The Vietnam war had a huge impact. 3 million dead Vietnamese, tens of thousands of dead Americans, and millions more on both sides suffering from trauma, depression and drug and alcohol addiction. It also had a major influence on the US public’s willingness to engage in full-scale wars (at least until 9/11). It also had […](
I recently filed a FOIA request for documents on Top Gun 2. Going through the entertainment liaison office reports it is clear that - just as on the original film - the Navy are taking the lead on military support. The Navy responded saying they found over 20,000 pages of potentially responsive documents, but are trying to charge me thousands of dollars to release them.
IMAGE: U.S. Marine stands watch on the bridge wing of the USS San Jacinto (CG 56) as the ship transits the Suez Canal. San Jacinto is deployed as part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group in the U.S. 5th Fleet. (U.S. Navy/Released)
Map Update via SouthFront:
2003's The Core is widely regarded as a piece of schlock, but with a sense of humour. It is certainly one the least realistic films the US military has ever supported, featuring a small craft that drills into the Earth's core so a team of scientists can nuke the core, get it spinning again and fix the problem with Earth's gravity. Yes, it's as dumb as it sounds. Equally dumb is how the Pentagon rewrote the script, and why.
The trade war between the US and China is turning into a hot war with every passing day.
In an sharp deterioration of diplomatic ties, China has blocked a request for a U.S. warship to visit the post of Hong Kong, the U.S. consulate in the Chinese city said on Tuesday, amid rising tensions between Beijing and Washington over escalating tariffs and a U.S. decision to impose sanctions on China’s military for engaging in military deals with Russia.
Most government agencies sign contracts with Hollywood producers when they agree to provide support on a film or TV show. These are called Production Assistance Agreements, and set out the legal terms of the partnership between the government and the production company. In this episode I explore these contracts, how long they've been in effect, and the powers they grant to both parties.
Two and a half years ago I asked the US Navy for various documents relating to their work with the entertainment industry, including the Production Assistance Agreements they sign with Hollywood producers. After over a year’s delay they responded saying that they don’t keep any copies of these contracts. Following an appeal and further delays […](
A recently-released syllabus for the US Naval Academy’s course FP130: American Government and Constitutional Development includes a section that advises students to watch and learn from the 1995 romantic comedy The American President. Bizarrely, the scene does not involve the military or foreign or security policy in any way, but is about the President trying […](Read more...)
