Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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52 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A compelling look at Operation Iraqi Freedom, July 31, 2003
National Geographic has done itself proud in its production of the three most critical weeks of military action in Iraq. Beginning at the launch point in Kuwait and following through to the culmination of the military offensive in Baghdad, the American war machine is analyzed and showcased in much detail.Using footage never seen by the American public, a comprehensive picture is drawn of a decisive, although ambiguous military victory. State of the art technology, advanced weapons systems, Special Forces operations, and military tactics demonstrate the outstanding abilities of the United States armed forces in achieving their objectives. Interviews with ground forces, military experts, and journalists show the emotional side of the conflict and how it affected those involved. Relegating itself less to politics and more to wartime operational aspects, 21 Days to Baghdad is a solid, in-depth, and superb documentary on the campaign to oust the regime of Saddam Hussein. This DVD offers outstanding audio and video qualities and comes with 3 good special features which consist of an interactive war zone map, tools of war fact files, and bonus programming with special interviews. For any and all viewers interested in the depth of Operation Iraqi Freedom, this is an excellent account from start to finish.
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11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
okay, but not outstanding documentary, February 16, 2004
While not a complete disappointment, this documentary could have been much better. Admittedly the filmmakers manage to cram quite a lot of information in the rather brief running time (1 hour), but it is too short.
After a very brief introduction about the reasons that led to this military conflict, 21 DAYS TO BAGHDAD shifts aboard carrier
vessel USS TARAWA, where we see marines training for the upcoming combat. The US strategy focussing on high tech, flexiblity and special forces is explained. Officers explain weatherforcast for military purposes. Then 21 DAYS TO BAGHDAD
details the story of this successful military campaign in day by day form. While we get to see all the familiar aspects of the conflict (the "shock and awe" aerial bombardments starting the war on 20/3, sandstorms delaying the advance of the Allied troops, the ludicrious antics of Iraqi "information" minister
Mohammed Saeed al Sahaf, Jessica Lynch's story, special forces operating behind enemy lines) a lot of the proceedings focus on an embedded journalist advancing with marines and a National
Geographic film team in Bagdad secretely filming the aerial bombardments. I was particularly impressed by this footage. I was also impressed by the combat footage, where marines fought for a bridge with Iraqi soldiers.
Again, there is a lot of information in this documentary, but in my view it lacks depth.
Extra features are impressive, but, once again, lack depth. There are bonus interviews with the journalists, which are quite interesting. They comment how they managed to film the aerial bombardments on the sly from the balcony of their hotel and the experience of being in the field together with the marine unit. There is also a feature called Interactive War Zone Map (= a day by day account of important events of the war with troop movements shown on a map.) Sounds interesting, but I wish the map would have been more detailed. An option to zoom in would also have been welcomed by me. Then there is a Tools of the War feature (files on war vehicles and weapons). It is divided into 3 sections (air, land, weapons). The e.g. weapon section consists of files on the following:
* GPS-guided bomb
* laserguided bomb
* cruise missile
* Javelin anti-tank missile
* bunker buster bomb
However, do not expect too much. Each "file" consists of a single image and a very brief description.
Rounding up the extra section of the DVD are three trailers for other National Geographic DVDs: INSIDE THE PENTAGON, VIETNAM`S UNSEEN WAR (about the conflict from the Vietnamese perspective; this indeed looks quite interesting) and LEWIS AND CLARKE: GREAT JOURNEY WEST.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
From the Courageous approaches of Life threatning,unexpected suprise Attack of Animals to Same Enemy including Emotions !, May 28, 2009
Most of all, I give you sincere,great marks
on National Geographic's journalists and photographers
involving this Masterpice ! AS I said before, big differences
between Combating Soldiers have Human Emotions but notin animal!
beside the lifeless evry Military machines including evry weapons.
Evry soldiers have positive or negative emotional flustuations.
Fighting Spirit can bechanged by positive or negative Envilonmental
Factors.
According to this Documentary on"21 days to Baghdad", before Kuwait
landing,Prepareing Marines on USS.Tarawa not only receive Combat Training
but also receive many neccessary informations including "Why we are prepare combat""Encouraing Motivation""Introduction of emotional and
spiritual mind strutures" ather practical informations like weather conditions.Hazard of "sand storm"etc.
After landing,Disintegratiom of Iraqi Communication system including Center by bombing and special Radar interventions.Then non communication oriented localized combat using many avilable superior Weapon System like
A-10Thuderbolt Tank killer,Javelin Anti-tank Missle and A1M1 Abraham Tank.
There was unexpected firce,fire fighting in Basra.
Explaining advanced US Technology,weaoon system,Special Force Operation,
military tactic were very helpful.As I menyioned before,Interview with
Infantry,military exoert, Journalist also focused on Emotional site of
conflictwhich how effected on Battle ?.
This is the one of Textbook of recent trends of wartime Distionary of
Documentary.Good explanation of new weapons especially GPS-GUIDED bomb,
lASER guided bomb, Javelin Anti-Tank missle,and Bunker Bus Bomb etc.
But ,it was very agonizing and disressful results of no evidence of
Atomic Bomb SCNARIO !
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