The War......

[Sande J]

I have been watching the series, it is an awesome history lesson regardless of your feelings on war. Have your kids watch it too, it may make them realize what our country stands and bring some reality to how good they have it.... Unfortunately, war has been around as long as mankind and will most likely continue until , perhaps divine intervention.

The show is so well done with excellent footage and photos of many perspectives. One of the parts I liked the best is how Americans came together to mass produce the tanks and planes. I love how the women stepped up to become mechanics!
The war affected everyone at home, I think that today some people don't even give a second thought to all the brave souls taking care of us overseas.

Many kudos to all those who served and all those who will continue to do so. God Bless them all....

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And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stone, good in everything..
-William Shakespeare-

[Desert-Boonie]

I don't want to get involved in the political talk, but Ken Burns has seemingly done it again with this series. His series on the Civil War was the best you could have done and now with WWII it seems as if he's taken his skill to the next level. There was talk that he didn't involve the Hispanic community well enough in this film though and though I missed half of part 2 last night I do not believe he mentioned anything of the Bracero Program which brought Mexican workers to the U.S. to work in the fields and railroads. Just maybe there was truth to the fact Burns should have included a little more in his film, but it is in his perspective and you don't get any better than Ken Burns. I hate the fact I have to miss a couple episodes because of work, but it should re-air and then you could buy it on DVD, although it will cost you over $100.

http://www.pbs.org/thewar/
_________________
~Never Satisfied~

"If I can't be my own, I'd feel better dead"

[IGO]

[Davis2001R6]

Alright IGO, you got me with that one. Anybody know where I can get some Jumbo Shrimp?

[IGO]

Weren't trying to get you Tim. I expect that certain political and humaine concerns are limiting casualties of non military persons in these "conflicts" but like Viet Nam, I wish we would either send 3 million over and wipe the slate clean or bring everybody home but lets get this mess over with.
I also insist that nothing takes away from the Second World War. It was so horrible and significant that most might say that the birth of Christianity is the only history more significant it was that important to human kind.
_________________
"Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir

[Trishness]

Seems like 494,000 young men killed in war since 1942 is way too many. And that isn't even counting everyone, including civilians and the millions of Europeans of Jewish heritage that were exterminated.

My Dad served in the Pacific during WWII and he's rarely talked about it. My Ex served in Vietnam during the Tet offensive in 1968 and told me how horrific it was over there.

This series is well worth watching.
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~~~Trish~~~

"Eastward the dawn rose, ridge behind ridge into the morning, and vanished out of eyesight into guess; it was no more than a glimmer blending with the hem of the sky, but it spoke to them, out of the memory and old tales, of the high and distant mountains." � J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of The Rings.

[Desert-Boonie]

[RedRoxx44]

My Dad, a 30+ year Air Force vet and World War II vet in the Pacific is watching some of this series. He too has commented little on his time over there, but I have learned something about it.
I was born in the Army hospital in Germany a lot of the Iraqi vets are taken to for medical triage. I grew up on a variety of stateside Air Force bases. As a little girl I liked to sit in the cockpit seats of the C-130's, B-52 etc.

Some of what I learned is that generation valued honesty, integrity, morals, loyalty and self sacrifice. Words you really hardly hear today, in the media, or in casual conversation. War is horrible and not everyone a hero for sure, but it seemed World War II did stand for something positive for the world, our country and our veterans.
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You can rest when you're dead

[thesuperstitions]

[Davis2001R6]

Anybody see the Band of Brothers series or read any of Stephen Ambrose's books?

He was an amazing writer/historian on WW2 as well as some other things.

I've read
D-day
Citizen Soldiers
Band of Brothers
The Victors
and Nothing Like it in the World - about the transcontinental railroad.

I just caught a bit of "The War" last night, but se the TIVO to tape all episodes, so hopefully the old ones will play again. If not will have to do some searching on the web and D/L it.

[Daddee]

[Abe]

No, I decided not to watch it. Talked to many WWII vets; from both sides the allies and the Axis (Germany, Italy, and Japan). Read so many books; admittingly, mostly the Pacific Campaign of WWII. And with my son having come back from Iraq a couple of weeks ago, I just decided to mellow.
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"Don't complicate what ain't complicated."

[thesuperstitions]

If you've never seen the WWII memorial on the mall in DC, it's one you'll never forget and I recommend that you visit if you're ever in the area. I've said it before, but it bears repeating... this is dedicated to the generation that literally saved the world. The memorial is deservedly beautiful and yet is filled with emotion and history. You can't help but be humbled by the impact of the sight of so many veterans of WWII, who come to this monument to reconnect... and so much more. It's just one of those places that you have to experience to understand.

[IGO]

Daddee. You said it. I was, if it can be done here, measuring impacts. Can't see a sentence where a comparison is made.
Tim, I watched Band of Brothers in one sitting.

[IGO]