Author Topic: The Pacific (Read 4774 times)

devlin_waugh · « **on:** Jun 24, 2009 at 10:21 AM »

At Last!

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg did a hell of a job looking at the European theater of WWII with their epic HBO "Band of Brothers" series, and now they're heading to the water for "The Pacific."

A 10-part mini-series from the creators of "Band of Brothers" telling the intertwined stories of three Marines during America's battle with the Japanese in the Pacific during World War II.

The Pacific is to be based primarily on two memoirs of U.S. Marines: With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge and Helmet for My Pillow by Robert Leckie.[3] The series will tell the stories of the two authors and Marine John Basilone, as the war against the Empire of Japan rages.

Given the literary sources mentioned above, the series will feature well-known battles involving the 1st Marine Division, such as Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, Peleliu, and Okinawa, as well as Basilone's involvement in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Trailer

more updates

viper · « **Reply #1 on:** Jun 24, 2009 at 12:08 PM »

Quote from: devlin_waugh on Jun 24, 2009 at 10:21 AM

At Last!

. . . .sources mentioned above, the series will feature well-known battles involving the 1st Marine Division, such as Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, Peleliu, and Okinawa, as well as Basilone's involvement in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

No Corregidor landing?, Battle for manila? Seem the battle for the PI was not as bloody interesting as Okinawa, Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima.

voj · « **Reply #2 on:** Jun 24, 2009 at 12:40 PM »

Quote from: viper on Jun 24, 2009 at 12:08 PM

No Corregidor landing?, Battle for manila? Seem the battle for the PI was not as bloody interesting as Okinawa, Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima.

or maybe they have a hard time getting "permits" to shoot here. permits in quotes intentional.

allanmandy · « **Reply #3 on:** Jun 24, 2009 at 12:45 PM »

Weird that the Philippines isn't part of this when it is widely considered that the greatest naval battle ever occurred within our territorial seas (Leyet, I believe).

devlin_waugh · « **Reply #4 on:** Jun 24, 2009 at 03:08 PM »

yup and the Battle of Manila is uncontested as pivotal in turning the tide of WW2 in the Pacific Theater, no major operations could've been mounted in the other islands culminating in Japan's defeat without the US reclaiming Luzon first...with the help of Filipinos of course

alihug · « **Reply #5 on:** Jun 30, 2009 at 08:45 PM »

video game counterpart is COD:WAW~!

yamota · « **Reply #6 on:** Jun 30, 2009 at 10:41 PM »

Actually, the US could have bypassed the Philippines altogether on their way to Japan, they didn't have to re-take the islands. Re-taking the Philippines was a matter of pride to them. The Japanese came in, conquered the Philippines and defeated the Americans in humiliating fashion in 1941 and when it was time to re-take the Pacific, Macarthur had his eye on the Philippines, he was determined to take it back no matter what.

devlin_waugh · « **Reply #7 on:** Jul 01, 2009 at 09:42 AM »

Quote from: yamota on Jun 30, 2009 at 10:41 PM

Actually, the US could have bypassed the Philippines altogether on their way to Japan, they didn't have to re-take the islands. Re-taking the Philippines was a matter of pride to them. The Japanese came in, conquered the Philippines and defeated the Americans in humiliating fashion in 1941 and when it was time to re-take the Pacific, Macarthur had his eye on the Philippines, he was determined to take it back no matter what.

Factually, the US did not bypass the Philippines and they did retake the islands...so why leave that out?

wedge · « **Reply #8 on:** Jul 01, 2009 at 09:53 AM »

One thing is that The Pacific is based on the accounts of two Marines.

The Americans did not employ their Marine Divisions on the retaking of the Philippines as they were being prepped up on the imminent invasion of outlying Japanese islands starting with Iwo Jima on February.

devlin_waugh · « **Reply #9 on:** Jul 01, 2009 at 10:01 AM »

thanks for clearing that up...that's a more plausible explanation

I should start reading the book(s)...

wedge · « **Reply #10 on:** Jul 01, 2009 at 10:04 AM »

No problem.

Start with Leckie's Helmet for my Pillow. It's autobiographical---saves you from the usual military mumbo-jumbo and tactics. I don't have a copy of Eugene Sledge's book, though. For a detailed account of the Iwo Jima invasion, try Richard F. Newcomb's Iwo Jima.

devlin_waugh · « **Reply #11 on:** Jul 01, 2009 at 11:52 AM »

thanks sir wedge. Although I would've been happier if they based the series on W.E.B. Griffin's The Corps series

wedge · « **Reply #12 on:** Jul 01, 2009 at 12:26 PM »

Unfortunately though, for The Pacific, it appears that they did not include Tarawa--which was as equally bloody as Iwo Jima and Okinawa---for the three days it took the Marines to capture it, lost them a thousand killed.

However, from the Divisional history of the 6th Marines they've yet to be activated the time the 2nd Marines stormed Tarawa.

Dowals · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 24, 2010 at 08:06 AM »

this will start this March 2010

I'm very excited

Verbl Kint · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 24, 2010 at 08:33 AM »

Something to watch out for, definitely. I hope I get to read at least one of the books prior to seeing the first episode.

choy · « **Reply #15 on:** Mar 06, 2010 at 08:15 AM »

i'm also eagerly anticipating this

but i would have preferred that someone put some spotlight on the war that occured on Philippine soil

most americans probably think that the Pacific Theater of the war started on Pearl Harbor and then the next thing the Americans did was nuke Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bypassing all the events that happened in between

while The Pacific will show some of that finer details, i'm still hoping for some good ol' Bataan or Corregidor battles, including the island by island retaking of the Philippines

time to gather the story now while we have veterans and other eyewitnesses still alive

Dowals · « **Reply #16 on:** Mar 07, 2010 at 01:31 PM »

ilang tulog na lang

Munskie · « **Reply #17 on:** Mar 15, 2010 at 06:13 PM »

Looks promising. Cant wait for the 2nd part.

