Band of Brothers Epi 5 "Crossroads"
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- Опубликовано: 29 окт 2023
- Fave Episode in the series so far...This episode a amazing work of art and story telling. I love Winters so much and continue to be impressed by these remarkable men.
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ames
Original Content: Band of Brothers Mini Series (2001)
"We're paratroopers, Lieutenant. We're supposed to be surrounded." Just stone cold.
"We're surrounded. They can't get away this time!" - Chesty Puller
Semper fi
Yup! Fuck facts
Before Multiple Sclerosis disabled me, I used to work in tire shops as an installer. Once a car came in and the front plate had a few military symbols on it and said "THE BATTERED BASTARDS OF BASTOGNE." I asked the owner (an old man wearing a faded but somehow crisp-looking OD green cap), "You were in Bastogne, sir?" He looked like I had pinched him. "You know what Bastogne is?" I replied, "Yes, sir, I do." It seemed like tears were about to form in his eyes and he visibly shuddered a little. "We were there before the Airborne came. My God, they let us have it." I'll never forget that brief interaction. It was well over 30 years ago and he has likely reached the clearing at the end of his path, may the god of his understanding have mercy on his soul.
I promise that your knowledge of Bastogne and your asking him about it meant more to him than he let on. Your question made it clear to him that his sacrifices were not in vain , not forgotten, and was appreciated and respected still!!! That's very important to us aging vets, though not for personal glory or remembrance, but because as long as there are Americans who have not forgotten and as long as there are Americans who appreciate what Vets have done, the more likely it is that there's enough patriotic Americans to keep America free. I'm afraid for the near future of America for at least one more generation. Too many are ignorant, especially kids in school today, about our Founding, our Civil War, the War of 1812, and of WW1 and WW2 particularly. These must never be forgotten!!! So thank you for asking that hero ( though he would probably deny he was one) about Bastogne. You impacted his mind and heart in a wonderful way probably without realizing it!
That's great!
I remember seeing an older man with a ww2 veteran hat on... this was over a decade ago. He was sitting outside of a paint shop and I went up and thanked him profusely, but couldn't bring myself to ask any questions about where he'd been/what he'd seen.
Afterwards he asked me to help him up and help him get into his car and he thanked me and went about his day.
I'm still shocked when I think about it... felt like I'd seen a celebrity, an actual living legend.
The scene of Winters on the train is one of the most hauntingly relatable depictions of PTSD ever put to film...
As someone with CPTSD, though not combat related. I completely agree
That and the first Rambo First blood.
@@wheelz8240 you're not alone, and I have TBI as well. Take care.
Apparently the real winters wasn’t happy w the scene tho, saying “they made it look like I was trying to pick up the young kid” 😂😂
So NOTHING pre WWI?
..and before?
There's an apocryphal quote attributed to one of the Paratroopers when they found out the Germans had surrounded Bastogne (the town they were defending): "They have us surrounded - the poor bastards."
It has become one of many unofficial mottos of the US Army Airborne.
What a motto! What Winters said!
@@holddowna Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg are, frankly, hypocrites. Both their fathers served in the military in WW2 and have made a lot of money off Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, but they vote for and support a political party in the USA that absolutely HATES the Bill of Rights. You're Canadian so you might not know that the Bill of Rights is a limit on government power, and they want the government to have no limits on power at all.
They did a great job on this, but are anti-American nonetheless as is most of Hollywood.
@@holddowna Richard Winters was actually distrustful of them when they approached him about this project.
@@holddowna The Canadians, on a per capita basis, had more soldiers fighting in WW2 than any other nation on the Allied side.
@@holddowna That part about eating rats. This was covered in the book by Ambrose on which this is based. It left Richard Winters cold to hear these people who were in rear supply roles and hadn't seen frontline duty talking big like that, and it was naturally all made up stories by the rearward stationed people. If you watch The Pacific it really frustrated those guys as well where those who hadn't seen front line duty were going up after the battle was over to get souvenirs to use to dazzle the people back home as if they'd been in battle.
Winters subtlety dressing down Dike here is fantastic. Translation: “your battalion CO’s whereabouts are not your concern, Lieutenant. Take care of your company.”
Especially the "or have you already done that?" Part.
@@russfoulkes5490 Its a great example of a leader knowing the answer and dressing them down a bit, but also giving them an out in case they're mistaken and they're on the ball. He didn't shout, but just firmly focused him on what his role and responsibility is in the now.
if subtle is calling him an idiot without actually saying the word.
