Band of Brothers Episode 3 Reaction
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- Опубликовано: 9 янв 2023
- thank you so much for watching, next 3 episodes are already on patreon and full reactions to them
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tv time - lola - skysstillblue, milena - oneofthe100
Blithe survived, and, went on to serve, with distinction in Korea. He died in an Army hospital in Weisbaden, Germany from complications from a burst ulcer in 1967. He was still in the Army, and, had reached the rank of Master Sergeant.
Yeah the show and the book it is based on had most of its information from the guys in Easy company, who lost contact with Blithe after the war. The information about his death in 1948 was apparently a rumor the guys had heard or something, which was only proven false after the episode aired. I think it might have been confirmed by Blithe's family or something.
@@TheKrislaf what I don't understand is why they don't correct it. It should be a simply edit
@@tamberlame27 They're not going back to the original film every time new information comes up. The show was made with the information available at the time, and that's it. They don't change things on Titanic because new info has come to light. They don't add feathers to the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park.
Just because you know that Blithe lived for another 20+ years doesn't mean the series should be re-edited.
@@bloodymarvelous4790 lol they just to have edit one title card at the end not the whole episode.
@@bloodymarvelous4790 also they did go back to Titanic and change things which were not accurate
After watching the series literally dozens of times, I continue to be impressed by the tenderness and care that Joe Liebgott shows to Tipper, who got caught inside the building when it took an artillery round. A good piece of acting by Ross McCall.
Tipper survived the war and his wounds somehow at around 8:38 of this video and led a very productive life.
Tipper became a school teacher, was well liked by his community, and his daughter works in the government of the state of Colorado.
Edward Tipper, the soldier who came stumbling out of the building after it got hit by artillery, actually survived his injuries and lived to be 96 years old. Also, the guy in the hospital that was laying on his belly in the bed next to Blithe was Popeye, the guy who got shot in the ass in the 2nd episode.
A young soldier is in good shape, very thin. So when he lays down his ass is what sticks up the highest. That’s why it’s one of the most common wounds among infantrymen.
Blythe also survived. Saw in the series that he had died. Must have been a shock !
I think the indications mean that he suffered a concussion in the jump.
@@davidyoung745 *Sir, I'm trying to crawl across this field, but my ass is big and keeps getting shot*
😄😆😆😆@@latch9781
Hope you girls carry on watching. It’s a great show and it’s history. The realism is what makes it.
Don't worry, they're still going! Up to episode 6 on Patreon as of today.
Do we have any idea if they will watch the Pacific?
@@gloomycrayon3585 The Pacific is brutal lmao. Lets see them get through Band of Brothers first before we ask that
@@uninterruptedrhythm4104 I preferred Band of Brothers in fairness, I didn't enjoy Pacific as much.
Good lord, after watching their reactions, a certain episode's gonna wreck them, and it's understandable.
I'm sorry it upsets you so. It really is sad to watch. My uncle fought in this war. when he came home he didn't speak to anyone for six months. You being this upset means you really understand how horrible it was. Please don't stop. Thank you sweet girls.
@callmecatalystwow just wow
In case it hasn't been mentioned, Tipper (the guy in the building that was blown up) lived a full happy life and had a family. His time in WW2 only lasted a handful of days and he went home.
If I remember correctly he was one of the men in the opening interviews for that episode.
Blithe also survived. The writers and researchers couldn't find him and somehow came to the conclusion that he'd died.
You mentioned this episode's theme being fear and how the real soldier at the beginning said each man had to find a way to deal with that fear themselves. Blithe couldn't do it originally so people were showing/telling him their own ways of dealing with fear. One soldier, Perconte, collected watches. One lieutenant, Harry, just treated everything like it was just a game. Another lieutenant, Speirs, told him to accept the fact that they're all already dead. The soldier that actually affected Blithe the most was lieutenant Winters. Seeing Winters' care for him in the medic tent and bravery, standing out above the fox holes, gave him the courage and an example of how to deal with the fear. It showed in the end bravery doesn't necessary mean you'll make it through though.
Albert Blithe was never seen by anyone from Easy Company again, and they falsely thought he died (so did this show's producers), but he actually survived and fought in the Korean war and lived until the 1960s. Loving the reaction so far, by the way!
Didn't he also retire at a fairly high rank
@@zom8979 Master Sergeant, a high NCO rank. But he didn't "retire"; he died still on active duty.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Blithe
@@wwoods66 ah I couldn’t remember if it was that or retired
Yeah I'll never figure out why they said he died in 1948 you think they would've done their research on that
Not quite. He was seen in a reunion still recovering after the war but not after 1948. That's why they assumed he died.
15:55 - Milena going into her little hair and hoodie comfort cave. 🤣 Edit: I pray for Milena as this show goes on. Gonna be a rough ride.
It's going to crush both of them, but I worry for Lola. She's the bigger empath.
@@EdwardLewisIV especially during that episode. And that episode. And also THAT episode.
@@EdwardLewisIV Yeah, Lola is the one who's going to fall apart the most often, but I dunno. When Milena breaks, she BREAKS. Classic stoic
The blanket is like their foxhole
@@EdwardLewisIV Lola will cope better. she's had much smarter expectations about what this show is about - Milena is the one who expected this show to be "another drama" and is genuinely shocked at how authentic and raw it is. she's sheltering in her hoodie at 16:00 onwards and crying at 17:00 onwards. I worry for her lol
On your point about the realism of the show, they often are just having conversations and a barrage comes in. On top of this, they don't have epic shots of people dying. Often the camera is focused on someone else and someone on the side of the frame is just dropped like they didn't matter. That's how real war feels.
