Watched Hacksaw Ridge last night

[RogueUSMC]

Watched it Sunday night, quite intense battle scenes. It is a great movie and a nail biter for sure. It was great to see him (and others) in the "Credits" at the end of the movie. Its really sad we are losing all of our beloved Vets that fought in that era. I wish they could show these movies in High school; that would make History a lot more interesting and maybe give the kids a better idea of what our Vets went through. I know a 2 hour movie is scratching the surface but still.....

They could do a couple of movie weeks..... and by the end of two weeks, the kids would certainly get it.

Monday: Saving Private Ryan (D-Day, and introduction to the war in the ETO)
Tuesday: Enemies at the Gate (what it was like for one of our allies)
Wednesday: Band of Brothers miniseries marathon (liberation of fortress Europe)
Thursday: The Pacific miniseries marathon (pushing back the Japanese in the PTO)
Friday: Hacksaw Ridge (part of the penultimate batte of the PTO)

Monday: Catch 22 (some of the absurdities of war)
Tuesday: Schindler's List (the evils of Hitler's "final solution")
Wednesday: Das Boot (the German experience)
Thursday: Letters from Iwo Jima (the Japanese experience)
Friday: Empire of the Sun (the civilian POW experience)

You could get more in-depth than that, but two weeks soaking in this stuff for a couple of hours a day would not only help bring them up to speed on the world's single biggest conflict, which set the world's stage for the next 75 years, but it would prompt a lot of other civics discussions too.

Catch 22...I read the book but have never seen the movie. After reading those kinds of books, I hesitate to watch the movie for fear of being disappointed...

[aero10]

Watched it Sunday night, quite intense battle scenes. It is a great movie and a nail biter for sure. It was great to see him (and others) in the "Credits" at the end of the movie. Its really sad we are losing all of our beloved Vets that fought in that era. I wish they could show these movies in High school; that would make History a lot more interesting and maybe give the kids a better idea of what our Vets went through. I know a 2 hour movie is scratching the surface but still.....

They could do a couple of movie weeks..... and by the end of two weeks, the kids would certainly get it.

Monday: Saving Private Ryan (D-Day, and introduction to the war in the ETO)
Tuesday: Enemies at the Gate (what it was like for one of our allies)
Wednesday: Band of Brothers miniseries marathon (liberation of fortress Europe)
Thursday: The Pacific miniseries marathon (pushing back the Japanese in the PTO)
Friday: Hacksaw Ridge (part of the penultimate batte of the PTO)

Monday: Catch 22 (some of the absurdities of war)
Tuesday: Schindler's List (the evils of Hitler's "final solution")
Wednesday: Das Boot (the German experience)
Thursday: Letters from Iwo Jima (the Japanese experience)
Friday: Empire of the Sun (the civilian POW experience)

You could get more in-depth than that, but two weeks soaking in this stuff for a couple of hours a day would not only help bring them up to speed on the world's single biggest conflict, which set the world's stage for the next 75 years, but it would prompt a lot of other civics discussions too.

I've only seen some episodes of it, but History's World War II in HD (I think that's the title) is a good series from what I've watched.

[G26ster]

Watched it Sunday night, quite intense battle scenes. It is a great movie and a nail biter for sure. It was great to see him (and others) in the "Credits" at the end of the movie. Its really sad we are losing all of our beloved Vets that fought in that era. I wish they could show these movies in High school; that would make History a lot more interesting and maybe give the kids a better idea of what our Vets went through. I know a 2 hour movie is scratching the surface but still.....

They could do a couple of movie weeks..... and by the end of two weeks, the kids would certainly get it.

