I took an intro Botany class in 1980 at the University of Montevallo, Alabama. The professor was a very nice gentleman in the classic Southern style. He was known for leading nature walks and butterfly watching outings. Imagine my surprise a few years later when I read "With the Old Breed"
That is awesome beyond words. I’ve heard audio recordings of Eugene Sledge and he is a consummate storyteller. I don’t think Timmy from Jurassic Park really captured his accent correctly. Though to be fair that old timey Gulf Coast accent is pretty difficult to imitate if you’re not from the area
@@ProtossWannabe1984 He was featured in quite a few 1990s History Channel episodes about the island fighting. Back before it became the Ancient Aliens and Pawnshop Channel...
Well, many historians say the Pacific Theatre is more brutal than the European Theatre. Aside from the challenges of the ocean, jungles, tropical diseases and climate, most Japanese military leaders disregarded the Geneva Convention, many POW suffered hell and many were brutally executed. It's so brutal that US resorted to 2 atomic bombs just to end the war.
Given that Japan attacked the U.S (Germany actually attacked and sank a U.S ship first, but Roosevelt prevented the public from knowing), and used the plan that an American Admiral devised a decade earlier (an actual simulation using grain flower in sacks as bombs) contributed to this being a very personal war for the Americans. I thought this series is the better of the two - in the fighting aspect. Both series had exceptionally good actors that really took their portrayals seriously. Couple these two series’s with the Ken Burns docu-series “The War”, and you can really be amazed at the capacity of ordinary people becoming something that seems mythic today.
@@holddowna and just for a little bit of extra context consider that these first two episodes on Guadalcanal take place in the late summer and fall of 1942!!!! At this exact point in time easy company and 101st Airborne were still in training in Georgia and North Carolina!! Remember it was two full years before D-Day that they flashed back to the training at Taccoa!! So that would have made it the summer of 1942!! So these guys on Guadalcanal were going through what they were going through and it was still going to be at least a year and a half before EASY company would even see any battle!!!😮 Of course taking NOTHING AWAY from the men of the 101st Airborne and EASY company, just giving some perspective!!!
@@holddowna The Japanese were not heavily involved in the ground combat of WW1. As a result, they never really learned the lessons of how you assault entrenched and well equipped troops who, contrary to Japanese beliefs of the time, where very much their equals in their fighting spirit, and (normally) possessed far greater firepower than they did.
@@holddowna Also for some of the later episodes remember to not eat much before watching and/or keep a bucket near your chair. I am serious - it will be few levels above what you have seen in the first 2 eps and you will remember it for decades. I didn't let my women watch this series.
@@holddowna I was thinking there is a film, if you are still interested about the japanese soldiers experience on the islands "The Flags Of Our Fathers- Letters From Iwo Jima" Freaking Excellent, You Will Thank Me. Great watch. you won't regret it.
Love that you're watching the historical intros. So many reactors have the version without it and they're missing out. I look forward to watching your reactions to this amazing series. Semper Fi!
In the states I believe my service which I think I get it on HBO Max and also now Hulu or Netflix but they have a separate episode or whatever you want to call it where all the intros with Tom Hanks narrating are all done together as one piece that you can watch all at once!!!
On Max, the intros are gone. I love the veterans' intros to each episode. So important to watch and listen. And yes, all the intros are tied together into one presentation which is nice as well. This series helped me read about the Pacific War as a hobby now.
Thank you for keeping the vast majority of Chesty Puller's speech at the beginning of episode one. Chesty is an absolute legend in the Marine Corps and is the most decorated Marine in American history. To say that we Marines look up to him is an understatement, but also that speech really underlines the spirit of the Marine Corps.
The ongoing joke every time we’d have to breach and clear a building in Afghanistan was “Do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior Chesty Puller?”
I love this show as a Marine and I especially love the fact they put John Basilone in the show, he is a legend amongst many. We can't forget Chesty either!!!
John Basilone held his position for three full days without rest, food, nor sleep. In the end, only he and two other Marines in his section were left, and he even had to resort to fighting off Japanese soldiers with his pistol and machete. He also ran ammo uphill back to his position several times, fighting Japanese soldiers who had infiltrated the line the entire way down and back up the hill. Reality is often wilder than fiction.
So glad you're doing this. Most people watch Band of Brothers and then not The Pacific. But in many ways, this series is even more gripping in its examination of the impact of war on an individuals' mind. Amazing.
My Dad joined the army in 1942 at age 17 when his brother was drafted. His grandparents wanted him to go to be wit his brother who 'was sickly'. At the induction physical, his brother was sent home with a heart murmur. My Dad ended up surviving being a BAR guy in Europe surviving the Bulge and the crossing of the Rhine. I saw the guy go home with the Murmur and it reminded me of the story. God bless all of the vets.
As a Marine who served in the 1990 Gulf War and then Somalia, I had the pleasure of meeting many Marine veterans who have served in other eras like WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the current wars of Iraq & Afghanistan to hear their stories. I've met and talked with 2 Marine Code Talkers about their time in WWII and also met another Marine who survived the Frozen Chosen march in Korea. I even remember meeting one Marine who served on active duty and saw service in WWII, Korea & Vietnam. The craziest and wildest stories I've heard are from the island-hopping campaign Marines. I met a Marine who fought on Iwo Jima and he spoke about how all his buddies got wounded or killed while describing how heavy the volume of fire was by machine gunners, artillery, and anything else the Japanese fired at them. He said that by the end of the fighting, he felt amazed that he survived. Another Marine who was listening to the story asked him why.... and the old Marine said, "Imagine running across a football field while it is pouring rain and then arriving at the other side with only a few drops of wetness. Anyone would feel amazed about that and that's what it felt like making it off the beach."
God I love this show. It may not be as acclaimed as Band of Brothers, but to me it’s more interesting, more brutal. Every rewatch I love it move, the whole pacific war just fascinates me
I understand why 75% of people like Band of Brothers better. But I always tell people that if you love BoB then you will definitely enjoy watching all of The Pacific at least once or twice. Especially if you’re hungry for another high quality HBO war mini series
Pacific War is super interesting. So brutal, disturbing and depressing too RIP to all our boys who did their part in stopping the Ruthless Japanese empire.
So glad that you are doing this series. The companion piece to 'Band of Brothers.' My Dad (God rest his soul) was a WW II veteran stationed in Europe in 1945. As the war ended there, he would have definitely been redeployed to Japan as part of an invasion force had the War in the Pacific not ended when and the way it did. Dad always told me through the years that he did not think he would have survived had he gone to Japan. So we should all be thankful for the Greatest Generation, who made it possible for us to be here today. Thank you this channel, Ames. You are a kind-hearted, lovely person.
This is definitely a harder viewing experience than Band of Brothers, but still worth it to see what the Marines went through in the Pacific. As a Navy Veteran who has been all over the Pacific and the Middle East, I have been to some of the places in the Pacific depicted in this series. It is a very sobering and humbling experience to walk on ground where people fought and died. I felt the same during a trip to Gettysburg before I joined the Navy. Some of the people in The Pacific I had already heard of from watching different documentaries about World War Two, like Bob Leckie, Sid Phillips and Eugene Sledge. And I thought that Joseph Mazzello, who played Tim in the original Jurassic Park, really brought Eugene Sledge to life, as did James Badge Dale as Leckie and Jon Seda as John Basilone. And, even though he is not in the entire series, I respect William Sadler's portrayal of legendary Marine Lewis "Chesty" Puller, who once famously defined retreat as attacking in the opposite direction. Lastly, as a United States Sailor who served aboard amphibious troop transports during my time in the Navy, I have met more than a few Marines and have the utmost respect for them. Semoer Fi, Marines.
I'm an old ex amphibious sailor myself. I, too, have met a many Marine in my time and have got on famously with them. I have a lot of respect for what they do.
Not just the grounds you walk on. The seas around Guadalcanal are hallowed - pretty much one of the few, if only places where the USN and IJN fought at parity. The sheer amount of sunken warships in the Slot got it named Ironbottom Sound - the place Navy paid blood for the Marines.
As a Marine, this means so much to me, I bawled in both, the sacrifices these Marines made here, these Marines including my Grandfather who fought the Japanese in Alaska are my fucking heroes and why I became a Marine I fought in Desert Storm and rescued UN Peacekeepers in Bosnia and being a Marine is for life! Go Chesty!!! The bonus DVD on Band of Brothers was the best, has me in tears everytime, those brave men!
