The Pacific is a serial drama about the United States Marine Corps and its campaign against the Japanese in the Pacific Islands.
It starts with a young group of officers including John Basilone having a christmas meal in the Basilone family home, all three are destined to fight at Guadal Canal in the first offencive action by the US in the war on japan. We also meet Bob Leckie a young news reporter from a small town newspaper in New Jersey , and Sidney Phillips from Mobile Alabama and their brothers in arms as they go through some basic training at Camp Pendleton before they head out under the command of Basilone and his fellow officers,
The Battle at Guadal canal is shown in all its brutality as many of our newly introduced recruits die in the first contact with the Imperial Japanese Army. In the ensuing conflict for the small insignificant island which just happens to have a very important airfield. Basilone performs some super human heroics during the battle and is eventually awarded the Congressional medal of Honour, effectively ending his participation in what was to follow as he is taken around the US to sell the vital war bonds required to fund the war. Leckie and his compatriots are sent from island to island moving closer to Japan as the fighting becomes bloodier and Marines are killed in greater numbers.
We are then introduced to Eugene Sledge who does appear in the first episode as a friend of Phillips who’s father, a doctor, will not clear him to fight. He eventually gets himself declared fight and signs up to join his friend in Peleliu as the fighting intensifies. Sledge is a studious young gentleman who has to adapt fast to his rough squad mates including the cynical Merriell ” Snafu” Shelton and his harsher surroundings. The battles come thick and fast and the tests of human endurance are played out in detailed fashion, this is no spit and polish war story. You see Leckie go through hell losing friends at every turn, his heroism not enough to keep him safe from harm. As Sledge, now nicknamed Sledgehammer due to his uncompromising attitude under fire, also moves through the islands encountering some of the fiercest resistance or the whole war we see him sink into himself, unable to believe the things they have been through or the horrors they have seen, civilians killed before their eyes and injured Japanese soldiers murdered by Marines in revenge. He ends the war on Okinawa as they hear of the atomic attack on Japan, Leckie is already back in The US injured in action laying up in the veterans hospital as the news of the surrender of Japan is announced by the jubilant nurses.
In the meantime Basilone has tired of his public life and returns to train the next crop of marines, he is entitled to leave as he has served for eight years but after marrying he decides to sign back on and lead his men at Iwo Jima, he is on the front foot from the get go and dies leading his men to safety through the melee.
The last episode ventures to look at the what became of the men on their return the depth of feelings they had to live with back in a world that has never been through anything like they have. Some slide back onto it without effort others suffer what would now be known as post traumatic stress disorder and never quite see the peace they fought so hard to earn.
This series is a testament to the capabilities of some great film makers, Spielberg is involved and the feel is very much in the vein of Band Of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan, the scenes of battle are enthralling and horrifically graphic at times the banter between the Marines seems authentic and many of the acts of courage shown did actually happen which only lends more credibility to the story. you see at first hand the problems that beset these men, not just the enemy although that would have been more than enough bu the elements, rain making mud so thick men drowned in it, and deprivation especially of water where the hierarchy failed to identify the lack of fresh water and men literally died of thirst while still striving on towards the enemy.
This was a great piece of Television it felt like a good war film every week, and some of the cast, none of whom are household names were immense, the episodes started off with some narration by Tom Hanks and footage taken at the time, along with some talking head stuff from surviving marines, this added gravitas to each episode as you saw something much more meaningful in their efforts, as they discussed comradeship and duty then we are shown the fruits of these endeavours and the harsh reality that these men lived through hell. On the downside I suppose you could be forgiven for thinking the whole Pacific war was fought only by the US Marine Corps as they barely mention any of the other armed services involved much less their allies but this is nitpicking really, it was meant as a tribute to those brave young men and I think it serves its purpose well.
bigsteveg 