The Pacific Epi. 7 is so hard to watch

[@BGBG617]

My uncle fought on Saipan and Iwo Jima. In 1975, we were watching a baseball game in the basement. I was 12. I asked him why his legs were scarred. He proceeded to tell me about Iwo Jima. Among other things, he said none of the Japanese surrendered. They had to burn most of them. You never went near the flamethrower. He had great respect for the Japanese soldier. He got a battlefield commission on Iwo because nobody was left on the battlefield above his rank. Years later, I told his son, my cousin, who was a marine in Vietnam what his dad told me. He was shocked. Apparently, my uncle never spoke a word of his time in the Pacific. I guess, that day, he felt it was ok to tell me about it. I'll never forget.

[@McBrannon1000]

My Grandpa was in the 4th Marines. Guadalcanal, Kwajalein, Saipan and Iwo. Never wanted anything to do with anything Japanese, he hated them until his dying day. The Pacific was an entirely different kind of war.

[@bustedupgrunt1177]

There are different compartments of hell. I was in Beirut, 1983 with the 24th MAU. Survived that. When I came home on leave, my uncle came over to visit, We stepped out back into the alley. He told me about his time in the jungles of Burma with Merrill's Marauders against the Japanese in 1944-45. Growing up, I had always suspected, but no one ever mentioned it. It was in his eyes and demeanor at times. He had never spoken about it to his wife or 8 kids, but he told me since I was hurtin real bad. He had real problems of his own but we kept in touch, unloading at times, until he passed away in 1999. I contacted the Army then, for his records. 2 Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and he made PFC - 3 times! My cousins were stunned when I gave them his medals, records, and the 5307th's unit combat campaign history. At his funeral, an old man came forward and told the family how my uncle had saved his life in the Burma jungle, and then carried him. Uncle Vince's great tale about the "Mule Rodeo" during downtime in the jungle - and the feast after? I'll keep that hilarious great memory for myself. Missing him hurts, even at 72.

[@ronr1702]

My grandpa was a code talker in the Pacific, told stories how everything was overseas and what the enemy was about. Everyone in those battles were the bravest men he said

[@vincentbergman4451]

I bagged groceries in HS, there was a group of old men who worked mornings, and just worked to stay busy and to spoil their grandkids. Come to find out all of them were WW2 vets. The main one I knew was Chuck, Mr. Chuck. One day I asked what his ring was, he told me “4th Marine Division” He was at Kwajalein, Saipan, Iwo Jima. Said if he hadn’t been shot in the ass that he would’ve been killed

[@Ghostgray]

Awesome. Sounds like your kin was in the 4th Marine Division? My dad was in the Regimental Weapons Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Div. Pearl Harbor, Roi-Namur, Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima. Blown up by a Grenade on Tinian, shot at Iwo Jima. 2 Purple Hearts. He told me about it when I turned 20....in 1975. Tinian was hand to hand first night.

[@thetr00per30]

Gunny Haney took the loss of Lt Eddie so hard because it is normal in the Marines to pair Seasoned gunnery sergeants with new young officers to watch out for them and to support them, Gunny Haney felt keeping the Lt alive was his job, he respected him because he was an enlisted man raised to officer as well.

[@catherinelw9365]

Lt. Jones. His nickname was "Hillbilly".

[@wattsnottaken1]

“I gotta go back to battalion and get these orders changed. If I don’t come back, the company is yours”

[@TommyGlint]

I don’t think he was made Gunnery Sargeant until he around shipping out from Peleliu, or perhaps even only when he returned home. Can’ recall exactly. But I’m pretty sure he wasn’t a Gunnery Sargeant during Peleiu, let alone a “seasoned” one. His rank during Peleliu I think was Platoon Sargeant.

[@angieday5183]

The importance of Captain Haldane cannot be overstated. Sledges book was dedicated to him. He said he was the finest marine he ever knew

[@chadrowe8452]

Everyone loved ackack

[@davidhutchinson5233]

Every great leader is like that. At least that's what I encountered in the Corps. Our best officers were chill but still tight and right. Always at the back of the chow line and always looking to make sure you had everything you needed.

[@IamtheDesperado]

Snafu made up the lie about Japanese soldiers carrying germs just so Sledge would retain/hold onto his humanity, which was slowly waning due to the intense stress of combat.

[@kenolsen208]

Yeah

[@IamtheDesperado]

@@kenolsen208 no

[@joereilly1519]

In real life it was not Snafu who said that but one of Sledges Corpsmen, who was his friend. The result was the same.

[@IamtheDesperado]

@joereilly1519 true that love his book With the Old Breed

[@bustedupgrunt1177]

this series gives a few glimpses of the erosion of sane values, and the slippery slope towards a loss of humanity that War enables. Duration of repetitive combat exposure has a lot to do with it, as the temptations to give in to it increase.

[@Jmiranda70]

The moment that they stop in front of Sledge with Ack Ack, people miss the fact that they cover his body with a green blanket, the same blankets that Ack Ack’s father’s factory makes and keeps them warm at night. I tear up every time

[@Mountain_bonker]

sledges, or Ack Acks?