My grandpa was a Marine in WWII. After I got out of bootcamp he started telling me stories of the islands, with one exception. He would never talk about Guadalcanal. I learned about it in the Marines. It was a nasty island and all the Marines that survived that island were true warriors. Semper Fi to all my warriors brothers and sisters out there until we meet and drink a horn in Valhalla. NEVER FORGOTTEN USMC
As one who served in the Marines...Nothing but total and complete respect for my brothers who went before me. Heroes all. Semper Fi. What I really loved about this series is how accurate it was when it came to portraying Marine Corps customs. Get it done!!! Cease fire on the firing line!!!! Smoking lamp is out!!! I remember all of them. And so many more. Thank you for your reaction
The Pacific isn't as renowned as BoB or Saving private Ryan but, I often attributed that to it being one, if not the most brutal depiction of combat in Second World War EVER made. It's ironic to say but I grew up with the Pacific. I was just about to hit my hiatus in my interest in conflict history when I was getting into high school when the Pacific Came out. I watched it countless times since then and it's my personal favorite. Just a warning, you aren't ready for the ending. Even us seasoned military historian are blubbering mes when ever we see it.
What makes Guadalcanal so huge of an objective wasnt just Australia, but the Americans wouldnt be able to supply the USSR as easily with supplies to fight the Germans in the east. It also risked an inability to reaupply British soldiers fighting heavily in India, and very well could have lead to India being overrun *and* the Japanese deciding to open a second front on Russia. The Air & Naval battle in Midway months prior turned a huge corner, but Guadalcanal also was also just as big for the Aussies and Allied shipping.
The most important part of Guadalcanal is that it served as a focal point for the Japanese. The Japanese felt they had to fight there, and by forcing the Japanese to fight there, it served as a meat grinder for the attrition warfare that needed to happen in order for the superior US industrial capability to overcome the Japanese and win the war. Dancing around in naval skirmishes back and forth across the entire vast ocean was not going to do it. But create a place where the Japanese had to constantly send ships, planes, and soldiers to try and deny the US their "unsinkable aircraft carrier" with the airfield on the island, and the US could slowly chip away at the Japanese forces until very little was left. After that, the Allies could steamroll over the rest of Japan's resistance, picking and choosing where they wanted to fight, and close in on the Japanese main islands. Guadalcanal was a permanent thorn in Japan's side, making them commit huge amounts of resources to try to take it back, on predictable routes and at predictable times. Simultaneous to this, and also of critical importance, was the submarine warfare to cut the Japanese main islands off from its supply lines from the rest of Asia. In a mirror of the German U-boat campaign to cut off the British isles from their allied shipping, the American submarines sank every Japanese merchant ship they could find, starving the islands of oil, metal, rubber, food, and all the other fuels and materials of war. While the German U-boats were very successful initially and then eventually were overcome by superior British and American espionage and anti-submarine technology, in the Pacific the Americans had limited success initially but eventually became extremely effective as tactics and torpedo technology improved. Huge numbers of Japanese ships were sunk in the later years of the war, absolutely crippling the Japanese industry and economy.
The music for the series is absolutely superb. Hans Zimmer is truly a master at his craft. From the opening credits to the closing, the music helps to set the tone. The end credits music, titled With the Old Breed at Peleliu, was a favorite of my father. We played it at his memorial service, as it was fitting for a Navy veteran of 34 years. Rest in peace, Dad. You are loved and missed.
Ames, keep in mind that the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg produced WWII Trilogy wraps up this week with the premiere of Masters of the Air on Apple TV+ on Friday! Hard to believe that Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and now Masters of the Air have all been produced in different decades!
I've known a few Marines, when I was growing up, veterans of Vietnam. Toughest guys I ever knew. Helped shape who I am as mentors and made me a better man just from being around them. They are a different breed, and have been from the very beginning. They already had a very intense warrior culture prior to WW2, but the experiences of that war in the Pacific have left an indelible mark on that service, and many of the names of the heroes in that war will live on forever, like Achilles or Leonidas. The Marines continue to recruit extraordinary men precisely because they do so well to document their history and glorify their best warriors in the American public consciousness. Young men with something to prove to themselves will sign up, and try to follow in those footsteps, often leading to heroic feats of their own, in a virtuous cycle that continues to increase the prestige of the Corps. There aren't many services like it in the world, outside of special operations forces. Other US military services do like to poke fun at the Marines as being a bunch of crayon-eating low-IQ animals who can't be trusted not to break their equipment if not "Marine-proofed", but I've never heard an active duty or retired service member have anything but the utmost respect for Marines once the laughter dies down. They are a highly aggressive, lethal fighting force that tends to go in first and overwhelm the enemy like shock troops before slower-moving big Army units can come in behind to mop up and occupy territory. Relatively low-level enlisted Marines have an unusually high amount of autonomy to make tactical decisions to change the battlefield as rapidly as possible without orders from above, in a concept known as the "strategic corporal". They have a culture where even the lowest-ranked non-commissioned officer, with only a handful of men under his command, can make important decisions in their immediate vicinity in an evolving situation. This requires Marines to be smart, flexible, and decisive in a way that is hard to find outside of the Corps. The level of training that requires to pull off successfully is quite high. After their service, you can usually find Marines in leadership positions in civilian life due to the strong emphasis on leadership development. No better friend, no worse enemy, than a United States Marine.
My dad was at Pearl Harbor and went on to serve on Navy vessels in the Pacific Theater. He was proud to be a leader in the Survivors association and represent them in California and across the US. But he never talked about the war, to me or anyone else.
Worth remembering that the Civil War was still in living memory during WW2, if only just barely. Plenty of Americans fighting in WW2 grew up hearing about the Civil War from their grandparents or great-grandparents when they were young, or heard stories passed down through their family and communities, similar to how kids today learn about WW2 from people who directly knew WW2 veterans.
I’m glad you are getting this series, based on two books. From sledgehammer, and Leckie, aka Lucky. As a USMC vet I love others learning our history that didn’t know before, it is brutual and sad, in all ways. But also amazing what we accomplished. This only touches on the barest of major events, the entire pacific campaign from the battles of wake island on dec 8th until we forced them to surrender…are truly insane. On the ocean, in the air. And on land all across the entire pacific.
My Grandpa was one of the Marines that liberated some of the Army equipment from the beach. He took an entire truck filled with cereal. His superiors "threatened" him with court martial before taking their share
My father was commanding officer of First Marines ten years ago. It was fascinating to sit down and watch the history of his company and the legends that came before. Love this series
1. The guy who plays Eugene (the kid with the heart murmur) is the actor who played the kid in the Jurassic park movie in the 90’s. 2. War trophies were completely brutal compared to the European theatre, for example.. a “trophy” that came from Guadalcanal was a Japanese skull of a Japanese soldier they killed on Guadalcanal, they painted it red, and they put the 1st Marine division insignia on it. (If you look at the 1st Marine division insignia it has Guadalcanal written down the 1 part) I want to say it’s still on display on Camp Pendleton. 3. The man giving that speech to all those Marines is named Chesty Puller, one of the most legendary Marines of all times. He’s up there with Dan Daly, and Smedley Butler as some of the famous Marines of all time.
Fun fact: Smedley Butler exposed a plot to overthrow the United States government. The ones who tried to do it? Multiple major corporations within the United States. You know… the same ones that exist today. Not all is what it seems, is it?
The opening title of The Pacific is without a doubt one of the greatest openings to a TV show. The shattering charcoal synced up with the dirt and debris of explosions is perfect. And the way Hanz Zimmers score just builds and builds and builds with the scenes is on point! That final drum beat as we see the silhouette of a soldier carrying the wounded sends a chill up my spine every time!
All I'm gonna say is prepare yourself. This is one of the few pieces of media I've seen that captures how bad it really got in The Pacific conflict. Also its fun timing you've just moved on to this from Band Of Brothers as this was the second series made by the same people about WW2. The third series made by them, airs this very Friday called Masters of The Air and stars Austin Butler, Barry Keoghan and Ncuti Gatwa 😄
I'm a 34 year old grown ass man who has seen this show more times than I can count and I still get the water works when Eugenes Dad talks about the men from WW1 having their souls torn out and the last scene of episode 2 when they find out they're heroes in America for what they've done. Just the simplicity of a single hot cup of coffee is so profound. What a show
John " Balls of Steel" Basilone is a true American Hero. They still have a parade for him every year in his hometown of Raritan, NJ. The year I went, his brother was in the parade!!