Jimmy Fallon is playing the 10th armor supply officer Lt George C. Rice : while the germans where surrounding Bastogne, he made 8 trips from a nearby ammunition depot to the 506th position to ressupply the paratroopers. On the last trip he actually went through german lines, and he would have kept going, but his commanding officer ordered him to stand down.
I think he was awarded a medal for his action, but I can't recall which.
Wow! Thanks for this
@@holddowna. The interesting part about it, is that it was Jimmy Fallon’s Grandfather. Jimmy Fallon is portraying his own grandfather.
@@holddowna Another fun fact. Jimmy Fallon can't drive stick, which really isn't an uncommon thing for people living in the city where public transportation is common. So they actually had to use a few extras to help push the jeep he's driving
@@MetalDetroit No, it wasn't, ya freakin' dingus. Stop believing everything you read on the Internet, and you'll enjoy a much more satisfying life.
@@MetalDetroit
Nonono, he IS is own grandfather!
I've been really enjoying your Band of Brothers reactions! I'm a retired US Paratrooper and got to serve with the grandson of Moose Heyliger in the 82nd Airborne. My greatest honor was jumping into Normandy for the anniversary of D-Day.
Wow! Thanks so much for your service and for watching! Means a lot!
Holy cow that’s awesome, did his grandson get to make the jump too?
You see any combat in your service?
@@30AndHatingIt He did! He was the first Jumper in the door
@@adamwegner2520 quite a bit over the years
Love seeing more and more people discover this series. Absolutely legendary storytelling
Yeah, it was super unknown before.
@@aerthreepwood8021 very obscure, independently produced series 😂
@@SmokeyNadeshave you heard of this indie show, Breaking Bad? Most people don't know about it, it's super obscure.
@@aerthreepwood8021 I’ll have to research it, sounds random. I’ve been spending some time enjoying this small time, almost unknown series called The Sopranos. You might like it!
@aerthreepwood8021 not as obscure as this one cult classic hardly anybody knows, called the walking dead (?), was it?
Another non spoiler heads up. The man wounded so badly at the start of the action was a guy named Alley. The grenade went off near his head. The surgeon who worked on him eventually counted 32 holes from fragments. Not only did he survive that event, he was back on the line within a few days. He served at Bastogne (the location Easy is occupying at the end of this episode.)
He is not a core character, so he is one of the faces always around but the actor had few lines. He will be addressed by name and have a line in episode 7. There can only be so many core characters, it is difficult for people to keep up as is, but Alley was one hell of a guy. Respect.
As soon as you said "Bastogne" I got shivers. You'll understand why soon enough
🥶🥶🥶🥶
My favorite is George Luz. All his impressions and jokes makes him such a likeable guy.
Unfortunately for him, there is a special level of Hell reserved for ... people who talk in the theater.
@@dougearnest7590 got a penny?
The train scene. The flashbacks. That’s what it’s like. It’s so accurate. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been there.
Thank u so much for watching. ❤️❤️❤️
@@holddowna I love all your videos.
I have a question? What was going on with those are Polish people that were shot? Were they SS, were they lying that they were Polish? I am a bit confused.
Before that operation, Winters only ever shot his rifle during that fight where they disabled the artillery guns (2nd episode) and he only fired it a couple times, at targets far away while moving within the trench, so he hadn't hit any enemy yet. That German he shoots in this episode is his first confirmed kill. Was a very young men and he saw his face up close too (was probably taking a piss), so that left a mark on him.
Was also his last time to fire his weapon.
IIRC Winters shoots two Germans in the trench in Episode 2, and another as he is leaving the action after ordering everyone else to withdraw.
@@grahamtravers4522 We never see it on screen but he he would have most certainly fired his weapon during the events of episode 3 and in the weeks that Easy was fighting in Normandy. He also likely fired his weapon during Market Garden. It's Nixon who is stated to have never fired his weapon in combat.
@@grahamtravers4522 Ah you're right. I remembered it wrong.
That's a great scene, it's wrong, but it's still a great scene. Winters actually encountered the guy on the road on the dike. He was a guard and not paying attention. Winters said he never forgot it, and that the guy was surprised and actually smiled at him, right before he shot him.