Monday: Saving Private Ryan (D-Day, and introduction to the war in the ETO)
Tuesday: Enemies at the Gate (what it was like for one of our allies)
Wednesday: Band of Brothers miniseries marathon (liberation of fortress Europe)
Thursday: The Pacific miniseries marathon (pushing back the Japanese in the PTO)
Friday: Hacksaw Ridge (part of the penultimate batte of the PTO)

Monday: Catch 22 (some of the absurdities of war)
Tuesday: Schindler's List (the evils of Hitler's "final solution")
Wednesday: Das Boot (the German experience)
Thursday: Letters from Iwo Jima (the Japanese experience)
Friday: Empire of the Sun (the civilian POW experience)

You could get more in-depth than that, but two weeks soaking in this stuff for a couple of hours a day would not only help bring them up to speed on the world's single biggest conflict, which set the world's stage for the next 75 years, but it would prompt a lot of other civics discussions too.

TAM, I couldn't agree more. Only problem I see is that the teachers would implode 2 minutes into Saving Private Ryan, and the "snowflakes" would melt less than a minute later.

If your idea was possible, I'd definitely add "We Were Soldiers" to the list, as many of the kids fathers, or should I say Grandfathers, and other relatives fought in RVN.

[puma guy]

Catch 22...I read the book but have never seen the movie. After reading those kinds of books, I hesitate to watch the movie for fear of being disappointed...

I've read Catch-22 at least half a dozen times. The movie was actually not bad, but couldn't capture it completely. I'm reading a WWII book titled "Who Stoled My Mule?" by Sherman A. Glass, DVM about the CBI theater (China-Burma-India) where my dad was stationed as a veterinarian, also. It's hilarious to read similarities of the "Army Way" portrayed by Heller captured by Dr. Glass. His inspiration for the book was to write about the everyday minutia, hardships and life of GI's and also the animals used so extensively in CBI, especially since it was an area of the war that was on the back burner, so to speak, back in the day.

The title is based on an incorrigible mule nicknamed "Diablo" aka Do-Bo by the Chinese, that the author saved from being shot and the back thread among the other stories as he moves Diablo from place to place to save him from being destroyed. I think of Diablo as Yossarian in Catch-22.

I was amazed to read of all the rotten food, rations and feed that was shipped to our GI's, the Chinese Army and animals. Even when they received goods that weren't already bad the storage facilites were totally inadequate and much of it would end up going bad as a result. Much was destroyed as if fell out of the make shift baskets used for parachute drops. Part of Glass's job was to train men to recognize how to determine what to throwaway instead of just blindly loading it for shipment, thereby wasting time and logistics. Limited medication and treatment supplies were the norm and Glass used his GI .45 to dispatch far too many animals injured by battle of run down by the crazy Chinese drivers who drove down the middle of roads at breakneck speeds and would plow into anything that didn't get out of the way. My dad didn't talk a lot of his experiences, but what he said about the Chinese, was reflected in Dr. Glass's book.

While the CBI wasn't totally ignored, Europe and the Pacific theater were the main topics of the news media and I think in his book Glass in his small way wanted to fill in some gaps.

[Mxrdad]

There's some good ideas in this thread and after reading a few responses, there's some good points about the far left. I fear those schools would turn it into a Bash-Fest and do more harm than good. It might be a good idea for some states but other states, not so much. That's a shame. If implemented correctly, it would be awesome. Maybe name the program "Melting Snowflakes"?

[rotor]

I haven't seen the movie but I personally hate seeing actors whose only service to our country is playing a role in a military movie.

[The Annoyed Man]

Watched it Sunday night, quite intense battle scenes. It is a great movie and a nail biter for sure. It was great to see him (and others) in the "Credits" at the end of the movie. Its really sad we are losing all of our beloved Vets that fought in that era. I wish they could show these movies in High school; that would make History a lot more interesting and maybe give the kids a better idea of what our Vets went through. I know a 2 hour movie is scratching the surface but still.....

That's a great idea, much better than reading a couple of paragraphs in a history book. I fear, however, that snowflakes would protest at the school board meetings because they didn't use enough blacks and hispanics.....

In any case, I would include "Stalingrad." What we went through pales in comparison.

