wife is American though, been married 10 years now. Nice reaction.
Watched a episode of "jocko podcast" awhile back, don't remember the veteran name but while out on patrol his vehicle hit a IED and he was messed up bad. He said he prayed to god to keep him alive long enough so his brothers wouldn't see him die. Also told his folks when he left for his deployment he would not contact them till he finished his deployment. His dad answered the phone when he called and his dad said "why am i hearing from you" veteran replied "i got hurt dad and there sending me to Germany" that was in a nut shell the whole conversation they had on the phone after his IED hit. His mother was a nurse and royally pissed his dad didn't ask further details. People like Leckie and the veteran story from the jocko podcast are truly incredible people. @33:29 reminded of that story I heard on the jocko podcast.
If you need some information on the M.O.H., they are rarely presented while the soldier/sailor/marine is alive. Around 95% are presented posthumously to the family. And, even generals/admirals must present a salute to a M.O.H. recipient. As Winter's stated, usually, "You salute the rank, not the man." Not with a medal of honor. You salute the man!
Thank you for sharing your journey into our history as Marines, and into the realms of cinema itself for that matter! 😊 Always nice to watch your reactions
If you get bored waiting for the upcoming Spielberg/Banks series about the US 8th Air Force, I'd very highly recommend watching "Memphis Belle" (1990). It's about a bomber crew's experience in WW2, and is based on a true story. As far as the historical truth of Leckie's relationship with Stella goes, he makes no mention of her in his book "Helmet For My Pillow." He did, however, have an on/off relationship with an Australian woman called Sheila, and she might've been renamed Stella for the series to protect her identity (or Leckie renamed her Sheila in the book for the same reason, as Sheila is a generic Aussie slang word for a woman)... however, nothing of what he describes in the book matches what is shown with Stella in Episode 3. There might be more info in Hugh Ambrose's "Pacific" that sheds light on this (I haven't read it in a few years, but plan to do so in the next week!), but all in all, this series plays a little loose with historical accuracy when it comes to the characters' personal lives, mostly to enhance dramatic effect. The larger picture is very accurate, though!
I have many relatives who fought on land and sea at Guadalcanal, I was too young to to ask questions to the only one that survived the war but ill never forget he lived far away but new i loved the history, I was 8, and last time i saw him he gave me his binoculars never forget it very random i always thought but now i know why let me explain. Anyways my great grandfather was a brother of 4 and lost 2 brothers during the battle of Guadalcanal both on the USS Juneau where also a family of 5 brothers were lost. My mother tells me growing up with him who he was a Marine , always STRESSED when ever he could that he was happy he wasn't back on Guadalcanal. My great grand grandfathers brother died on one of those ships during the night were on the Uss Juneau, my great uncles and also the 5 Sullivan brothers and even some sets of 3 brothers as well(22 sets of total) fought for days repelled countless attacks be for even getting to fight at Guadalcanal. One attack on the way their they repelled 28 planes shooting down 20 with the help of 2 sister ships. As well as rescued 2000 sailors from another sunken destroyer(USS Juneau had almost 700 sailors and was an Atlanta class cruiser ) and again rescued and transported all 2000 to safety. But leading up to Guadalcanal and that night you seen those ships explode that repelled 4 anti aircraft attacks alone leading up to that night battle portrayed in that battle seen last episode and btw in just on of those battles the ship was surrounded by 18 planes where they shot down 6 her ship alone. A convoy now down to 3 on a urgent mission to supply our troops a tacked 4 times lost all sister ships by herself so from 3 to now to 1 soon eventually made it to Guadalcanal where they got essential supplies to those men and his brother. During that night battle their was a very thick storm that the Japanese used to their advantage out numbered our ships came into very close combat because of fog and got the boats on both sides into tangled mess and the Juneau sadly took a direct hit from Japanese destroyer torpedo. On the run ,hit but still maintaining 15 nots they fought hard made it almost out but a sadly jap sub cut them off shot and another crusier which was ahead infront where were able to turn but a made it a course path to my great uncles ship where it got hit in the same place and sunk in just only 20 seconds killing most of the crew where a 100 survivors made it only to be lost on water for 10 days where 10 sailors died to elements and shark attacks. No ship could stop to help or rescue that day. War is hell and needs to be told. He gave me those binoculars I think because everything i just told you he seen through that very set. And i feel like he would want people to know his story so hope you and others enjoy because its up to us now to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is why this is my favorite series of all time and cant wait for the next series to come out because i met a bomber vet from ww2 that gave me some awesome stories to tell too.
28:00 back then, acquiring an enemy weapon or other equipment from the battlefield was considered a “war trophy” and the guys who captured it were allowed to bring it back home to keep or sell them to make some money. Aside from the simple things like flags and currency, many soldiers brought back katanas, knives, pistols, rifles, and some of the clever ones even brought back machine guns. Many of these guns are still out there for people in the USA to own, but good condition ones generally creep into the four figure range (that Nambu pistol seen in the series will go for $1,000-$1,500 today, depending on the quality). This isn’t the case anymore. Weapons found on the battlefield todsy aren’t allowed to be brought home and are usually just left to be destroyed or kept in a unit arsenal for historical purposes. Since I saw it below already, this principle was seen in Band of Brothers with the Luger pistol in Europe. It’s one of the reasons why there’s a decent amount of them on the US collector’s market for ownership and go between $2,000 to $4,000.
What I like so much about this series is that it shows how the elements were just as much an enemy to the Marines in the Pacific as the Japanese. You had the jungles, the humidity, the rain, the mud, the rugged terrain, the wildlife, and the diseases. That is such a harsh environment to fight in. Then you have the Japanese. They had a reputation of being ruthless and fanatical fighters in WWII. Their mentality towards warfare was on a completely different level. Many of them believed that dying courageously in battle would bring honor to their family, their country, and their Emperor. To be captured, or to come home defeated, was consider shameful. So many Japanese preferred either to kill themselves, or to carry out these suicidal attacks like the Banzai charge at 21:08. In this case the Banzai Charge was also meant to divert American attention and buy time so that most of the Japanese could withdraw east. 24:01 While organized resistance at Cape Gloucester ended on January 16, 1944, there were still scattered remnants of Japanese troops lurking around. The Marines had to stay and continue carrying out mopping up operations. This lasted until they were relieved in April 1944. So there were long periods where the Marines never saw the enemy. Most of the Japanese became isolated at Rabaul, on the eastern end of New Britain. Allied troops actually continued to battle remnants of the Japanese on New Britain until the war finally ended in August 1945.