I love your reactions, young lady. I watch this series every year with the kids I work with. One episode a day, starting on June 5th. It's important that we never forget the price that was paid for the freedom we enjoy. No spoilers, but brace yourself for what's coming. Thanks again for reacting to this amazing series.
The next three episodes are the best and most pivotal of the entire series
The shot of them fixing bayonets and charging across that open field gives me chills every time.
Me too!
The reality of that scene was they were not far behind Winters, they were right behind him.
Bastogne, Belgium was an Allied bubble encircled by Germans in what became known as "the battle of the bulge." Nuts indeed.
Exactly. Nuts!
I've always been a big fan of Joe Toye in this series. That guy got hit so many times and just kept coming back.
❤️
Toye and Gaurnere were my faves.
This is one of the best episodes for telling their story beyond the combat. It’s hard to lose a good leader, even when it’s due to promotion. And it’s hard to step out of direct leadership of a great team and stay hands off, but it’s necessary to let the new leader grow into the position. If that process fails. Then the tendency to micromanage will be very strong, and then everyone gets frustrated and morale drops.
U said it better than me!
best episode is Bastogne i believe..
@@florinispas1953 Ames is gonna cry for sure. It’s gut wrenching. But it is still dealing with combat issues, and not the issues of how administrative support affects the war, or how leaders have to balance both.
@@florinispas1953 SPOILLERS!!! Not cool for her.
@@holddowna if you wanna realy cry try pacific the series,its more powerfull,more savage..Yet another movie My way from 2011,the only asians in the german army,As far as my feet will carry me is about an oficer struglling to get back home from Siberia.
My personal favorite is Richard Winters. That man was a leader, insightful, respected, and a man who would be followed by anyone by the looks of it. A brilliant man, and a person who made sure a ton his “boys” came home as the best he could.
Time for the next episode! I can't wait for you to experience the conclusion to this series, and join us in the post-BoB world where we re-watch it every 15-18 months, haha!
Fallon is actually portraying his grandfather. I believe he received a medal for making a bunch of ammo runs.
I looked that up and I couldn’t find that
@@holddowna hmm. I remember watching an interview about it somewhere. Strange. Maybe the matrix is glitching again.
There is absolutely no evidence that Fallon is in any way related to Rice. It’s always someone posting on RUclips that “they read it somewhere” but can never provide a reliable source. Meaning, they read it from a RUclips comment and perpetuated the myth.
@@holddowna That's because it's an urban myth, propagated by dolts who believe everything they read on the Internet.
My favorite would be Perconte. He's not one of the more highlighted members of Easy Company, but I grew up in the Bronx with the actor who portrays him - Jimmy Madio - so, I'm obligated to pick him😛
Cool. He did a great job
"We're paratroopers Lieutenant; we're supposed to be surrounded". Most bad-a** line in the entire series.
Operation Pegasus was a military operation carried out on the Lower Rhine near the village of Renkum, close to Arnhem in the Netherlands. Overnight on 22-23 October 1944, Allied military forces, Britain's MI9 intelligence organization, and the Dutch Resistance evacuated 138 men, mostly soldiers trapped in German-occupied territory who had been in hiding since the Battle of Arnhem a month earlier
Note: PIR Parachute Infantry Regiment. Thanks and Enjoy!
THANK UUU
I definitely share your sentiments about Winters and wanting to have met him to shake his hand. There were not many of them, but there were a few officers I served under in the Navy who had the leadership qualities that Winters had. Excellent leaders as well as excellent people.
❤️❤️❤️
My favorite episode. Winters is an absolute boss when it comes to tactics and leadership. I also liked how they showed the flashbacks from PTSD.
Heads up for the next two episodes, ROUGH. That's all I'm gonna say.
Guarnere was always one of my faves as well. He, Muk, Malarkey and Luz are the Company Smartasses. Every group and organization needs a few smartasses to keep everyone else sane.
Agreed. And it's especially meaningful to see that even a "strong" character like Winters suffered at least some PTSD, although nothing disabling him from performing his combat duties. I suspect that not a single soldier got out of that war- or any war- without at least some PTSD- how can you not? Unless you just aren't human at all. And this was a "good" war. Imagine what it was like for vets from Vietnam, which was out first "not so good" war. This series really helped me understand my own father, who was in the Navy in WWII. He was in the Pacific and always clammed up when asked about his war experiences. Or he would just shrug and say he never saw any combat (he was a PT boat driver in the Philippines, so you just know he had to have seen some horrific fighting). He used to say that his experience was just like in MacHale's Navy, where they just joke around, drinking jungle juice and taming monkeys to kill the time., or they'd just putter up and down the coast firing machine guns randomly into the jungle just to show their commander that they were expending ammo. He died several years before this series was made. I wonder now whether he would have chosen to watch it, and if so, what his reaction would have been. Or to the following the series, "The Pacific" ... For veterans like him, wars never ended: they went on fighting them all the rest of their days...