[@Jmiranda70]

@@Mountain_bonker Ack Ack, earlier in the Episode Ack Ack tells Sledge about his dads blankets

[@stevem7192]

The actual battle described in the book was actually much worse than the show depicts it, but this is all word for word from Sledge's book. The only difference is in the book he didn't name names so it didn't shame the people he served with. It was "His buddy" that pried gold teeth out of the living Japanese soldier, and "His buddy" that threw the stones into the guy's skull. It was over a hundred degrees on the island with 100% humidity and no shade, the coral rock was so hot you couldn't sit and grenades would instantly cook off when they touched the ground from the heat, there was no water, there were corpses and human waste everywhere because the ground was solid rock so it all just got left where it is, there were swarms of millions of big fat corpse flies covering everything and everyone, they'd land on a body and then on your food and get you sick, you couldn't sleep because the Japanese would sneak into foxholes at night and stab you to death, you couldn't smoke because snipers would see the cherry from your cigarette. It was about as close to hell as one can imagine on this Earth.

[@scottsumner2998]

Sledges book had me fixated and horrified at the same time. I have never read anything so intense and the three Pelilieu episodes of the series are as close to the book as they could probably get.

[@stevem7192]

@@scottsumner2998 And they left out a lot of the really bad stuff.

[@tear728]

Damn sounds about as bad as the trenches in ww1

[@josh05683]

@@tear728It was worse. Immensely worse.

[@dmsellers]

@@tear728as bad as the trenches were in ww1, imagine having to clear similar ones but this time embedded in hills, at 110 degrees, with limited water, fighting an enemy who would gladly throw his life away if it meant a chance to kill you.

[@joeschmoe9154]

One of the most heart breaking things to watch was that After Captain Haldane told Eugene that his dad was a foreman in a textile mill and it was a comforting thought to think about them sleeping under blankets his dad help Make. Then when Haldane was killed and was being carried out someone covered his body/ face with one of those blankets.

[@Masterfighterx]

Ack Acks death is the one that really gets me in this series, such a kind gentle man taking care of those under him..

[@dioghaltasfoirneartach7258]

Same. And Manny. There's another, which I won't mention, for obvious reasons...

[@TRWilley]

In the book Eugene said that Capt. Haldane's death affected him and his company more than anything - he was a father figure, and it was like losing an anchor that kept them grounded and feeling safe. He said none of the officers that he served with later were of the caliber of Haldane or Ed "Hillbilly" Jones, who also died in this episode.

[@frenchfan3368]

Yes, Ack Ack ("The Skipper") reminded me much of character Captain John Miller in "Saving Private Ryan." They were both such great guys and cared deeply for their men.

[@Edd25164605]

Agreed

[@ronmills5234]

Eugene's war memoir With The Old Breed is one of the best of its kind.

[@Shadow_Wolf3490]

Especially as it's told from the point of view of an enlisted man and not an officer who glorified the experience! Sledge caused me to take a pause often when reading his book and think about how we as a species still can't learn from something as devastating as this war was.

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

​@@Shadow_Wolf3490 Why would an officer glorify the experience? Not following your logic.

[@feudist]

There was a common saying among the Infantry in WW2 "I'm a fugitive from the Law of Averages." Audie Murphy wrote "Hardly anyone ever got it...but someone ALWAYS got it."

[@joeywheelerii9136]

Eventually you are gonna get hit.

[@MrFrikkenfrakken]

At about 5:00 the airplanes bombing the coral hills had their wheels down. The bomb run was so short it was pointless, take off bomb land rinse and repeat. Very nice attention to detail.

[@crispy_338]

I love that detail so much. The bombing mission was so short that they barely got up to a safe speed and altitude to drop their ordnance. Just a crazy situation all round

[@TraceVandal]

I love that moment where Snafu tells him not to take his teeth out. I saw it as Snafu knowing that Eugene was still pure and didn't want him to become brutal like himself.

[@Mr.Glidehook]

These boys were never the same. This is why, they never forgot the friends who didn't make it back home, leaving empty chairs at dinner tables in homes across America and allied nations. The dynamic between Sledge and SNAFU , whether dramatized or not, stole this entire episode. Every Marine and solier should have a friend like SNAFU or Sledgehammer! Again, you show us the kindness and empathy of your wonderful soul. Thank you for sharing it with us❤

[@bryanbell7816]

SNAFU > Situation Normal, All F****d Up!

[@Tabaskospecial]

I’m an 0311 Sangin vet, I found my peace when I got out with good music and good laughter. A lot of vets struggle with returning home from seeing horrible things but so many of them come home and do amazing things.

[@VPortho]

That scene of a mortarman throwing pebbles into the dead Japanese gunner's open skull wasn't made up. It's quite accurate to what's in Sledge's war memoir.

[@phj223]

"If a guy like that breaks ... "

[@monolithranger2950]

Gunnery Sergeant Haney, was 53 going into Peleliu. He had been a Marine Corps riflemen with the 5th Marine Regiment since the First World War, and had been apart of battles like Belleau Wood. After Peleliu, Sledge had asked Haney how Peleliu compared to other battles, and Haney told him it was the worst battle he had ever seen, and that he was going to go home. A man with that kind of service and that age could've left long before if he wanted. So I guess there's some small vindication for Sledge that his first taste of combat really was as horrible as he felt it was.