You just gotta feel bad for the guys who went in thinking they’d get to see all the action and instead ended up living constant periods of boredom, only to have a few meaningless firefights with a stubborn enemy here and there, basically making zero impact to the overall mission of the war. On the flipside they didn’t have to experience such unbelievable death and terror.
Not my quote, “you fight not because you hate us before you, but because you love what is behind you” and I would add beside you. For anyone who has watched their friends take off on deployment or another war, there is nothing more heart wrenching than knowing they will be there without you.
"What about Vera?" In war time, you take whatever happiness you can find. Remember that all of this is based on a memoir: its written many years AFTER the fact. Lecky wrote about that young Greek woman because, even after all those years she was still remembered and loved. The worlds population was not what it was today: infant mortality rates were very high even in Western nations. So carrying on the bloodline was a MAJOR concern....as it should be today.
I love your passion and appreciation for that generation and what they went through. I was born in the 60s and worked with some WWII vets when I was a teenager. The were in their late 50s to early 60s at that time. I was in awe of their stories, but never pushed them to talk about it. I’m glad they felt comfortable confiding in a young kid like me. You said on the past that you’re Canadian. I wish more American youth would watch these types of movies. It should be mandatory that they watch Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Saving Pvt Ryan, in public schools
Bob actually got Stella's name on a tram not a bus. Melbourne has the longest continually running tram system in the world. It still runs to this day, the trams are just newer than what you see here. Although there a refurbished tram from these days called the city circle that you can ride on for free
Rob Leckie wrote an excellent book about his experiences titled Helmet for My Pillow. Eugene Sledge wrote With the Old Breed. These are two of the finest personal accounts to come out of WW2.
They are not "more happy" because they are traumatized. They have PTSD. They used to call it "the thousand yard stare". Men would sit with their eyes not focusing on anything. The worst part is they know they are going right back into again.
John Basilone wasn't actually awarded his Medal of Honor at the MCG. The First Marine Division was headquartered at Balcombe Camp Mt Martha about 5kms from where I live. The parade ground is now an oval where they play kids sport.
The scene where Stella breaks up with Lucky is always heartbreaking to me. The same exact thing happened to me before I shipped out on my first combat deployment. My girlfriend at the time did the same thing to me. We kept in contact for a long time, but due to PTSD from my second combat deployment, I stopped talking to everyone, including her. It was one of my biggest regrets in life because a few years ago she was murdered and one of my best friends, from high school, who i also lost contact with, killed herself because of it. Like I said the biggest regret of my life.
The "gun" everyone was fighting over is a Japanese Nambu pistol and a VERY coveted collector's item (think of it as the Luger from Band of Brothers). Depending on the version ("Baby" "Papa" or "Grandpa") and condition some models can sell for as much as $5000.00.
Whoever’s telling her to “cool off on all the war stuff”, grrrrrrrrr. For some of us, this is our favorite genre!
You said it, girl! My goodness, she's a grown woman who can make her own decisions! And it's my favorite genre too.
I love War films and shows.
There’s a million other reactors watching non war stuff they can subscribe to
''War Stuff'' is one of the best ways to delve into the darkest, and most glorious parts of the Human Spirit, besides, the good stuff is educational as well.
@@SkurtavusGrodolfus True. And our host here has a surfeit of empathy which is honestly refreshing to rewatch these with.
When I was growing up in the 1990s, my grandmother lived across the street from a man we called Uncle Red. The house belonged to his sister, but after she died he lived there alone. Uncle Red was a medic in the Pacific and suffered severe shell shock. He lived in a VA hospital for 10 years after the war. When he finally came home he took odd jobs around town like cutting grass. He would smile and wave. Sometimes he would say hello but nothing more. He was a totally broken man. When I knew him he was very old. He had the saddest eyes I have ever seen. My grandmother always told me to never ask him about the war. When I was young, I always viewed him as a sort of curiosity. But now that I’m grown, I realize that he sacrificed his entire life and his sanity to help save the free world. Uncle Red was a hero. I wish I could have told him that.
Lot of stories like that. Such a shame we only know realize it and so many of those veterans are gone. We never had a chance to thank them and honor them. It's easy to honor and praise the veterans who adjusted to civilian life well. But the ones who suffered mentally rarely got the thanks and care they needed.
You have done right by him for recognising his struggle and remembering him. And it sounds like your family were compassionate of him by affectionately nick-naming him Uncle Red
😢💙
I remember in the 80's watching a documentary on WW1 that had a segment on shell shock victims that had footage of these catatonic old men in a sanatorium, it was chilling moment for me to realise that these shattered people had spent the last 70 odd years in that state.
Bless Uncle Red. Hope he found peace eventually
My heart just about exploded when the darling Popcorn-Cassie called the kindly old vet "handsome" - what an absolutely sweet woman.
She’s “of the old breed”, as Eugene Sledge would say.
I was thinking the same thing. There are tons of "reaction channels" out there but there's a reason Cassie is only one of two I watch. Comments like this are a good example.
That was awesome yeah
Timeline check: Throughout these episodes, Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, was still in training. Kind of gives some perspective on how long they trained, particularly given that the Marines deployed in the Pacific had only a few months of training from the time they joined up until they were deployed on the front lines.
Airborne troops of WW2 were considered Elite/Crack troops, almost bordering on special forces. Hence all the training..I believe the Marines (other than raider units) we just general infantry. That and the Army always had better equipment and more money for training.
@@ryanhampson673 Marines had a paratrooper unit until 1942 I think.
@@serene_actual Marines had Parachute Battalions (3) the 1st one started training in 1940.
