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On "a Movie"...


Ever watch Steven Spielberg's movie, "1941"? It's hilarious!

Quick summary, it's 1941 and America is on edge because of the recent bombing of Pearl Harbor. The entire West Coast, and especially Los Angeles, is convinced that Japan is going to invade. Slapstick hilarity ensues as people panic, thinking there was a "Jap" soldier under every rock (which of course there wasn't).

But wait! There actually was a Japanese submarine lurking offshore, with inept officers and an inept German officer on board, observing the coastline. They were there to "destroy something honorable" in Hollywood.

The Japanese submarine did launch a torpedo and sank...a Ferris Wheel.*

But in the end, it was the societal panic that caused the real damage: LA downtown destroyed, Hollywood damaged, anti-aircraft fire lofted all over the city at a civilian airplane (and a US Army P-40 Warhawk pursuing it). Both aircraft were shot down, one crashing into La Brea tarpits. A home got shot up by the homeowner himself using an anti-aircraft gun to the point where the homes slides into ocean.

All this damage, except for the Ferris Wheel, was caused by the local population riots and panic. Over nothing.

Dan Aykroyd, Ned Beatty, John Belushi, Toshiro Mifune, Robert Stack, Slim Pickens...and many others. It is well worth a watch if you've never seen it (or a re-watch if you have).

It's craaaaaaaazy that people would panic like that and destroy their own city -- and economy.

Be careful out there. 

*On Feb. 23, 1942, a Japanese submarine surfaced near Santa Barbara and shelled an oil field, triggering a massive panic attack in Los Angeles that night. A reported "meteorological balloon" resulted in the U.S. Army firing off 1,433 rounds at enemy aircraft as air raid sirens wailed and terrified Angelenos hid under their beds.

In the morning, the Army was embarrassed to learn that there were no Japanese planes. It was just an extreme case of "war nerves". It was later named "The Battle Of Los Angeles."

Sound familiar?

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