I can't wait to see your reactions that are forthcoming. This is hands down, my favorite mini-series. I look forward to seeing you see this for the first time. As a war-history buff, this is the most historically accurate I've ever seen it portrayed; from the actors showing the PTSD, to the locations, this is a 100/10, in my opinion.
In wars, images of dead soldiers are usually hidden from people. But in the Pacific War, photographs and films were taken of the beaches with dead American soldiers and destroyed vehicles to show to the people. So that they understood that the soldiers were not on vacation, and that what they were doing was an enormous effort and sacrifice.
You have NO IDEA what you got yourself into here. If Band of Brothers is a home run, this is a GRAND SLAM in the bottom of the 9th in Game Seven of the World Series. You will NEVER watch another war movie after this! Get your kleenex boxes out!
Every episode gets darker and darker and more horrific. And the thing to remember is alot of these stories are scaled back. Basilones story of manning the gun for the night (it was actually for 2 days), a lot of what sledge goes through etc…
I gotta respectfully disagree. I believe Band of Brothers was a far superior show. To me this felt like they were trying to catch fire a second time rather than just tell a story from an original perspective. Band of Brothers is amazing, The Pacific is good enough. That's the only bummer. Otherwise it's a good show.
One of the most powerful moments I’ve had in my life was reading “With the Old Breed” by Eugene Sledge, and he was describing a dream he had while he was on Okinawa, after some brutal fighting. He dreamt of his friends who were KIA, and they were rising from the mud talking to him, blaming him, their flesh falling from their bodies. It was the most profound piece of writing, this Marine who fought valiantly for his Corps, for his fellow Marines, and he felt like he let them down. It made me cry for this fellow Marine. Semper Fi.
The battle at Alligator Creek is a showcase of Japanese officers' mentality during WW2: 1) total disregard of their subordinates lives - the only purpose of the Japanese soldier was to die for the Empire; 2) constantly underestimating the Americans' capacity/willingness to fight - Colonel Ichiki (Japanese commander in the battle) ordered a frontal attack because he was convinced the Americans were to timid to fight during nighttime (!?)
Hi Hold Down A! Your raw emotional reactions are amazing, please don't stop. I am an active-duty member in the US Army, and I can't tell you how many people don't know anything on past military events, wars, or engagements that made this country what it is. So grateful you are helping spread the awareness of Military Wartime, and how evil it is to humankind. After the Pacific, if you could react to "All Quiet on the Western Front", it is a great movie depicting WWI from the common perceptive of a German soldier. Thank you!
@@holddowna Thank you! as A P.S., I think I can say for everyone watching, that I (We) appreciate and LOVE how authentic you are keeping your reactions to how you feel, and let it show. There are to many Reactors out there that hid emotion with humor, pride, or none-scene'ictles. The fact that you posted a Suicide Hotline in Forrest Gump shows how much you care for the community. I guess what I am trying to say is thank you. Please don't stop this refreshing experience that is so rare.
Hindsight fact known now about the naval attack that the marines see during the night. Japanese Vice Admiral Mikawa lead a strike force of several cruisers and destroyers down the water islet known as the Slot to the marines. He had maneuvered in such a way that he had completely avoided the daytime air searches and managed to slip between allied patrols due to them having insufficient ships to cover all of the open water. Mikawa had achieved complete surprise against the allies. The UA-cam Channel Montemayor gives an impressive video detail about the battle of Savo Island, and is definitely worth watching for background on the scene mentioned.
I like that more people are watching both Band of Brothers and The Pacific! There where so many heroes in those times! and everyone need to remember that!
So glad you are viewing & reacting to this. My father & a few uncles faught in the Pacific . Unfortunately, one did not make it back. The inhumanity man can do to another just because some idiot wants to rule over others & gets others to do his bidding & convinces them he's right always astounds me how others get drawn into his "cult" thinking. My dad never discussed his trime in the war until I came home from Nam. Then, all he had to do was look at me & I understood.
My dad was on Okinawa and his youngest brother was wounded in Normandy. I had the same experience with them as you did with your dad when I got home from Nam.
My Grandfather fought at Coral Sea and Guadalcanal. He fought in one of the night naval battles of the Guadalcanal campaign along with shore bombardment. USS Aaron War DD-483. Let me tell you that given what happened I am lucky to be here. The Battle of Iron Bottom Sound was a BIG SNAFU
Crazy, I always enjoy hearing a story of a survivor from the Battle of Iron Bottom Sound. My great uncle was a Lieutenant on the heavy cruiser, USS Quincy. He survived the sinking but he wasn't the same for the rest of his life after that.
@@countyboyneal799 My grandad had a round from a Japanese cruiser go through his torpedo shack without exploding. This after his ships gunners detonated a Japanese destroyer. He was going to torpedo that cruiser but the officer thought it could be the Atlanta.
Any chance you're going to do the Band of Brothers documentary, "We Stand Alone Together?" It's such an amazing piece of history that really gives you a feel for who the real men behind the series were.
Stay brave and keep watching it. These men and their comrades' stories are often not told, not understood, or not heralded in the way the war in Europe was. It's as powerful as BoB but it's a lot more personal. It IS heart-wrenching... but this story is every bit as important as any of the others. (I Love your reactions. Very honest and open. I bet a LOT of us viewers feel it for the first time when we watch you.)
Maybe someone else has commented, but The Operations Room channel has an informative video on the Tenaru battle depicted in episode 1. Drachinifel has a good series on the naval battles that took place offshore.
In case you're curious, Basilone is a Marine Corps legend. We have like 500 obstical courses named after him, a road in Camp Pendleton, as well as a park in Little italy, San Diego. As a machine gunner in the Marines we used to do "basilone" drills all the time.
Hell yeah! Cant wait for this. You had some interesting insights and thoughts while watching BoB. I think this is really good aswell but i feel like it is abit slower but shows the more psychological part of war and really show PTSD.
Just chiming in to confirm that Masters of the Air has an intro that is amazing and definitely in the spirit of what Band of Brothers and the Pacific did. It's hard to say any of them are objectively better than the others, but they are all amazing and incredibly emotional.
The Pacific is great, but I had a harder time connecting to it like I did with Band of Brothers. Imo Pacific is even more brutal than Brothers, which was a shock when I first watched it. I found it harder to bond with the main characters in this series. Those two aspects combined made this series harder to watch. It's like watching an industrial slaughterhouse from a viewing room.
Yeah, i think that it's also because Band of Brothers is more "consistent" with the characters. It builds up a big group and even if each chapter can have a different protagonist, the overall protagonists are always there. But here, all that is more chaotic and variable, i suppose. To put some examples (SPOILER) 1 protagonist mostly dissapears from chapter 3. The other dissapears at half of the series and it's changed for other, during the other half. Leckie gets changed to another company and, if i remember correctly, loses his friends. Officials change all the time, wether it is because they die or because they change destiny into the Marines. Overall, this series is not about a cohesive group, like in BoB, but about 3 different individuals that integrate random groups and places into their journey. BoB is about cohesion; about being together (the soul of a group, GROWING). The Pacific is about the soul of the individual (the DEATH of their souls, morelike). And it's more random/chaotic/"realistic".
Ames, you have a beautiful soul. I hope you get everything in this life you ever wanted. You are my favorite person that reacts to movies. I just watched "My Girl" from '91 and I'm a freaking mess. Such a great movie. ❤
Hmm? Wonder why one side was branded evil incarnate (Germans) yet the other side (Japanese) got basically a free pass in the annals of history? Hmmmmmmmmm 🤔 😉
My Dad was a Marine in WWI (Dec 1941 until April 1946) from Guadalcanal, Peilau, Cape Gloucester New Britain and Peleliu. Spoke very little about his war experience other than to say how hot it was and how much he hated dragging the guns up and down the mountains.
Excellent choice but terrifying imagery ! Nightmare fuel. Buckle up Ames. Based upon two books written by two of the characters that you are about to follow. Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg are the producers. ✌️❤️
Racism from both sides made this a barbaric theater to fight in. And remember as rough as this is the book is way more depressing. Honestly changed me. Sledges story is heartbreaking.
It was the same in the Eastern Theatre in Europe. Germans viewed the Soviets as less than human and had orders to exterminate the population they conquered. Soviets viewed the fight against the Germans as one of survival against an evil enemy. The barbarity on both sides is just hard to fathom. By comparison the Western Theatre of Europe was a gentlemanly affair in comparison to the War in the Pacific and the Eastern Front of Europe.
