Kudos to PBS, for a change
Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 11:45 am
Did anyone else catch the latest "Secrets of the Dead" abt the Brit commandoes who worked w/the "wild men" of Borneo to rescue downed Allied fliers while shooting blow guns at the IJA?
It was a great story, esp. the candor concerning the Brit soldier's disdain for the Japanese treatment of POWs -- i.e., sometimes they would behead them -- as a rationale to encourage the natives to resume their head-hunting habits, just as long as those heads were all IJA soldiers!
According to carefully documented Brit stats, the IJA lost abt 1,000 soldiers; it soon began to fear the deadly stealth of the blow gun's poisoned darts more than the noisy rounds of the machine gun!
Can you image treking the jungles of Borneo having to fear what you don't hear.
The next two land combat shows re the development of artillery and land fortifications were also spot on; truly an enlightening evening.
It was a great story, esp. the candor concerning the Brit soldier's disdain for the Japanese treatment of POWs -- i.e., sometimes they would behead them -- as a rationale to encourage the natives to resume their head-hunting habits, just as long as those heads were all IJA soldiers!
According to carefully documented Brit stats, the IJA lost abt 1,000 soldiers; it soon began to fear the deadly stealth of the blow gun's poisoned darts more than the noisy rounds of the machine gun!
Can you image treking the jungles of Borneo having to fear what you don't hear.
The next two land combat shows re the development of artillery and land fortifications were also spot on; truly an enlightening evening.