Re: The War - Ken Burns Series on PBS
Thoughts on episode one?
I was mildly disappointed at times, and riveted at other times. I thought it could have been edited down by at least 30 minutes... lots of repetition. Though I agree with the disparaging view of MacArthur, the episode failed to mention that Japan had begun its expansion in 1937 - giving MacArthur nearly four years to ready his army.
Sid Phillips is one tough SOB, and I wouldn't want to make Glenn Frazier at all upset. I think the episode succeeded in conveying the brutality of total war, and it was both necessary and accurate that the American vets owned up to their own cruelty.
I was surprised at the similarities between the public's reaction to Pearl and 9/11 - two infamous dates. The stories of people rushing into bars and malt shops and simply saying "turn the radio on," and when asked what station, the reply was "any" clearly brought back that Tuesday six years ago. I was on vacation, days before my wedding, and my mother-in-law called and said, simply, "put the TV on."
Episode 2 airs tonight at 8:00 ET.
Tonight's episode, "When Things Get Tough" appears to focus on the European theater.
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