"The Liberator on netflix" Topic

All,
I watched an interesting, four part series on Netflix called The Liberator. True story of Felix Sparks and the 157th infantry, the thunderbirds. Goes from Italy to the concentration camps. Pretty well done and entertaining. What is unusual about it, is the way it was filmed. It looks almost like a comic book, but with full action. Worth watching I thought.

I started to watch it until I realized the it wasn't just the opening that was done comic book style. Just not my thing.

Nor mine normally, but I enjoyed it.

I was very excited to see it, for the first 10 minutes or so.

For me,

It fell off the table very quickly.
The cartoon artistry was great, that didn't bother me at all.

It was just the unbelievable story line was too much to take. Jammed packed with woke.

I didn't make it through the first episode.

As far as I know, it was a true story.

The Liberator: One World War II Soldier's 500-Day Odyssey from the Beaches of Sicily to the Gates of Dachau by Alex Kershaw.

A true story.

So what made you think it was "woke"?

Tried watching it and only got through two or maybe three episodes.

For a true story I had a hard time watching mortars destroy tanks and some other unrealistic things. Just ruined it for me. To me "true story" shouldn't involve the suspension of reality.

Glad others enjoyed it.

I found the social commentary out of place for a rifle platoon in '43.

If I remember correctly, the Lt. was contemplating the heroism of his Hispanic troops (I believe this was a New Mexico/Arizona National Guard unit) against evil Nazi empire, yet they live in a society that does not consider them equals.

I'm sure that was what a 20 year old infantry platoon leader was thinking in an Italian farmhouse in '43 just before a combat patrol towards German lines.

The story line might be based upon a "true" story, but this is not a true history.

The 45th Division was known as the "Thunderbird" and "Pheonix" division.

One reason, was it was National Guard based out of New Mexico and Arizona (also Oklahoma, few from Colorado). It's first division patch from 1924 was made as a tribute to the large number of Native American troops in the formation.

That patch was ordered to be changed in the '39. Guess the War Department saw something coming over the horizon.

1st Division patch:

You can see the problem.

The symbol was well known to Native American societies, my wife's family has an old quilt made from a family member in 1908 that is lined with above symbols.

We're pretty sure that great, great, grandma from backwoods upstate NY was not a follower of 'Dolf in '08, so it was a symbol out and about early in 20th centrury.

It is packed away as we have many members of my family who worship in Temples. All are aware of the quilt's origins, just not that good a quilt that it needs to be out.

New divisional patch was this, introduced in '39, also the Thunderbird, seen as a Rising Pheonix.

In a strange twist, when I saw the title "The Liberator" I excited as I thought it was going to be about Simón Bolívar, aka "The Liberator" for his actions in South America.

Very different.

And I thought it was a documentary about the Consolidated B-24!

Who's read the book? Worth the read?

The Liberator: One World War II Soldier's 500-Day Odyssey from the Beaches of Sicily to the Gates of Dachau by Alex Kershaw.
Biography of U.S. Army officer Felix Sparks.
Washington Post review: link

Per that article:
- author Alex Kershaw interviewed Sparks before he died in 2007.
– Sparks landed in Italy as a second lieutenant in the 157 Regiment / 45th Infantry Division and rose to lieutenant colonel.
- Sparks stopped some of his men from executing German soldiers at Dachau, and reported them, but General Patton destroyed the report.
- Sparks became an attorney, district attorney, National Guard commander, state supreme court justice, and was pro-gun control.