[@scottsumner2998]

There have been arguments about Pelilieu since it happened. MacArthur was worried about his flank for the invasion of the Phillipines so he ordered Pelilieu taken, but the danger to his flank was from the airfield there. Once all aircraft were destroyed it was no longer a danger, but the plans were already too far in motion so they went anyway. It might not be that simple why they went anyway but a lot of men paid the ultimate price. Pelilieu was probably the least known major battle of the Pacific before Sledges book came out.

[@xxchaos315xx6]

Kinda like operation market garden. The brass knew that they were sending paratroopers with very limited anti tank capabilities, up against heavy German armor. The plan was already on motion though so they sent them anyway.

[@dioghaltasfoirneartach7258]

Worthless primadonna 'monty' was throwing fits, because General Patton was getting all the headlines, and nobody was paying attention to little 'monty', so he demanded his 'own show', and got it. And it was a disaster.

[@joeywheelerii9136]

​@@dioghaltasfoirneartach7258Yeah but at least he didn't butt his head fruitlessly against the Hurtgen for months. Hurtgen basically cleaned out multiple veteran divisions similar to Peleliu.

[@dioghaltasfoirneartach7258]

@joeywheelerii9136 Because the brits didn't have it in them, to take the tough fights. Both on the ground and in the air. The brits...👎

[@joeywheelerii9136]

@dioghaltasfoirneartach7258 Hurtgen was useless tho. The only reason we were able to pass through in Feb 45 was because the German army had started to collapse

[@apanapandottir205]

After reading the book I appreciate Joseph Mazzello's performance so much more. Alot of what is described with words in the book is right there on his face in scenes like the fighting at the pillbox. Sometimes things that take up a page in the book goes by in the series with just a look or a facial expression. Amazing acting across the board in this.

[@emil87th]

Crazy that the kid from Jurassic Park stole the entire show, I mean the acting is excellent across the board but Mazzelo's performance really knocked it out of the park. I must admit the first time I watched the series in the first few episodes I didn't really like having him as a main character, but man did he prove me wrong.

[@branden3785]

@@emil87th Couldn't agree more...I had a similar experience. When I saw him, I thought he would be so distracting, being the Jurassic Park kid in all...but as you said, he absolutely nailed it.

[@recoil2952]

12:08 acutely that is the best question in my opinion. Dealing with it day to day and being okay with it when its over. Or shutting all the dwelling and emotions away while in combat and dealing with it later in life. Very good question. And thanks for recognizing that.

[@douglasiles2024]

Capt Andrew Haldane was killed 3 days before his unit came off the line to depart the island. He is interred in eternal glory at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 12, grave 5367.

[@catherinelw9365]

I send flowers to his grave every Memorial Day. RIP, Captain Haldane, and thank you. ❤🙏

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

Right before the part of Sledge and his guys having the 1st Marines pass by them, if you notice, the planes all have their landing gear down. That's because they were coming from the airfield and the distance was so close that there was no point in raising the gear because by the time they would've got up, they'd need to be put down again. So pilots would just leave their gear down. It's the little details like that that make shows like this great. That "ash" you were talking about is the coral as it gets blown into tiny pieces. Places like Pavuvu were the backbone of the drive through the Pacific. Areas that were secured and then turned into supply depots and rest areas that units being rotated off the line could head back to and give the men something of a place to rest, relax, and try to get their heads back on straight before moving onto wherever they needed to go next without having to go as far as Australia or the US. Without them, we would've lost a lot more men to fatigue and such. Speaking of R&R... Fun fact: Ice Cream became popular due to the hole left by the banning of alcohol, ice cream parlors becoming the go to place for socialization that bars once served. Obviously, ice cream is very tasty so even when alcohol was unbanned, they retained much of their popularity. Large ships like carriers and battleships often carried their own facilities for making ice cream, with carriers often offering extra rations of ice cream as a reward for the return of pilots that destroyers and cruisers, who didn't have the facilities to make their own, had picked up after being downed. The US even went so far as to make large specially designed barges whose only job was to make ice cream. The recipe for WW2 military ice cream can still be found online and you can make it yourself at home, though you do need to downsize the ingredient list since the proportions are meant for huge batches meant for dozens of people.

[@mikealvarez2322]

I don't know what battle the old sarge had been through but if he was in WW1 then he probably saw action at Bella Woods, which was extremely bloody. The cumulative effects of all the battles and watching young men die finally led to his mind snapping.

[@McBrannon1000]

Gunny was a Plank, meaning during WW1 he had a desk job. WW2 was his first actual combat.

[@calemorgan3982]

Eugene said when he asked an old breed vet what he thought of the fighting on Pelelui.. The vet simply replied. " I ain't never seen nothing like it. The worst I've ever been through." It was that moment Eugene realized he lived through a horrible battle and felt as tho he passed the first test and was now a vet.

[@penasjable]

​@@McBrannon1000 Gunny had actually seen combat in the Banana Wars between WWI and WWII

[@johannesvalterdivizzini1523]

Belleau Wood, not "Bella", and no, Gunny Haney wasn't in combat during WWI. The War ended before he could be sent. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmo_M._Haney#Military_career

[@joeywheelerii9136]

​@@McBrannon1000He enlisted in Mid July 1918. By the time he was getting ready to ship out the War was over.

