In 1980 I took a botany class from Dr. Eugene Sledge at the University of Montevallo, Alabama. A very soft spoken, friendly southern gentleman. 4 years later while I was in the Infantry my girlfriend sent me an article by Studs Terkel, "The Good War", that had an excerpt from "With the Old Breed" Everyone who knew Dr. Sledge was shocked. Most people didn't even know he'd served in WW2. And Peleliu was a forgotten battle.
After seeing this series two or three times you lose the awareness of how hard hitting the content is. You gals bring it back. It was very tough watching this the first time. I salute your empathy. When Maple says she just feels like hugging Eugene... I flashed to what is coming in the next few episodes... Some of it is going to feel like you're being destroyed. Stick with it. It's worth it in the end.
One of my fav scenes is the one where the Gunnery Sgt. handles that fresh young Lieutenant, despite the difference in ranks. Inside the range, the Rangemaster is God. 😂
I actually have that scene saved because I think it's an amazing example of great leadership; the senior officer defers to the experienced NCO and doesn't simply allow the young lieutenant to get out of responsibility of his actions simply based on rank. A very elegant example of nuances within chain-of-command done right.
Band of Brothers vs The Pacific is kind of a good representation of the difference between the European War and the Pacific War. I forget where I read this but someone said that Europe was like a boxing match, with rules that were in the main respected - The Pacific war was like a knife fight, no rules just hate and blood.
Sanfu was cold to the new guys cause he’d already been in a couple of island campaigns. They have to earn his respect. That’s the way it is. When I was in the Marine corps I had to earn respect in the fleet when I was a boot and the boots had to earn are respect
@@thecoogs I don’t want to give it away cause it’s in the later episodes but Snafu also saves part of Sledge’s humanity and by not letting sledge become like himself
The hardest part of the episodes focusing on Sledge is that they match his writing incredibly well. Band of Brothers took a number of liberties that went past what both the book and what some of the soldiers involved wrote. Likewise, Leckie's book is not terribly detailed in the moments of combat. Sledge was detailed, and the only parts of this that really take liberties are the 'downtime'. The combat parts are, in many places, word-for-word from his book. I have said this many times, but I remember thinking there was no way they could film some of the things he wrote, because it was just too gruesome.... but they did.
Sledge's memoir is the only book I recall reading where you could FEEL the combat. You felt the horror and terror of it. The senseless carnage, the encroaching deadness in their souls. There's a reason it's considered the best infantry memoir ever written
There is a lot they took from both books and a lot they left out of both, so as to not give any spoilers I will just say it is a good series but Hollywood did what Hollywood does to keep the story going forward in a neat order but maintain a fair amount of historical truth
Some of the things were so crazy Hollywood that I'm not surprised they didn't add them. Like when the Zero plane slowly passed them on the grassy ridge and the pilot smiled at Gene when they locked eyes, or when Gene shielded a wounded marine and stared down the hole where the sniper had him pinned (God, I wish they kept it).
@MsCassidy23 They skipped over alot of action on Okinawa. I remember listening to his memoir and It just felt like the battle went on and on. Okinawa should've got 5 episodes at least instead of them cramming it all into one episode tho it was still good.
I read something a WWII combat veteran said about war "war is the complete opposite of humanity. You cruelly take another person's life and you are celebrated, while on the inside you feel revulsion."
As a side note, the oildrums they had to clean were later used to store extra water rations for the Peleliu assault. Most of the drums still had residue from the oil still in them and so the water got tainted. They could not even drink a good part of the water they brought with them and the few who dare quickly fell sick.
My grandfather fought at Peleliu. He didn't speak about it. And there was a hatred in him that had only barely begun to soften before cancer took him. The stories I've read of what his unit endured, the fact he was one of a handful of survivors and nearly all his friends died in that, have stayed with me.
Japanese resistance on Peleliu, Iwo and Okinawa greatly contributed to the high casualty estimates for the invasion of Japan itself. This in turn provided another reason to use the atomic bomb.
Low estimates for main land assault where between 250000 and 500000 high 2-3 mill. Most people believe around 1.5 mil. Ya nukes in this case safed way more lives
Once you have finished both the BOB and Pacific series there is one more video you need to see. "He has seen war" is a video featuring discussions with the soldiers and marines that are seen at the beginning of each episode but in much more detail. It goes into detail about their experiences of adjusting back to civilian life.
Band of Brothers gets dark, but because the heart of that show is built around the camaraderie of the men of Easy company you always have that to emotionally fall back on. The Pacific, on the other hand, just lays the harsh reality of war on you without any reprieve until the series begins to wind down. So strap in 😂
True fact #2: I got Jungle Rott on my feet, in Iraq, because we went 4 months before I got a chance to change my socks or boots. I got JUNGLE ROTT IN THE FUCKING DESERT . 😞
The war got so much worse the closer the U.S. got to the home Island of japan! The things these guys went through brakes my heart every time I think of it.
Love your reactions ladies and Chad. My uncle Charles Cobb was a boat driver in the pacific who's since passed but shortly before he died he mentioned specifically being at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. I always found it odd since I knew he'd been in the military and he knew that I'd been in as well and he'd never said anything about it until then but of course with his service I could understand him not wanting to bring it up. He talked about taking the soldiers and marines to the islands and resupplying them and removing some of the bodies of our servicemen (though many of them were buried in place).
Fun fact: The real life Leckie was actually a devout Irish Catholic, and held tight to his religion throughout the war, but in this show he represents a lot of men who chose to abandon their religious beliefs after going through combat.
As horrific as this mere movie appears, it’s nothing compared to actual war. If people will vote for leaders who can put our troops in actual war, then voters must see and know the consequences of decisions that elected officials make. Voters have a role in making war happen by selecting those who put us into wars. Voters have a responsibility and a need to witness these scenes, and the possible consequences of their vote.
Currently reading Leckies memoir Helmet For My Pillow. The book his storyline is based off of. Hoosier (bill) is one of his closest friends. They trained together in the state. Sailed across the Pacific. Did Guadalcanal together, Melbourne, and now Peleliu. They've been through so much, and then all of a sudden your closest friend gets shot, you don't know if he'll survive his wounds, but in the battle there is no time to even think about it. You must carry on the mission. Insane.