@@Doug.Dimmadome and many campaigns are severely unknown. The China Theater, Australias campaign in Kokoda is legendary. The Burma campaign and the famine in Bengal. And the early war when both the Dutch and English have defend their colonies. And one thing to to me that makes the Pacific theater way more different is the strain. They battled on islands mostly devoid of human civilization. They guys in Europe got a sense of accomplishment being able to go from town to town hailed as liberators and enjoyed the spoils that brings. Marines did not get that besides the stint in Australia.
@@ktvindicare yeah the Eastern front,The Pacific, and the Chinese theater were all fought with extreme prejudice. And no prisoners often the policy for all sides. And even being a POW was a death sentence. Some forget how brutal the Japanese were as conquers. On places like the Philippines, Indonesia, and China.
34:40 Limit Sticks: used on any fixed position but primarily on MG nests to mark the left and right limits of their field of fire. That way you only focus on your assigned area when things go nuts. The fields of fire will overlap, but the intent is to ensure maximum coverage across all squads.
You should give Letters from Iwo Jima a watch. Fantastic war film directed by Clint Eastwood, focusing on the defense of Iwo Jima from the perspective of Japanese soldiers and leaders. Great insight into why and how the Japanese soldiers acted the way they did and their mentality. BTW in case anyone was wondering how John got those burns, the machine gun being used the Browning M1917, overheats extremely fast where the barrel is. To solve that problem, marines were given gloves with this gun to be able to pick up the weapon while it is still hot. Thats why John asks where is my glove and when he can't find it, he resorts to picking up the extremely hot barrel barehanded, sustaining burns while still performing under intense pressure.
"With The Old Breed on Peleliu and Okinawa" by Eugene Sledge. "Helmet For My Pillow" by Robert Leckie. "Red Blood, Black Sand" by Chuck Tatum. The truth is far worse than what they will show you here. The ferocity and pure evil of this enemy was unknown in the civilized world. My Dad fought them in Burma and the things they did to the Burmese are unspeakable.
I have never seen any of your reviews but when you said "oh no cut of a finger trying to open a coconut" with your expression and the way you said it, ... you got me I subscribed
Good pick up on the L sound thing. The US often had passwords like Lucious Lulu and things like that to try and trip up the Japanese if they got wind of a password. In episode 2 you were right also. A starshell to illuminate the battlefield before they opened on the marines with light mortars.
My late father had served as a Marine in the Pacific during WW2. His first campaign was Tarawa and he was 17 years old. Later he was wounded on Okinawa. He never spoke about WW2, except for funny stories, classic blarney. Much later after I had enlisted in the military he told me some serious stories....I respected my Dad and yet I felt sorry for him....
I love how in this series, the enemy is not shown right away, it is really tensed up. It really builds up to when they actually attack, which is such a switch from Band of Brothers. You just dont know anything about the Japanese and what they are like, this just makes them so scary.
I highly recommend the movie "The thin red line". Its takes place in the latter half of the Guadalcanal campaign from the perspective of the Army. It has an all-star class including George Clooney, Woody Harrelson, Adrien Brody and Sean Penn just to name a few.
I watched this movie with some one that does movie reaction I missed so much. Good job I'm enjoying your channel. These kind of movies take a toll on a person.
lol they know you are prepared for what a beach landing could be and they fooled you, that is how you subvert expectations in a film. Don't worry, the rest of the beach landings in this series make the one from saving private Ryan look tame and they only show a handful of the number that actually took place. It is awe inspiring what they did.
Ames, I’m impressed you took this on. I have binged Band of Brothers many times, but this one is a bit more intense to get back to. Ya just gotta love our Marines for their bravery; the Japanese were so relentless at this time, as you know from Hacksaw Ridge. Regardless, I’m with you for the ride. Actually did watch this a few hours after you posted.
After you finish 'The Pacific' you should check out 'Generation Kill', it's a mini series in the same vein of Pacific and Band Of Brothers, about the '03 invasion into Iraq.
Only the first two like I said before alot of tissues and strength needed to get through this one that being said u are are awesome hold down A love the title
You kept your word, now watching the pacific. It shows just how brutal it really was 🤦♂️ nothing but the greatest respect to all the marines that served in WW2 and since.
Ames, if you haven't already I strongly recommend visiting the WWII museum in New Orleans. It is so well done, very interactive and honors all aspects of service. It is massive so I would suggest not rushing through exhibits. I've been 3 times and still haven't felt satisfied I'd taken everything in the way I'd like.
Holy Moly! I asked, and even then I'm not READY!! Will ride along! Hope you're advanced, you know beyond the spoilers, the hints, who lives/who dies, and the "you'll need tissues, girly" on this that...! Please let it clear without spoilers whatsoever! Like hopefully you're on final episode at this point and any clarification as an audience needed midway can be eventually gained without telling you anything in advance that might spoil! 🎉 Wish is for the same experience that those of us who didn't know exactly what to expect got to experience story-wise for ourselves! We are generously truly spoiled on YT here with a double episode on the channel! Good speed on getting through to the final episode without a MAJOR* spoiler scratch! (some get through, though...........can't help themselves and don't want to - volunteering future info to reactors, setting up expectations - hope they get the same treatment on their own shows they haven't seen yet))
I took an intro Botany class in 1980 at the University of Montevallo, Alabama. The professor was a very nice gentleman in the classic Southern style. He was known for leading nature walks and butterfly watching outings.
Imagine my surprise a few years later when I read "With the Old Breed"
Omg!!!! That’s amazing!
Your professor was Sledgehammer!!!!
That is awesome beyond words. I’ve heard audio recordings of Eugene Sledge and he is a consummate storyteller. I don’t think Timmy from Jurassic Park really captured his accent correctly. Though to be fair that old timey Gulf Coast accent is pretty difficult to imitate if you’re not from the area
@@ProtossWannabe1984 He was featured in quite a few 1990s History Channel episodes about the island fighting. Back before it became the Ancient Aliens and Pawnshop Channel...
DUDE, was it Sledge??
The Pacific is much darker than Band of Brothers was, and just as intense.
To think 18 & 19 year olds were thrown onto islands against a savage enemy and the elements of their environment, it’s insane
This was toned down compared to the memour it was based on
@@MisterRawgers And they didn't get a "safe" space, or anything....
Well, many historians say the Pacific Theatre is more brutal than the European Theatre. Aside from the challenges of the ocean, jungles, tropical diseases and climate, most Japanese military leaders disregarded the Geneva Convention, many POW suffered hell and many were brutally executed. It's so brutal that US resorted to 2 atomic bombs just to end the war.
Given that Japan attacked the U.S (Germany actually attacked and sank a U.S ship first, but Roosevelt prevented the public from knowing), and used the plan that an American Admiral devised a decade earlier (an actual simulation using grain flower in sacks as bombs) contributed to this being a very personal war for the Americans. I thought this series is the better of the two - in the fighting aspect. Both series had exceptionally good actors that really took their portrayals seriously. Couple these two series’s with the Ken Burns docu-series “The War”, and you can really be amazed at the capacity of ordinary people becoming something that seems mythic today.
Jon Bernthal is the American Sean Bean - seemingly always dies in the movies he's in.
And even in games - Ghost Recon Breakpoint
I think watching people react to Band of Brothers and The Pacific is my favorite hobby 😂
Ppl love this stuff!
Seems like not many have reacted to The Pacific, while everyone reacts to Band of Brothers. Good to see The Pacific getting some recognition too.
@@holddowna and just for a little bit of extra context consider that these first two episodes on Guadalcanal take place in the late summer and fall of 1942!!!!
At this exact point in time easy company and 101st Airborne were still in training in Georgia and North Carolina!! Remember it was two full years before D-Day that they flashed back to the training at Taccoa!! So that would have made it the summer of 1942!! So these guys on Guadalcanal were going through what they were going through and it was still going to be at least a year and a half before EASY company would even see any battle!!!😮
Of course taking NOTHING AWAY from the men of the 101st Airborne and EASY company, just giving some perspective!!!
@@holddowna The Japanese were not heavily involved in the ground combat of WW1. As a result, they never really learned the lessons of how you assault entrenched and well equipped troops who, contrary to Japanese beliefs of the time, where very much their equals in their fighting spirit, and (normally) possessed far greater firepower than they did.