That's why I included "Enemy at the Gates".

BTW, my family has a history both as combatant and victim in that war. My dad was at Iwo, and my mom survived an axis occupation, shelling, bombing, starvation, etc.

[Mxrdad]

BTW, my family has a history both as combatant and victim in that war. My dad was at Iwo, and my mom survived an axis occupation, shelling, bombing, starvation, etc.

Wow TAM, I would love to be at one of your Family Reunions and listen to some of those stories. It's one thing reading a book, and seeing a movie, but to hear from the folks that "been there, done that" is really bringing it to life. That's one of those things that no matter how people try, you just can't understand unless you have been through it. Starvation is a horrible thought and those that have been on the brink of starvation know it better than those that have not. Not to mention all the other horrible things associated with war.

Remember the movie called Alive? The story of those athletes (I think Rugby but could be mistaken about that) that crashed in the Andes? There was a moment when one tells the other they are going to starve to death. The guy looks at him and says, "I'll just eat the Pilot, he got us in this mess to begin with". And they did eat the dead. They were worried they would be judged and condemned to eternal sea of fire, but their priests assured them they did nothing wrong, its what it took to preserve life. And anybody in that position would likely do the same thing. Sure, there were a few hold-outs, but when it got down to it, they too partaked in the preservation of life.

If anybody has not seen this movie, I highly recommend it. They even have a follow up movie called Alive?????? Can't remember the exact name but its 20 or so years after they were rescued and it shows how they moved on and made a life for themselves. Good stuff.

[The Annoyed Man]

BTW, my family has a history both as combatant and victim in that war. My dad was at Iwo, and my mom survived an axis occupation, shelling, bombing, starvation, etc.

Wow TAM, I would love to be at one of your Family Reunions and listen to some of those stories. It's one thing reading a book, and seeing a movie, but to hear from the folks that "been there, done that" is really bringing it to life. That's one of those things that no matter how people try, you just can't understand unless you have been through it. Starvation is a horrible thought and those that have been on the brink of starvation know it better than those that have not. Not to mention all the other horrible things associated with war.

Remember the movie called Alive? The story of those athletes (I think Rugby but could be mistaken about that) that crashed in the Andes? There was a moment when one tells the other they are going to starve to death. The guy looks at him and says, "I'll just eat the Pilot, he got us in this mess to begin with". And they did eat the dead. They were worried they would be judged and condemned to eternal sea of fire, but their priests assured them they did nothing wrong, its what it took to preserve life. And anybody in that position would likely do the same thing. Sure, there were a few hold-outs, but when it got down to it, they too partaked in the preservation of life.

If anybody has not seen this movie, I highly recommend it. They even have a follow up movie called Alive?????? Can't remember the exact name but its 20 or so years after they were rescued and it shows how they moved on and made a life for themselves. Good stuff.

I never saw the movie, but I read the book back when it first came out and was on the NYT best seller list. It's a horrendous story.

My mother's family was reduced to eating stray cats and rodents because the allies were advancing on one side of the city, and the Germans retreating on the other side. This was in North Africa. The allies were shelling the German rear guard, and the Germans were shelling the allied advance units. Most of the shells were falling on the city. Her older sister and brother in law had a 500 lb bomb land in the courtyard of their home. It was a colonial culture, and the homes of the French "pieds noire" tended to be large, spacious and comfortable, and were built around a fairly large courtyard with a garden, and perhaps a fountain and some fruit trees. The bomb leveled the home. They were in bed, and the air raid started before they ever heard any kind of warning. I don't know if it was a German, Italian, American, or British bomb. In any case, they were asleep in bed, and then they woke up.....still in bed.....surrounded by the rubble of their home. Both were terrible rattled, but neither one of them hurt beyond not being able to hear anything for a while.