[@predatorjunglehunter7332]

This is probably my favorite episode of this series alongside episode 5, especially that last scene in the beach of Pavuvu, so peaceful, yet, it shows us such a different contrast with the last time a naive Eugene was there, asking his best friend Sydney Phillip what the war was like

[@CdnTrader1]

Limited strategic value. 2000 dead Americans. 12,000 dead Japanese. Only 360 prisoners surrendered. It was battles like Peleliu that colored US thinking in using nuclear weapons versus the cost of taking the entire island of Japan.

[@Anon54387]

Another thing that was pushed by MacArthur. MacArthur was greatly overrated. His refusal to fall back to the narrow part of that peninsula earlier in the war was a huge mistake, he had them fight where they were stretched too thin to counter the Japanese, and by the time he ordered them to fall back they were stretched just as thin at the narrow point. He should have done that initially. That's pretty basic, and he got that wrong.

[@philipcoggins9512]

@@Anon54387 Actually, it was MacArthur and Halsey who were against the taking of Peleliu. The assault came at the behest of both King and Nimitz. MacArthur was a lot of things, one of them being the most over-rated US General, but to lay this operation at his feet is an outright lie.

[@CdnTrader1]

@@Anon54387 other than Inchon, MacArthur was a terrible strategic commander. He answered only to his ego.

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

Iwo Jima too. Iwo Jima could have been sidestepped.

[@palermotrapani9067]

@@ericsierra-franco7802 I always thought Iwo Jima and its air strips saved a many of B-29 crews who never would have made it to Saipan. I think the B-29 crews saved > than the Marines lost due to the Invasion of Iwo.

[@adambydand1214]

[17:09] Not only were they losing so many men, they were losing the men that were the glue of their chain of command, the ones the men looked up to for wisdom and motivation. Gunnery Sergeant Haney out on "Combat Stress", 1st Lieutenant Eddie Jones, then finally the Company Commander, Captain Andrew "Ack-Ack" Haldane. That level of loss can be catastrophic to morale and the combat effectiveness of the unit.

[@ArmatekAutomation]

I very much like watching your reactions to The Pacific. We can see and feel that you have a big heart. ❤

[@harveyrabenold7344]

There were Japanese still hiding in those caves after the war ended. Some of them came out and starting fighting again in 1947.

[@stevencass8849]

I think the last of them was finally found in the 1970’s.

[@harveyrabenold7344]

@@stevencass8849 1974 in the Philipines and Guam

[@stevencass8849]

@@harveyrabenold7344 Didn’t they have to find his old officer to convince him too?

[@harveyrabenold7344]

@@stevencass8849 They had to bring in his former commanding officer to order him to surrender.

[@Ajaws]

Seeing Gunny Haney go down was brutal, he was the “Old Breed” who had already seen a world war, more experienced and seasoned than everybody “Ack Ack” Haldane was an officer but a born marine, knew what he was doing and his death was probably the most upsetting thing in the series

[@marcwright8395]

Dude, this was a brutal series, BoB has such rewatch value, the viewings of this show will be few and far between, just Brutal

[@casualgerm]

Brutal is putting it lightly. I seen a reaction channel stop reacting to The Pacific because the scenes were too gruesome for the KZbinr to watch.

[@marcwright8395]

@@casualgerm I've watched the documentary about the marines in the Pacific, it includes interviews with the real slege and other soldiers from the miniseries, incredible story of survival in the worst conditions imaginable

[@marcwright8395]

@@casualgerm kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3ekgGmpgr9_p5Isi=QRvO76ydUObG5cId

[@KevinThomas-ok2ev]

It’s important to understand that WWII wasn’t a war, but actually several distinctly different wars being fought simultaneously. And each had very, very different natures. Our fight in the ETO was tough, but we had a great deal in common with the Germans and Italians we were fighting. Our cultures weren’t that different, similar (and identical in some instances) religions, values and so on. Our war in the Pacific was much, much more brutal. No quarter asked or given by the Japanese, and we responded in kind. The war between the Axis and the Soviets on the Russian front was a war of extermination, fought with all the bitterness and hatred one could possibly imagine. Very different natures depending on what area and time frame you’re talking about. Your comparison of Easy Company’s experience in Europe, as opposed to what Bob, Sledge and SNAFU saw and did in the Pacific highlights these differences beautifully.

[@marcwright8395]

@@KevinThomas-ok2ev in the documentary i watched it expresses this point exactly, there's no comparison to the actual events, but in regards to the two shows being produced by the same people ( Spielberg and Hanks) it definitely has a much different feel, which of course is intentional, but more to the point, the two groups of veterans (especially directly after the war) had a hard time associating the other divisions of soldiers, such as army, or airborne regiments that fought during the same time frame they did, because their experiences were so different they just had nothing to relate to, also the marines had much higher rate of PTSD, it was difficult to find common ground other than within their own units, but yeah, no offence to this show at all, but i just really connected with BoB, i have a soft spot for it, idk why, i guess because ive watched it a bunch over the years(typically once a year in Nov for Remembrance Day here in Canada, or if im bored between other shows, lol) ive also read the book its based on by Dick Winters Beyond Band of Brothers , but other thing that made it really cool, was all the actors showed up to an old Air Base that was converted into a World War II training camp, and they all went through a reduced basic training together, the actors literally showed up, the producers took all their cell phones and belongings and gave them the actual gear and put them in actual barracks for like six weeks trained them in hand to hand combat, tactical manoeuvres, as well as morter, weapons and explosive training, and parachute jumping , etc

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

Great reaction! Maybe the most intense episode of the series. For me, the single most brutal scene in the entire series is when they attack the Japanese bunker and the Japanese are streaming out on fire and yelling and the Marines are cutting them down and Snafu is shouting "just fucking die!" as he unloads his Tommy Gun on them. This is easily one of the most brutal depictions of combat ever in a film or TV show. Powerful stuff!