The Battalions all deployed in the Pacific, and while several operations were Planned, none were executed/ They were attached to Marine Divisions and fought as Infantry. The Parachute Battalions, along with the Elite Raider Battalions were Disbanded in Feb 1944 and the members were reassigned to regular Marine Infantry Units... Interesting Fact. Of the 6 Marines who were in the Famous Iwo Jima Flag Raising Picture two ( Ira Hayes and Harlon Block) were former Para Marines who fought on Bouganville.
Also, the 101st was slated for a specific mission for their baptism of fire, and that was D Day, June 6, 1944. I'm sure they were combat ready prior to that. They were fortunate to have all that extra training.
@@ryanhampson673 Wrong, the Marines are shock troops.
But needs much when the devil drives. They used the First Marines on Gudalcanal a year before they were planned to
Just for your information, Chesty Puller joined the Marines in 1918 as a private and retired a three star General after the Korean War. He is the most decorated Marine in US history with nearly 50 awards, medals, and decorations including 5 Navy Crosses (the highest award given by the Navy and Marines, 2nd only to the Medal of Honor) and 1 Distinguished Service Cross, the Army version of the Navy Cross. At the end of every day in Boot Camp, even now, Marine recruits shout out, "Good night Chesty, where ever you are!
Semper fi
Nevertheless, if you read the book, "Chesty" Puller did make a series of tactical mistakes in the island campaign, which led to his being replaced in command. It wasn't necessarily his fault - he was facing a kind of strategy for which his experience simply hadn't prepared him, and it certainly doesn't take away from his achievements.
Only thing he didn't get was the Medal of Honor, and that might be because they lost the paperwork or something.
@@nmkasprkasprowicz4615 That shit is always political.
@@elessartelcontar9415 not Chesty, that was Gunnery Sergeant Dan Daly
“I feel like one reacts probably most authentically to what they are interested in.”
That is very honest, which is why you are so popular.
THIS.
Remember when hoobler and malarkey wanted a German luger as a souvenir? Same principle with the Japanese pistol.
Yeah. Mostly Japanese Officers had that pistol, so it was kinda rare.
Sometimes sword as well or flags.
The Japanese warrior ideology held that death was better than surrender or dishonor. They would perform those suicide charges to try and die in battle and take as many Americans with them as possible rather than see their own defeat. By this time the Japanese navy was losing territory, and the Japanese soldiers on the islands knew they would not be reinforced or resupplied. With their defeat inevitable, many chose to die in order to preserve what they considered their honor.
That's true, but in reality (traditional way i mean) your own interpretation was perfectly allowed, if you look at the battles of nagashino or sekigahara, only the leaders had to die to save their honor. Most of the soldiers never had die to save their honor, they were farmers and didn't had to do that. Takeda's army for example was perfectly allowed to retreat. Actually the samouraï way has been used by tojo (and he wasn't from a samouraï family neither) to legitimate his own interpretation Wich wasn't what he wanted.
"true budhido is doing what is right, even if it is hard".
Better to die young, fighting for what you believe in, than to be old, stuck in a bed and burdening others. Many ancient civilisations held/hold that belief.
Don’t listen to anyone about cooling with the war stuff. If your loving it keep going with it. There are so many more Great War movies for you to see
At some point you may be interested in watching two films about WW2 in the Pacific made by Clint Eastwood. One is called 'Flags of our fathers' and is about the battle for the Island of Iwo Jima from the USA side. The other is called 'Letters from Iwo Jima' and is about the battle to defend Iwo Jima from the Japanese side.
Hate to say it but FOOF was a horrible portrayal of the Book...
@@joeschmoe9154 Haven't read the book, but I do find both films excellent
@@rockof.1793 Once you read the book you will see how short the movie fell...
@@joeschmoe9154 I agree I hated the movie and what they did to Ira Hayes
@@joeschmoe9154 I believe you that the film falls short of the book, but I am not sure I will ever read it ...
Simply taken as a film, I think it's remarkable. Haven't watched it in the last years, but I remember a certain patience about it which made it strong.
Many thanks for your genuine reactions. My dad Corp. Charles W. Lyon was 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal. He survived the bombardment by the Japanese Navy, army artillery, and aerial attacks, but it was the malaria that almost killed him. He broke down one day, a year before he died, and finally told me what he experienced in the war. Horrific details......this Pacific series puts me into my dad's shoes and now I see and feel his anguish.
I was a Marine and this is my favorite series so it’s really enjoyable watching somebody who doesn’t know everything about the topic . World War history , tactics , and strategies is one of my favorite topics . Watching it through the eyes of somebody who doesn’t have a thorough understanding is awesome . Keep it up
Glad to see you recognize the dedication and sacrifice of these young men. My father and uncle served in frontline combat. My father was a naval officer and had his ship sunk by a Kamikaze during the battle of Okinawa. My uncle served as B-17 bomber squadron commander in the 8th Army Air Force and served two tours. I always remind myself, the young men who didn't make it back gave up all their tomorrows for my today.
There was a PBS about this is called "The War" about that battle.
Random medical sidenote: Enuresis that randomly shows up in adults (bedwetting) is usually the result of chronic feelings of inadequacy. Given the fact that Leckie was dumped by a woman he fell in love with (and a family he had bonded with), got told off by an officer before being thrown in military jail for a night, then demoted, you can see why he had that spell of enuresis.
I remember feeling legit bad for Leckie after the end of the third and all throughout the fourth episode.
5th episode wasn't easy on Leckie either. He wrote that he was demoted several times. He was also overlooked for promotion at Guadalcanal. His lieutenant promoted Chuckler for moving the machine gun to protect their flank, although it was Leckie who initiated the action.
dude he just drank too much lol.
Although the love story is fabricated, I believe. Or at least it wasn't in his memoir. He basically just said that he slept around in Australia.
I got the impression it was plain simple battle stress.
There was no Stella. That was invented for the series. Leckie had a string of casual flings in Melbourne, but he was aware that the girls were just fishing for a GI husband for their benefits, and wanted no part of it.
If you are interested in learning more about Leckie, I highly recommend his autobiography, "Helmet For My Pillow". It's well written, (which it aught to be given Leckie was a writer,) and it gives you perspective on the war through his eyes. It's also one of the sources this series is based on. If you like audiobooks, the Audible version is narrated by James Badge Dale, the actor who portrays him in The Pacific. It's really cool.