Oh, we have the same hobby. 🤣And soon the first reactions to Masters of the Air will come.
Dr Sledge’s words about having souls torn out serves as the theme for the whole series. Keep those words in mind as you continue.
😭😭😭
Jup, It's going to get a lot darker, still
@@holddowna Also for some of the later episodes remember to not eat much before watching and/or keep a bucket near your chair.
I am serious - it will be few levels above what you have seen in the first 2 eps and you will remember it for decades.
I didn't let my women watch this series.
My favorite line in the entire series...
@@holddowna I was thinking there is a film, if you are still interested about the japanese soldiers experience on the islands "The Flags Of Our Fathers- Letters From Iwo Jima" Freaking Excellent, You Will Thank Me. Great watch. you won't regret it.
Love that you're watching the historical intros. So many reactors have the version without it and they're missing out. I look forward to watching your reactions to this amazing series. Semper Fi!
I think that’s ALL I have in Canada. Ppl said they don’t have that version! So I’m glad I do
In the states I believe my service which I think I get it on HBO Max and also now Hulu or Netflix but they have a separate episode or whatever you want to call it where all the intros with Tom Hanks narrating are all done together as one piece that you can watch all at once!!!
it's part of the episode so I don't know how they could not have it. Same with BoB.
On Max, the intros are gone. I love the veterans' intros to each episode. So important to watch and listen. And yes, all the intros are tied together into one presentation which is nice as well. This series helped me read about the Pacific War as a hobby now.
Thank you for keeping the vast majority of Chesty Puller's speech at the beginning of episode one. Chesty is an absolute legend in the Marine Corps and is the most decorated Marine in American history. To say that we Marines look up to him is an understatement, but also that speech really underlines the spirit of the Marine Corps.
The ongoing joke every time we’d have to breach and clear a building in Afghanistan was “Do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior Chesty Puller?”
Rah!
I love this show as a Marine and I especially love the fact they put John Basilone in the show, he is a legend amongst many. We can't forget Chesty either!!!
Chesty. I did so many pushups for that man, and I'm not even a Marine. 🩹
@@dougearnest7590 You always have to give one for Chesty! 🤣🙏
@gridmen991👍😁👍
"We're surrounded. They can't get away this time!" 🫡
Semper Fi brother.
John Basilone held his position for three full days without rest, food, nor sleep. In the end, only he and two other Marines in his section were left, and he even had to resort to fighting off Japanese soldiers with his pistol and machete. He also ran ammo uphill back to his position several times, fighting Japanese soldiers who had infiltrated the line the entire way down and back up the hill. Reality is often wilder than fiction.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for the super ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
So glad you're doing this. Most people watch Band of Brothers and then not The Pacific. But in many ways, this series is even more gripping in its examination of the impact of war on an individuals' mind. Amazing.
Just wish it was 15 episodes.
My Dad joined the army in 1942 at age 17 when his brother was drafted. His grandparents wanted him to go to be wit his brother who 'was sickly'. At the induction physical, his brother was sent home with a heart murmur. My Dad ended up surviving being a BAR guy in Europe surviving the Bulge and the crossing of the Rhine. I saw the guy go home with the Murmur and it reminded me of the story. God bless all of the vets.
As a Marine who served in the 1990 Gulf War and then Somalia, I had the pleasure of meeting many Marine veterans who have served in other eras like WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the current wars of Iraq & Afghanistan to hear their stories. I've met and talked with 2 Marine Code Talkers about their time in WWII and also met another Marine who survived the Frozen Chosen march in Korea. I even remember meeting one Marine who served on active duty and saw service in WWII, Korea & Vietnam.
The craziest and wildest stories I've heard are from the island-hopping campaign Marines. I met a Marine who fought on Iwo Jima and he spoke about how all his buddies got wounded or killed while describing how heavy the volume of fire was by machine gunners, artillery, and anything else the Japanese fired at them. He said that by the end of the fighting, he felt amazed that he survived. Another Marine who was listening to the story asked him why.... and the old Marine said, "Imagine running across a football field while it is pouring rain and then arriving at the other side with only a few drops of wetness. Anyone would feel amazed about that and that's what it felt like making it off the beach."
You all are the toughest people on earth! Thank you from Canada
Thank you for your service. My father was wounded on Iwo Jima as a forward Mortar Scout. He never came back the same.
Thank you for your service Marine.
God I love this show. It may not be as acclaimed as Band of Brothers, but to me it’s more interesting, more brutal. Every rewatch I love it move, the whole pacific war just fascinates me
Indeed, BoB ended like a feel-good everybody lives happily ever after story. This one is "war sucks" and it never stops sucking.
The Pacific is basically Episode 9 of BoB stretched over the course of 10 episodes.
@@randomlyentertaining8287 episodes 7-9, that whole stretch is rough
I understand why 75% of people like Band of Brothers better. But I always tell people that if you love BoB then you will definitely enjoy watching all of The Pacific at least once or twice. Especially if you’re hungry for another high quality HBO war mini series
Pacific War is super interesting. So brutal, disturbing and depressing too
RIP to all our boys who did their part in stopping the Ruthless Japanese empire.
So glad that you are doing this series. The companion piece to 'Band of Brothers.' My Dad (God rest his soul) was a WW II veteran stationed in Europe in 1945. As the war ended there, he would have definitely been redeployed to Japan as part of an invasion force had the War in the Pacific not ended when and the way it did. Dad always told me through the years that he did not think he would have survived had he gone to Japan. So we should all be thankful for the Greatest Generation, who made it possible for us to be here today. Thank you this channel, Ames. You are a kind-hearted, lovely person.
If memory serves, when Chesty Puller was shown a flamethrower, he scowled and asked where the bayonet goes. Love that man.
This is definitely a harder viewing experience than Band of Brothers, but still worth it to see what the Marines went through in the Pacific. As a Navy Veteran who has been all over the Pacific and the Middle East, I have been to some of the places in the Pacific depicted in this series. It is a very sobering and humbling experience to walk on ground where people fought and died. I felt the same during a trip to Gettysburg before I joined the Navy. Some of the people in The Pacific I had already heard of from watching different documentaries about World War Two, like Bob Leckie, Sid Phillips and Eugene Sledge. And I thought that Joseph Mazzello, who played Tim in the original Jurassic Park, really brought Eugene Sledge to life, as did James Badge Dale as Leckie and Jon Seda as John Basilone. And, even though he is not in the entire series, I respect William Sadler's portrayal of legendary Marine Lewis "Chesty" Puller, who once famously defined retreat as attacking in the opposite direction. Lastly, as a United States Sailor who served aboard amphibious troop transports during my time in the Navy, I have met more than a few Marines and have the utmost respect for them. Semoer Fi, Marines.
👍
I'm an old ex amphibious sailor myself. I, too, have met a many Marine in my time and have got on famously with them. I have a lot of respect for what they do.
Not just the grounds you walk on. The seas around Guadalcanal are hallowed - pretty much one of the few, if only places where the USN and IJN fought at parity. The sheer amount of sunken warships in the Slot got it named Ironbottom Sound - the place Navy paid blood for the Marines.
Ames, you have soul and heart. As a retired member of our armed forces, I am moved by your empathy and compassion. Keep up the great work. Woody
As a Marine, this means so much to me, I bawled in both, the sacrifices these Marines made here, these Marines including my Grandfather who fought the Japanese in Alaska are my fucking heroes and why I became a Marine
I fought in Desert Storm and rescued UN Peacekeepers in Bosnia and being a Marine is for life! Go Chesty!!!
The bonus DVD on Band of Brothers was the best, has me in tears everytime, those brave men!
My grandpa was a Marine in WWII. After I got out of bootcamp he started telling me stories of the islands, with one exception. He would never talk about Guadalcanal. I learned about it in the Marines. It was a nasty island and all the Marines that survived that island were true warriors. Semper Fi to all my warriors brothers and sisters out there until we meet and drink a horn in Valhalla. NEVER FORGOTTEN USMC
Thank you for your service! from Canada
I'm so happy we're here. Just in time for the release of Masters of the Air on Friday too! Look forward to watching this with you, too! 🤩
AIR vs JUNGLE - You' sure!??
wow is that finally coming out!
The Pacific is tenfold more brutal than Band of Brothers, but for good, historically accurate reasons. Great series, excited for your reactions.