Never noticed it before, but there are so many times when you hear Winters say "follow me".
I just ran into Ross McCall the actor who played Liebgott while on layover in London. I fan boyed because this show was so amazing when i first watched it back in 2008. It's the reason i enlisted. He was such a nice guy if you have an IG i have a photo with him.
Pay attention, people: Now THIS is how you fish for an Instagram link!
When Winters was promoted to the Executive officer (XO) of 2nd Battalion, he was given a large part of the command of at least 3-4 companies, including Easy. He would no longer be out in the field fighting with the men under his command. Colonel Strayer was the commanding officer of the battalion, but Colonel Sink was leaning very heavily on Strayer for regimental command function, so Winters assumed the de facto combat command portions.
Of course his first promotion in EP2 was one of immediate necessity and no other option, but Winters rose to the occasion and through the ranks fast. An absolute aptitude to command from small unit and up. Tactically when on the line, but also understanding his men, their morale, their fighting strength, his officers and NCOs, when they can push, and when they can't. Truly an exemplary leader to aspire towards.
There's a ton of things I want to comment, but usually hold back on. Your little fist pump for the Canadian mention made me remember one. Look up who Bill Millin was, he was a Canadian who landed on the beaches of Normandy. His was maybe the most amazing story of the day.
He was Scottish.
He was born in Saskatchewan, his dad was Scottish.@@grahamtravers4522
@@grahamtravers4522 He was Canadian actualy. Born in Saskatchewan.
These heroes of the 101st Airborne also fought in the Netherlands to free us from the Nazis. To this day, we can still live in the freedom they brought us here in the Netherlands for which I am very grateful to them. For 17 years, I served in the Dutch army and have been sent abroad several times and diagnosed with PTSD as a result. A question I ask myself every day is why am I survived and and other servicemen who were with me did not? This question will no doubt have been asked many times by these brave men of the 101st too.
This one strikes at my heart-stings. My uncle was a 20-year old paratrooper just out of training, and when his division got surrounded at Bastonge, he was one of a company of 200 reserves that they decided to drop into the city. Unfortunately, as is usually the case, in bad weather they missed the drop-zone and found themselves coming in on top a two German Regiments (approx. 1400 German soldiers. My uncle and his wounded Lieutenant hid under four downed trees until relief arrived three days later. of the 200, he said that only 18 survived. He received a Bronze Star for pulling his lieutenant to safety under fire, was discharged from the Army with severe Shell-Shock (what they called his form of PTSD), and could never fly in a plane again for the rest of his life.
Nothing in the world is more startling than Jimmy Fallon appearing suddenly in the midst of the Bulge.
My favorite is Lt. Ronald "Sparky" Speirs. He was a brilliant officer, and, an EXCEPTIONAL soldier.
Cowboy coffee IS good, but, what they were drinking was more than likely instant coffee. It's still a staple in the military, and, it is still completely awful.
Jimmy Fallon couldn't drive a manual trans, and, kept stalling that Jeep. So, eventually, they just kept it in neutral, and, had several crew members push him into frame.
It doesn't matter what war - soldier's universally know that when the order to "fix bayonets" comes down, things are about to get REAL.
KEEP THESE EPISODES COMING! I love watching your reactions and band of brothers holds a special place in my heart and many many others and you’re so attentive and thoughtful while watching, it’s perfect!
Mr. Winters was one of the most humble men you could ever meet. A true hero that would never admit as such!
I love your emotions on telling this story,more people should watch this
"Are they at a crossroads in the war?"
- Yes. Great reaction series, love the natural reactions to everything, and appreciation for the technical aspects of the show. I remember watching this post 9/11 when it originally aired and just being blown away.
Heres another thing I love about the film-making. The scene where Winters happened upon the young German soldier -- it seems like everyone is moving in slow motion. It doesn't really feel realistic in the way the other combat scenes do. But when you read Winter's memoir, he recounts how dream-like that moment felt to him. The filming makes it feel surreal because it's a strong POV manner of storytelling. We SEE it the way Winters does. Brilliant!