Also "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa" by Eugene Sledge
Leckie's memoir is ironically hard to read and somewhat pretentious. Guess it makes sense though.
It's only going to get rougher from here on out. Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa were pretty horrific battles. Especially ep. 9 had me in tears.
Me too. 7,8 and 9 had me in tears too. 9 had me sobbing.
That’s what they were in real life too. Peleliu was the first shift in change of Japanese tactics; instead of Banzai charges, they switched over to attrition, making sure for every inch of ground the Americans were taking, it’d be paid in blood. The defenses on Peleliu would play a big role in the creation of the defenses on Iwo Jima. And this policy of attrition would come to a climax on Okinawa. The Marine Corps still considers Peleliu the bitterest battle the Marines ever fought.
He should have filled out his life insurance
Memorial Day is coming up. Remember and pay respects to those who were killed while serving this country. 🇺🇸🙏
She's Canadian but yeah their memorial day is coming up in july
"Hymn to the Fallen" by John Williams
ruclips.net/video/Omd9_FJnerY/видео.html
Green Hills from around the World.
@@nicolasvillamil7523 July 1 is Canada day our Independence Day. We Remember on November 11 our Remembrance Day your Armistice Day, but I appreciate your thoughts for a neighbour.
@@nicolasvillamil7523 is she? Isn't she from Utah?
@@RAD1111able Nah she's mentioned she's Canadian in a few reactions
In the Navy the friendliness of the Australians was famous. I was in the Navy after 9/11 and my older shipmates had been in before 9/11 and they explained how radically things had changed. Before 9/11 when a US Navy ship came to port in Australia the people would meet you on the pier and everyone would kind of be adopted by a family, they'd make you dinner and you could sleep at their house, etc. After 9/11 (and I mean every year and decade since) the Navy was paranoid so no one was allowed near the pier, nobody could go out alone, everyone has to be back by midnight, and their whereabouts have to be documented. You basically have 0 freedom as a sailor anymore. So while the Australians were just as friendly the Navy it made it almost impossible for any of the old ways to continue.
One of the ports I visited was Hobart Australia, basically the whole city was out welcoming sailors and men and women alike would invite me over to spend time at their house. Unfortunately I was bound by sticks in the mud who thought such hospitality was weird but I appreciated the invitations nonetheless.
You are a fantastic woman to listen to reacting to these, highly empatic and caring. Looking forward to next episodes
Love your genuine reactions - I'm seventy years old - from a time when guys never cried. I find it therapeutic sitting here late at night getting weepy eyed watching you react to movies I love and are so moved by. May I suggest "Unbroken" - another true story of a real American hero in WWII and more recently "American Sniper" - that one will rip your heart out. Stay with what moves you... and thank you!
This one is a real gutwrencher. I’m glad so many people have been watching these reactions and connecting so strongly with it. It’s important to honor what these guys went through.
Whoever said "cool it with the war stuff"... GO KICK ROCKS.
lol "go kick rocks" never heard that one before, what's it mean.... like f off basically?
@@lordskeleton3928 pretty much yeah lol
@@lordskeleton3928 yep!! but a whole lot more office friendly....lol
My Dad was in the Pac during WWII, Navy. I could never get him to talk about it. He DID talk about his liberty in Australia though. He said everyone was like the family Lucky visited.
My former father-in-law was like that. He lived near one of his Marine buddies. When they'd get together, they would talk about fist fights they got into while on liberty, but they never talked about their wars.
@@williammack6083 We had ALL kinds of races in our neighborhood, Polish, Russian, Japanese, German, Irish, Italian... It was funny at a BBQ all these racial jokes would come out, after two beers. Everyone would laugh. But the next day they would all be best buddies. I can't see that happening now adays.
@kay van My dad died 20ish years ago. It's a shame I never got anything out of him. Understandable but a shame.
@kay van 🤣🤣 During the Civil War the home front saved urine to make niter. An ingredient in gunpowder. With your logic they carried a jar with them everytime they peed for the rest of their life. 😂🤣
there's an ancient Japanese saying "Life is lighter than a feather, but duty is heavier than a mountain"
True bushido is doing what is right, even if it's hard.
"Death is lighter than a feather..."
@@Manu-rb6eo "doing what's right even if it's hard" tell that to the Koreans and Chinese who suffered under brutal Japanese rule.
@@andygarcia5978 well........ That's absolutely not the meaning and that's all the problem it is interpretation. What tojo and the other...... "people" we can dare to call them so did..... Actually used the interpretation to lie for their purpose and propaganda. I understand why you said this and I'm not an expert and it take hours to explain.... But the meaning is now completely misunderstood because of ww2.... And because of others who used the "way ofbthe warrior" in the bad way. Actually bushido says you kill an innocent and unarmed guy it's dishonorable and it's bad, but this meaning is now misunderstood. Problem also that Japanese are bad in English (like me lol) they can't explain......but even if they were not angles neither (no one was)... There was a reason why the traditional families (mostly in the navy, like mine) couldn't stand tojo, the way he used these principles for his politics, to legitimate his own interpretation.
It was like Stauffenberg in Germany, when he and the other German who fought with Jews during ww1, said they couldn't stand the nazis..... It's no joke...
@@andygarcia5978 and now look at what Korea and China are like. They are worse than the Japanese empire.
Australian here. The main ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) fighting force at this point were off fighting the Italians and Erwin Rommel in North Africa/Palestine/Greece as well as thinly spread across South East Asia fighting guerilla battles trying to disrupt the Japanese in New Guinea (look up the battle of Kokoda), various battles in modern day Indonesia, Burma, Melacca and the Singapore disaster. Australia had just been threatened by land invasion which was miraculously heald off by the 'Kokoda Chockers' and had suffered bombing in Darwin and Japanese sub attacks in Sydney. America entered the fight against the Japanese after 3 years of intense fights across South East Asia with the Aussie and Kiwi militaries almost on their last legs out gunned and out manned at this point in the war. America and ANZAC relations have since been strong brothers in arms from this point on, and our diggers (soldiers) have fought side by side in every conflict we've both been involved in since WW1.