@@cardiac19 - Agreed. It has been a while since I read them but I liked Helmet For My Pillow more than With the Old Breed. I need to read them both again. The Pacific Theatre is always tougher for me to read about. I read Band Of Brothers like 4 times but only got through Helmet For My Pillow and With the Old Breed once.
@@griechland Srlsy, What is fucking wrong with these WWII Nerds? Selfish dickheads. *Quivering, all sweaty* "Uhh, Sir? Uhh, ooh! Sir!?" "What is it, son?" "Uhh . . ." *stains his trousers* "I . . . I know a thing!" They're a menace to reactor channels, and I'm happy you're also calling it out, greichland.
Pavuvu was the Island they were sent to after Cape Gloucester to "rest and rehabilitate" before the next operation which was Peleliu. But Pavuvu was an abandoned coconut plantation that nature took over till the marines arrived to set up a camp. They had to deal with what they were talking about in the interviews, of the land crabs, rats and rotten coconuts.
All of the island that we won from Japenese, was named for a naval ship Tarawa LHA-1 Iwo Jima LPH-2 Okinawa LPH-3 Guadalcanal LPH 7 Peleliu LHA-5 and so on.... I did 2 west-pac trips (6 months each). I been to some of the Islands and see the remains of tanks and guns. I thank god for the brave marines, army, airman and sailors that both died and live through out ww2. I am proud to serve, as did my father (Korea) and three of my brothers.
I grew up on that island Peleliu (Beliliou). every year we would get a lot of this vets from America and Japan visiting the shrines and monuments as they pay their respects, they told their stories and one thing that amazes me is how well they remember every little detail, we had one American veteran come to our elementary school when we were younger and told his stories, the details about how the land was on fire, the smell of corpses in the caves being burnt was crazy. Never believed in ghost but growing up back home you always felt like somebody was watching you, especially at night.
@@Diegesis Yeah, growing up there, education is a litttle different. We weren’t as advanced as the US in terms of healthcare so each lesson wasn’t censored and they taught realistically because at the end of the day we had to learn to take care of ourselves since we didn’t have big hospitals and doctors. Especially since there were still active explosives and ammunition all around the island when I grew up. haven’t been back home in a while but before I left there were a group of Australians digging and retrieving the live explosives when I left and they used to invite all the locals to go watch the controlled explosions but if I’m not mistaken they left around 2015 or 16 since they cleared most of the dangerous stuff out of the way.
Maple did a good job of identifying how people in the military had different experiences and there is isolation there between those groups. In Sledges book "With the Old Breed" he routinely mentions how the line marines disliked the "rear echelon troops" because they didn't experience or understand what he and his buddies went through.
The Pacific was made about a decade after Band of Brothers, so many of the veterans portrayed had passed away. I think this allowed the producers and writers to be more loose with the characters back stories and personalities. Eugene Sledge didn't have a heart murmur, he was in officer training, which he intentionally flunked out of because he feared the war would be over before he finished. There is no evidence that Robert Leckie was an atheist, but rather was at least an observant Catholic.
I am so glad one of you has watched Hacksaw Ridge. Desmond Doss was the second Conscientious Objector to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor. The first is Alvin York in WWI, and a movie Sargent York was made about his heroism in battle, just after the attack on Pearl Harbor happened. It does not have all the blood and gore realism, The Pacific and Band of Brothers does, but is a good old black and white movie. Like Hacksaw Ridge Sargent York has the background story of why Alvin York was a Conscientious Objector.
True Fact #3: We Dipped the Instant Folgers Coffee packets, packed under our front bottom lip, to help us stay awake, as for the first 3 - 4 weeks there were many times we went 5-6 days without a chance to sleep. The very first time we crossed the LOD (Line of Defense) we went 6 days before we got a chance to sleep. Then we had 7 hours to sleep and went another 6 days. This is when we learned to pack instant coffee as if it were chewing tobacco to help us stay awake.
This intense and non-glorifying violence brutality is why I love this series. You can't deny that it existed, that WWII veterans have faced. While soldiers in Europe could have some resting time in the rear lines, in places like England or Paris, the war in the Pacific was 24/7 HELL due to the fact that they were fighting in territories not bigger than the state of Kentucky (mostly islands were in the range of New Jersey). The distinction between the front and rear lines most of the time was blurred, thinner or non-existent. Somewhat, even the rear echelon, Navy personnel, and Seabees, among others, got involved in the fight. This chaotic scenario gives the WWII vets a deeper spectrum of respect. You become truly grateful for what they did. It is sad that most of them are dead now, but for those who are still alive, we should give the highest praise.
Iv watched this series 10 times and it still brings me to tears. Truly captures the darkest parts of war and the issues with service members after they return home. Helped me start to understand why my father is the way he is.
Really enjoying the reaction, like you said Rami Malek played Freddy Mercury, but Joseph Mazzello who plays Eugene in this show. plays John Deacon in Bohemian Rhapsody. both really young here still.
My great grandpa was in the Navy, he crewed a transport ship that launched those smaller craft to the beachheads as well as tanks. He was at Tarawa and saw just how bad it could get. They ended up repurposing some of the transports for medical use it got so bad. He did his part with the island hopping campaign and then was sent back to California to help train others on transport vessels.
My favorite part of Basilone's conversation with his brother is that Basilone knows he should not have made it out meanwhile a runner like Manny did. He was on the front lines, did the seemingly impossible and is now selling war bonds. He knows his brother can't live up to it, so don't even try. Just do as you're asked to serve and you'll be fine. That alone is a powerful message
I remember this was really hard to watch. It get's even worse if you ever happen to hear an interview with one of their wife's and what they had to deal with after these people came home. I've never re-watched The Pacific but I have seen BoB and Generation Kill several times. Generation Kill is such a big difference from this but it's sort of the same format, it's based on a book by a reporter who was imbedded with a Marine Corps battalion during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. They don't really show the psychological damage that the real people depicted have been dealing with after the fact (like the interviews in this and BoB does) but I think we'll never get a better telling of the Iraq invasion. Also imagine solders giving you the nickname S.N.A.F.U.
