War has played a key role in the history of the United States, from the nation's

founding right down to the present. War made the U.S. independent, kept it together, increased

its size, and established it as a global superpower. Understanding America's wars is essential for understanding American history.

Welcome to Key Battles of American History,

a podcast in which we discuss American history through the lens of the most important battles of America's wars.

Here is your host, James Early.

Thank you. host, James Early. Today we are going to talk about the 1943 masterpiece, some might say, World War II

film Gung Ho.

The movie is very loosely based off of the Carlson Raiders,

Marine Raiders, of the Island of Macon. And we're joined today by Professor James Early

of the Key Battles of American History podcast to discuss this, I guess you might say,

incredible movie. James, thanks for coming on. Well, we're probably on your show, too.

So thanks for collaborating on this great movie. Gung ho, gung ho, gong ho, gong ho.

I guess let's just start off because I'm sure most people are familiar with you but why don't

you introduce yourself sure I am a part-time or adjunct professor of U.S. history at San Jacinto

College which is in Pasadena, Texas. That's just south and east of Houston. And I've been

teaching for, oh gosh, six or seven years now.

And I'm just a huge history fanatic.

I've been a history lover all my life.

I started a Facebook group back in 2016 called American History Fanatics, and it's grown

to about 5,500 people.

And we have some really good discussions there

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