The Battle of Kokoda Track was an amazing work of defensive combat against an overwhelming aggressor.
Semper Fi.
@@jojoemcgeejoe457 indeed. A great example of why morale is everything when it comes down to the fighting regardless of one's numerical or tech advantages.
I had no idea about this part of history, can you recommend some Australian movies/series/books??
31:21 one of the most underrated on screen performances of the whole entire series. The mental anguish and fatigue he showcases is spectacular and absolutely heart breaking and believable. Respect to the real hero's and Marines.
“When do we get to see Eugene”
Oh honey you don’t wanna watch those episodes. 😂
She's gonna need tissues.
Sledge has quite a story to tell
@@jacoballen3267 His book is excellent (as is Leckie's).
I thought he was in Grease. lol
Why not?
Episode 3 was really shot around my home town of Melbourne. The showgrounds where they were sleeping is still used and many of the inner suburbs near the city have the old houses so they didn't have to mock anything up. Also some of the old trams are still in use around the inner city.
I'm also from Melbourne lol.
Australian men (10% of them) had signed up to the war years before and were fighting in North Africa and Singapore at the time, so Americans coming to town with large pay packets, access to rationed goods (chocolate, silk, meat, booze) and being foreign helped them. 'overpaid, oversexd and overhere' was the common theme from the locals. American troops also started a few confrontation in regards to pubs and bars, where black US soldiers were allowed to drink in because there wasn't segregation like back in the USA. Lookup the Battle of Brisbane for one of the larger revolts.
The series was filmed in Melbourne and surrounding areas (and further North in Australia for the jungle stuff) so being able to film on location outside the station and at a suburban football/cricket stadium to stand in for the real MCG which was used as a camp is pretty neat.
I don't care what genre you're watching. I'm here for your reaction, which are simply the best of the best available on youtube. I like it when you laugh at comedies, get scared during Ghostbusters or Aliens, are filled with joy during Lord of the Rings or show extreme empathy during war movies. You have the best emotional reactions I've ever seen and that covers all the emotions. You're just the kind of person anyone would want for a movie friend. So you just keep on keeping on and react to whatever. You're the queen of the channel and you let us visit your realm.
for perspective, the 1st Marine Division spent 4 months on that One Island 8/7/1942 until12/9/1942. Compared to Band of Brothers, that's everything from Ep 2 until Ep 5. Barely mentioned are the 7 major naval battles off the island that lead to a total of SIXTY-SEVEN ships sunk; including 3 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 9 cruisers and 27 destroyers. Also 1300 aircraft destroyed.
Three times as many sailors died during the Guadalcanal campaign as Marines and Soldiers combined.
Thus the name: Iron Bottom Sound.
At 14:27 - Leckie isn't being demoted, but he's being punished in that he won't be in the same unit as his friends, and he (in theory) won't be fighting on the front line for the most part. Up until then Leckie was in a specific Company (a Company = roughly 150 men). In Battalion intelligence he'd be in the next organization level up (~500 men) serving in the headquarters unit for both his old company and 2 other front line companies. It might in effect be kind of a demotion in that he was Corporal (leading a team) in his company, but as a Corporal in an intel unit he might not have any such responsibilities.
Also just want to say - can ya’ll imagine what a caring and helpful society we’d have if the Cassies of the world were in charge of companies and government?
OK, all the happy fun episodes are behind us now. Gloves about to come off...
Okinawa actually gave me nightmares the first time I saw it.
“They deserved a night of letting go after what they went through.”
Trust me, Marines have never needed an excuse to drink. That wasn’t a special occasion. It was just Friday night.
I always thought it was cute when they first got ice cream cones.
the corpse was formed in a bar after all.
The Medal of Honor. Many earned it. Few got it. Those who did, wear it for them all.
I lived in a house in Manchester UK with 6 separate bedsits as a student. In one of the bedsits was an old man who had been living their for years, you could see he was still physically strong and solid, with a sharp brain when you encountered him in the large shared kitchen. He Kept himself to himself, quiet, polite. I gradually got to know him and discovered he was Polish soldier during WW2, he never spoke about the War to me or shared any stories, apart from that, no matter how much I tried to loosen his tongue with my occasional weekend knock on his door with some whisky, his favourite tipple. He would only talk about his work in the local Polish community helping other people out with odd jobs and going to Church. Apart from that, after a few whiskies together he would just stop talking without any reason and sit in his chair silently staring at nothing as though I wasn't even there, it was as though he was asleep with his eyes still open, not moving a inch like black silhouette just sitting in a chair. It was quite eerie when he did, I used to think he'd fallen asleep, but his eyes were always open; That's when I would quietly say goodnight as I left him to what I felt was his own wistful thoughts and memories of his life and War experiences. I never found out if he was ever married or had children, but in the two years I lived their as a student, he never had a single visitor, except me from the room upstairs. It made me wonder how many other WW2 Veterans ended up living alone in rooms? I can tell you this, from his size and build and just the way he moved about even as olde man he had a real presence about him that earned instant respect from anyone who lived in the other rooms, even without knowing anything about him. There was just something about him that old me I wouldn't have liked to faced him in his prime during a battle for the streets and towns of Holland, Belgium, France or where ever he'd been. I was a fit athletic young man in my early 20s, still am but older! But I used to weigh him up physically, wondering, and to be honest he could have 73 or 83 for all know, but I still didn't fancy my chances! He still looked as strong a bull! 😳 🙏❤️
"Everyone really wants that gun." Yeah, it is a war trophy. It's not the fact that it's a gun, it is an enemy's gun so therefore it is worth something. It's the same thing in Band of Brothers with the German Luger pistol.
"Looks like all Australian women are.. drop-dead gorgeous. Good for them."
Funny. I was thinking the same thing about Canadian women!
I will keep commenting this, but after “The Pacific”, you need to watch “Generation Kill”. It’s a super authentic depiction (based on a true story) of the 1st Marine Recons “road trip” through Iraq, in ‘03. A lot less violent than “Band of Brothers”, and “The Pacific”. But no less graphic and impactful.
It's definitely on the list!
@@PopcornInBed fantastic!! I’m currently rewatching it this week! I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Generation Kill would actually be amazing. Phenomenal show.
