1971 movie The Pacific

[jhjimbo]

Has anybody watched the entire movie ? I watched segment 8 through 10 the other day. John Basilone (sp) was really something. I did not care for all the almost black scenes, and the film I was watching the audio was not too clear. You can rent it for $3.99 per segment from U Tube.

[jhjimbo]

Spielberg directed the movie in 1971.

[jhjimbo]

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0374463/

You obviously didn't look at my link that says it's 2010. I will just assume I'm right unless you have a link.

You did not read my post. I said I watched segment 8,9 and10. The only thing I know of that is available in segments is the mini series.

[PigHunter]

Jim, I've seen the whole series and read the two books it was based on.

'With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa' by Eugene Sledge
'Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific' by Robert Leckie

These are excellent accounts and after reading them you will understand why many WW2 veterans didn't want to speak of their experiences in their later years.

Dr. E.B. Sledge was an Alabamian and taught at the University of Montevallo for 28 years. Here's the reference on his hunting:

"Once an avid hunter, Sledge gave up his hobby. He found that he could not endure the thought of wounding a bird and said that killing a deer felt like shooting a cow in a pasture. His father found him weeping after a dove hunt where Sledge had to kill a wounded dove, and in the ensuing conversations he told his father he could no longer tolerate seeing any suffering. A key turning point in his life and career followed when his father advised him that he could substitute bird watching as a hobby.
Eugene Sledge - Wikipedia

Here's a couple of interviews with Sledge:
(6) Battle of Peleliu Eugene Sledgehammer (Sledge) - YouTube

(6) Eugene Sledge "The Old Breed" Reflects On WWII Combat - YouTube

You can order the whole 2010 mini-series in high definition for $32 on DVD.
Amazon.com: The Pacific: Joseph Mazzello, James Badge Dale, Jon Seda, Carl Franklin, David Nutter: Movies & TV

I met Sledge's son at a gun show shortly after the mini-series was aired. He was promoting a commemorative Ka-Bar. I didn't buy it for a couple of reasons but here's some photos I pulled off the web.

[jhjimbo]

I watched segment 8,9, and 10. Interesting, at the end was an update on each of the men and women. At the time there was one still living in I think Ithaca, New York. Most of the survivors died in late 1990'ss and early 2000's. Spielberg directed the movie in 1971, I wonder if they watched the movie ?

[FirstBubba]

pighunter, listened to the two interviews you provided links to.
Thanks. Well with the listen.*
I worked with lot's of WWII vets when I started working in the mid 60's.
Several had medals, but none knew it until reading their obituary.
Few talked about their experiences. Those that did, said very little.

* - I think Prof. Sledge was able to talk about his experiences because he wasn't afraid to show his feelings. He choked up and teared up several times when talking about friends he lost in battle.
Alot of those guys were emotionally drained and just didn't want to (figuratively) cry anymore.

[PigHunter]

I watched segment 8,9, and 10. Interesting, at the end was an update on each of the men and women. At the time there was one still living in I think Ithaca, New York. Most of the survivors died in late 1990'ss and early 2000's. Spielberg directed the movie in 1971, I wonder if they watched the movie ?

Jim, you're wrong on that date. Spielberg was only 25 years old in 1971. That year as a director he did episodes for television. The only full-length was 'Duel'. The 'Pacific' was done in 2010. Spielberg's filmography is listed on Wikipedia.
Steven Spielberg filmography - Wikipedia

There's a list the real people on the 'Pacific's' Wikipedia page. Only two lived long enough to see the series.
The Pacific (miniseries) - Wikipedia

[labrador12]

I spent a lot of time in duck blinds with WWII vets in the 60s. They didn't talk about their war experiences but they did talk about why they fought. Freedom and the Second Amendment came up frequently. Its a shame more people today don't get to understand what freedom is and how the rest of humanity has lived for centuries. History is not taught. How else can you explain the general theory that American Slavery is unique. Slavery is a human condition that existed for many thousands of years with huge swaths of the population under the whip. Black slavery in America is just another segment of human life before the advent of fossil fuels and machinery could replace animal power with mechanical power. History and economics rule.

[jhjimbo]

Jim, you're wrong on that date. Spielberg was only 25 years old in 1971. That year as a director he did episodes for television. The only full-length was 'Duel'. The 'Pacific' was done in 2010. Spielberg's filmography is listed on Wikipedia.
Steven Spielberg filmography - Wikipedia

There's a list the real people on the 'Pacific's' Wikipedia page. Only two lived long enough to see the series.
The Pacific (miniseries) - Wikipedia

o.k. I thought I got that date from Wikipedia.

[MattM37]

I intend to read up on the Pacific Theater of WWII -- I've read a lot on the ETO but not much of the Pacific, only seen a few documentaries on Tarawa and Guadalcanal. The "WWII in HD" series on History was very good.

As for the Pacific miniseries, I know that entertainment is only a secondary consideration to what Spielberg and Hanks were trying to do, but it was a mistake on my part to watch it right after watching Band of Brothers. BoB is just so well done, "The Pacific" seemed kind of one-dimensional in comparison. Still good enough to get people interested in learning more about the history, though, so worth the effort.

I wish the historian Stephen Ambrose had done a book on the Pacific.

[MattM37]

Hey, speaking of the Pacific in WWII: I just remembered, not long ago I watched the movie "Unbroken," about the Olympic runner and American bombardier who went down at sea and was eventually captured by the Japanese. Excellent film, great story.

I have a lot of respect and admiration for Japanese culture nowadays, but in that era, the Rape of Nanking and how they treated POWs ... makes me sick when I hear the revisionists going on about why Japan allied with Hitler and did what they did.

[PigHunter]

Matt, besides the two books already mentioned, I liked:

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour: James D. Hornfischer: 9780553381481: Amazon.com: Books

[labrador12]

I read a bunch of books about the war in the Pacific back when I was a young whippersnapper, I couldn't find any of them on Amazon or anywhere else. Only the new and improved histories are available. Believe at your own risk. The newer the history, the more politically correct its going to be!

[bowhunter75richard]

I read a bunch of books about the war in the Pacific back when I was a young whippersnapper, I couldn't find any of them on Amazon or anywhere else. Only the new and improved histories are available. Believe at your own risk. The newer the history, the more politically correct its going to be!

Just how much more politically correct can it get. We have heard for years we should not have ended the war in japland the way we did. We as a nation were fighting for our survival against a country that brought war to our front door, and then we are/were expected to be diplomatic about how we defended ourselves ! Bring it on, and get what the hell you get !!! Anyone who says we did wrong can go to hell. Of course today, I am not sure we would put up much of a fuss with all the pussy woke arse wipes we have to put up with ! This country is now so diversitiesed I am not sure there is enough loyalty and nationalism to offer much struggle.......!

[FirstBubba]

Get a chance, read the book on Chesty Puller USMC. WWII Pacific and Korea.
I can't remember the book title.