Eugene played the little boy in Jurassic Park and John Deacon in Bohemian Rapsody. Both Snafu and Eugene played parts in this series and Bohemian. Neat.😊
I am a US Army Combat Medic Veteran(2 tours Iraq), I have also worked in NYC for the past 14 years as a paramedic/flight medic. I can tell you that war and stressful situations definetly changes you!!! I can personally say that I have saved people, delivered 2 babies in the back of an ambulance( not an ideal place). I can also say that when I hear about someone who dies and people get upset or react sadly, I can see it. But I just dont get it, or feel it, I cant help it, that part of me is just mostly shut off!!! I am very good at my job and that is why I stay. But I also know it retards my empathy!! Do really love your videos!!! Your reactions!!
I watched an interview with sledges son. He said his brother and him got his dad to watch a war movie. When the shelling in the movie got to a high point, his dad ran into the kitchen and started hitting the fridge. Later he found out, during the war, during shelling they would hit the side of the foxhole out of frustration and fear. It goes on, even long after the war is over. Not just for the people were in these wars, but for the people that lost family in these wars, like mine.
It gets worse as the series goes on. For perspective, the Battle of Peleliu was so vicious and fierce in its nature that they dedicated three episodes on the battle. K/3/5 was on the island, in combat, for 30 straight days and nights. The environment around the Marines was as horrifying and degrading as it gets. Since the island was coral there was no sand or mud to dig into the closer they got to Bloody Nose Ridge, none of the dead could be buried and would decompose right in front of their own eyes, enemy as well as their own Marines. They simply would place a tarp over their own to help shield them from the heat and flies and overall elements. Something nobody ever thinks about also, is field sanitation. They couldn’t bury their own waste, but rather they would have to throw it outside their fighting holes. Can only imagine the smell of human excrement and human remains combining to add to the already sun baked hellscape that was Peleliu. It was truly a battle of attrition in which the Japanese shifted tactics and created a defense in depth. No more bonsai charges, they would force the Marines to come to them instead and dig them out one at a time. With 20,000 plus fighters on a dot of land only 6 miles long and 2 miles wide, there wasn’t much in personal space. These Marines and this battle, I believe, are the reasons for the ferocious reputation that the USMC has had and will continue to have. Peleliu defined the Marines. Semper Fi. Great reactions.
This is what true combat is really like . To tell friends what is was like just tell you have to experience it first hand and then if you survive it will be with for the rest of your life
It’s hard to imagine what soldiers went thru during WW2. The sacrifices that they made for their country and the future generations. We could never thank them enough.
With what you were saying about the fake out landing on Gaudalcannal, the Marines had started to expect no resistance when landing. A previous island attack not shown in the show on the Tarawa Atoll was expected to be a quick 1-2 day action with little resistance lasted longer and was brutal from the initial landings right to the end. It influenced and taught some lessons to the Marines that they later used on Peleliu but unfortunately not the ones about logistics. Peleliu was truly the start of the short, brutal and utterly catastrophic campaigns where the Marines realized they had to literally flush out every hole, tunnel, cave and bunker and kill every Japanese soldier to secure an island because they would not surrender. This was a utter gut shot of a battle that ruined even veterans of previous campaigns.
There's one more miniseries called generation kill that you should guys watch. It's about the war right after 9/11. It doesn't make you cry as much as this it paints a different picture
When I first saw the scene with Haldane nodding at Eugene, I first thought he was reassuring that he was going to be okay. Now, after seeing Maple's reaction I know he is really saying, "This is it"
Just listening to you two talk about the differences in the tones of Band of Brothers and this got me thinking about what Dan Carlin said about World War II: Western Front and North Africa were like the standard Hollywood war movie. Eastern Front was like an apocalypse movie. The Pacific Theater was like a horror movie. War is hell in general. But the Pacific was unbelievably brutal. Almost inhuman. Having said that, the fighting between the Soviets and Nazis wasn't a walk in the park, either.
Holy Crap I'm from Palau. That's actually where my grandfather is from lol. Nice to see your reaction. We still have the remnants of the war still there. There are tanks still there as well as the caves where the Japanese hid while firing at the incoming soldiers from the beaches
You might want to search online for Tom Lea images. He was an artist who painted pictures of the fight on Peleliu. These depict what the combat was like. But be warned! These are nightmare enduring. You can see here that the Japanese are changing their tactics. No more nighttime banzai charges. They are making use of the terrain and prepared defenses. The fighting is going to get harder, much harder.
In Europe Gi's tended to use the acronym " fubar "..f..d up beyond all recognition. In the Pacific they used " snafu ".. situation normal, all f..d up. This acronym tended to stick around after the war.
A quote from a Marine veteran stated that they couldn’t think of the Japanese as humans, you just can’t kill that many people and not go insane. There is a stark madness that saw most dip their foot into that pool to survive with many went off the deep end.
I would love to be your "military advisor" for post-watch questions. As for you being a good shot...that's a common occurrence. Most of the best people I've instructed were people that either never held a gun, hated guns or had zero interest. No bad habits and listened to every instruction. The guys that grew up hunting with their "pappy's rifle" were the most difficult. They're usually the ones that bragged the most before the first range day as well.
So there was a John Wu film called Windtalkers and the script had a scene where a Marine removes the gold teeth from a Japanese corpse. The US military was supporting/supplying the film however and demanded they remove the scene because they thought it was bad taste, even though, you know, the Marines actually did this all the goddamn time. To The Pacific's credit they did not shy away from this fact and show Snafu doing this in more than one episode.
I just realized for the 1st time watching this time that basilone told his brother to not feel like he had to prove anything and then he felt like he had to prove something and went back to EOG MA. edit it was supposed to read iwo jima
Peleliu was a tiny island that cost 1500 marines lives and nearly 6500 casualties. Okinawa was bigger and cost 12000 lives with 37000 wounded. Pacific only covers the 1st Marine division
It's tough, but if we don't watch or listen to their stories, who will remember them & what they all did when the World's future was in the balance? Good for you guys!
I almost drafted for Nam (Vietnam). But my mother intercepted the draft letter and had our family doctor write a letter regarding epilepsy that I have. Still feel guilty even after 60 years. Times are different.