As one who served in the Marines...Nothing but total and complete respect for my brothers who went before me. Heroes all. Semper Fi. What I really loved about this series is how accurate it was when it came to portraying Marine Corps customs. Get it done!!! Cease fire on the firing line!!!! Smoking lamp is out!!! I remember all of them. And so many more. Thank you for your reaction
The Pacific isn't as renowned as BoB or Saving private Ryan but, I often attributed that to it being one, if not the most brutal depiction of combat in Second World War EVER made. It's ironic to say but I grew up with the Pacific. I was just about to hit my hiatus in my interest in conflict history when I was getting into high school when the Pacific Came out. I watched it countless times since then and it's my personal favorite. Just a warning, you aren't ready for the ending. Even us seasoned military historian are blubbering mes when ever we see it.
Thanks for doing this. My uncle was involved in the South Pacific and wrote a book about his time there.
Wow!
What makes Guadalcanal so huge of an objective wasnt just Australia, but the Americans wouldnt be able to supply the USSR as easily with supplies to fight the Germans in the east. It also risked an inability to reaupply British soldiers fighting heavily in India, and very well could have lead to India being overrun *and* the Japanese deciding to open a second front on Russia.
The Air & Naval battle in Midway months prior turned a huge corner, but Guadalcanal also was also just as big for the Aussies and Allied shipping.
Thanks for watching
The most important part of Guadalcanal is that it served as a focal point for the Japanese. The Japanese felt they had to fight there, and by forcing the Japanese to fight there, it served as a meat grinder for the attrition warfare that needed to happen in order for the superior US industrial capability to overcome the Japanese and win the war. Dancing around in naval skirmishes back and forth across the entire vast ocean was not going to do it. But create a place where the Japanese had to constantly send ships, planes, and soldiers to try and deny the US their "unsinkable aircraft carrier" with the airfield on the island, and the US could slowly chip away at the Japanese forces until very little was left. After that, the Allies could steamroll over the rest of Japan's resistance, picking and choosing where they wanted to fight, and close in on the Japanese main islands. Guadalcanal was a permanent thorn in Japan's side, making them commit huge amounts of resources to try to take it back, on predictable routes and at predictable times.
Simultaneous to this, and also of critical importance, was the submarine warfare to cut the Japanese main islands off from its supply lines from the rest of Asia. In a mirror of the German U-boat campaign to cut off the British isles from their allied shipping, the American submarines sank every Japanese merchant ship they could find, starving the islands of oil, metal, rubber, food, and all the other fuels and materials of war. While the German U-boats were very successful initially and then eventually were overcome by superior British and American espionage and anti-submarine technology, in the Pacific the Americans had limited success initially but eventually became extremely effective as tactics and torpedo technology improved. Huge numbers of Japanese ships were sunk in the later years of the war, absolutely crippling the Japanese industry and economy.
Im happy there’s so many people who Love The Pacific and Band of Brothers as much as I do. Generation Kill too!
The music for the series is absolutely superb. Hans Zimmer is truly a master at his craft. From the opening credits to the closing, the music helps to set the tone. The end credits music, titled With the Old Breed at Peleliu, was a favorite of my father. We played it at his memorial service, as it was fitting for a Navy veteran of 34 years. Rest in peace, Dad. You are loved and missed.
Ames, keep in mind that the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg produced WWII Trilogy wraps up this week with the premiere of Masters of the Air on Apple TV+ on Friday! Hard to believe that Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and now Masters of the Air have all been produced in different decades!
It’s wild! I’ll be watching that on Patreon!
I've known a few Marines, when I was growing up, veterans of Vietnam. Toughest guys I ever knew. Helped shape who I am as mentors and made me a better man just from being around them. They are a different breed, and have been from the very beginning. They already had a very intense warrior culture prior to WW2, but the experiences of that war in the Pacific have left an indelible mark on that service, and many of the names of the heroes in that war will live on forever, like Achilles or Leonidas. The Marines continue to recruit extraordinary men precisely because they do so well to document their history and glorify their best warriors in the American public consciousness. Young men with something to prove to themselves will sign up, and try to follow in those footsteps, often leading to heroic feats of their own, in a virtuous cycle that continues to increase the prestige of the Corps. There aren't many services like it in the world, outside of special operations forces.
Other US military services do like to poke fun at the Marines as being a bunch of crayon-eating low-IQ animals who can't be trusted not to break their equipment if not "Marine-proofed", but I've never heard an active duty or retired service member have anything but the utmost respect for Marines once the laughter dies down. They are a highly aggressive, lethal fighting force that tends to go in first and overwhelm the enemy like shock troops before slower-moving big Army units can come in behind to mop up and occupy territory. Relatively low-level enlisted Marines have an unusually high amount of autonomy to make tactical decisions to change the battlefield as rapidly as possible without orders from above, in a concept known as the "strategic corporal". They have a culture where even the lowest-ranked non-commissioned officer, with only a handful of men under his command, can make important decisions in their immediate vicinity in an evolving situation. This requires Marines to be smart, flexible, and decisive in a way that is hard to find outside of the Corps. The level of training that requires to pull off successfully is quite high. After their service, you can usually find Marines in leadership positions in civilian life due to the strong emphasis on leadership development.
No better friend, no worse enemy, than a United States Marine.
My dad was at Pearl Harbor and went on to serve on Navy vessels in the Pacific Theater. He was proud to be a leader in the Survivors association and represent them in California and across the US.
But he never talked about the war, to me or anyone else.
Love when Leckey pokes some fun at Sid and calls him Johnny Reb lol
Worth remembering that the Civil War was still in living memory during WW2, if only just barely. Plenty of Americans fighting in WW2 grew up hearing about the Civil War from their grandparents or great-grandparents when they were young, or heard stories passed down through their family and communities, similar to how kids today learn about WW2 from people who directly knew WW2 veterans.
In the first scene, we see Bob Leckie. He wrote the book Helmet For My Pillow which much of the mini series is based upon. We owe these men so much.
I’m glad you are getting this series, based on two books. From sledgehammer, and Leckie, aka Lucky. As a USMC vet I love others learning our history that didn’t know before, it is brutual and sad, in all ways. But also amazing what we accomplished. This only touches on the barest of major events, the entire pacific campaign from the battles of wake island on dec 8th until we forced them to surrender…are truly insane. On the ocean, in the air. And on land all across the entire pacific.
My Grandpa was one of the Marines that liberated some of the Army equipment from the beach. He took an entire truck filled with cereal. His superiors "threatened" him with court martial before taking their share
My father was commanding officer of First Marines ten years ago. It was fascinating to sit down and watch the history of his company and the legends that came before. Love this series
First Marines isn't a company
1. The guy who plays Eugene (the kid with the heart murmur) is the actor who played the kid in the Jurassic park movie in the 90’s.
2. War trophies were completely brutal compared to the European theatre, for example.. a “trophy” that came from Guadalcanal was a Japanese skull of a Japanese soldier they killed on Guadalcanal, they painted it red, and they put the 1st Marine division insignia on it. (If you look at the 1st Marine division insignia it has Guadalcanal written down the 1 part) I want to say it’s still on display on Camp Pendleton.
3. The man giving that speech to all those Marines is named Chesty Puller, one of the most legendary Marines of all times. He’s up there with Dan Daly, and Smedley Butler as some of the famous Marines of all time.
Semper fi
Fun fact: Smedley Butler exposed a plot to overthrow the United States government. The ones who tried to do it? Multiple major corporations within the United States. You know… the same ones that exist today. Not all is what it seems, is it?
The opening title of The Pacific is without a doubt one of the greatest openings to a TV show. The shattering charcoal synced up with the dirt and debris of explosions is perfect. And the way Hanz Zimmers score just builds and builds and builds with the scenes is on point! That final drum beat as we see the silhouette of a soldier carrying the wounded sends a chill up my spine every time!
All I'm gonna say is prepare yourself. This is one of the few pieces of media I've seen that captures how bad it really got in The Pacific conflict.
Also its fun timing you've just moved on to this from Band Of Brothers as this was the second series made by the same people about WW2.
The third series made by them, airs this very Friday called Masters of The Air and stars Austin Butler, Barry Keoghan and Ncuti Gatwa 😄
Yes!! I’ll be watching MOTA on patreon!
I'm so immensly happy that you have the narrated intros at the beginning. The added context brings much understanding and weight to the task at hand.