IIRC, There was an actual scientific experiment done with people bungie jumping or something, that measured their eyes, and maybe their brain activity as they did so. A key training factor for combat troops and police likely to get into violent situations is tunnel vision. It's got to do with what the brain does during high-stress situations. The brain goes into a kind of "mega-hyper-vigilance," and the perceived field of view from the eyes is narrowed, while the sense of time is actually distorted, seeming much longer to the person enduring fight-or-flight. That's why troops are trained in high-stress conditions-to learn how to recognize the signs, and still be able to think.
To make a metaphor in computer terms, it's like a 1st-person video game, where the GPU is stressed by what it "sees," causing the CPU to ramp up to hyper-mode, and it compensates by narrowing the field of view, and stretching time out. Ok, that's actually a terribly stated metaphor, but you can experience it in games like the older Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
But yes, that was brilliant film making.
Your empathetic reactions are top tier. 👍👍
Absolutely so. I've said on other excellent reactors channels that the sign that they are good at it is that we will watch along something we have already seen, possibly many times, and enjoy it as if it were new.
if you want more background on episodes 4 and 5 I suggest you read the book A Bridge Too Far
if not watch the movie
well known trivia: Tom Hanks has a hobby of collecting typewriters
Yes! Learnt this after SPR! Totally forgot to mention that as I was just soo immersed in that epi!
By far my favorite episode of the series. If I remember correctly from the book, nobody could remember how Winters got so far out of front of the platoon charging the crossroads. The episode at least gives a reason when Peacock holds them back until the smoke goes off.
Doing great with the review and looking forward to the rest of the installments!
I actually saw another interview of Major Winters, done around the same time as the Band of Brothers interviews, where he stated that he thought the show exaggerated that point just a bit!! He said that he remembers running so fast, he does not think that he ever ran that fast before or since!!! He gives that as the reason as to the distance between himself and the rest of the men!! He also stated that the distance between himself and the German soldier that he shot was no more than 10 ft at the most!! It was the distance across a narrow road that was at the top of the Dyke. He did confirm that the soldier smiled at him right before Major Winters shot him!!! He thought that that was kind of odd!!
@@bernardsalvatore1929 *_STOP. With. The. Spoilers!!!_* What is the matter with you?!
Fun fact. Hugo Boss made the German uniforms in ww2
The worst part is he didn't even design the SS uniforms, only manufactured them using forced labor from POW camps, and was an avowed Nazi up until the end of the war in Europe.
This is my favorite episode. It shows the horror that Winters went through and how he handled it like a BOSS!!
Jimmy Fallon's character George C. Rice; *_"The 506th Parachute Infantry had left Mourmelon in such a hurry that many of the men did not have helmets and others were short of weapons and ammunition. Colonel LaPrade told Major Desobry about this embarrassment and the armored force's S-4, Second Lieutenant George C. Rice, was sent packing to Foy to bring up ammunition. On the way he met the upcoming 1st Battalion and asked for their supply officer; but this officer was in Bastogne beating the woods for weapons and ammunition. So Lieutenant Rice asked the company officers what they needed most, and found that rocket launchers, mortars and all types of ammunition were the critical shortages. He then dashed on to Foy and loaded the jeep with cases of hand grenades and M1 ammunition. The jeep was turned around and the stuff was passed out to the paratroopers as they marched. On his next shuttle, Rice got back to the moving, battalion with a jeep and a truck overloaded with weapons and ammunition. The materiel was put alongside the road in five separate piles so that the men could pick up the things they needed as they went by. He made one more trip and caught the head of the column just before it reached the limits of Noville. A load of 81mm mortar ammunition came into town after the battalion got there."_*
Great that you pickup on so many of these small details in the sound, faces, the bloody hand on the ambulance etc. Make sure to buckle up for what is to come in the next couple of episodes as you will experience how much of a hell war is, "first hand".
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My favorite episode because of the sound edits and the depiction of PTSD. Winters felt like the assault at the crossroads was Easy Co finest hour. It was pretty amazing when you consider how outnumbered Easy Co was. Winters wasn’t thrilled with his promotion to Battalion XO. He thought it was a waste of his
abilities. He also wasn’t thrilled with the train scene. He felt like it made him look like he was
trying to pick the young man up. He wasn’t decorated for the assault but he didn’t care. As I said, it’s my favorite episode but the next two are brilliant. ☮️❤️
It’s my fave epi so far!