The Japanese have never lost a war with a foreign power ever in their entire military history. On top of that their culture is formulated from centuries of power held by military warlords and the Shogunate. They pride in their fending off of the powerful Mongolians back in the 13th century. On top of that they have won significant battles against the Russians in particular the great naval battles prior to WW1, their defeat of the Soviets in Khalkin Gol in 1939 along with the Sino - Japanese land war that really militarized Japan even more. Before the Americans entered the Pacific, they viewed the British to be inferior in fighting qualities by defeating them swiftly at Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore, Burma and easily took control of the Dutch Indonesian colonies. They were at the height of militarism and martial prowess and that superior mentality prevailed from top to bottom This culture of the Samurai and the Bushido code is a medieval culture that persisted even till WW2. Hence the organization of the Japanese military was disciplinarian and brutal to even their own troops, expecting death before dishonor. Ultimately, their martial style of combat is seen in their near suicidal approach to prove their point of being the "Yamato" race. Therefore the fanaticism, the culture, the brainwashing, the culture of fealty to the warlord and to the military is very strong. Despite the fact that internally in themselves, they are humane and want no part at war, this structure and culture ensured that combat was going to be to the last man and their resistance and will to win is probably unchallenged. For the Marines, they would have to fight just as hard, and be just as tough, if not tougher to best the Japanese. It was brutal and the directors and producers got it on point here. Nothing modern about the Pacific conflict, but medieval in nature in terms of brutality only with modern arms and technology
I’ve watched a lot of war movies and series and the portrayal of the Peleliu campaign is the one that appalled me the most. There is actually no redeeming part of it, just a hell hole that one marine describes as hotter than hades. Burgins comment and reaction at the start says it all ‘it was a nightmare’ I’ll never understand how those men endured what they did.
You got it, those the veterans of previous battles knew more or less what to expect, not to say they still didn't get afraid just that they had learned to control that fear, where the new guys didn't know or have that control, there is a list of books that were the back bone of this series but if I give the titles you could see the authors name and they would be spoilers. I'll just say that what you are seeing is only a very small part of what is detailed in the books, and the series took a few liberties with the books to keep the show moving forward in a coherent way without going into the details that are in the books which would have made this a 20 part or longer series. But they did pretty good for the most part.
You know, it be really neat if the technology that allows RUclips to track the most played part of a video would also help us identify which quadrant of a moving picture people tend to stare at most. Just for my general curiosity.
they used those oil drums to carry their water supply, had they known that, I bet they would have done a better job of scrubbing. the oil residue contaminated their water supply, that's why everyone was so desperate for water.
The attitude against newbies is two-fold: 1 - they don't trust you in combat, yet. They're going to put pressure on the newbies to test them. 2 - they don't want to make friends with someone who's likely to die soon. After combat, the newbies become veterans and the attitude normalizes.
You can never be fully prepared for combat having rounds pop off around you hissing the screaming the eyes full of hate looking into you like they see your soul nothing on this earth is like war Thank God
It’s nice to know Sledgehammer and Snafu would end up reuniting after the war and creating the rock band Queen.
LOL
🤣 😂
Good one.
That's spoilers!! lol
Irl, they ended up reuniting after Sledge published his memoir, “With the Old Breed”. Snafu died a while after
In 1980 I took a botany class from Dr. Eugene Sledge at the University of Montevallo, Alabama. A very soft spoken, friendly southern gentleman.
4 years later while I was in the Infantry my girlfriend sent me an article by Studs Terkel, "The Good War", that had an excerpt from "With the Old Breed"
Everyone who knew Dr. Sledge was shocked. Most people didn't even know he'd served in WW2. And Peleliu was a forgotten battle.
I loved his memoir. Very good read - a very articulate piece of literature.
After seeing this series two or three times you lose the awareness of how hard hitting the content is. You gals bring it back. It was very tough watching this the first time. I salute your empathy. When Maple says she just feels like hugging Eugene... I flashed to what is coming in the next few episodes... Some of it is going to feel like you're being destroyed. Stick with it. It's worth it in the end.
Don't give praise to them lol, they went on to say they regret watching this series. Just two ignorant people that can't handle realism
One of my fav scenes is the one where the Gunnery Sgt. handles that fresh young Lieutenant, despite the difference in ranks. Inside the range, the Rangemaster is God. 😂
I actually have that scene saved because I think it's an amazing example of great leadership; the senior officer defers to the experienced NCO and doesn't simply allow the young lieutenant to get out of responsibility of his actions simply based on rank. A very elegant example of nuances within chain-of-command done right.
An old military saying: There is nothing on this earth more dangerous than a 2nd lieutenant with a map and a compass.
I served in the Corps many years ago and can attest to the range master being 100% in charge. OOH RAH
Band of Brothers vs The Pacific is kind of a good representation of the difference between the European War and the Pacific War. I forget where I read this but someone said that Europe was like a boxing match, with rules that were in the main respected - The Pacific war was like a knife fight, no rules just hate and blood.
Sanfu was cold to the new guys cause he’d already been in a couple of island campaigns. They have to earn his respect. That’s the way it is. When I was in the Marine corps I had to earn respect in the fleet when I was a boot and the boots had to earn are respect
Also showing him how to stay alive
@@thecoogs you get that when he sees Sledge struggling with his C Rat so he trades him his.
@@psauce9837 and the Asiatic comment. Keep your boots on.
@@thecoogs I don’t want to give it away cause it’s in the later episodes but Snafu also saves part of Sledge’s humanity and by not letting sledge become like himself
We see in a later ep (not spoiling) just why replacements weren't trusted.
I believe it's the SEALs that have the saying, "the only easy day was yesterday" well with Pacific, the only easy episode was the last one.
Im alittle worried for how they will handle part 9
@@coiboyify yeah but at least it was toned down compared to real life
The hardest part of the episodes focusing on Sledge is that they match his writing incredibly well. Band of Brothers took a number of liberties that went past what both the book and what some of the soldiers involved wrote. Likewise, Leckie's book is not terribly detailed in the moments of combat.
