The Pacific - DISCUSSION THREAD

JE3146 · 03-19-2010, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forgop

Saw on Good Morning America this morning to hear them talk about how much of a ratings bomb The Pacific was compared to BoB. Seems to me like it had 1/3 of the viewers BoB had.

HBO is a luxury not many people (want to)/(can) pay for, including myself.

forgop · 03-19-2010, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JE3146

HBO is a luxury not many people (want to)/(can) pay for, including myself.

Understood, but this was a comparison of previous series shown on HBO. Obviously, it could mean a much higher percentage of people don't have HBO today compared to BoB or other previous shows, but for the most part draws upon the comparison of viewers to what The Pacific received. This wasn't at all an comparison to regular network programming.

mithrilG60 · 03-19-2010, 07:11 PM

Probably also doesn't take into account that there's a much higher percentage of people who are now downloading some/most/all of their tv, something which was completely unheard of back when BoB was screened.

macpappy · 03-20-2010, 06:23 AM

I think comparing The Pacific to BOB is sort of like comparing the ETO to the PTO. Beyond the fact that they were both wars fought during the same basic time period, you can't. The two theaters were fought differently because of the geography and I think because of the emotional issues involved.

I'll explain more later. But the Germans didn't bomb Pearl Harbor so IMO that made the Pacific more personal to most of the Americans who fought there.

macpappy · 03-20-2010, 07:19 AM

To continue...

I've talked to veterans from both theaters and found that while some of the ones I spoke to from the ETO said that they didn't particularly hate the German soldiers (with the exception of the SS) and that they actually started feeling sorry for them near the end. The ones who served in the Pacific never said anything about respecting the Japanese soldiers they fought against. Every one of them hated all of the Japanese.

Now this wasn't a scientific study or anything, just the opinion of some old men I've talked to.

The other difference between the two was the geography. In Europe you had the wide open spaces that made full scale armored combat a possibility. Just look at what Patton accomplished during some of the campaigns he was involved in. And while supplying the front lines in Europe wasn't easy, it wasn't nearly as difficult as it was in the Pacific where the Marines were basically hopping from one island to the another.

Of course all this is my opinion based on speaking to some veterans and reading history books.

My point is that I would expect The Pacific to be a completely different story from BOB.

hotreds · 03-20-2010, 05:34 PM

Happened to luck into the 1st episode while spending the night en route back home. Liked it, interesting to recognize some names- this before I looked into Hugh Ambrose's book and read the backstory. Should be something to see EB Sledge's book made into an episode or two.

And, indeed, MacPappy is quite correct; many veterans still have not forgiven the Japanese for the way the fought the war. My God Mother(RIP!) interviewed for the Army returning POWs from the Japanese camps. To her dying day she used profanity to describe the Japanese and what they did to "our boys over there."

I was at an airshow where there was a fellow reenacting as a Japanese soldier. Many of the pilots there were very negative towards him, epecially those flying Corsairs and other PTO planes.

About the only thing that compares to the brutality of the PTO was the Eastern Front in Europe. No dime was given nor expected.

I look forward to ordering The Pacific on Netflix once it's available.

M1903A1 · 03-20-2010, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotreds

I was at an airshow where there was a fellow reenacting as a Japanese soldier. Many of the pilots there were very negative towards him, epecially those flying Corsairs and other PTO planes.

I used to follow the military reenacting world on the 'net, and ironically Japanese Army reenactors (some of whom would come all the way from Japan for reenactments in the States) were regarded as some of the best reenactors of all.

03-19-2010, 07:11 PM	#3
mithrilG60 Feeling at Home Join Date: Dec 2008 First Name: Geoff Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 733 Trading: (2)	Re: The Pacific - DISCUSSION THREAD Probably also doesn't take into account that there's a much higher percentage of people who are now downloading some/most/all of their tv, something which was completely unheard of back when BoB was screened.

03-20-2010, 06:23 AM	#4
macpappy Rider on the storm. Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Slidell, LA Posts: 851 Trading: (0)	Re: The Pacific - DISCUSSION THREAD I think comparing The Pacific to BOB is sort of like comparing the ETO to the PTO. Beyond the fact that they were both wars fought during the same basic time period, you can't. The two theaters were fought differently because of the geography and I think because of the emotional issues involved. I'll explain more later. But the Germans didn't bomb Pearl Harbor so IMO that made the Pacific more personal to most of the Americans who fought there. __________________ WARNING: I am a Southern White Male. I have a brain and I know how to use it.

03-20-2010, 07:19 AM	#5
macpappy Rider on the storm. Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Slidell, LA Posts: 851 Trading: (0)	Re: The Pacific - DISCUSSION THREAD To continue... I've talked to veterans from both theaters and found that while some of the ones I spoke to from the ETO said that they didn't particularly hate the German soldiers (with the exception of the SS) and that they actually started feeling sorry for them near the end. The ones who served in the Pacific never said anything about respecting the Japanese soldiers they fought against. Every one of them hated all of the Japanese. Now this wasn't a scientific study or anything, just the opinion of some old men I've talked to. The other difference between the two was the geography. In Europe you had the wide open spaces that made full scale armored combat a possibility. Just look at what Patton accomplished during some of the campaigns he was involved in. And while supplying the front lines in Europe wasn't easy, it wasn't nearly as difficult as it was in the Pacific where the Marines were basically hopping from one island to the another. Of course all this is my opinion based on speaking to some veterans and reading history books. My point is that I would expect The Pacific to be a completely different story from BOB. __________________ WARNING: I am a Southern White Male. I have a brain and I know how to use it.

03-20-2010, 05:34 PM	#6
hotreds Ephesians 2:8 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5 miles past "Resume Speed" Posts: 11,670 Trading: (63)	Re: The Pacific - DISCUSSION THREAD Happened to luck into the 1st episode while spending the night en route back home. Liked it, interesting to recognize some names- this before I looked into Hugh Ambrose's book and read the backstory. Should be something to see EB Sledge's book made into an episode or two. And, indeed, MacPappy is quite correct; many veterans still have not forgiven the Japanese for the way the fought the war. My God Mother(RIP!) interviewed for the Army returning POWs from the Japanese camps. To her dying day she used profanity to describe the Japanese and what they did to "our boys over there." I was at an airshow where there was a fellow reenacting as a Japanese soldier. Many of the pilots there were very negative towards him, epecially those flying Corsairs and other PTO planes. About the only thing that compares to the brutality of the PTO was the Eastern Front in Europe. No dime was given nor expected. I look forward to ordering The Pacific on Netflix once it's available. __________________ God loves you so much, that he made you read this, just to let you know.