[@dioghaltasfoirneartach7258]

Episodes 8 and 9...

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

@@dioghaltasfoirneartach7258 I don't think they're as powerful.

[@dioghaltasfoirneartach7258]

@@ericsierra-franco7802 Different opinions

[@catherinelw9365]

@@ericsierra-franco7802 9 is the worst. Civilians...

[@axelblack7950]

@@ericsierra-franco7802the 9 is the most brutal episode Baby being blowing up .. civilians killed by line fire Corpse with maggots everywhere Even in his book Okinawa is the most brutal chapter

[@markbolt3029]

People your age need to see this! It''ll give you appreciation for the sacrifices that were made by the "greatest generation". We live in the easiest time in American history right now. We have it so good here in the US that we make up stupid BS to complain about.

[@jkramer302]

Even the people fighting in it didnt like any of it either. Greatest generation for a reason.

[@danharris5999]

You hear this a lot about that generation, but I think some credit has to go to the parents of that generation. As the saying goes, they raised them right.

[@daddynitro199]

I think it’s really interesting that they bookended Sledge’s experience on Peleliu with time spent on that beach. From discussing the experience of war with his friend Sidney and the Marine insignia to sitting on the beach with the insignia Sid gave him, now knowing the experience of war. This series is definitely difficult, but there are days where I need the emotional release of episodes 4-7. Keep up the great work!

[@johannesvalterdivizzini1523]

The whole idea behind Island Hopping was to leapfrog over the islands on the way to Japan, bypassing the ones which were heavily fortified. Peleliu was an unnecessary risk. It was chosen as a target island under the idea that the airfields were needed to hit Japan and support operations on Okinawa, but other island bases were either already established or would soon be (at Ulithi Atoll, for example) at much less cost.

[@James-zg2nl]

You have really great grasp of the mental struggles of warriors, from your comments on John stuck on the bond drive to Eugene’s struggles. War brings out the very worst of humanity, while at the same time brings out the very best of us, but ultimately leaves no one without a wound. As one Canadian Great War veteran put it “no one would recognize them when they got home, they were forever strangers unto themselves”. No soul can truly survive war, we are left forever casualties, to varying degrees.

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

Ack Ack was their version of Winters. Imagine that happening and that's how they felt. The Pacific Theater was not a blessed place.

[@Highfalutinloyd]

According to Sledge’s book, Haney (the old sergeant) took himself off the front line after a few days of combat because he physically couldn’t take it. He was 46 at the time which is damn near elderly by combat soldier (or Marine) standards, and had fought at Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, and Talasea. However, from what I gleaned from Sledge’s book, he did stay on Peleliu until the end of the battle and would go on combat patrols, he just wasn’t on the line all the time. After Peleliu he finally was transferred back to the States.

[@mindbreaking]

Your watching/review of military movies is amazing. Another must watch is "We Were Soldiers" 2002.

[@angieday5183]

Captain Haldane was highly respected by the whole company. In his book, Eugene said it was the lowest part of the war. Captain Haldane was their emotional protector

[@catherinelw9365]

Eugene wrote that he was fatherly towards them, although he was a young man, not even 30.

[@edm240b9]

15:44 this event did happen in real life. Jay De’Leau was trying to relieve himself when a Japanese soldier charged at him. Unfortunately, the firing pin in Jay’s M1 Carbine was broken, so the gun couldn’t fire anymore. However, while this event is played out more as a comedic moment in the series, they left out a dark fact. In reality, an unnamed Marine with a Browning Automatic Rifle (B.A.R.) shot the Japanese soldier, not Snafu with a Thompson. When asked why he waited so long, the BAR gunner said he wanted to see if he could cut down the Japanese soldier in half, and he did succeed.

[@jmwilliamsart]

I like it when Eugene gives that annoying officer that death stare, it was enough to get him to shut up. He doesn’t know what Eugene and his comrades have been through, he doesn’t have the right to even talk to him.

[@johnsisk2858]

My late Father had served at Tarawa and survived but was later wounded on Okinawa. He very rarely spoke about the war and he loathed war movies and John Wayne.

[@jeffsherk7056]

I am grateful to you for your empathy. I usually watch these shows and read books about the Pacific Theater of Operations without feeling much empathy myself.

[@Carln0130]

The terrain on Peleliu was Coral predominantly with hills filled with caves. Iwo Jima was very similar to Peleliu, but even worse. The Marine casualties exceeded Japanese losses for the first time in the war there. The Marine losses were KIA and Wounded, with most being wounded. The Japanese losses on the other hand were almost 100% dead. They didn't say these men were from the "Greatest Generation" for nothing. They lived through the Great Depression, WW2. Tough, tough people. The worst part of Peleliu is that they didn't even use that airfield. It turned out that they didn't even need the place.

[@Shadow_Wolf3490]

One thing this show does well is showing how savage the fighting in the Pacific truly got as the war progressed. And how much hatred the Japanese and American Marines had for one another.