Sledge was detailed, and the only parts of this that really take liberties are the 'downtime'. The combat parts are, in many places, word-for-word from his book. I have said this many times, but I remember thinking there was no way they could film some of the things he wrote, because it was just too gruesome.... but they did.
Sledge's memoir is the only book I recall reading where you could FEEL the combat. You felt the horror and terror of it. The senseless carnage, the encroaching deadness in their souls. There's a reason it's considered the best infantry memoir ever written
There is a lot they took from both books and a lot they left out of both, so as to not give any spoilers I will just say it is a good series but Hollywood did what Hollywood does to keep the story going forward in a neat order but maintain a fair amount of historical truth
Another Jackass, spewing out spoilers. Fuck you, son!
Some of the things were so crazy Hollywood that I'm not surprised they didn't add them. Like when the Zero plane slowly passed them on the grassy ridge and the pilot smiled at Gene when they locked eyes, or when Gene shielded a wounded marine and stared down the hole where the sniper had him pinned (God, I wish they kept it).
@MsCassidy23 They skipped over alot of action on Okinawa. I remember listening to his memoir and It just felt like the battle went on and on. Okinawa should've got 5 episodes at least instead of them cramming it all into one episode tho it was still good.
If this is how they’re reacting now…the rest of this series is gonna be EPIC.
Yeah, If this is making them cry I cannot imagine how bad they’re gonna handle the rest of the series because it literally gets 10x as dark
@@Brandawn69 Only part thet actual bothered me some was the part where there throwing rocks into the dead japs open skull
@@Brandawn69 Just wait til they reach the Okinawa episode...
@@ShadowAssassin88 God, almighty.
@@ShadowAssassin88they should delete the reaction to that episode. Next level insulting
I read something a WWII combat veteran said about war "war is the complete opposite of humanity. You cruelly take another person's life and you are celebrated, while on the inside you feel revulsion."
As a side note, the oildrums they had to clean were later used to store extra water rations for the Peleliu assault. Most of the drums still had residue from the oil still in them and so the water got tainted. They could not even drink a good part of the water they brought with them and the few who dare quickly fell sick.
Having read Sledges book With the Old Breed he actually mentioned that later he would regret not cleaning them even more thoroughly because of that.
@@Shadow_Wolf3490 And another spoiler. STFU, dude. What are you thinking?
My grandfather fought at Peleliu. He didn't speak about it. And there was a hatred in him that had only barely begun to soften before cancer took him. The stories I've read of what his unit endured, the fact he was one of a handful of survivors and nearly all his friends died in that, have stayed with me.
Japanese resistance on Peleliu, Iwo and Okinawa greatly contributed to the high casualty estimates for the invasion of Japan itself. This in turn provided another reason to use the atomic bomb.
Low estimates for main land assault where between 250000 and 500000 high 2-3 mill. Most people believe around 1.5 mil. Ya nukes in this case safed way more lives
Once you have finished both the BOB and Pacific series there is one more video you need to see. "He has seen war" is a video featuring discussions with the soldiers and marines that are seen at the beginning of each episode but in much more detail. It goes into detail about their experiences of adjusting back to civilian life.
That rollout off the boats at the Peleieu landing is absolutely amazing work.
Band of Brothers gets dark, but because the heart of that show is built around the camaraderie of the men of Easy company you always have that to emotionally fall back on.
The Pacific, on the other hand, just lays the harsh reality of war on you without any reprieve until the series begins to wind down. So strap in 😂
Or just let the women experience it on their own, without your "expert guiding hand," ya controlling creep.
Ya band of brothers was a cake walk compared to this. One of my top war movies/shows along with american sniper
Eugene Sledge: played by the young boy actor from Jurassic Park! He did a great job in The Pacific, didn't he? Excellent performance.
True fact #2: I got Jungle Rott on my feet, in Iraq, because we went 4 months before I got a chance to change my socks or boots. I got JUNGLE ROTT IN THE FUCKING DESERT . 😞
4 months you get j rot in your living room
The war got so much worse the closer the U.S. got to the home Island of japan! The things these guys went through brakes my heart every time I think of it.
Love your reactions ladies and Chad. My uncle Charles Cobb was a boat driver in the pacific who's since passed but shortly before he died he mentioned specifically being at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. I always found it odd since I knew he'd been in the military and he knew that I'd been in as well and he'd never said anything about it until then but of course with his service I could understand him not wanting to bring it up. He talked about taking the soldiers and marines to the islands and resupplying them and removing some of the bodies of our servicemen (though many of them were buried in place).
Fun fact: The real life Leckie was actually a devout Irish Catholic, and held tight to his religion throughout the war, but in this show he represents a lot of men who chose to abandon their religious beliefs after going through combat.
Weird that they changed that
As horrific as this mere movie appears, it’s nothing compared to actual war. If people will vote for leaders who can put our troops in actual war, then voters must see and know the consequences of decisions that elected officials make. Voters have a role in making war happen by selecting those who put us into wars. Voters have a responsibility and a need to witness these scenes, and the possible consequences of their vote.
this
yup
Mean while they try to kick shit off with china an Russia as we speak
I fucking love it when we get both of y'all together for reactions and especially love how much you guys respect the material.
Currently reading Leckies memoir Helmet For My Pillow. The book his storyline is based off of. Hoosier (bill) is one of his closest friends. They trained together in the state. Sailed across the Pacific. Did Guadalcanal together, Melbourne, and now Peleliu. They've been through so much, and then all of a sudden your closest friend gets shot, you don't know if he'll survive his wounds, but in the battle there is no time to even think about it. You must carry on the mission. Insane.
Both books were great reads. I remember ripping through Helmet for My Pillow.
@@cardiac19 - Agreed. It has been a while since I read them but I liked Helmet For My Pillow more than With the Old Breed. I need to read them both again. The Pacific Theatre is always tougher for me to read about. I read Band Of Brothers like 4 times but only got through Helmet For My Pillow and With the Old Breed once.
Lets hope they dont read your comment. Spoilers dude.
Great book read china marine and with the old breed as well
@@griechland Srlsy, What is fucking wrong with these WWII Nerds? Selfish dickheads.
*Quivering, all sweaty* "Uhh, Sir? Uhh, ooh! Sir!?"