I've posted my dad's story several times on this website. The short version is that he was a 3rd Marine Division 2nd Lt who went ashore at Iwo in D-Day +3, and was assigned command of 1st Platoon, E Co, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, then Lt Col Robert E Cushman commanding. Cushman's Wiki page says:

Major Cushman hiked from San Diego to Camp Pendleton with his unit in September 1942, and embarked for the Pacific Area in January 1943. That month, Major Cushman was appointed commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, and in May 1943 was promoted to lieutenant colonel. During the two years he held that post, he led his battalion repeatedly into combat, earning the Bronze Star with Combat “V” on Bougainville, the Navy Cross during the Battle of Guam, and the Legion of Merit with Combat “V” during the Battle of Iwo Jima, where two of his companies were nearly wiped out (10 survivors - 3 from F Co, and 7 from E Co) when they were trapped in a defilade later called "Cushman's Pocket.”

Dad was one of the 7 survivors from E Co, and the only officer of the 10 survivors. Another officer, Lt Wylcie O'Bannon had been rescued earlier by means of a tank.

My dad was ordered to lead his 1st platoon, along with 2nd Platoon E/2/9, commanded by his best friend in the Marines, a 1st Lt Geo. Todd, plus the two assault platoons of F Co, 2/9, in an assault on a hill. It was a diversionary movement on the left, while the main effort to the right was being directed against Hill 362C, where General Kurabayashi's command center was believed to be located. Both feints advanced under cover of darkness without firing a shot. The 4 E and F Co platoons attained their objective. The main effort fell short, stopping on another hill that was 250 yards short of the actual objective 362C. Unfortunately for my dad, when the Japanese discovered them up there amongst their positions, they assumed that my dad's effort was the main line of advance, and reacted accordingly. They dropped all the mortar and machine gun fire they could bring to bear on those four hapless platoons, and killed all but 10 of the Marines, and wounded 9 of the remaining 10. My dad was shot in the chest with a 6.5mm rifle bullet. The terrain was such that the marines were in a shallow flat-bottomed depression at the top of the hill, completely surrounded on all sides by mortar pits and machine gun emplacements. They were hosed.

Here's a couple of pictures of Cushman's Pocket. The Japanese held all the high ground
:






He survived, like the others, by pulling the bodies of dead marines on top of themselves to soak up the shrapnel and bullets flying around, and then they eventually took cover in an abandoned bunker. How they got out of The Pocket a long story, but they did. And I get to sit here and type this today.

It took several more days, maybe a week, to reduce Cushman's Pocket after my dad's action.

[Mxrdad]

Great story, thanks for sharing. I always try to think about these stories when I am having a bad day. It helps me to snap out of it and count my blessings. Its a good day when bombs aren't dropping on your house. And we open the fridge and there is plenty of food. And those little light switches on the wall create lights, and its nice and warm when its cold outside and vice versa. Yep, maybe my day aint that bad after all.

[Ruark]

My father in law, Vasily, grew up in Russia. During WW II, the Germans were sweeping across some rural areas and just slaughtering everybody - men, women, children. Vasily was 6 years old; a German soldier walked up to him with a pistol in his hand, and then saw that Vasily had a lighter colored hair and blue eyes. Pure chance, a random DNA thing. But because of those Aryan-like features, instead of shooting him, he gave him an orange. The rest of his life, he had a special appreciation for eating oranges.

[Mxrdad]

Wow. Great story. Kinda different than the 6 year old's have it now days eh?

[WTR]

Wow. Great story. Kinda different than the 6 year old's have it now days eh?

Depends on what part of the world you are in.... Heard of Syria?

[Liberty]

Wow. Great story. Kinda different than the 6 year old's have it now days eh?

Depends on what part of the world you are in.... Heard of Syria?

... or Chicago?

[Mxrdad]

Alright, take it easy. I was talking about good ol USA. And even Chicago doesn't come close in comparison to the above stories. I was comparing our kiddos that think not being able to play video games, or go without internet for a day to those stories.