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[SkitteryMocha]

 [SPOILER][SPEC]Quick military presence

[tkcom]

I'd guess they anticipated the attack but didn't want to tell people and cause panic... maybe also underestimated the monster's strength.

Also, maybe it's easier for military to mobilize since it's past midnight and there wasn't a lot of inbound traffic. I'd love to imagine a warehouse or a hangar full of military vehicles.

Or maybe they're on a ship or something. Who knows?

[Roe]

I'm in the camp that chooses to believe the military was aware of MGP well before the attack on NYC--for no other reason than it's fun to speculate.

The 1-18-08.com photo showing the naval battle out in the water is my main reason for this. Plus, the military showed up in force way to quickly following the attack. It's not like there are lots and lots of tanks, other vehicles and very well armed military personal within an hour of down town Manhattan all ready to go on a moments notice.

I also have this theory the military caused the explosion at the very beginning of the movie, while Rob and them were on the roof trying to see what was going on following the tremor. However, there is no way to prove it. I thought the explosion in the city was too big for anything found in the city, but that's not necessarily the case. It's just fun to think about.

[Saiyan King]

Since 9/11 the NY and DC areas have National Guard and other military personnel pretty much on standby, just in case. They can be mobilized in a matter of moments, so it isnt far fetched to think the military could be there within thirty to forty five minutes. Seems about how long it was into the movie, in movie time, not real time

[Roe]

I agree there is probably a quick response plan in place, but my first thought is it's probably not organized with massive firepower in mind.

A terrorist attack on NYC likely isn't going to require a huge armed response. It would be more for things like medical, logistics and crowd control--the medical tents we saw in one scene for example.

Many National and State Guardsmen live at home, and not on base too. Notifying and getting them to their bases, dressed, preping their equipment and into the city like that, I still don't think it's possible in an hour or two for all the heavy equipment.

It doesn't really bother me though. One way or the other. It's all in good fun.


edit: spelling.

[SkitteryMocha]

post 9/11 military positioning does seem to clear that up. that plus the seemingly common spec that they knew it was coming. just kinda wouldn't expect a hummer with a 6pod missle launcher to be stocked in NYC "just-in-case".

Then again, I'm militarally retarted.

[Zaggs]

I thought about his as well. But one thing to remember is that it was originally reported as an earthquake which would have prompted a federal response involving the national guard anyway. Remember what you see the furthest advanced of the military response are hospitals. Also isn't there a base in brooklyn?
Again though the question is about how much research did the movie makers do? The land equipment doesn't lend itself to an answer who is responding (nat. guard, army or marines). All use the M1 tank, Humvees, though I think they were using the Paladin artillery vehicle (or something like it. Its the one that gets stepped on) as a substitute for a tank. Though I do not know if the Marines use the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) which is what is firing missile after missile in the street when Hud is on one side and rob, lilly, and marlena are on the other. So I would say its most likely active army. But when they say F-18's are coming in, they're only flown by the Navy and Marines. Strangely no helicopter gunships from the army are present. Also the helicopters used to evacuate are old hueys which made me think Nat Guard as opposed to newer blackhawks (the ones in the background of the tanker pic on 1-18-08.com). While the B-2 is only Air Force. So its gives the impression they are calling in whatever they can get, or the film makers just screwed up.

[Eks]

The military knew a lot more than the general public. In one of the news casts released about the Chuai station going down, they said that the US coastgard were in/around the scene which was ~1000 miles off the shore of NY.

They probably didn't know it was gonna attack NYC, but I'm sure they would have began preparing for something similar.

[konamouse]

My dad will complain to high heaven when a WWII movie uses the wrong airplane. My husband will complain loudly when the wrong gun is used (or the wrong military equipment for the service or time period).

I just say "it was in the script because it looked better than anything authentic".

I mean, is this a documentary for school/education, or a piece of fictional work for education?

[Zaggs]

[SkitteryMocha]

so the military presence, if i'm to understand, is a mixture of known monster activity by the military, Real Life fact that there's a military presence in NYC for post 9/11 security, and JJ finding things to blow up being a film maker and all?

i think that would sum it up unless there's something key we might be missing...

[Ghidra99]

I'm firmly in the camp (especially in light of the photos on 1-18-08.com) that the military had prepared for the advance of the monster. As shown by the hilarious-in-its-horrible-photoshopped-goodness naval battle photo, the military (Coast Guard) was following the monster as it progressed landward. Seeing as how they didn't really have an option to destroy the monster, as evidenced by its survival of the naval battle all they could hope to do was contain it.

In essence, Hud may have been correct with his speculation that maybe the military was "in on it".

[Mikeyj]

[TheRabbit]

There's really only a few problems I have with the military in this movie.

The gunner in the Abrams that rolls past the group must have overdosed on sleep meds with as slowly as he's firing the turret.

Whoever loaded up the bombs on that B-2 had no idea what they were doing.

And finally, I don't care how tough your skin/hide is, when a 120mm round traveling 1500+ m/s hits you, it's going to go right through you.

[Zaggs]