"What is it, son?"
"Uhh . . ." *stains his trousers* "I . . . I know a thing!"
They're a menace to reactor channels, and I'm happy you're also calling it out, greichland.
Love how you greet us everytime with such bright smiles, knowing that you are about to watch something as soul-crushing as this show.
"war....war never changes"-Fall out
Pacific has no filter. And that airfield crossing was scariest moment of my life watching movie
Pavuvu was the Island they were sent to after Cape Gloucester to "rest and rehabilitate" before the next operation which was Peleliu. But Pavuvu was an abandoned coconut plantation that nature took over till the marines arrived to set up a camp. They had to deal with what they were talking about in the interviews, of the land crabs, rats and rotten coconuts.
What i loved most about this series was the growing friendship between Eugene and Snafu.
All of the island that we won from Japenese, was named for a naval ship
Tarawa LHA-1
Iwo Jima LPH-2
Okinawa LPH-3
Guadalcanal LPH 7
Peleliu LHA-5
and so on....
I did 2 west-pac trips (6 months each). I been to some of the Islands and see the remains of tanks and guns. I thank god for the brave marines, army, airman and sailors that both died and live through out ww2.
I am proud to serve, as did my father (Korea) and three of my brothers.
I grew up on that island Peleliu (Beliliou). every year we would get a lot of this vets from America and Japan visiting the shrines and monuments as they pay their respects, they told their stories and one thing that amazes me is how well they remember every little detail, we had one American veteran come to our elementary school when we were younger and told his stories, the details about how the land was on fire, the smell of corpses in the caves being burnt was crazy. Never believed in ghost but growing up back home you always felt like somebody was watching you, especially at night.
he told elementary students about the smell of corpses? kind of inappropriate but a powerful lesson.
@@Diegesis Yeah, growing up there, education is a litttle different. We weren’t as advanced as the US in terms of healthcare so each lesson wasn’t censored and they taught realistically because at the end of the day we had to learn to take care of ourselves since we didn’t have big hospitals and doctors. Especially since there were still active explosives and ammunition all around the island when I grew up. haven’t been back home in a while but before I left there were a group of Australians digging and retrieving the live explosives when I left and they used to invite all the locals to go watch the controlled explosions but if I’m not mistaken they left around 2015 or 16 since they cleared most of the dangerous stuff out of the way.
Maple did a good job of identifying how people in the military had different experiences and there is isolation there between those groups. In Sledges book "With the Old Breed" he routinely mentions how the line marines disliked the "rear echelon troops" because they didn't experience or understand what he and his buddies went through.
Spitting spoilers, like a real dickhead. Shut the fuck up, dude!
The Pacific was made about a decade after Band of Brothers, so many of the veterans portrayed had passed away. I think this allowed the producers and writers to be more loose with the characters back stories and personalities. Eugene Sledge didn't have a heart murmur, he was in officer training, which he intentionally flunked out of because he feared the war would be over before he finished. There is no evidence that Robert Leckie was an atheist, but rather was at least an observant Catholic.
Your tears, to me is exactly the right reaction to this. Me too. The insanity of war and Walmart it does to all of us .
My grandfather fought at Peleiu. Love the reactions.
I am so glad one of you has watched Hacksaw Ridge. Desmond Doss was the second Conscientious Objector to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor. The first is Alvin York in WWI, and a movie Sargent York was made about his heroism in battle, just after the attack on Pearl Harbor happened. It does not have all the blood and gore realism, The Pacific and Band of Brothers does, but is a good old black and white movie. Like Hacksaw Ridge Sargent York has the background story of why Alvin York was a Conscientious Objector.
As someone that has been exposed to violence through media my entire life I genuinely had no idea people had reactions to content like this.
True Fact #3: We Dipped the Instant Folgers Coffee packets, packed under our front bottom lip, to help us stay awake, as for the first 3 - 4 weeks there were many times we went 5-6 days without a chance to sleep. The very first time we crossed the LOD (Line of Defense) we went 6 days before we got a chance to sleep. Then we had 7 hours to sleep and went another 6 days. This is when we learned to pack instant coffee as if it were chewing tobacco to help us stay awake.
Line Of Departure
@@XXX80752 Brain fart, it's been 20 years and I was tired when I typed that
This intense and non-glorifying violence brutality is why I love this series. You can't deny that it existed, that WWII veterans have faced. While soldiers in Europe could have some resting time in the rear lines, in places like England or Paris, the war in the Pacific was 24/7 HELL due to the fact that they were fighting in territories not bigger than the state of Kentucky (mostly islands were in the range of New Jersey). The distinction between the front and rear lines most of the time was blurred, thinner or non-existent. Somewhat, even the rear echelon, Navy personnel, and Seabees, among others, got involved in the fight. This chaotic scenario gives the WWII vets a deeper spectrum of respect. You become truly grateful for what they did. It is sad that most of them are dead now, but for those who are still alive, we should give the highest praise.
Iv watched this series 10 times and it still brings me to tears. Truly captures the darkest parts of war and the issues with service members after they return home. Helped me start to understand why my father is the way he is.
My mother’s father was stationed at Peleliu Island during WWII. I never met him because he died in 1984 before I was born.
You two are so good at this, I loved it.
Really enjoying the reaction, like you said Rami Malek played Freddy Mercury, but Joseph Mazzello who plays Eugene in this show. plays John Deacon in Bohemian Rhapsody. both really young here still.
Joseph Mazello played Timmi in Jurassic Park, thats where i knew him from when i first saw the Pacific 😅
Eugene Sledge is portrayed by the actor that played littlr Tummy in the og Jurassic Park
My great grandpa was in the Navy, he crewed a transport ship that launched those smaller craft to the beachheads as well as tanks. He was at Tarawa and saw just how bad it could get. They ended up repurposing some of the transports for medical use it got so bad. He did his part with the island hopping campaign and then was sent back to California to help train others on transport vessels.
My favorite part of Basilone's conversation with his brother is that Basilone knows he should not have made it out meanwhile a runner like Manny did. He was on the front lines, did the seemingly impossible and is now selling war bonds. He knows his brother can't live up to it, so don't even try. Just do as you're asked to serve and you'll be fine.