One movie you definitely don't want to miss is 'Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World' with Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. You think "It's a boring film about sailing vessels at war" and it turns out to be more deep than you can imagine.
Hey, Ames.
Love your reactions, the scene where Winters looks at the young French teenager and sees the young German soldier he shot first brings back feelings of things you did, but wish you hadn't. Winters recollection later stated the young soldier smiled at him as he reached the side of the road, Winters paused for a second as their eyes met, then he pulled the trigger. He was no more than 20 feet away.
Winters never forgot the smile. Haunting, to say the least.
The next two episodes are excellent as well.
You got four left!
Love from Texas.🤠
Great reaction as always. This series is a tribute to the 16 million Americans who were in uniform during WWII. Sadly, only around 100,000 WW2 Veterans are still living. These were the GREATEST MEN AND WOMEN of the GREATEST GENERATION. We should honor those WW2 Veterans still with us and pray for those WW2 Veterans (which includes my father and 3 uncles) who have gone to their eternal rest.
Thank you so much for watching that means a lot! We should honor them! Thankful for your family who served❤️
I've watched so many reactions to BoB and so far, I think you are the only one to realise you were looking at Notre Dame. You are doing a brilliant job with your reactions and always seem to understand what is going on at any given moment. I love the way you have immersed yourself into the series and the actors have done a great job in pulling you in as if you are one of them. I think they have that effect on the majority of people watching this series. I would suggest that you watch this series a few times more in the future because the more you watch it the more you will recognise many of the men who play smaller / back up roles throughout the series. Many of the guys you recognise later in the series, you will start to realise that you have already seen them earlier. I am really enjoying your reactions to this series. All the to you.
Thanks so much for your kind words! I love this series, but sometimes have a hard time following all the soldiers and military talk! But I am learning! These stories are important and glad to be watching this! I’ve heard about it for years! Thanks for watching!
@@holddownaI agree. You are pretty sharp at catching some of the subtle things and also realizing what's going on when other people just miss so much. I really like your reactions! Great job!
Damian Lewis is great as Dick Winters, but Ron Livingston's Nixon cracks me up every time.The series really does a great job of showing the different level of banter among enlisted men vs officers. Operation Market Garden was the subject of a classic 70's movie called 'A Bridge Too Far".
I deal with bad PTSD and I see it in their eyes........it makes my heart sad.
Every soldier that has experienced combat is WOUNDED.
So sad and so strong. I can’t image what soldiers go through
“Next to a battle lost, the saddest thing is a battle won.” Sir Arthur Wellesley The Duke of Wellington after defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.
It's not often a low level NCO can get away with yelling at two officers, but in the case of Doc Roe's upbraiding of Winters and Welsh they knew they deserved it and were men enough to take it. Besides, they also knew that they themselves may someday need a medic's aid, a medic who knew how much morphine to administer.
Yeah, Medics/Corpsmen can get away with that, and for good reason.
Episodes 6 and 7 are my two favourite back to back episodes in the series so I'm looking forward to it.
The long over coats was referred too as "great coat" and they were warm. Next two episodes are rough still love your reactions.
PTSD is a hell we can never escape. I'll be okay one second, then there's the sound of cherry bombs off in the distance. My gut tightens up at the same time as I either fall to take cover or stand frozen, waiting...and if my mind isn't too frozen, or maybe if it is, I'm never sure... every bad thing in my whole life comes back to me like some warped picture show only there's sound and emotions with it. What these guys did I could never imagine. Not ever. They're heroes worthy of far more than they were given. The interviews are what gets to me the most. Decades later, and nobody forgets. You never really heal. That's the price of war. Nobody comes home the same as when they left. It's heartbreaking, the things humans insist on doing to each other. 😢
Let's just say it. Every one of these episodes is stellar. What makes it so riveting is the accounts are as close to accurate as can be. For me the journey really takes off in Bastogne.
I remember my Dad telling me when I was a kid that after he came back from the Korean War nothing basically changed in his life.He just went back to his old job in the supermarket stocking shelves like nothing happened. He did tell me he couldn't watch the news reels updated the war he would get cold sweats hearing the bombs in his head at nighttime too. Hes no longer with us but I miss him every day I can't imagine what he went through back then.🙏🇺🇸
The man jimmy fallon played was named George Rice. He made eight trips between the ammo dump and the paratroopers with the eighth one being done after the germans had the surrounded. He had to be ordered by his commanding officer to not go. He received a silver star for doing that.