[@catherinelw9365]

The US Army held no love for the Japanese either.

[@lowkeygames2274]

The gist of the Battle of Peleliu is that it was a large, elaborate coral formation with an airfield on it. The Marines had to clear out every crack and crevice, the Japanese fought ferociously over every inch of ground

[@guymelton1094]

Tuff watch, I couldn’t imagine what are American troops went through, in any form of combat😢thanks for sharing 😊👍✌️🇺🇸

[@doctor8342]

10:44 My grandfather had 3 swords two were war time mass produced, one was from the 1600's my uncle has it. I got a couple Arisaka rifles my grandfather brought back.

[@Steelrain322]

Eugene didn’t accidentally kill his own guy

[@anthonyp9562]

The part at 8:48 Eugene describes in his book as peaking in the pillbox and coming eye-to-eye with a Japanese soldier and his machine gun. They made eye contact and the only thing that kept him from getting his head blown off was he reacted faster than the Japanese soldier. Afterwards he was chastising himself for being so stupid and careless, but at that point they were so malnourished, dehydrated, exhausted and under such consistent stress that he had a lapse in judgment.

[@broseidongodofthebrocean8931]

I remember reading Eugene's memoir and him talking with Gunney Haney, with Gunny saying that Peleliu was one of the worst battles he had ever been through. This just shows how terrible of a battle Peleliu was as Haney was a WWI veteran and had seen the horrors of The Great War.

[@nomarvillegas2694]

One thing you learn from watching the Pacific(which still pales in comparison to what wasn’t shown in a 10 episode series) was that this show isn’t like another war movie. You feel that eventually things will get better upon your first watch, that certain marines will make it. Reality check was that it didn’t get better, it just kept getting worse & worse as the show went on…just a small slice to show us of what they went through. Literal hell.

[@ericniner1828]

I like your reactions because you are inciteful and can empathize with the responsibilities of only men are asked to do. Thank you!

[@thecocktailian2091]

When Gunny breaks, one must think youre done. When the captain dies, how can there be any fight left? All you have left is the guy on either side of you. No one comes back from that right. No human should be put through that.

[@barte3822]

Great Reaction Ames, I am genuinely surprised you didn't make a comment about the skippers' death. When they pulled a blanket over top of him. It may have been a blanket his father made. Also, Gunny handed Eugene the lighter, symbolizing the passing of the torch. ✌️❤️

[@catherinelw9365]

Yeah, I was a bit disappointed by her lack of reaction to that. Puzzling.

[@Cratevoodoo]

It hasn't even started on my screen yet but damn girl, just gotta say "Thanks for fighting through it!" I know, judging by how slowly THESE ones came out, this was a tough watch for you. I *salute* appreciate your dedication to your craft.

[@JAYBUSH420]

Hello from New Zealand, just wanted to say we appreciate the time you take to make these videos. Keep up the great work 👍 We also notice the emotional moments you go through. In my native language we say ( Aroha mai ) it's a way of saying love or sorrow.

[@holddowna]

Thank u soo much for watching! Thank u so much for ur comment ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@bigchills7194]

So glad I found this channel! It's like watching movies with a best friend! 😊

[@TRWilley]

In the Sledge's book "With The Old Breed," which most of the accounts that make up Eugene's scenes are based on, it was not Snafu that was throwing the pebbles, or that told Eugene to not take the teeth, but it makes sense for the story telling to combine different people into one character. It was actually one of the corpsman/medics that stopped Eugene from taking the teeth, and just like in the show it was because he did not want to see him lose any more of his humanity. Another point- the island was made up of coral rock with very little soil, so it was impossible to bury the bodies - in the book Sledge said the flies got so fat that they could barely fly. They had a similar yet opposite problem when the got to Okinawa (spolier alert,) where they could bury the bodies, but it rained so hard and so much that it would wash away the soil and expose the dead.

[@TW1231235]

You are such a SWEETHEART! When you watch Band of Brothers, and this, your reactions just melt me. I just wanna hug ya!

[@krazykraut627]

Generation war German band of brothers is definitely worth the watch

[@tripsaplenty1227]

I don't know, that show definitely has "it wasn't me, I was only following orders" kind of vibes.

[@krazykraut627]

@@tripsaplenty1227 every war movie/show ha a everybody was "just fallowing orders" vibe lol

[@tripsaplenty1227]

@@krazykraut627 See "Nuremberg Defense" Even the outright war criminal, Friedhelm, was given a hero's death.

[@kllk12ful]

Technically Generation War reminded me more of the Pacific than it did Band of Brothers then again the War on the Eastern Front was a completely different animal to both the Pacific theater and the Western front the war on the Eastern Front was a essentially a war of annihilation

[@wattsnottaken1]

With the old breed at Peleliu and Okinawa is such a good book. I’ve listened to it many times. Can’t find the full helmet for my pillow though

[@brettpeacock9116]

I hope you noticed that the plane that flew over at 5.20 had the undercarriage (Wheels) down. This was because they were either based on an offshore carrier or on that airfiled. The target they were bombing were so close that raising the wheels was essentially pointles, and they'd return to their base to rearm within 5 to 7 minutes. On Peleliu this was "normal" as the Carriers were only abou 1-3 miles offshore with their escorts, and the Airfield was literally within 1-2 miles of the hills...

