The Pacific: “Part 9” (1.09)

The Pacific spends so much time (in a good way) with dynamic special effects, gutsy dialogue and dramatic action that many of the details about the World War II campaign against Japan are omitted. Fortunately, HBO fills in the holes with its excellent website. It’s where I learned that by the time the Marines invaded Okinawa the Japanese had not only known that winning the war was impossible but they had also been ordered to stay and fight to the death. Surrender was not an option. This presented the Americans with one of the most difficult and deadly operations of the entire war.
Sledge and the rest of Division One have arrived at Okinawa in what would be the final battle before attacking Japan’s mainland. It will end with more casualties than any other Pacific battle, including hundreds of thousands of civilians. The conditions are horrendous. Continuous rain and mountains of mud make it impossible to recover the bodies of fallen soldiers. The foley work, the sets and the acting all make for a kinesthetic TV viewing experience.
The Japanese mostly have the high ground and the Marines are constantly being ambushed. The enemy resorts to using Okinawa residents as shields in their attacks, even attaching dynamite to young women with babies in their arms. After being there for two months, hopelessness begins to seep into the souls of the soldiers. They see no end to the misery.