A whinge from Downunder about all the BS

Here goes-let me know your thoughts

*Firstly-the idea about a memorial to the Jap fliers killed at Pearl Harbor, right near where their target, the once-proud USS Arizona, still gushes oil, is ABSURD.The suffering inflicted upon the US can only be compared to teh cowardly attacks of September 11th. I know we should encourage reconciliation-but a memorial is too far

*THE THIN RED LINE-this movie portrays soldiers of the US ARMY!!!! The 7 month battle for Guadalcanal was a proud battle honour of the USMC!!!!!! Please explain

*Pearl Harbor-personally-i loved the movie!!! However, take a look at several scenes and tell me their validity:-
* Captain Mervyn S Bennion dies almost immediately after being hit on in the control room of the USS West Virginia. Now in real life-he was rushed from the bridge still directing his gunners' fire and then died after being physically MOVED by Doris Miller and several other sailors, he didnt die in Dorie's arms!!!
* Dorie Miller takes charge of a .50 caliber MG, watch how cumbersome it is to turn around, instead we would have been firing all over the topside of teh nearest vessel, clearly shown to be maybe justa ships-width apart, which if im not mistaken would be the USS Tennessee-however the ship shown looks like a merchantman!!!!

* And, the toning down of the Japanese was done at a time when US-Asiatic relations werent so strong. It is for this reason that teh Japanese are shown as humane.

* And lastly gentlemen, isnt it practice to cast actors taht look like their real life portrayals-ie-Doolittle-Alec Baldwin??????

Im going to take a breather now

 

A memorial for a former adversary? I can't imagine there ever being a monument for a German soldier or unit here in Holland. I think there is a memorial commemorating the battle of Georgian Werhmacht soldiers that muted, killed their German officers and tried to end their war in Arpil, '45 on the Dutch Island of Texel. But a memorial for a individual German soldier/unit is something that will not happen here.

I understand and applaud the idea of reconciliation and I truly think our nations should work towards that aim (and history has shown that isn't easy). In this case I like to look at the several reunions I have been invited to these last few years where US/Allied veterans met their (former) German adversaries. Their relationships have turned into friendships in many instances. They fought eachother to the death 57 years ago. Now some of them come together, came to accept the past and eachother and became friends.

They led by example then, they lead by example now.

Of course not all veterans share these sentiments, but I think there is something to be learned here.

But as far as monuments go; How much, in this case, German individuals or units deserve them for their military accomplishments, I really don't see it happen. The after taste (by lack of a better word), or possiblity of misinterpretation is still too bitter and too great.

As for the actors being cast for their looking like their real life counter part; I was surprised to see in Black Hawk Down that Mike Durant turned out to be a blue eyed blonde!

I think Pearl Harbour was indeed watered down for the Japanese market, i.e. scenes were taken out as not to offend the Japanese audiance and still keep them coming to see the movie. I saw an interview with one of the producers who stated the original cut was a bit more outspoken...

BTW I HATE "poetic License" in a movie about WW2...

[ 15 March 2002: Message edited by: Stevin Oudshoorn ]</p>

 

I totally agree with you both on this stuff. TRL bit the big one, only 5 minutes into the lousy way overlong movie.

PH could have been much better had it been more true to form.

It was "politically correct" for Disney to make the sneak-attacking japanese not look so evil--which makes me sick. Ive seen photos of cars with civilians in them that the japanese pilots purposedly strafed and or tried dropping bombs on. One such photo is in a book that was for sale at Barnes and Nobles bookstore recently. This photo showed a father and his daughter in a car that had several dozen MG bulletholes all over it and some in them as well and including bomb damage.

Tell me if the attackers were noble or not.

The memorial to the enemy pilots is BS bs bs. If they indeed do ever erect a monument to the enemy pilots--if I am ever there--I will piss on the memorial--along with a good many American and Austrailians. I will even supply the beer and sodas and wather--just to make sure enough liquid is produced for such an undertaking.

As you can tell--im a bit steamed about this.

 

Units of the 23rd Infantry Division also known as the Americal Division began to arrive in late October and did see significant action during the campaign.

 

The Thin Red Line battle in the first half of the movie was the 'Galloping Horse' position attack in January 1943.This was named after the shape of the ridgeline on maps.The 27th Regiment of the 25th US Division was involved.

The taking of the Japanese MG nests was also based on a true to life action by a Captain Charles Davis and 5 men he lead.Davis earned the MOH.

US units were consolidated into the 14th Army Corps command in January 1943 and consisted of the Americal Division.the 25th Division plus the 2nd Marine Division,replacing the 1st Marine Division withdrawn in December 1942.Guadalcanal was only solely a Marine affair for the two months August and September 1942.

 

I totally agree with Carl and Panzerknacker on the Japanese memorial stuff. It is bullcr@p and I do not see why any nation should honour the troopers that attacked it. Graveyards are a different matter, since they can hardly be offending and I generally interpret them as a warning to future invaders rather than a glorification of former attackers, but an actual memorial in form of a statue or something is absurd and would only be topped if they considered flying that rising sun flag above it...

 

Thanks Miro--I think its just one of those leftover clinton things. Also the ex-prez JUST cant stay out of the limelight cant it? now its playing the Sax at some nightclub I guess it cant get through its head that it aint the prez of the USA anylonger.

 

That seems to be the problem with all politicians I am afraid, they are drawn to publicity like maggots to a rotting fruitcake.

 

Only in this case-the maggot is a dung beetle. After all--he is what he eats

[ 24 March 2002: Message edited by: C.Evans ]</p>

 

Having been to Pearl Harbour myself, I couldnt help but notice the amount of Japanese tourists who frequent the memorial.

Perhaps this Japanese Pilot memorial is nothing more than a marketing stunt? Wouldn't surprise me at all. Japanese investors in Hawaii have been investing quite high in recent years if i am not mistaken. Erecting a memorial to the people who launched a sneak attack is garbage.

If, however, they build a memorial to remember all the humans who died (including Japanese soldiers) in the war then i'm perfectly ok with it. Putting it up in Pearl Harbour is a bit touchy though.

 

I agree--if there were going to be a war memorial for all human beings--I would be totally for it, but definately I am totally against a japanese war memorial ESPECIALLY in Pearl Harbor. I will never forgive them for that.