Tom, as a point of education, how could they have done The Pacific better? They got stuck I think because they wanted to tell the story of the Pacific war but had a problem in that no Marine division participated in all the island campaigns -some divisions were rebuilding and training new troops while other divisions landed on the next i…
Tom, as a point of education, how could they have done The Pacific better? They got stuck I think because they wanted to tell the story of the Pacific war but had a problem in that no Marine division participated in all the island campaigns -some divisions were rebuilding and training new troops while other divisions landed on the next island target. If they wanted to cover even just the most important campaigns, they'd have to use more than one Marine division. As it is, they had to miss Tarawa. Personally I thought many of the combat sequences in TP were the best I have ever seen, especially the airfield on Peleliu and Shuri ridge on Okinawa. It was of course episodic, and I personally didn't notice the division between Leckie's part and Sledge's. I guess I bought the premise that two guys who never met were representing different campaigns in the war. Just curious. And I worked out my motivation glitch for my project - thanks for the tip.
A story has to be unified. You don't tell two different stories in one story, unless there is a direct connection between the two.
Try this for The Pacific, adapting Robert Leckie's Helmet for my Pillow:
Ep 1 - Leckie joins the Marines, goes to Parris Island and we experience a WW2 Marine Boot Camp (Full Metal Jacket boot camp sequence on steroids). In process we meet the people we are going to the war with and learn why we like them.
Ep 2 - Leckie and friends go to the First Marine Division, where we see how poorly-equipped the Marines are with WW1 weapons, and more training. They get orders to go to New Zealand.
Ep 3 - they arrive in New Zealand and have to unload the ships themselves because of the dock workers strike. Almost as soon as they arrive, the Guadalcanal crisis begins.
Ep 4 - They then misload the ships for a combat landing and head for an unknown future. Episode ends with the landing on Guadalcanal; that night they witness the Battle of Savo Island - a terrifying "light show" and in the morning the Navy leaves. They're alone. Thank god for the Japanese rice.
Ep 5- Japanese bombing every day as Henderson Field is finished under fire. First patrols in a terrifying jungle. First fight - The Battle of the Tenaru.
Ep 6 - Battle of Edson's Ridge, aka "Bloody Ridge" - terrifying, hand-to-hand combat in the dark, fighting in small groups as the enemy pushes them back. Saved at dawn by the three Airacobras hitting the enemy.
Ep 7 - Constant rain brings a break. Things are close to the breaking point. They're ragged scarecrows. The enemy keeps landing. Admiral Halsey arrives and gives morale a shot of adrenaline.
Ep 8 - "The Bombardment" - shelled by the Japanese battleships in the most terrifying night of the campaign, everything reduced to rubble. The first Army unit arrives. Fight to hold the perimeter when General Vandegrift calls his commanders and decides that if they're defeated they will move into the jungle and fight as guerillas. They hold by the skin of their teeth.
Ep 9 - The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. The Japanese stop coming. The Army arrives to relieve the Marines.
That would certainly do it. Thanks for answer - very informative. I'll watch MOTA and take away what I like and consign the rest to the mental trash bin where all my bad ideas go to die.....
Tom, as a point of education, how could they have done The Pacific better? They got stuck I think because they wanted to tell the story of the Pacific war but had a problem in that no Marine division participated in all the island campaigns -some divisions were rebuilding and training new troops while other divisions landed on the next island target. If they wanted to cover even just the most important campaigns, they'd have to use more than one Marine division. As it is, they had to miss Tarawa. Personally I thought many of the combat sequences in TP were the best I have ever seen, especially the airfield on Peleliu and Shuri ridge on Okinawa. It was of course episodic, and I personally didn't notice the division between Leckie's part and Sledge's. I guess I bought the premise that two guys who never met were representing different campaigns in the war. Just curious. And I worked out my motivation glitch for my project - thanks for the tip.
A story has to be unified. You don't tell two different stories in one story, unless there is a direct connection between the two.
Try this for The Pacific, adapting Robert Leckie's Helmet for my Pillow:
Ep 1 - Leckie joins the Marines, goes to Parris Island and we experience a WW2 Marine Boot Camp (Full Metal Jacket boot camp sequence on steroids). In process we meet the people we are going to the war with and learn why we like them.
Ep 2 - Leckie and friends go to the First Marine Division, where we see how poorly-equipped the Marines are with WW1 weapons, and more training. They get orders to go to New Zealand.
Ep 3 - they arrive in New Zealand and have to unload the ships themselves because of the dock workers strike. Almost as soon as they arrive, the Guadalcanal crisis begins.
Ep 4 - They then misload the ships for a combat landing and head for an unknown future. Episode ends with the landing on Guadalcanal; that night they witness the Battle of Savo Island - a terrifying "light show" and in the morning the Navy leaves. They're alone. Thank god for the Japanese rice.
Ep 5- Japanese bombing every day as Henderson Field is finished under fire. First patrols in a terrifying jungle. First fight - The Battle of the Tenaru.
Ep 6 - Battle of Edson's Ridge, aka "Bloody Ridge" - terrifying, hand-to-hand combat in the dark, fighting in small groups as the enemy pushes them back. Saved at dawn by the three Airacobras hitting the enemy.
Ep 7 - Constant rain brings a break. Things are close to the breaking point. They're ragged scarecrows. The enemy keeps landing. Admiral Halsey arrives and gives morale a shot of adrenaline.
Ep 8 - "The Bombardment" - shelled by the Japanese battleships in the most terrifying night of the campaign, everything reduced to rubble. The first Army unit arrives. Fight to hold the perimeter when General Vandegrift calls his commanders and decides that if they're defeated they will move into the jungle and fight as guerillas. They hold by the skin of their teeth.
Ep 9 - The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. The Japanese stop coming. The Army arrives to relieve the Marines.
Ep10 - Arrival in Australia and recovery.
Would that grab your attention?
That would certainly do it. Thanks for answer - very informative. I'll watch MOTA and take away what I like and consign the rest to the mental trash bin where all my bad ideas go to die.....