After Pearl Harbor, the United States military embarked on a campaign against Japan on islands dotted across the Pacific Ocean. Battling an entrenched, determined enemy is difficult no matter the situation. The type of jungle warfare that was necessary to succeed against the Japanese was completely foreign to American forces. The Marine Corps decided on a new approach for the problems the jungle terrain presented. The documentary War Dogs of the Pacific tells the story of how successful that plan turned out to be, and the heartwarming relationships that developed as a result.
This documentary does a good job providing background information about the history of the war dog program. I was shocked to learn that families volunteered their pets to be used in the dog platoons. These dogs were enlisted and went through training, just like their human counterparts.
In an amusing segment, World War II dog handlers recall how they were recruited to join this upstart program. One man was a horse trainer before the war, so because he had at one point in his life worked with animals it was assumed he would be a natural dog handler. Another man was a veterinary student when the war began, so after he joined the Marines he became commander of the 3rd Dog Platoon. One soldier recalled being asked if he knew anything about dogs. He said that back home he had a cocker spaniel. Just like that he became a Marine dog handler.
A good amount of attention is given to the training the dogs received. The veterans who were interviewed for this documentary offered insight into how their first goal was just to get to know the dog and become friendly with him or her. After that came obedience training, and finally specialized training. Learning about how the dogs were trained to not bark and the different roles that were available (scout dogs, messengers, mine detection) is incredibly fascinating.
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