My favorite is George Luz the one is always mocking officers, and his sarcastic wit, one pulled the prank on Captain Sobel during training.
Watching this episode while drinking some cowboy coffee, oh so good
I believe they referred to what we know as PTSD as "combat fatigue." Even if you kept functioning in the war, it was common to have those traumatic memories re-visit you in the future. I read a story that Winters told from a few years after the war. He was walking down the street in the town where he was living. Nearby but out of his sight, a young boy was running down the sidewalk with a stick in his hand, knocking the stick against a picket fence. The rapid and repetitive sound it made was similar to a German machine gun. Winters immediately threw himself on the ground out of reflex. The normally innocent sound produced a not-so-innocent memory.
If you get the chance to watch the other Hanks/Speilberg production, "The Pacific," the subject of combat fatigue is dealt with much more completely with two of the main characters, Robert Leckie and Eugene Sledge. Both wrote excellent memoirs of the war.
The wounded soldier they bring in at the beginning of the episode named Alley tells the story of how he was wounded in the excellent documentary We Stand Alone Together which is free on RUclips, it is a must watch after you finish the series.
Ahh thanks!
Crossroads in the war is absolutely right. You've got a big one in store next episode.
Just a note to add context at a key scene.
When the medic is yelling at Winters and the other officer, obviously it's because they couldn't remember how many syrettes of morphine they gave the other wounded officer. The soldiers had a saying "two syrettes to talk to God, three to go see him". This would have been part of all of their training so the fact they couldn't give the medic an accurate number would have been a huge failure on their part.
Wish I could wipe my memory of this series to experience it again for the first time with you man
I was in the 101st from 06 to 12. I meet maj. Winters a few times. A great man. Soft spoken. I have a 101st flag signed by him right before he passed.
I would suggest to watch the pacific and generation kill next.
The emotional roller coaster goes off the rails from here. Have the tissues ready.
I love Winters. He's very straight-ahead and no-nonsense, but compassionate. And I love his drunk buddy for being so human. But the drunkenness develops later on in the show.
Another great insightful reaction especially comments about the cinematography. nice job
Thanks! I’m a sucker for cinematography!
Always found his flashback to the young German soldier that Winterss killed powerful.
"Bull" Randleman is my favorite. Reminds me of Medic we had, and pretty much my attitude after serving. Although i drink like Nixon to maintain that level of cool, calm, and collected. I take care of anyone working under me and distribute my "folksy wisdom".
Director Tom Hank has a love of mechanical typewriters. And it shows. Alley (the guy brought in very badly hurt in the scene just after we meet Trigger the dog) talks about how he was injured in the remarkable accompanying HBO documentary, “We Stand Alone Together.” You should definitely react to after the miniseries as it serves as a perfect capstone to it and you have been so moved by the snippets of the vets at the start of episodes.
If you want another Tom Hanks WW2 movie, Greyhound is great. It didn't get all the attention of some of the other Hanks projects because it got released during the pandemic. It is Hanks playing a destroyer captain on convoy duty during the Battle of the Atlantic. Canada is represented by a Flower Class Corvette operating under Hanks' command as part of the escort. I have a personal connection to this movie, my father was in the Battle of the Atlantic, he signed up at age 16, my grandfather would not sign the permission forms for him to join the army, but did sign to let him join the Navy.
my father was in the navy ,drove a landing craft at Normandy. his brother was infantry in pattons 3rd army .i had an uncle on my mothers side that was a waist gunner on a b17, and at least 1 other uncle that served in ww2. even my mother worked in a boeing plant building b24 bombers and sang on the radio broadcasting to troops. people ,especially the newer generations dont understand what these people went thru and dont care. the level of respect that you show towards them brings me to tears because you get it. my father never spoke about the war as many didn't. so we can only know thru film.i want to tell you thank you!
Back when they were still training at Taccoa and in England, Winters didn't go out on weekends. Why Sobel (aka Ross), said, "You don't leave the base on weekends anyway, take the punishment..." Winters spent his time working out and studying tactical manuals. Why he was such a good tactician on the battlefield.
Band of Brothers - the first five episodes were great.........and then they stepped it up a notch.
