[DADoser]

What did anyone think of last nights intro episode?

I taped it, but watched parts (will watch it later - in full - when I can give it my full attention).

One part I saw (or thought I saw) - A Hispanic or Mexican-American who was in a Marine Raider unit. Did I see that right?

I wonder what that means from this previous Model Hangar discussion:
http://themodelhangar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3428

Was that individual added AFTER the protests or was he always there and the protestors just weren't shown the whole thing?

Anyone know "the scoop?"

[mikeb1958]

I watched it last night and thought it was pretty good. Tonight's episode is about "North Africa".
A few montha ago here in Orlando, the Puerto Rican community was "up in arms" about this Ken Burns' newest film, because the film didn't include the Puerto Ricans in WWII. Jezz...... It's his movie and he can include (or not include) anyone he wants. If you don't like it or your too PC, raise the cash and make your own movie or version. Quit your crying.

[tank nut]

I seen some of it and what I seen I liked, but then I like shows like this anyway

[timbo]

I saw it and thought it was very well done. The only thing I didn't realy like is the fact that it starts in 1941 - From my point of view that 2 years too late. It relay didn;t cover in any depth the road to war and america getting sucked in deeper and deeper.

The Latino bit at the end was like a mini documentry that looked like it had been tacked on to the end of the original program. It was a very interesting story, but really didn't cover any new ground, and also didn't fit into the story arc that KB is try to tell of following the lives of the 4 towns and the resedents going off to war as well as the residents left at home.

Have set the TIVO up to get all of this, as there is no way I will be able to watch 15 hours live.

[timbo]

There was a local interview with Ken Burns on PBS here after the episode, and a few of the tings that he said were scary. One of the things that he said had made him visit this subject was that a hight proportion of current graduating high school students thought that the US had fought with Germany against the Soviet union. If true that is scary.

I know for a fact that my kids no very little about it than I did at that age. It's even more distant for them than it was for me. Growing up I had plenty of old soldiers round that has experienced this, and it had only stopped 30 years ago. Now that's 60 years and these guys will very soon not be here. I think it's very hard for them to relate to something like this when it happened a lifetime away.

The other thing he completely slagged off (and I agree with him) was the current cult fascination that the History Channel and books have with everything Nazi.

[Gunner]

Originally Posted by timbo

I know for a fact that my kids no very little about it than I did at that age. It's even more distant for them than it was for me.

Remember, that for a college freshman today (born in 1989 or 1990), World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam all happened before they were born and even Desert Shield/Desert Storm happened while they were still literally in a cradle. Those events just don't have the emotional impact for them that they had for us or our parents.

[timbo]

Originally Posted by Gunner

Remember, that for a college freshman today (born in 1989 or 1990), World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam all happened before they were born and even Desert Shield/Desert Storm happened while they were still literally in a cradle. Those events just don't have the emotional impact for them that they had for us or our parents.

Exactly my point, but all thouse happened before I was born as well being a child of the 60's, but they were still fresh in my parents and grandparents memories. These living links are now dying out. Vietnam realy didn't have any focus for me as thr UK wasn't involved.

The first big war that happened for me (the Falklands) is now 25 years ago - That's scary (for me!). My kids have no hope of understanding or even caring about that event, esp as they a grwoing up in a different country and culture.

[Epapazian]

Originally Posted by timbo

There was a local interview with Ken Burns on PBS here after the episode, and a few of the tings that he said were scary. One of the things that he said had made him visit this subject was that a hight proportion of current graduating high school students thought that the US had fought with Germany against the Soviet union. If true that is scary.

I know for a fact that my kids no very little about it than I did at that age. It's even more distant for them than it was for me. Growing up I had plenty of old soldiers round that has experienced this, and it had only stopped 30 years ago. Now that's 60 years and these guys will very soon not be here. I think it's very hard for them to relate to something like this when it happened a lifetime away.

The other thing he completely slagged off (and I agree with him) was the current cult fascination that the History Channel and books have with everything Nazi.

Regarding our high schoolers' knowledge of history, it's not confined to HS. About twenty years ago I quizzed my younger brother--a recent college grad--- about who we fought in WWII. His answer, which was sort of a guess, was Russia and China. No wonder so many of our younger "leaders" are clueless. Look at the great educations they received at our institutions of higher learning. Oh no! I hope I haven't stirred up another "does the UK need super carriers"-style debate.

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by DADoser

What did anyone think of last nights intro episode?

Was that individual added AFTER the protests or was he always there and the protestors just weren't shown the whole thing?

Anyone know "the scoop?"

It was quite obviously tacked on after the fact. Having said that, I thought that part was better than most of the original production.

The Bataan Death March was well done, but most everything else has been done before, and sometimes better. Anytime he goes beyond the individual stories into general history, it seems to fall short of World at War or Victory at Sea. I know that it's not his intent to do a general history, but my take is that The War is no The Civil War. I'm hoping that once his "characters" move more to the forefront, it will be a bit more engaging, but not mentioning Coral Sea or the Doolittle Raid and not even noting the strategic significance of Pearl Harbor and Midway a'la carriers in a 2.5 hour program devoted to America's first year at war strikes me as a bit off the mark. I also didn't like the teen-age girl from Mobile being the primary reference for the strategic implications of the Pacific War. Sure, he can't cover everything, but if you go by how he weights things, Guadalcanal was more than ten times more important than Midway (going by the time he devoted to the topics).

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

Regarding our high schoolers' knowledge of history, it's not confined to HS. About twenty years ago I quizzed my younger brother--a recent college grad--- about who we fought in WWII. His answer, which was sort of a guess, was Russia and China. No wonder so many of our younger "leaders" are clueless. Look at the great educations they received at our institutions of higher learning. Oh no! I hope I haven't stirred up another "does the UK need super carriers"-style debate.

I can send my four year old daughter over to set him straight.