I just discovered your channel, and I am really impressed. Your appreciation of learning history at the same time as reacting is so admirable! And your personality makes for great reactions. You also display something that is rare on these type channels.....you actually appreciate the subtleties of these movies. Count me a subscriber! (By the way, my father served in the Pacific as a medic)
Those sillies who don’t like that you’re doing a lot of war-related reactions are more than welcome to make their own reaction videos about things that they want to watch. Keep on watching whatever it is that interests you. There are inherently a lot of emotions involved in war stories and that’s why they captivate so many people. I love your videos, you’re so sincere and it’s a pleasure to watch.
I’m gonna keep dropping comments on each of these because I’m so grateful that you’re reviewing these and learning about the war. And you have a really open viewpoint about all of it. You’re a sweetheart, and you do awesome reviews.
Content like this is SO emotional for people like me whose grandfathers fought in this war. My grandfather literally sent home pictures from Australia and New Guinea (and bunches of other islands) all the way to Okinawa. He was a farm boy from Arkansas who had never traveled more than a 100 miles from his birthplace until the war. And got around on horseback prior to it.
You handle all of it very well and with a lot of respect and deference. It’s really nice to watch.
I hope when you finish this series, you'll do the other one that Tom Hanks produced for HBO. It's the story of the Gemini and Apollo astronauts and their missions "From the Earth to the Moon."
Remember, there are no routine space missions. Even today, every flight is a test flight. It's an amazing series.
Oh! And don't forget Hanks's film about the 13th Apollo mission. It's astounding.
Oh, what a heavenly light... (my favorite line)
Yes good suggestion
Buckle up for the rest of this series. I applaud you for watching this, I think it is a story that must not be forgotten. I'm especially fond of the Marines, no branch has bled more. Of course I respect all branches, but always felt the Marines were and are special. You please keep being you - watch whatever interests you, I've really enjoyed your reviews.
I love your reaction to these. They are genuine and heartfelt. We need more people to understand the history....
I love that you're reacting to war movies. Very few react channels (especially woman run react channels) react to the really gnarly realistic war films and tv shows. So I say keep it up as long as it interests you. Many of us are here for it.
A little background on Gibson's story of hiding in the slit trench. In case you didn't know, a slit trench is a latrine sanitation trench filled with excrement. This is the place Gibson was talking about trying to take shelter from the bombing as another man died on top of him.
Thank you for doing these. My grandfather was a WW2 veteran during the siege and invasion of the Philippine Islands. He never really talked about his experience. As most of those men never did. But its important to watch these so you can learn from history, so we don't repeat it. Thank you again Miss Cassie.
You keep watching war genre, it makes me happy rewatch it and plus a reaction. It also makes me happy that you are making aware of our history and the fallen.
It also helps those who haven't seen them want to rewatch part of our history and pay respect.
Thank you for uploading war genre. Keep up the good work
I absolutely love and appreciate your reaction to the Pacific. I strongly believe in people learning from our history and I have subscribed simply because you give room into your life, for the respect to the past.
I’m so glad you are watching this. My dad was there. He took me there three times a week. Until I left home. They had a rough time and their families had a rough time. 😊
Next Lord Of The Ring Extended Edition Of The Two Tower Extended Edition
Coming on Friday!
@@PopcornInBed thank you
Looking forward to that!
Don't listen to those people this a great series keep going watch want you want we will watch you enjoy.
From an Australian we were very nice infact waltzing matilda is a 1st marine division hymm
USA and Australia will always be mates 🇺🇸🇦🇺
I appreciate your honesty, sincerity, and genuine caring for
these true heroes. It says a lot about you that you’re actually researching these battles to not
only learn, but you’re trying to
understand these very young,
broken men. Some of the most intense battles are yet to come believe it or not. God Bless you
Cassie !! 🙏🏻✝️❤️
28:03 the pistol is signifigant because its an enemy weapon and is usually given to officers, so it is a great war trophy.
And also as a Japanese officer gun, they were not issued by the army/navy, they were supossed to be buyed by the officer itself, the Nambu type 14 was the most common one among them.
There's no greater bond than that of Brothers in Arms; part four really starts to show the effects of continuous fighting and terrible conditions
You just do what you do .. the fact that this is a whole new genre for you gives the best " reactions" about the horrors of war and the psycological stuff that happens ... keep this content comming plz.. ohh and if you havent been asked already .. Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of our fathers, told from the american side and the japanese side at the battle of Iwo Jima, should be in your " portfolio " of movies about WWII
Your face when the love part appears is cute!
Sure this comment wont be seen 2 years later, but check out an interview with Sid Phillips (the young soldier with the beautiful young Australian woman being chaperoned by her grandfather). He tells a story about many years after the war when his wife calls him up at work to tell him his old Aussie girlfriend has shown up in Mobile for a visit. She was married at the time with several children and stayed to visit for several weeks. Eventually her son fell in love with Sid's daughter and they were married. Quite a story.
Letters from iwo jima next after the pacific ? 😉
Or i can advise you the Rock with Sean Connery maybe 😊
I would suggest "Taking Chance" as another movie to check out. But make sure to bring your tissues. Nothing in the way of action, but how the US deals with bringing home their fallen soldiers.
@@prollins6443 taking chance would be a good one to see her do
I served in the Navy from 1988 t0 2010. I can confirm Australia, to this day, remained one of the favorite countries to visit. There was a time in the early 90s, fathers would come to the ship and offer Sailors land and jobs to stay and marry a daughter because of what they termed a "lack of suitable local men". Never believed that story until I saw it for myself.
John Basilone was from Raritan N.J. ! My long distant cousin is Married to his son. They have a statue put up in his honor! I grew up one town over from Raritan.
Thank you for the great reactions! War films are a favorite genre of mine and I think you have an excellent viewpoint in your reactions to war stuff that is refreshing. Please do what you enjoy and I hope that means more war-related content! There are so many amazing war productions for you to explore.
Regarding that Canadian: he was on a Raid that took place in a location called Dieppe. Very famous raid. We learned all about it in the Raid course when i went through.