I'm a 34 year old grown ass man who has seen this show more times than I can count and I still get the water works when Eugenes Dad talks about the men from WW1 having their souls torn out and the last scene of episode 2 when they find out they're heroes in America for what they've done. Just the simplicity of a single hot cup of coffee is so profound. What a show
Loved BoB but never did watch The Pacific. Your viewpoint and compassion is contagious. Great work. Love watching this with you.
John " Balls of Steel" Basilone is a true American Hero. They still have a parade for him every year in his hometown of Raritan, NJ. The year I went, his brother was in the parade!!
He was actually born in my hometown of Buffalo, but yeah he grew up in NJ.
I can't wait to see your reactions that are forthcoming. This is hands down, my favorite mini-series. I look forward to seeing you see this for the first time.
As a war-history buff, this is the most historically accurate I've ever seen it portrayed; from the actors showing the PTSD, to the locations, this is a 100/10, in my opinion.
I wanna have discussion with you
The Intro, with it's music, by itself, is enough to, at once, lift and break the heart....
Thank you..;-)
In wars, images of dead soldiers are usually hidden from people. But in the Pacific War, photographs and films were taken of the beaches with dead American soldiers and destroyed vehicles to show to the people. So that they understood that the soldiers were not on vacation, and that what they were doing was an enormous effort and sacrifice.
You have NO IDEA what you got yourself into here. If Band of Brothers is a home run, this is a GRAND SLAM in the bottom of the 9th in Game Seven of the World Series. You will NEVER watch another war movie after this! Get your kleenex boxes out!
Every episode gets darker and darker and more horrific. And the thing to remember is alot of these stories are scaled back. Basilones story of manning the gun for the night (it was actually for 2 days), a lot of what sledge goes through etc…
@@coiboyify Yeah, as horrific as this is the reality had to be a hundred or a thousand times worse.
Why do you guys insist on spoiling it for reactors. Just let her react to shit naturally
Nah, Band of Brothers is still better. Every scene of it is an art piece.
I gotta respectfully disagree. I believe Band of Brothers was a far superior show. To me this felt like they were trying to catch fire a second time rather than just tell a story from an original perspective. Band of Brothers is amazing, The Pacific is good enough. That's the only bummer. Otherwise it's a good show.
One of the most powerful moments I’ve had in my life was reading “With the Old Breed” by Eugene Sledge, and he was describing a dream he had while he was on Okinawa, after some brutal fighting. He dreamt of his friends who were KIA, and they were rising from the mud talking to him, blaming him, their flesh falling from their bodies. It was the most profound piece of writing, this Marine who fought valiantly for his Corps, for his fellow Marines, and he felt like he let them down. It made me cry for this fellow Marine. Semper Fi.
The battle at Alligator Creek is a showcase of Japanese officers' mentality during WW2: 1) total disregard of their subordinates lives - the only purpose of the Japanese soldier was to die for the Empire; 2) constantly underestimating the Americans' capacity/willingness to fight - Colonel Ichiki (Japanese commander in the battle) ordered a frontal attack because he was convinced the Americans were to timid to fight during nighttime (!?)
Hi Hold Down A! Your raw emotional reactions are amazing, please don't stop. I am an active-duty member in the US Army, and I can't tell you how many people don't know anything on past military events, wars, or engagements that made this country what it is. So grateful you are helping spread the awareness of Military Wartime, and how evil it is to humankind.
After the Pacific, if you could react to "All Quiet on the Western Front", it is a great movie depicting WWI from the common perceptive of a German soldier.
Thank you!
Thanks for your service! I will for sure be watching that on the channel!
@@holddowna Thank you! as A P.S., I think I can say for everyone watching, that I (We) appreciate and LOVE how authentic you are keeping your reactions to how you feel, and let it show. There are to many Reactors out there that hid emotion with humor, pride, or none-scene'ictles. The fact that you posted a Suicide Hotline in Forrest Gump shows how much you care for the community. I guess what I am trying to say is thank you. Please don't stop this refreshing experience that is so rare.
Hindsight fact known now about the naval attack that the marines see during the night. Japanese Vice Admiral Mikawa lead a strike force of several cruisers and destroyers down the water islet known as the Slot to the marines. He had maneuvered in such a way that he had completely avoided the daytime air searches and managed to slip between allied patrols due to them having insufficient ships to cover all of the open water. Mikawa had achieved complete surprise against the allies. The UA-cam Channel Montemayor gives an impressive video detail about the battle of Savo Island, and is definitely worth watching for background on the scene mentioned.
A fellow Montemayor enjoyer.
I like that more people are watching both Band of Brothers and The Pacific! There where so many heroes in those times! and everyone need to remember that!
So glad you are viewing & reacting to this. My father & a few uncles faught in the Pacific . Unfortunately, one did not make it back. The inhumanity man can do to another just because some idiot wants to rule over others & gets others to do his bidding & convinces them he's right always astounds me how others get drawn into his "cult" thinking. My dad never discussed his trime in the war until I came home from Nam. Then, all he had to do was look at me & I understood.
My dad was on Okinawa and his youngest brother was wounded in Normandy. I had the same experience with them as you did with your dad when I got home from Nam.
My Grandfather fought at Coral Sea and Guadalcanal. He fought in one of the night naval battles of the Guadalcanal campaign along with shore bombardment. USS Aaron War DD-483. Let me tell you that given what happened I am lucky to be here. The Battle of Iron Bottom Sound was a BIG SNAFU
Crazy, I always enjoy hearing a story of a survivor from the Battle of Iron Bottom Sound. My great uncle was a Lieutenant on the heavy cruiser, USS Quincy. He survived the sinking but he wasn't the same for the rest of his life after that.
@@countyboyneal799 My grandad had a round from a Japanese cruiser go through his torpedo shack without exploding. This after his ships gunners detonated a Japanese destroyer. He was going to torpedo that cruiser but the officer thought it could be the Atlanta.
Any chance you're going to do the Band of Brothers documentary, "We Stand Alone Together?" It's such an amazing piece of history that really gives you a feel for who the real men behind the series were.
Stay brave and keep watching it. These men and their comrades' stories are often not told, not understood, or not heralded in the way the war in Europe was. It's as powerful as BoB but it's a lot more personal. It IS heart-wrenching... but this story is every bit as important as any of the others. (I Love your reactions. Very honest and open. I bet a LOT of us viewers feel it for the first time when we watch you.)
Maybe someone else has commented, but The Operations Room channel has an informative video on the Tenaru battle depicted in episode 1. Drachinifel has a good series on the naval battles that took place offshore.
In case you're curious, Basilone is a Marine Corps legend. We have like 500 obstical courses named after him, a road in Camp Pendleton, as well as a park in Little italy, San Diego. As a machine gunner in the Marines we used to do "basilone" drills all the time.
Your commentary is sharp and inciteful. Well done.
Thanks i feel like a fish outta water because I don’t know anything about war thanks for watching means a lot
*insightful
@@andymiller6661 Thanks.
I wanna have discussion with you
Hell yeah! Cant wait for this. You had some interesting insights and thoughts while watching BoB. I think this is really good aswell but i feel like it is abit slower but shows the more psychological part of war and really show PTSD.
I've been waiting 2 weeks Let's go
This series has, by far, the best opening theme and credits of any TV show I've ever seen.
Just chiming in to confirm that Masters of the Air has an intro that is amazing and definitely in the spirit of what Band of Brothers and the Pacific did. It's hard to say any of them are objectively better than the others, but they are all amazing and incredibly emotional.
The actor that plays Eugene is the same actor that plays the kid in the first Jurassic Park movie.
9:52 that quote is from the Iliad, describing Hector's virtue, to duty for his country.
The Pacific is great, but I had a harder time connecting to it like I did with Band of Brothers. Imo Pacific is even more brutal than Brothers, which was a shock when I first watched it. I found it harder to bond with the main characters in this series. Those two aspects combined made this series harder to watch. It's like watching an industrial slaughterhouse from a viewing room.
Yeah, i think that it's also because Band of Brothers is more "consistent" with the characters. It builds up a big group and even if each chapter can have a different protagonist, the overall protagonists are always there. But here, all that is more chaotic and variable, i suppose. To put some examples (SPOILER) 1 protagonist mostly dissapears from chapter 3. The other dissapears at half of the series and it's changed for other, during the other half. Leckie gets changed to another company and, if i remember correctly, loses his friends. Officials change all the time, wether it is because they die or because they change destiny into the Marines. Overall, this series is not about a cohesive group, like in BoB, but about 3 different individuals that integrate random groups and places into their journey. BoB is about cohesion; about being together (the soul of a group, GROWING). The Pacific is about the soul of the individual (the DEATH of their souls, morelike). And it's more random/chaotic/"realistic".
