Ken Burns WWII Series Starts This Sunday

It was called 9/11,..... but everybody forgot the unity we as a Nation had just after that day,....... sad.

 

I've always have had great intrest and appreciation for those who fought and sacraficed during WWII. I grew up watching Victory at Sea re-runs and the World at War. I managed watch the first episode of Ken Burns' The War and I was impressed. The very personal accounts really got to me, I found myself getting a bit misty several time while watching. Very good stuff.

 

I've got someone I know who can compose a good fax, so it doesn't sound like a crazy fan trying to reach him. I'll post what we come up with. Maybe everyone interested could try it too.

The worse that could happen is they say no and change the number. If it's a good one, that is.

 

I just caught the post today which means I am a bit late. I would like to purchase it and watch it over the winter but $129.00 is pretty steep. I am sure it is worth it though. I guess I should be punished for not checking the HAMB more frequently huh?

 

It is going to be on again in October... I'll try to find the times for you guys.

Here is the website:
http://www.pbs.org/thewar/

It gives the schedule and tons of other info. I have it on my tivo. Maybe tonight I'll finally get to an episode!

 

Harms Way,

I don't know if they'll replay the entire series anytime soon... I get my signals through a pair of rabbit ears so no "programming guide" for me!

Mike,

"Victory at Sea" was as much a part of my formative years as "Sesame Street." I'm so grateful for the perspective that my father p***ed on to me that is so often lacking in people "my age."

 

They are replaying it starting Sunday Sept. 30 at noon. I will DVD it for sure if anyone misses it let me know.

 

A ken burns hot rod do***entary would flat out rule it, period
He was a huge influence on me in film school
Its amazing how he can tell stories with still photos and stratigic zooming

 

My dad was in the Philippines and I tried to get him to talk about it but I think it is something he didn't want to dwell on. His answers were always pretty short. I know some of his friends never made it back. The thing that I thank GOD for is that we were blessed with such a great generation of unselfish people. My uncle flew 25 missions on a B-17 over Germany and lost many of his friends. Every mission he thought could be his last. The press today *****es if we harm enemy combatants and scream if we don't give our enemies all of the rights of our cons***ution. It makes me shake my head how the times could be so different-Jim

 

That fax number would indicate that it is located in New Hampshire.I too love the way he approached it on such a personal level and not relying mostly on the new broadcasters of the time.

One of the hardest parts for me to watch was the gentleman from LuVerne Minnesota,a member of Carlson's Raiders,describing the Bataan Death March.The beheading of the soldiers who fell by the wayside and him when he finally managed to get to the destination his tongue hanging from his mouth and so dry he couldn't put it back in.And the fun was only beginning!A POW for the next three YEARS!

Not even in my wildest nightmares could I even BEGIN to imagine what he went through and lived to tell about it.

I also noticed several others who had a really difficult time talking about it even 60 years later.

I am glad that someone had the foresight to put this together for all to see.Now all we have to do is get them to watch(and try to comprehend)it.

 

I think I've heard the estimate that we are loseing 1000 WW2 veterans a day. Seems astronomical, but there were 1,000,000 men involved on D-Day alone. I like Ken Burns use of persoanl stories from their diaries, puts everything in perspective.

 

A good friend of mine had a neighbor who was captured in the Phillipines and survived as a POW in Japan. In all the years my buddy new the guy, he only said one thing about his experiences. He looked at my buddy and said "You wouldn't have survived, you're too big, they gave us so little food that only the little guys could live on it. All the big guys died."

My uncle was a mortarman in Patton's 3rd Army. The only time I heard him say anything about the war was one time when he and my Dad and my Dad's business partner (ex-Marine) were sitting around having a couple of beers. He told about how late in the war his best buddy went out on a night patrol and never came back. They found them the next morning, hands tied behind their back shot in the head. He said after that, they didn't take any prisoners.

My Dad's business partner was at the Chosen Resevoir in Korea.
That's a whole 'nother story.

The series so far is good. I was wondering how they would handle the fighting in the Pacific. They're doing the best thing possible, telling the truth.

I have also heard that Tom Hanks production company is going to do a Band of Brothers type story about the Pacific War. I read that two of the people it may focus on are John Basilone and E.B. Sledge.

Ken Burns is a genius but damn, the man needs a decent haircut!

Kurt O.

 

Traditional hot rods and customs.

 

I haven't forgotten.

I also haven't forgotten who did it and how non-threathenning they seem compaired to the Axis that existing in WWII. How the hell is it that it's that we've been bogged down in Iraq for almost as long as it took us to kick the *** of the Germans, the Japanese, and the Italians?