That alone is a powerful message
I remember this was really hard to watch. It get's even worse if you ever happen to hear an interview with one of their wife's and what they had to deal with after these people came home. I've never re-watched The Pacific but I have seen BoB and Generation Kill several times.
Generation Kill is such a big difference from this but it's sort of the same format, it's based on a book by a reporter who was imbedded with a Marine Corps battalion during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. They don't really show the psychological damage that the real people depicted have been dealing with after the fact (like the interviews in this and BoB does) but I think we'll never get a better telling of the Iraq invasion.
Also imagine solders giving you the nickname S.N.A.F.U.
Eugene played the little boy in Jurassic Park and John Deacon in Bohemian Rapsody. Both Snafu and Eugene played parts in this series and Bohemian. Neat.😊
“We sleep soundly in our beds, because rough men stand ready in the night to do violence on those who would harm us" George Orwell.
STFU. Show me, or anyone evidence where Orwell ever said that. (Hint: Orwell never did; that's a stupid internet-based misattribution.)
I am a US Army Combat Medic Veteran(2 tours Iraq), I have also worked in NYC for the past 14 years as a paramedic/flight medic. I can tell you that war and stressful situations definetly changes you!!! I can personally say that I have saved people, delivered 2 babies in the back of an ambulance( not an ideal place). I can also say that when I hear about someone who dies and people get upset or react sadly, I can see it. But I just dont get it, or feel it, I cant help it, that part of me is just mostly shut off!!! I am very good at my job and that is why I stay. But I also know it retards my empathy!!
Do really love your videos!!! Your reactions!!
"DAV." Disabled American Veterans. Seek them out, brother.
My great uncle was at Guadal, and Peliliu. He never spoke about what happened until the day he died. 98 years he held it inside.
This was an intro. Hard is just ahead. War is HELL and The Pacific was HELL. Peace is on the other side of hell. You can get there.
I watched an interview with sledges son. He said his brother and him got his dad to watch a war movie. When the shelling in the movie got to a high point, his dad ran into the kitchen and started hitting the fridge.
Later he found out, during the war, during shelling they would hit the side of the foxhole out of frustration and fear.
It goes on, even long after the war is over.
Not just for the people were in these wars, but for the people that lost family in these wars, like mine.
It gets worse as the series goes on. For perspective, the Battle of Peleliu was so vicious and fierce in its nature that they dedicated three episodes on the battle. K/3/5 was on the island, in combat, for 30 straight days and nights. The environment around the Marines was as horrifying and degrading as it gets. Since the island was coral there was no sand or mud to dig into the closer they got to Bloody Nose Ridge, none of the dead could be buried and would decompose right in front of their own eyes, enemy as well as their own Marines. They simply would place a tarp over their own to help shield them from the heat and flies and overall elements. Something nobody ever thinks about also, is field sanitation. They couldn’t bury their own waste, but rather they would have to throw it outside their fighting holes. Can only imagine the smell of human excrement and human remains combining to add to the already sun baked hellscape that was Peleliu. It was truly a battle of attrition in which the Japanese shifted tactics and created a defense in depth. No more bonsai charges, they would force the Marines to come to them instead and dig them out one at a time. With 20,000 plus fighters on a dot of land only 6 miles long and 2 miles wide, there wasn’t much in personal space. These Marines and this battle, I believe, are the reasons for the ferocious reputation that the USMC has had and will continue to have. Peleliu defined the Marines. Semper Fi. Great reactions.
You both should watch 1917 and All Quiet on the Western Front even if it’s not like posted as a reaction or something. Both are outstanding films
Which All Quiet? There are three of them that I know of.
@@SmilingGator96 I don't know of any reactions to the original so they should do that one.
This is what true combat is really like . To tell friends what is was like just tell you have to experience it first hand and then if you survive it will be with for the rest of your life
It’s hard to imagine what soldiers went thru during WW2. The sacrifices that they made for their country and the future generations. We could never thank them enough.
With what you were saying about the fake out landing on Gaudalcannal, the Marines had started to expect no resistance when landing. A previous island attack not shown in the show on the Tarawa Atoll was expected to be a quick 1-2 day action with little resistance lasted longer and was brutal from the initial landings right to the end. It influenced and taught some lessons to the Marines that they later used on Peleliu but unfortunately not the ones about logistics. Peleliu was truly the start of the short, brutal and utterly catastrophic campaigns where the Marines realized they had to literally flush out every hole, tunnel, cave and bunker and kill every Japanese soldier to secure an island because they would not surrender. This was a utter gut shot of a battle that ruined even veterans of previous campaigns.
Maple did great this video, could barely pay attention to the show. Great reaction.
Love you ladies. Patiently waiting for more of Maple’s other content. Huge fan, blushing and everything
There's one more miniseries called generation kill that you should guys watch. It's about the war right after 9/11. It doesn't make you cry as much as this it paints a different picture
Wonderfully compassionate reactions, ladies. Thank you.
the pacific makes band of brothers look like disneyland
The guy who plays Eugene was Timmy in Jurassic Park and was in Bohemian Rhapsody with Rami Malek.
Just realized that Eugene is Tim from Jurassic Park
When I first saw the scene with Haldane nodding at Eugene, I first thought he was reassuring that he was going to be okay. Now, after seeing Maple's reaction I know he is really saying, "This is it"
Just listening to you two talk about the differences in the tones of Band of Brothers and this got me thinking about what Dan Carlin said about World War II: Western Front and North Africa were like the standard Hollywood war movie. Eastern Front was like an apocalypse movie. The Pacific Theater was like a horror movie.
War is hell in general. But the Pacific was unbelievably brutal. Almost inhuman. Having said that, the fighting between the Soviets and Nazis wasn't a walk in the park, either.
If you want a war movie where you can enjoy some more comic relief and great characters? Kelly’s heroes is a classic :D
Holy Crap I'm from Palau. That's actually where my grandfather is from lol. Nice to see your reaction. We still have the remnants of the war still there. There are tanks still there as well as the caves where the Japanese hid while firing at the incoming soldiers from the beaches
This level of suffering is on the near horizon for us. Prepare, take care of yourselves. Once it starts, each other is all were gonna have.