[@craigr.3135]

i just finished reading E.B. Sledge"s book and boy what a read. completely sincere and straight horror of war. worth a read if anyone wants to understand the truth of war in the Pacific

[@SJersey2SFlorida]

I hope I don't pass of old age before your reactions to the last 3 episodes drop on KZbin 🥺 Love your reactions 💜

[@Frangus_]

Sledge kept notes of what happened in his bible and its those notes that would become his memoir With the Old Breed which is part of what formed The Pacific miniseries.

[@void870]

Eugene Sledge's book "With the Old Breed" was very brutal with the detail he described. The show only went into a fraction of how bad it really was. It was written that way, because Eugene didn't intend to publish it, he wrote it for his family to read and understand why he was the way he was. It was also a form of therapy for him to write it, by confronting his memories and coming to terms with them. He ended up publishing it, after some persuasion from his family.

[@Rob-eo5ql]

Years later, even into old age, the men said Ack Ack’s death still wrecked them.

[@catherinelw9365]

Yes, Eugene said it was the most grief he suffered in the war.

[@mnemonic1363]

YESSS! Been waiting for this for soo long it seems like 😩

[@sosaboi1352]

You see we were so foreign to the land that the Islands and people seemed way more Alien than it did in Europe where things were somewhat relatable but the culture difference in The Pacific was a lot harder for our guys that had come from Kansas farms and NYC apartments into the Jungle

[@wyattmann8157]

The Things Our Fathers Saw…

[@thax321]

With regard to the 'Germs'. It was actually the company doctor who persuaded Sledge to not take the gold. Seeing how Sledge was becoming brutalized by the horror he had been through, the company doc. made up with an excuse so Sledge wouldnt take the next 'step' as it were (in brutalization) and refrain from cutting out the golden fills from a Japanese corpse. Telling Sledge there were bad germs going around and he would be at risk of getting sick when he cut up the Japanese dead. I can highly recommend reading Eugenes book 'With the old breed on Peleliu and Okinawa'.

[@mrhorrorgaming6909]

Eugene said in an interview that peleliu was like taking a scorpion and a spider and sticking them in a bottle and shaking it up. The 2 best troops from each country on a little tiny island was a perfect storm for the slaughter it was. Also eugene didn't kill any American. It was another soldier who committed the friendly fire

[@innercircle341]

bless you. This is tough. Too tough for me to go through again

[@kevinotoole2285]

Eugene’s company landed on Pelelui w 235 men they took 64% casualties if I remember correctly only 2 or 3 officers lived and of the 235 something like 84 came off. My grandfathers company who was with 7th Marines went on with 244 I think and 63 came off including my grandfather and great father who was his platoon sergeant.

[@r.b.ratieta6111]

When asked about how he came up with the idea of Orcs for The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien mentioned in an interview that everyone turns into Orcs during their time in combat. Referring to his time in WW1, he said (paraphrased): "Men who were once pleasant and sophisticated became heartless, ravenous beasts, concerned only with their own survival." Episodes 7 and 9 are a good representation of that, IMO. Good news is you've made it through 1 of the 2 most graphic episodes. Episode 8 is a brief respite and then Episode 9 returns to the brutality. In regards to Eugene's journaling, those little entries he made are what became his book "With The Old Breed", from which these episodes are based. It's actually kinda touching how the book came about: Eugene had horrible nightmares every night after the war. His wife eventually became aware that he had kept his notes from the war. She suggested, as a form of therapy, that he write a compendium in the form of a memoir. Eugene was very reluctant, but eventually gave it a try. He found that writing the memories down helped soothe his soul and come to terms with things. He finished the memoir. His family then wanted him to make copies for other family members. Eugene was again reluctant, but went along with it. Then, his eldest son, who was nearing his 40s by the time this all happened, told Eugene, "Dad, you have a very rare glimpse of history that no one else has never published. You should publish this, because you so accurately describe the horrors of combat and the human psyche in a way that's never been recorded. People need to see how terrible war can really be so we can hopefully avoid it unless absolutely necessary." Again, Eugene was very reluctant, and took some time considering it. But he eventually went with it, and to his surprise, it became a bestseller AND an official part of the Commandant's Reading List for the United States Marine Corps. General "Mad Dog" Mattis made it required reading for young Marines during his time as USMC Commander so they could understand the true horrors of what lay in store in combat. Literally half this miniseries is possible thanks to Eugene's book. Sorry for the novel, but I thought you might like to know that.

[@havok6280]

The Navy often names amphibious assault ships after famous battles. My dad's first ship was the Saipan. I served on the Belleau Wood and the Tarawa.

[@shanej6798]

I’ve been binge watching this channel all day today. Loved the Band of Brothers reactions. I would love to see a reaction video to The Lone Survivor if you haven’t seen it.

[@JensMyers-v7c]

I'm sure others have said so, but we didn't take every Japanese held island. Those too tough to take, which could be bypassed were bombed and shelled into impotence, and cut off from reinforcements and supplies, and left to rot.

[@jakesanchez7235]

My mind can’t fathom the hell those boys/men they faced in the pacific. Fighting in a small, foreign island most likely never to be seen again compared to the guys who fought in Europe. They had to fight in a place that was hot, humid, gross, and just overall an enemy who legit hated each other compared Germans fighting the Americans in the western front. The Japanese fighting till the last man while the Germans at least surrendered in mass like in that one episode that follows Webster in band of brothers. The same blanket that Haldane talked about his father made back at home is the same blanket that they covered up his dead body when after eugene looks at him. It’s nice to think about his father had something to due with the blanket they used.