Because of their visit to Melbourne Australia in WW2 the 1st Marine Division adopted an Australian folk song as their anthem, "Waltzing Matilda" they still use it today.....
Sorry mate, Waltzing Matilda was used before WWII by ANZACs.
@@liverpool6058 Um yeah I know mate, the 1st Marine Division liked the song so much they adopted it for themselves. I never said they were the first to use it?
@@kenlawton1531 my apologies mate, miss read your comment. That's a really cool fact that they brought it into the Marine's culture. The Pacific stage was the moment our militaries and nations at that grew to really become brothers.
Australia is still the most preferred liberty port to this day. ive never been but id LOVE to go!
We thought a lot of our corpsmen. Several said they'd rather serve with Marines than just be a number in a hospital. I knew an 'independent' that had served almost exclusively with the infantry. He would bitch that the Navy had a way to do everything, while Marines were all chaos. I would add "When the shooting starts, the plan goes to s***; we're just practicing:" He got so he wouldn't let me finish. Good series. Thanks.
One of the most kindest, sweetest, and generous men I ever knew, and had been a Machine Gunner in The US Army during World War II, This man had fought in the Philippines in the jungle against the Japanese. When I met him more than 40 years ago, I was 12, He was friendly, kind and pretty playful. I didn't even know till he had almost passed, About Him having been a combat veteran in the Philippines.
Bob Leckie's Helmet for my Pillow and Sledge's With the Old Breed were world-famous books written after the war and must-reads for any WW2 history student/buff. The series is mostly based on these books. In a later episode Leckie and Sledge share a scene, but they never met each other during or after the war.
They sure did move quick back in those days. Like, hey, nice to meet you, here's my family, let's have kids all in a day.
12:45 it's a harsh reality, but the only way to prepare them for what they face is to do it for real in a controlled environment. If they start getting used to being comfortable and rested with full bellies, it'll make it that much harder for them to go back in the field.
I'm from Melbourne Australia & when they were shooting here, our city its cars, everything was made to look like 1940's. It was fun to see but very surreal. My wife is American though, been married 10 years now. Nice reaction.
Love watching with you, and watch what ever and when ever you want,
You’ll see a lot more of Eugene Sledge starting in the next episode.
Watched a episode of "jocko podcast" awhile back, don't remember the veteran name but while out on patrol his vehicle hit a IED and he was messed up bad. He said he prayed to god to keep him alive long enough so his brothers wouldn't see him die. Also told his folks when he left for his deployment he would not contact them till he finished his deployment. His dad answered the phone when he called and his dad said "why am i hearing from you" veteran replied "i got hurt dad and there sending me to Germany" that was in a nut shell the whole conversation they had on the phone after his IED hit. His mother was a nurse and royally pissed his dad didn't ask further details. People like Leckie and the veteran story from the jocko podcast are truly incredible people. @33:29 reminded of that story I heard on the jocko podcast.
“Are those Condoms?” Lol yep, they didn’t need them anymore.
They did use them to cover the muzzle of their rifles in the rain.
If you need some information on the M.O.H., they are rarely presented while the soldier/sailor/marine is alive. Around 95% are presented posthumously to the family. And, even generals/admirals must present a salute to a M.O.H. recipient. As Winter's stated, usually, "You salute the rank, not the man." Not with a medal of honor. You salute the man!
Thank you for sharing your journey into our history as Marines, and into the realms of cinema itself for that matter! 😊 Always nice to watch your reactions
It always feels great when both parties know they got Lucky 😍
If you get bored waiting for the upcoming Spielberg/Banks series about the US 8th Air Force, I'd very highly recommend watching "Memphis Belle" (1990). It's about a bomber crew's experience in WW2, and is based on a true story.
As far as the historical truth of Leckie's relationship with Stella goes, he makes no mention of her in his book "Helmet For My Pillow." He did, however, have an on/off relationship with an Australian woman called Sheila, and she might've been renamed Stella for the series to protect her identity (or Leckie renamed her Sheila in the book for the same reason, as Sheila is a generic Aussie slang word for a woman)... however, nothing of what he describes in the book matches what is shown with Stella in Episode 3.
There might be more info in Hugh Ambrose's "Pacific" that sheds light on this (I haven't read it in a few years, but plan to do so in the next week!), but all in all, this series plays a little loose with historical accuracy when it comes to the characters' personal lives, mostly to enhance dramatic effect. The larger picture is very accurate, though!
I have many relatives who fought on land and sea at Guadalcanal, I was too young to to ask questions to the only one that survived the war but ill never forget he lived far away but new i loved the history, I was 8, and last time i saw him he gave me his binoculars never forget it very random i always thought but now i know why let me explain. Anyways my great grandfather was a brother of 4 and lost 2 brothers during the battle of Guadalcanal both on the USS Juneau where also a family of 5 brothers were lost. My mother tells me growing up with him who he was a Marine , always STRESSED when ever he could that he was happy he wasn't back on Guadalcanal. My great grand grandfathers brother died on one of those ships during the night were on the Uss Juneau, my great uncles and also the 5 Sullivan brothers and even some sets of 3 brothers as well(22 sets of total) fought for days repelled countless attacks be for even getting to fight at Guadalcanal. One attack on the way their they repelled 28 planes shooting down 20 with the help of 2 sister ships. As well as rescued 2000 sailors from another sunken destroyer(USS Juneau had almost 700 sailors and was an Atlanta class cruiser ) and again rescued and transported all 2000 to safety. But leading up to Guadalcanal and that night you seen those ships explode that repelled 4 anti aircraft attacks alone leading up to that night battle portrayed in that battle seen last episode and btw in just on of those battles the ship was surrounded by 18 planes where they shot down 6 her ship alone. A convoy now down to 3 on a urgent mission to supply our troops a tacked 4 times lost all sister ships by herself so from 3 to now to 1 soon eventually made it to Guadalcanal where they got essential supplies to those men and his brother. During that night battle their was a very thick storm that the Japanese used to their advantage out numbered our ships came into very close combat because of fog and got the boats on both sides into tangled mess and the Juneau sadly took a direct hit from Japanese destroyer torpedo. On the run ,hit but still maintaining 15 nots they fought hard made it almost out but a sadly jap sub cut them off shot and another crusier which was ahead infront where were able to turn but a made it a course path to my great uncles ship where it got hit in the same place and sunk in just only 20 seconds killing most of the crew where a 100 survivors made it only to be lost on water for 10 days where 10 sailors died to elements and shark attacks. No ship could stop to help or rescue that day. War is hell and needs to be told. He gave me those binoculars I think because everything i just told you he seen through that very set. And i feel like he would want people to know his story so hope you and others enjoy because its up to us now to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is why this is my favorite series of all time and cant wait for the next series to come out because i met a bomber vet from ww2 that gave me some awesome stories to tell too.