You might want to search online for Tom Lea images. He was an artist who painted pictures of the fight on Peleliu. These depict what the combat was like. But be warned! These are nightmare enduring.
You can see here that the Japanese are changing their tactics. No more nighttime banzai charges. They are making use of the terrain and prepared defenses. The fighting is going to get harder, much harder.
i love that you knew rami from mr robot 😌
In Europe Gi's tended to use the acronym " fubar "..f..d up beyond all recognition. In the Pacific they used " snafu ".. situation normal, all f..d up. This acronym tended to stick around after the war.
My uncle fought on Guam & Okinawa..never spoke about it
“He is off his rocker” lol. Nah, he’s just a Gunny
A quote from a Marine veteran stated that they couldn’t think of the Japanese as humans, you just can’t kill that many people and not go insane. There is a stark madness that saw most dip their foot into that pool to survive with many went off the deep end.
I would love to be your "military advisor" for post-watch questions.
As for you being a good shot...that's a common occurrence. Most of the best people I've instructed were people that either never held a gun, hated guns or had zero interest. No bad habits and listened to every instruction. The guys that grew up hunting with their "pappy's rifle" were the most difficult. They're usually the ones that bragged the most before the first range day as well.
So there was a John Wu film called Windtalkers and the script had a scene where a Marine removes the gold teeth from a Japanese corpse. The US military was supporting/supplying the film however and demanded they remove the scene because they thought it was bad taste, even though, you know, the Marines actually did this all the goddamn time. To The Pacific's credit they did not shy away from this fact and show Snafu doing this in more than one episode.
I just realized for the 1st time watching this time that basilone told his brother to not feel like he had to prove anything and then he felt like he had to prove something and went back to EOG MA.
edit it was supposed to read iwo jima
Peleliu was a tiny island that cost 1500 marines lives and nearly 6500 casualties. Okinawa was bigger and cost 12000 lives with 37000 wounded.
Pacific only covers the 1st Marine division
snafu had always a good job backup when he got back in the states. dentist.
You betta freakin' believe Rami Malek is in this show! You are not prepared for his performance going forward!
It's tough, but if we don't watch or listen to their stories, who will remember them & what they all did when the World's future was in the balance? Good for you guys!
On the range, everyone is safety officer. Only place I know where an E-4 can grill an officer. Though Haney was a Gunnery Sargent.
I almost drafted for Nam (Vietnam). But my mother intercepted the draft letter and had our family doctor write a letter regarding epilepsy that I have. Still feel guilty even after 60 years. Times are different.
The Japanese have never lost a war with a foreign power ever in their entire military history. On top of that their culture is formulated from centuries of power held by military warlords and the Shogunate. They pride in their fending off of the powerful Mongolians back in the 13th century.
On top of that they have won significant battles against the Russians in particular the great naval battles prior to WW1, their defeat of the Soviets in Khalkin Gol in 1939 along with the Sino - Japanese land war that really militarized Japan even more. Before the Americans entered the Pacific, they viewed the British to be inferior in fighting qualities by defeating them swiftly at Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore, Burma and easily took control of the Dutch Indonesian colonies. They were at the height of militarism and martial prowess and that superior mentality prevailed from top to bottom
This culture of the Samurai and the Bushido code is a medieval culture that persisted even till WW2. Hence the organization of the Japanese military was disciplinarian and brutal to even their own troops, expecting death before dishonor. Ultimately, their martial style of combat is seen in their near suicidal approach to prove their point of being the "Yamato" race.
Therefore the fanaticism, the culture, the brainwashing, the culture of fealty to the warlord and to the military is very strong. Despite the fact that internally in themselves, they are humane and want no part at war, this structure and culture ensured that combat was going to be to the last man and their resistance and will to win is probably unchallenged.
For the Marines, they would have to fight just as hard, and be just as tough, if not tougher to best the Japanese. It was brutal and the directors and producers got it on point here. Nothing modern about the Pacific conflict, but medieval in nature in terms of brutality only with modern arms and technology
"Fuck that shit, I scrub drums for no man."
Watch the "Letters from Iwo Jima". A great film from the Japanese perspective. Directed by Clint Eastwood.
I’ve watched a lot of war movies and series and the portrayal of the Peleliu campaign is the one that appalled me the most. There is actually no redeeming part of it, just a hell hole that one marine describes as hotter than hades. Burgins comment and reaction at the start says it all ‘it was a nightmare’
I’ll never understand how those men endured what they did.
Never realized the actress that plays Tess in the HBO TLOU show is the blonde that sleeps with Basilone in this episode
You got it, those the veterans of previous battles knew more or less what to expect, not to say they still didn't get afraid just that they had learned to control that fear, where the new guys didn't know or have that control, there is a list of books that were the back bone of this series but if I give the titles you could see the authors name and they would be spoilers. I'll just say that what you are seeing is only a very small part of what is detailed in the books, and the series took a few liberties with the books to keep the show moving forward in a coherent way without going into the details that are in the books which would have made this a 20 part or longer series. But they did pretty good for the most part.
Wow, Maple, thank you!
😏
Yes, Malik kills it as Snafu.
You know, it be really neat if the technology that allows RUclips to track the most played part of a video would also help us identify which quadrant of a moving picture people tend to stare at most. Just for my general curiosity.
You could have just said "nice tits," if you're that much of a dumb asshole.
Yeah they're gonna need some ice cream, a hug, and therapy after Okinawa.
they used those oil drums to carry their water supply, had they known that, I bet they would have done a better job of scrubbing. the oil residue contaminated their water supply, that's why everyone was so desperate for water.
The attitude against newbies is two-fold:
1 - they don't trust you in combat, yet. They're going to put pressure on the newbies to test them.
2 - they don't want to make friends with someone who's likely to die soon.
After combat, the newbies become veterans and the attitude normalizes.
You can never be fully prepared for combat having rounds pop off around you hissing the screaming the eyes full of hate looking into you like they see your soul nothing on this earth is like war Thank God
There was no happiness to be had in the Pacific. Even those things that shoukd be good were not.
This is just the beginning.