On History Channel. Anybody been watching? I was really looking forward to this series, and I think it's been generally good but I have some opinions 6 episodes in. Curious if others watching have thoughts.
World War II with Tom Hanks
- Thread starter Gonzo
- Start date
I've been watching. It's been good, for the most part, but the jumping around chronologically is a tad disorienting. And since when did Tom Hanks become the resident expert in all things World War II?
I have seen only a couple clips from the new Hanks series, and it seems pretty 101 to me, very abbreviated. Because most of this is WELL trodden ground, anyone past the casual viewer needs a lot more depth and detail.
The pod I have found is "We have ways of making you talk" and it's a bit uneven sometimes but they do get into the weeds with stuff that is not the basic headlines. An example, they spent an episode on how FDR knew in 1939-40 he had to get the US ready, but that no one wanted anything to do with war again. And how he went about that, and the various smart people he pulled in to get it done.
I guess it is true - once a man hits 50, federal law requires he either gets into smoking meats or WW2 history. Apparently I am the latter.
The pod I have found is "We have ways of making you talk" and it's a bit uneven sometimes but they do get into the weeds with stuff that is not the basic headlines. An example, they spent an episode on how FDR knew in 1939-40 he had to get the US ready, but that no one wanted anything to do with war again. And how he went about that, and the various smart people he pulled in to get it done.
I guess it is true - once a man hits 50, federal law requires he either gets into smoking meats or WW2 history. Apparently I am the latter.
Dude he literally saved Matt Damon
I think it's been good so far. Wouldn't call it great, but good. Agree somewhat with the above post about much of it covering well-known ground, though I did learn a bit more about Russia's involvement than I previously knew.
My big gripe so far is how each episode or engagement is set up like a Rocky movie. The U.S. and Allies are far outmatched, are getting their azzes kicked left and right, out strategized and out fought, and then somehow is able to turn it around and come back for a win/positive outcome. I don't like how it just kind of glossed over the victory at Midway and regarded it as basically just a Naval win at sea that didn't have many ramifications on the land engagements with Japan that followed. At least that's the way it came off to me. As I understand it Midway was a major turning point in the Pacific theatre, but it wasn't really regarded that way in last night's episode.
I get that the Nazis and Japan were very formidable foes. But it seems like this is building them up into these mythical, unbeatable forces that the U.S. has no business messing with.
I also was hoping this series would integrate some perspectives from the other side. We have all these American historians and scholars talking about U.S. perspectives and experiences with the enemy. Would've loved to see some Japanese and Western European scholars talking about the Axis' perspectives as the U.S. and other Allies entered the war and started engaging.
My big gripe so far is how each episode or engagement is set up like a Rocky movie. The U.S. and Allies are far outmatched, are getting their azzes kicked left and right, out strategized and out fought, and then somehow is able to turn it around and come back for a win/positive outcome. I don't like how it just kind of glossed over the victory at Midway and regarded it as basically just a Naval win at sea that didn't have many ramifications on the land engagements with Japan that followed. At least that's the way it came off to me. As I understand it Midway was a major turning point in the Pacific theatre, but it wasn't really regarded that way in last night's episode.
I get that the Nazis and Japan were very formidable foes. But it seems like this is building them up into these mythical, unbeatable forces that the U.S. has no business messing with.
I also was hoping this series would integrate some perspectives from the other side. We have all these American historians and scholars talking about U.S. perspectives and experiences with the enemy. Would've loved to see some Japanese and Western European scholars talking about the Axis' perspectives as the U.S. and other Allies entered the war and started engaging.
I guess anything that can keep world war 2 in the spotlight is good. We have a good deal of the population that knows nothing about what happened and the important battles. Nearly all of the geo political stuff going on now stems from World wars 1 and 2.
Very good review by the way Gonzo.
Very good review by the way Gonzo.
He starred in Saving Private Ryan and Greyhound, and was executive producer for Band of Brothers, Pacific, and Masters of the Air as well as several documentaries including this one. Clearly a passion of his.
They immediately lost me with their typical History Channel goofball "experts" having to weigh in with overdramatic opinions. I absolutely HATE those guys and gals and that whole documentary style.
Midway is important because it stopped the Japanese moving further, maybe even threatening Hawaii or Australia. The entire battle was a trap, set up by the Japanese to bring the US carriers out and destroy them since they were not in port when Pearl Harbor was bombed. The Japanese understood with the three US carriers at the bottom of the sea, they would be unchecked and allowed to move freely through the South Pacific. The only problem was the US had cracked enough of the Japanese code that they knew in advance their plans, and set up and ambush of their own. We sank four of their main frontline carriers with the lost of only the Yorktown on the US side.
This is important for a couple of reasons, not only is their carrier force now down to 2 or 3 at most, but just as important is the fact that most of their most experienced pilots are also killed in the action. Japan spend years training their pilots, they were some of the best in the world, but training them for so long, caused them to have few pilots in the system and when the skilled ones were gone, it nearly was impossible for Japan to replace them in numbers to beat back the Americans.
Last night they talked about the Battle of Guadalcanal, and its importance, the first time Japan had been defeated on land, forcing them back and as they pointed out, from that point going forward, Japan is now on the defense, and the US is the one attacking. The strategy of bypassing Japanese guarded islands proved unbelievably successful, entire Japanese army groups are left sitting on islands, planning for an America attack that will never come. Cut off and left to feud for themselves without resupply. Most die of starvation and its costs the US nothing to do it.
He is a famous actor and has lots of money, so if he is passionate about something he can do a lot of projects on that subject. Sorry if the obviousness of that answer bothers you, but it's not an unsolvable mystery like you seem to think it is.
He was also involved with Band of Brothers. Seems like WW2 history is one of his passions