Verbl Kint · « **Reply #18 on:** Mar 15, 2010 at 06:19 PM »

9 more episodes to go...

Clondalkin · « **Reply #19 on:** Mar 16, 2010 at 07:28 AM »

Quote from: Verbl Kint on Mar 15, 2010 at 06:19 PM

9 more episodes to go...

9 weeks?

choy · « **Reply #20 on:** Mar 16, 2010 at 07:33 AM »

it didn't have the same buildup as Band of Brothers. essentailly be the second part of the episode they were in the middle of the war already

i just wished i knew a little bit more about the characters before they get into action

but in the end, i liked the first episode. so far i find a lot of consistencies with what has been taught in our history classes and by speakers in war memorials like Corregidor

SiCkBoY · « **Reply #21 on:** Mar 16, 2010 at 10:48 AM »

Quote from: devlin_waugh on Jul 01, 2009 at 09:42 AM

Factually, the US did not bypass the Philippines and they did retake the islands...so why leave that out?

His point is that the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Bataan, or Corregidor is not as pivotal or as crucial as some members here claim.

wedge · « **Reply #22 on:** Mar 17, 2010 at 11:06 AM »

They were indeed pivotal for: (1) Leyte Gulf (and the three separate engagements fought in-and-around) effectively ended the threat of the Japanese Navy; (2) Bataan and Corregidor--though obviously was a defeat (it was noted, however, that both Churchill and Roosevelt decided that Pacific was a lost cause and that the primary point of focus would be the European Theatre of Operations) bought time for the Americans to reorganize their strength that culminated in the landings at Guadalcanal.

The Pacific, as I posted months ago, is based on accounts of Marines. The Marines were used in the island hopping operations during the war from Guadalcanal to Peleliu to Tarawa to Guam to Iwo Jima and eventually to Okinawa. The Philippines was just as important to the Americans as the smaller South Pacific islands were to the Japanese. And most of the horrendous fighting that occurred in the Pacific Theatre of the war were fought on such tiny specks of land that bore those unfamiliar names.

Clondalkin · « **Reply #23 on:** Mar 17, 2010 at 12:43 PM »

Quote from: wedge on Jul 01, 2009 at 09:53 AM

One thing is that The Pacific is based on the accounts of two Marines.

The Americans did not employ their Marine Divisions on the retaking of the Philippines as they were being prepped up on the imminent invasion of outlying Japanese islands starting with Iwo Jima on February.

History Channel WWII in HD says Marines did. And tawanan nga daw ang Marines while they were resting sa Leyte after taking control of the beach, nang biglang may dumating na taas ilong na general na plantsadong plantsado daw ang trousers and ubod ng linis, and ang daming abubot na puro malinis at planstado din. Who TF was that guy daw?

McArthur and entourage allegedly ignored all the laughter and walked straight towards the trees.

Dowals · « **Reply #24 on:** Mar 17, 2010 at 01:24 PM »

that was McArthur?

wedge · « **Reply #25 on:** Mar 17, 2010 at 10:13 PM »

Quote from: Clondalkin on Mar 17, 2010 at 12:43 PM

History Channel WWII in HD says Marines did. And tawanan nga daw ang Marines while they were resting sa Leyte after taking control of the beach, nang biglang may dumating na taas ilong na general na plantsadong plantsado daw ang trousers and ubod ng linis, and ang daming abubot na puro malinis at planstado din. Who TF was that guy daw? McArthur and entourage allegedly ignored all the laughter and walked straight towards the trees.

I think that would be the majority of the Marine aviators or a small detachment of Marine gunners (artillery) since the bulk of the Marine force (at the time of the Leyte Landings) was sent to invade the Mariana Islands (notably Peleliu). MacArthur pretty much relied on his Army in the retaking of the Philippines.

There is an extensive detailed narrative history of World War II somewhere in the Web. Not sure if it still exists though, google nyo na lang HyperWar (or something like that). Last time I copy-pasted (and went to Recto to have it bound) a complete volume of Historical Monographs of the Marine Corps and the US Army Operations in World War II. Took me close to three years in doing that. (obvious na military buff ba?) Hehe

Verbl Kint · « **Reply #26 on:** Mar 18, 2010 at 07:24 AM »

I am very interested as well on how they will portray the repeated attempts by the Japanese to retake Henderson Field. The naval aspect is also compelling, which became a war of attrition for both the Allies and the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Clondalkin · « **Reply #27 on:** Mar 18, 2010 at 07:50 AM »

Quote from: Dowals on Mar 17, 2010 at 01:24 PM

that was McArthur?

I haven't given you that doc yet? McArthur and entourage must have realized how inconsiderate they appeared to the filthy, smelly, exhausted marines who actually fought hard to clear the beach heads - hence they didn't even react to all the laughter and jeering. I thought that was an interesting side story to that famous picture.

Dowals · « **Reply #28 on:** Mar 19, 2010 at 04:50 PM »

di na kita inistorbo about the copies of the docu

i got my copy from a very generous co-member

alihug · « **Reply #29 on:** Mar 20, 2010 at 10:00 AM »

got the first part from demonoid