[@woeshaling6421]

you are correct about the conditions. I would only add that what made it into a completely inhumane mess was the racist propaganda, on both sides. The Japanese dehumanized the GI's as r*pist gorilla's and the US portrayed the Japanese as backstabbing ruthless monkeys. The hate was state sponsored and I don't think either would confront that today. BTW the term is "en masse" from the french, it means in a mass so in reading means the same

[@catherinelw9365]

@@woeshaling6421 Well, to be fair, the Japanese WERE backstabbing. Literally.

[@crazychase98]

The us millitery coveted up at of the bad stuff that went down in the pasfic until recently. The Japanese where far worse then anything the Germans did in all actuality. Including the death camps the Japanese had

[@gaigebessey2507]

The guy that played Gunney Haney did such a awesome job seeing a man like that just defeated is so heart breaking

[@crispy_338]

I was shot in the side by accident. Granted it was only a .22LR so not very big at all but it was still awful. At first it was like someone lightly punched my in the side and then I felt it burn all the way in. Punctured my large intestine. The internal pain was worse than anything. Not fun, would not recommend.

[@KyzylReap]

My father was a Seabee attached to the 2nd Marines at Saipan. He never talked about it.

[@michaelstach5744]

The Sea Bee wants a sword. Would pay good money for it. The incidents at the bunker and in the cave show what it would take to get one.

[@thetr00per30]

Hang in there, it still gets harder yet.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

2:30 I think Eugene is noting down the days. Episode 8 in two years from now on KZbin! For sure! 14:02 yep, comments pointed out thats Gunnery Sergeant Gunny Haney mourning Lt. Eddie, second in command of the unit. Loss of Captain Haldane: biggest loss and hit to morale! To reiterate below, no, 21:00 Eugene did NOT shoot and kill one of his own guys, whether accidentally or not. The perspective is from a different angle, different individual.

[@thomasparker8449]

great review as always!

[@EthanDarke]

Yes! Another Pacific react. I was starting to worry that you'd abandoned the series

[@Anon54387]

Basilone golfing in the dark was the inspiration for The Legend of Bagger Vance

[@daveheesen9174]

I think Pelelu was the island where they coined the term "corkscrew and blowtorch " method of combat...insane

[@lawrenceallen8096]

So, what do you say? Why was Sledge angry about the nurses being there at the end? I say he was enraged that the purity that those women represented to him, being brought right to the edge of hell with all its filth, degradation, etc. was more than Sledge could bear. His expression says to me: "How dare you bring these women to this filthy cesspool!!!" What do you think?

[@Anon54387]

He wasn't angry about the nurses. He was angry about the guy ordering him to move on when he'd never seen combat (note his brand new spotlessly clean uniform) and probably fresh from one of the military academies.

[@lawrenceallen8096]

@@Anon54387 Watch it again. From when he and SNAFU first see them. Sledge is NOT happy with those women being there. And yes, he gives a killer look to the soldier who thinks Sledge is just ogling them out of lust.

[@johndetlie7853]

From Sledge's book: "There I saw--of all things--an American Red Cross girl. She was serving grapefruit juice in small paper cups ... But together with several other men, I went over to the table where the young lady handed me a cup of juice, smiled, and said she hoped I liked it. I looked at her with confusion as I took the cup and thanked her. My mind was so benumbed by the shock and violence of Peleliu that the presence of an American girl on Pavuvu seemed totally out of context. I was bewildered. "What the hell is she doing here?" I thought. "She's got no more business here than some damn politician." As we filed past to board trucks, I resented her deeply." So yeah, he didn't think she belonged there and he was mad that she was on the island.

[@catherinelw9365]

@@Anon54387 He was angry about the nurses. In his combat memoir, he felt they had no business there, any more than a politician.

[@augustuswayne9676]

Eugene Sledge was from Alabama 🇺🇸 .

[@Anon54387]

I think Eugene was tallying the days. I don't think there'd be any way to accurately keep track of how many men were lost.

[@kllk12ful]

I always viewed this episode as the Pacific's version of The Breaking Point for K Company both Hillbilly and Ack Ack killed and Haney's breakdown was brutal to watch

[@samson9535]

Navy pilots flew so low over the island they could smell death/decaying flesh in their cockpits.

[@BouillaBased]

"I feel that journaling would be so, so helpful." And it would be so, so outlawed. Everything you wrote down would be potential intelligence for the Japanese who looted it from you, so anything like that would be forbidden for the sake of operational security.

[@douglasiles2024]

Which is why Sledge kept his notes in the pocket New Testament that he carried with him, so that it wouldn't draw attention from any of his superiors.

[@dom3267]

E.B. Sledge’s book goes in detail. Snafu told him “no” because he wanted him to keep himself and not lose himself

[@7y2oN]

Reactions like this are stark reminders of why it’s men who fight wars.

[@Anon54387]

Indeed. I see women reacting to this and Band of Brothers and almost always they are in tears despite the fact they aren't in that situation actually having to deal with the fear, adrenalin, hunger, heat, humidity, brutal cold, uncertainty and stress of it all.