 

Without the sacrifices that these men and women made, your ability to think about, or enjoy traditional hot rods and customs wouldn't be worth a bucket of warm spit. The least you can do is let those of us that want to show respect, take a moment to honor those fighting men and women, then and now.

 

You can't possibly be the same person that started the off topic thread "OT: Remember those that lost their lives on this day"
and made this statement:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=207732

And in case you didn't hear, hot rodding was DRAMATICALLY influenced by WWII.

But anyways....
Did anyone try that fax number yet? I don't want to bombard the wrong person.

Also, there is a great photo section on the PBS/The War website:
http://www.pbs.org/thewar/media_gallery.php
well worth a look!

 

Look at the damage that was done in WWII. We are worried we will hurt inocent by standers now. They killed thousands back then. Its war.

 

Some of the B-17 footage they used came from the Memphis Belle movie. Not the Hollywood version. The real Memphis Belle DVD. I own a copy and recommend it to anyone interested in WWII flight, heavy bombers, etc. Its about 30 minutes of actual combat footage shot aboard the Memphis Belle on a bombing run.

I agree... these men and women made great sacrifices for the freedom of all Americans. Also, the skills many learned in the service are what jumpstarted many a hot rod project in the 40s and 50s. God bless 'em all.
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In the US you can watch it on Google video...... but not on the Eastern Front..... I can think of several people in the EU and at least one car company that could use a history tune up

This is a BMW Munich slave laborer's badge......... It belonged to a Pole

Mrs Bluto's Grandad was a Polish ''guest worker'' at BMW

 

This generation of Men are the guys that pioneered traditional rods and customs. Between the depression and the war, they were forced into a do-it -yourself mode , which is what Hot Rodding is all about. Speak to the old guys(and women) about the war while you can, you may learn something. This past weekend I had a chance to speak with an old Marine who was involved in the invasion of Peleliu. I asked him about his experiances there and he told me there wasn't a lot to tell , because as soon as the door opened on his landing craft he was shot. I just can't imagene what it would be like to be in that situation. Definatlly the greatest generation.

 

Word.

 

It's because there are a few people making a lot of money this time. Why would you kill the cash cow?

back to topic: My girl composed a nice fax and I sent it to the phone number provided. It gave my email address and I referenced The Hamb as a place to get info and contacts. I know it went through, but I did not get a response. Oh well, it was worth a try and maybe something will come of it. After all, hot rodding is one of the few hobbies that America can call it's own.

 

We still have troops in Germany and Japan.

 

Yeah,like the companies that supplied arms and such during WWII didn't make any profit.

 

my girlfriend works for legacy records under sony bmg and she did all the packaging for the soundtrack. i actually got to see a screening before it started on t.v. . the amount of effort put into the whole project is phenominal. its definetly worth more than a look. in one way shape or form we were all affected by this war and there is so much to be told that typical "media" doesnt. thats what this do***entary shows. ken burns is also a stand up guy.

 

Thank you for taking the time to explain what is obvious to most. I'm sure someone has researched this, but I believe the term Hot Rod came out of WWII, and was never seen in print pre war.

 

Yeah- American companies- making tanks, bullets, jeeps, boats etc. Not Foreign owned (or based) companies charging 30 bucks a meal or hauling "sailboat fuel" from point A to point B, just to get paid...

back on topic...

I'll be watching all the way through. I like the fact that KB intertwines the good and the bad- that you're not getting the "mythical" interpretation of the War- All glory no guts, if you will.

Another part that hasn't been covered in past docs/shows is the homefront and the triumphs and troubles there. This has been eye openning for sure.

I hate to sound redundant, but they truely were the greatest generation- not to say they were all great, but somehow, the people where able to put all their differences aside and work together for our great country. Not to mention the leaders had the interest of the people at heart, which made all the difference in the world.

 

I was hoping it was going to be in HD. I got all excited, tuned in the PBS HD channel, and they had no audio for a over an hour I switched back and forth to the ****og channel, and it actually looked better. The HD channel was all washed out.

Anyway, I've seen most of the clips before. Seems to be more of an audio production, than a video production.

I guess I was expecting the photo's to be done with a higher resolution. Ah well, interesting though.

 

There are some relevant facts about 'The War' and the HAMB. They mentioned in the series that the US produced 3 million cars in 1941 and only 169 cars from then until the end of the war (I guess they meant civilian cars only).

They also talk about how Ford made B24's (the most produced US airplane) and GM made the Wildcat fighter and Avenger Torpedo bomber.

There's a great line in the HBO series 'Band of Brothers' where one GI in the back of Deuce and a Half is yelling at the surrendered German troops marching on foot "Say Hello to Ford and General effing Motors! You have horses! What were you thinking?" The US won the war with blood, guts, and gasoline.