@@santiagorojaspiaggio Very good points, and I fully agree.
Ames, you have a beautiful soul. I hope you get everything in this life you ever wanted. You are my favorite person that reacts to movies.
I just watched "My Girl" from '91 and I'm a freaking mess. Such a great movie. ❤
Every one thinks of Germany as the ultimate evil during ww2 ; however, the Japanese were worse in terms of cruelty towards POWs and civilians.
Hmm? Wonder why one side was branded evil incarnate (Germans) yet the other side (Japanese) got basically a free pass in the annals of history? Hmmmmmmmmm 🤔 😉
My Dad was a Marine in WWI (Dec 1941 until April 1946) from Guadalcanal, Peilau, Cape Gloucester New Britain and Peleliu. Spoke very little about his war experience other than to say how hot it was and how much he hated dragging the guns up and down the mountains.
Semper Fidelis to your father, on behalf of a grateful nation.
Excellent choice but terrifying imagery ! Nightmare fuel. Buckle up Ames.
Based upon two books written by two of the characters that you are about to follow.
Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg are the producers.
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Thanks for being here!
Wonderfully produced series... When you finish.. Jump right into Masters of the Air.
Racism from both sides made this a barbaric theater to fight in. And remember as rough as this is the book is way more depressing. Honestly changed me. Sledges story is heartbreaking.
Well said. The East was rough as F... We learned as Dutch Marines in class as we were involved with Japan via Inronesia
It was the same in the Eastern Theatre in Europe. Germans viewed the Soviets as less than human and had orders to exterminate the population they conquered. Soviets viewed the fight against the Germans as one of survival against an evil enemy. The barbarity on both sides is just hard to fathom. By comparison the Western Theatre of Europe was a gentlemanly affair in comparison to the War in the Pacific and the Eastern Front of Europe.
@@Doug.Dimmadome and many campaigns are severely unknown. The China Theater, Australias campaign in Kokoda is legendary. The Burma campaign and the famine in Bengal. And the early war when both the Dutch and English have defend their colonies. And one thing to to me that makes the Pacific theater way more different is the strain. They battled on islands mostly devoid of human civilization. They guys in Europe got a sense of accomplishment being able to go from town to town hailed as liberators and enjoyed the spoils that brings. Marines did not get that besides the stint in Australia.
@@ktvindicare yeah the Eastern front,The Pacific, and the Chinese theater were all fought with extreme prejudice. And no prisoners often the policy for all sides. And even being a POW was a death sentence. Some forget how brutal the Japanese were as conquers. On places like the Philippines, Indonesia, and China.
Yes! This is going to be great! So happy that you're doing this series, Ames. I wouldn't miss this for the world.
34:40 Limit Sticks: used on any fixed position but primarily on MG nests to mark the left and right limits of their field of fire. That way you only focus on your assigned area when things go nuts. The fields of fire will overlap, but the intent is to ensure maximum coverage across all squads.
chesty puller is a god. as a fellow marine and a war vet you have to love an officer who is that tough
You should give Letters from Iwo Jima a watch. Fantastic war film directed by Clint Eastwood, focusing on the defense of Iwo Jima from the perspective of Japanese soldiers and leaders. Great insight into why and how the Japanese soldiers acted the way they did and their mentality.
BTW in case anyone was wondering how John got those burns, the machine gun being used the Browning M1917, overheats extremely fast where the barrel is. To solve that problem, marines were given gloves with this gun to be able to pick up the weapon while it is still hot. Thats why John asks where is my glove and when he can't find it, he resorts to picking up the extremely hot barrel barehanded, sustaining burns while still performing under intense pressure.
I love the pacific so much so im really excited for you
"With The Old Breed on Peleliu and Okinawa" by Eugene Sledge.
"Helmet For My Pillow" by Robert Leckie.
"Red Blood, Black Sand" by Chuck Tatum.
The truth is far worse than what they will show you here.
The ferocity and pure evil of this enemy was unknown in the civilized world.
My Dad fought them in Burma and the things they did to the Burmese are unspeakable.
It's so satisfying to watch a reaction channel like with Ames here, experiencing famous WWII Films+TV for the first time.
I watched your reaction to Band of brothers you had a genuine reaction very humble honest so i will certainly follow your reaction for the Pacific
Thanks Jacky!
I have never seen any of your reviews but when you said "oh no cut of a finger trying to open a coconut" with your expression and the way you said it, ... you got me I subscribed
😅😅😅😅🤣🤣🤣🤣 thanks soo much for the sub! It means a lot!!!! Thanks for being here with my weird self haha
Your welcome and weird keeps everything interesting!
Good pick up on the L sound thing. The US often had passwords like Lucious Lulu and things like that to try and trip up the Japanese if they got wind of a password. In episode 2 you were right also. A starshell to illuminate the battlefield before they opened on the marines with light mortars.
Now you will see what these men went through...love your reactions
My late father had served as a Marine in the Pacific during WW2. His first campaign was Tarawa and he was 17 years old. Later he was wounded on Okinawa. He never spoke about WW2, except for funny stories, classic blarney. Much later after I had enlisted in the military he told me some serious stories....I respected my Dad and yet I felt sorry for him....
I love how in this series, the enemy is not shown right away, it is really tensed up. It really builds up to when they actually attack, which is such a switch from Band of Brothers. You just dont know anything about the Japanese and what they are like, this just makes them so scary.
Love watching these back to back
Seeing how you love Jon's acting, you gotta react to the Punsiher series he's in!!! Masterpiece imo!
I highly recommend the movie "The thin red line". Its takes place in the latter half of the Guadalcanal campaign from the perspective of the Army.
It has an all-star class including George Clooney, Woody Harrelson, Adrien Brody and Sean Penn just to name a few.
I watched this movie with some one that does movie reaction I missed so much.
Good job I'm enjoying your channel. These kind of movies take a toll on a person.
lol they know you are prepared for what a beach landing could be and they fooled you, that is how you subvert expectations in a film. Don't worry, the rest of the beach landings in this series make the one from saving private Ryan look tame and they only show a handful of the number that actually took place. It is awe inspiring what they did.
I discovered you on epi 6 and came back to start the series. Nice background. Nice wheel thing, very fair way to get suggestions.
Wow! Thanks! Gotta get these all out
Yessss i was hoping you were going to see The Pacific after BoB
Ames, I’m impressed you took this on. I have binged Band of Brothers many times, but this one is a bit more intense to get back to. Ya just gotta love our Marines for their bravery; the Japanese were so relentless at this time, as you know from Hacksaw Ridge. Regardless, I’m with you for the ride. Actually did watch this a few hours after you posted.
oooh, i'm excited to watch you go through this series. that coffee scene at the end got to me too
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After you finish 'The Pacific' you should check out 'Generation Kill', it's a mini series in the same vein of Pacific and Band Of Brothers, about the '03 invasion into Iraq.
Only the first two like I said before alot of tissues and strength needed to get through this one that being said u are are awesome hold down A love the title
You kept your word, now watching the pacific. It shows just how brutal it really was 🤦♂️ nothing but the greatest respect to all the marines that served in WW2 and since.
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You have guts girl!!!
When they sing to him “how f*d are you now” is my favorite part of it. They all knew what was coming and just decided to embrace it
Ames, if you haven't already I strongly recommend visiting the WWII museum in New Orleans. It is so well done, very interactive and honors all aspects of service. It is massive so I would suggest not rushing through exhibits. I've been 3 times and still haven't felt satisfied I'd taken everything in the way I'd like.
Holy Moly! I asked, and even then I'm not READY!! Will ride along! Hope you're advanced, you know beyond the spoilers, the hints, who lives/who dies, and the "you'll need tissues, girly" on this that...! Please let it clear without spoilers whatsoever! Like hopefully you're on final episode at this point and any clarification as an audience needed midway can be eventually gained without telling you anything in advance that might spoil! 🎉 Wish is for the same experience that those of us who didn't know exactly what to expect got to experience story-wise for ourselves! We are generously truly spoiled on YT here with a double episode on the channel! Good speed on getting through to the final episode without a MAJOR* spoiler scratch! (some get through, though...........can't help themselves and don't want to - volunteering future info to reactors, setting up expectations - hope they get the same treatment on their own shows they haven't seen yet))