28:00 back then, acquiring an enemy weapon or other equipment from the battlefield was considered a “war trophy” and the guys who captured it were allowed to bring it back home to keep or sell them to make some money. Aside from the simple things like flags and currency, many soldiers brought back katanas, knives, pistols, rifles, and some of the clever ones even brought back machine guns. Many of these guns are still out there for people in the USA to own, but good condition ones generally creep into the four figure range (that Nambu pistol seen in the series will go for $1,000-$1,500 today, depending on the quality). This isn’t the case anymore. Weapons found on the battlefield todsy aren’t allowed to be brought home and are usually just left to be destroyed or kept in a unit arsenal for historical purposes.
Since I saw it below already, this principle was seen in Band of Brothers with the Luger pistol in Europe. It’s one of the reasons why there’s a decent amount of them on the US collector’s market for ownership and go between $2,000 to $4,000.
when i was on okinawa, we had a typhoon once that lasted a full week. the rain there is not a joke.
What I like so much about this series is that it shows how the elements were just as much an enemy to the Marines in the Pacific as the Japanese. You had the jungles, the humidity, the rain, the mud, the rugged terrain, the wildlife, and the diseases. That is such a harsh environment to fight in.
Then you have the Japanese. They had a reputation of being ruthless and fanatical fighters in WWII. Their mentality towards warfare was on a completely different level. Many of them believed that dying courageously in battle would bring honor to their family, their country, and their Emperor. To be captured, or to come home defeated, was consider shameful. So many Japanese preferred either to kill themselves, or to carry out these suicidal attacks like the Banzai charge at 21:08. In this case the Banzai Charge was also meant to divert American attention and buy time so that most of the Japanese could withdraw east.
24:01 While organized resistance at Cape Gloucester ended on January 16, 1944, there were still scattered remnants of Japanese troops lurking around. The Marines had to stay and continue carrying out mopping up operations. This lasted until they were relieved in April 1944. So there were long periods where the Marines never saw the enemy. Most of the Japanese became isolated at Rabaul, on the eastern end of New Britain. Allied troops actually continued to battle remnants of the Japanese on New Britain until the war finally ended in August 1945.
You just gotta feel bad for the guys who went in thinking they’d get to see all the action and instead ended up living constant periods of boredom, only to have a few meaningless firefights with a stubborn enemy here and there, basically making zero impact to the overall mission of the war. On the flipside they didn’t have to experience such unbelievable death and terror.
I’m binging these videos it’s awesome
Not my quote, “you fight not because you hate us before you, but because you love what is behind you” and I would add beside you. For anyone who has watched their friends take off on deployment or another war, there is nothing more heart wrenching than knowing they will be there without you.
"What about Vera?" In war time, you take whatever happiness you can find. Remember that all of this is based on a memoir: its written many years AFTER the fact. Lecky wrote about that young Greek woman because, even after all those years she was still remembered and loved. The worlds population was not what it was today: infant mortality rates were very high even in Western nations. So carrying on the bloodline was a MAJOR concern....as it should be today.
She wasn't Greek. In Leckie's book, that is.
Robert Lecky...."A helmet for my pillow" a great read
I subscribed cause of the pacific. So thank you for keeping them coming 👍
I love your passion and appreciation for that generation and what they went through. I was born in the 60s and worked with some WWII vets when I was a teenager. The were in their late 50s to early 60s at that time. I was in awe of their stories, but never pushed them to talk about it. I’m glad they felt comfortable confiding in a young kid like me.
You said on the past that you’re Canadian. I wish more American youth would watch these types of movies. It should be mandatory that they watch Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Saving Pvt Ryan, in public schools
Bob actually got Stella's name on a tram not a bus. Melbourne has the longest continually running tram system in the world. It still runs to this day, the trams are just newer than what you see here. Although there a refurbished tram from these days called the city circle that you can ride on for free
Rob Leckie wrote an excellent book about his experiences titled Helmet for My Pillow. Eugene Sledge wrote With the Old Breed. These are two of the finest personal accounts to come out of WW2.
My favorite reaction to The Pacific episodes so far. Now buckle up because the road gets quite bumpy from now on. Greetings from Prague 🤙🏼
It's a beautiful city Prague 😊 was there in 2006
They are not "more happy" because they are traumatized. They have PTSD. They used to call it "the thousand yard stare". Men would sit with their eyes not focusing on anything. The worst part is they know they are going right back into again.
Everyone salutes a Medal of Honor winner. Even superior officers. It's not required but encouraged.
John Basilone wasn't actually awarded his Medal of Honor at the MCG. The First Marine Division was headquartered at Balcombe Camp Mt Martha about 5kms from where I live. The parade ground is now an oval where they play kids sport.
The scene where Stella breaks up with Lucky is always heartbreaking to me. The same exact thing happened to me before I shipped out on my first combat deployment. My girlfriend at the time did the same thing to me. We kept in contact for a long time, but due to PTSD from my second combat deployment, I stopped talking to everyone, including her. It was one of my biggest regrets in life because a few years ago she was murdered and one of my best friends, from high school, who i also lost contact with, killed herself because of it. Like I said the biggest regret of my life.
The "gun" everyone was fighting over is a Japanese Nambu pistol and a VERY coveted collector's item (think of it as the Luger from Band of Brothers). Depending on the version ("Baby" "Papa" or "Grandpa") and condition some models can sell for as much as $5000.00.
Sledge begins Marine Corps training, traumatized by his combat experiences and an exhausted and heartbroken Leckie finds himself in the hospital.