It's good to see someone in the present generation begin to realize what's been done for them by previous generations. This series is great, but there's SO MUCH more to learn and understand. I hope you pursue that and find that depth of love and appreciation that can enhance the benefits and blessings of today. I've seen some other reactions to these shows that are quite shallow. You seem to be soaking it in, which is good. Hang in there.
This part of the story does a great job of getting us ready for what's coming. I swear, if Dick Winters came back and told me he wanted me to help him invade hell, I'd grab a rifle and follow willingly. I have little doubt he'd get us through it.
I find it extra funny they went with a John Wayne movie for the scene since John Wayne famously avoided military service in WW2 to scoop up the roles that other movie stars who were serving in the war had to leave behind.
Yeah, chickenhawks are the worst.
@@adamwells9352 Speaking of birds, didn't John Wayne also display contempt after shooting and killing an endangered California Condor, telling the judge he'd do it again, if he had another chance? Or is that just urban legend?
Doc Roe ,the huy who yelled at Winters and Welsch for not knowing how much morphine to give Moose, is my favorite character.
Also "Seven in one blow" is a reference to The Valiant Little Tailor. There was a popular Mickey Mouse cartoon called The Brave Little Tailor from 1938. I always thought it was a cool little cultural reference.
The next episode in Bastogne is so brutal. I remember the first time i watched it I couldn't fathom the conditions that Easy company had to endure.
Episode 6 is going to blow your mind, how they got so bombed in their holes in the woods is mental
The German offensive in the Ardennes and the Battle of the Bulge was the last great push of the German military in the West. It was a brutal hard fought battle and the Germans came close to succeeding. The SS committed many more war crimes during this battle, executing large numbers of American POWs and civilians (the Malmady Massacre). The Battle of the Bulge lasted for about a month in bitter cold and snow and resulted in huge casualties on each side. What these troops endured and accomplished is beyond phenomenal.
Loved your reviews and perspective on this AMAZING series. The tears are really going to flow on Episode 6 and 9.
Great reactions from Ames, for another superb episode of Band Of Brothers.
Thanks for sharing.
6&7 will definitely hit you emotionally.
I’ve watched this show almost every year since it came out. But last year I decided to read the book. And then I read Winters’ autobiography. The reason he was so good… is that the months they spent training in England… when everyone else went out at nights, he stayed in and studied. Hard. Because he knew he had lives depending on him. His decision to remove himself from his men a bit and devote himself to training and leadership… who knows how many lives that one decision saved.
*_Stop. With. The. Spoilers!!!_* Jesus Christ, dude!!!
From your previous episode. Tiger I (Panzerkampfwagen VI), the one that was hiding, is a specific type of tank, such as the Panzerkampfwagen VII (Tiger II), Panzerkampfwagen V (Panther), Panzerkampfwagen IV (Tank 4) Just as the US had M4 Shermans, M7 Priest, M18 Hellcat and many many more.
Germany just had awesome Camouflage. 😁
My favorite character in the series is Spiers. The thing he does in a couple episodes ahead of where you are is legend personified.
Lipton and Winters are a close 2nd/3rd
“Speed is the key”. He is correct. The Rhine river is covered by areas that are flat. Flat and open with barely any cover means almost certain death. Especially if there’s MGs and artillery. Get across the flat area ASAP to minimize casualty rates.
The breakout through Ardennes was a surprise to 4th Army because the movement orders were personally delivered rather than sent by radio. It also happened because of a turf war between 4th Army's G2 officer and the OSS officers assigned to 4th Army. Their job was to interview captured prisoners and deserters and possibly recruit them to return to their units and provide intelligence on their whereabouts and orders. However, 4th Army's G2 had them assigned quarters 200 miles away from the lines and didn't provide them transportation. It's very conceivable that if they'd been allowed to do their job the buildup near the Ardennes would have been discovered.
In the original book, it is written that Winters made it a point to double check Liebgott didn’t kill any POWs. It mentions Winters knew he had good soldiers but only handful of real killers. Liebgott was one along with Guarnere and a few others, so he knew.
It was written also in the book that even decades later, Heyliger never remembered what the passcode that got him shot was but laughed it off. It said too that Winters shipped the shooter off somewhere far away.
As for the production, Damian Lewis was on Fallon years ago and they laughed that Jimmy couldn’t drive stick so crew had to push the jeep and add sound effects in post.
That quote from the scrapbook just hits SO HARD on rewatch, when you know what you’re about to experience in Bastogne…