"The War" A Necessary War: December 1941 - December 1942 (2007)

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Directors:

Ken Burns (co-director)
Lynn Novick (co-director)

TV Series:

"The War" (2007)

Original Air Date:

23 September 2007 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Documentary | War

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Interview | WWII | Archive Footage

Cast

Quentin Aanenson	...	Himself
Barbara Covington	...	Herself
Keith David	...	Narrator (voice)
Glenn Frazier	...	Himself
Daniel Inouye	...	Himself
Asako Tokuno	...	Herself

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In Episode 1, one of the historical images shown during the Imperial Japanese bombing of US aircraft on the Philippines' airstrips is actually a somewhat well-known post-war scene of a scrapped bomber at a boneyard. The "damage" pictured is that all four of the derelict bomber's engines were neatly unbolted from their housings. Of course damage from the explosion of aerial bombs would be jagged and irregular. The image appears amid other photos and film clips which show actual bomb damage and burning wreckage.

In A Word: Shocking

Some of these scenes in the two-and-a-quarter hour opening segment were just horrifying. I couldn't believe it. I'm not a World War II "buff" so there are probably many photos I haven't seen, but I've seen my share. However, there is film footage and stills that are new and unbelievable horribly and shocking in here. I am not alone: millions of others have never seen these, either. I talked to my 89-year-old dad, who IS somewhat of an expert on this war, and he said there were pictures he's never seen either. Apparently, this is not going to be an easy series to watch, for veteran or newcomer, buff or novice.

However, as in typical Ken Burns fashion, even with his politically-correct prejudices, this opening episode was very interesting and I look forward - albeit reluctantly in some cases - to seeing all of this.

The first real shock was the information about the "Bataan Death March," something I have heard about a number of times but didn't know details. I do now, thanks to one of the participants who is interviewed here: "Mr. Glenn Frazier." He must be an amazing man to survive that ordeal.

The other most memorable segment, at least to me, was the story of Guadalcanal. Once again, I never realized how brutal some of that fighting was over in the Pacific. You hear more about Hitler and Germany in the movies but the fighting against the Japanese on these Pacific Islands is unbelievable stuff......just horrendous conditions and a foe who was an expert in jungle warfare and one who was savage-like in torture and mutilation..

I was inspired by learning a bit about "Carlson's Raiders," too. What a fantastic leader was Carlson. I'll like to learn more about him.

This opening episode will leave you emotionally drained. There are some incredible stories and pictures.