"they don't have epic shots of people dying" to me that is what detracted from film "Hacksaw Ridge." The first third of the film was great, and really focused on the personal moments. Then the mid to end they spent so much time on the big death shots, if felt like it drowned out the few personal moments they spent with Corporal Doss, who the film was supposed to be about.
@@cliveklg7739 I actually had that movie in mind when I wrote this. I remember the first time we see the main cast engage the Japanese it's just drenched in epic shots. I still like that movie, but it really does start to feel like theatre instead of a real depiction. In Band of Brothers, the war starts to take a toll on you like you're there with the troops.
@@hardknockscoc It was meant to seem like a meat grinder though. The ferocity of the fighting in the Pacific was on a scale no one was prepared for.
@@hardknockscoc All of this is true, but due to it being a series and not a film, Band of Brothers also has the ability to make you feel this way that a film doesn't have freedoms to do in quite the same way.
@@cliveklg7739 I get what you're saying, but I think it's necessary for a film like Hacksaw Ridge to get the audience onboard in such a short time. Like you mentioned, a third of the movie is alr spent on something else. Those "epic shots" serve to move the story in a much faster pace bc it's necessary.
As others have said Blithe actually survived. Here's the thing though. Blithe would get so scared he would be literally paralysed with fear. Yet despite that and nearly losing his life when the sniper shot him in the shoulder he still volunteered to go to Korea. Knowing absolute terror is waiting and volunteering regardless. That's a real hero for you.
Carry on watching it in honor and memory of those that died. They deserve to be remembered for all of time.
Please don't stop watching this series. Try to see it through. I understand it's hard to watch, but it's part of history. You are learning things about WWII you may have never known. This series is special to me since my father fought in the European theater during the war in Italy, France, and Germany. You are 3 episodes in. Only 7 more to go. Hang in there.
I agree, keep watching. I know it;'s hard
The moment Winters shares with Blithe at the Med Station is so touching, and everyone forgets that Winters was, what, 23/4 at this time?
26 but your point still stands.
It’s a hard show to watch but it’s a journey worth taking. Hang in there ladies, this is something important to get through.
You'll probably get this comment a lot today. Turns out Blithe didn't actually die. He survived and also served in the Korean War. Can't really remember how that information got missed.
@@culpepper111 Yeah it's been at least 10 years since I've read it. I thought it was loss of contact.
@@DisgruntledHippo It was. Since he went to another unit after he got out of the hospital, and, never came to any reunions, because, he was still in the Army, the rest just assumed he had died from his wounds in Normandy.
Albert Blithe survived his wounds and continued serving in the U.S. military, including in the Korean conflict, until his death from unrelated issues in 1967. The mistake in the series and in Stephen Ambrose’s book is the result of still living (in 1990s) Easy company members having lost track of Blithe and Ambrose accepting their accounts. Once Band of Brothers came out, Blithe’s family corrected the error. Why HBO/Hanks/Spielberg haven’t corrected the mistake remains a mystery of life. Albert Blithe has a Wikipedia article with photos that goes into detail..
Also iirc a couple of the guys attended a funeral for an "Albert Blithe" in '48 and assumed it was him.
@@culpepper111 Because Ambrose was a *terrible* historian. Absolutely *terrible*. I say this as someone with multiple degrees in history, his work was piss poor and often made things up to tell a "better story".
Blieth in real life didn't die. He survived and continued serving and served with distinction in the Korean war.
Your reaction is why everyone needs to watch this. To show the reality of war and what happened historically and what it took to end this war.
Keep watching it. It pays off in the end.
Agreed
the most immersive show EVER, the best way to get thru the rest would be to binge watch, IMO. It doesn't get any better or less graphic. its really the only way to get the point across. Thank you for reacting to this.
It's such a hard watch. You are respecting reality in finding it so heavy. You are doing a great reaction to this. Thanks.
This has some very, very hard hitting moments and can absolutely be rough to watch but it is definitely worth it in the end. Not only to honor the sacrefices of so many soldiers by hearing their stories but the to also see the positives that are sprinkled in throughout the show. There are great moments of bravery, self sacrifice and brotherhood in this show that will hit you just as hard at the opposite end of the spectrum. This is in my opinion the greatest show ever made and i promise that you will not regret sticking with it to the end. It's a show that hits you at your core on so many different level.
You have to see it out girls, we owe them so much. The least we can do is remember their story. Best wishes.
To be honest, their country ended up under communist control after the war. Same for all of Eastern Europe. We entered the war to stand by our Polish allies but let Soviet Russia take it at the end. Quite tragic really.
@@colinglen4505 It's quite a bit more complex than 'letting' the Soviets take Eastern Europe. You don't have much leverage over a country when they lost some 27 million in the same fight.
@@colinglen4505 if anything that will hit them harder than westerners. The eastern front was an absolute horrific terror. It had 10X casualties. The Russians lost more soldiers in the battle of Stalingrad than the USA lost in the entire war.
@@kkpenney444 There was leverage, especially since the US and UK were supplying the Soviet Union with food and other essentials; we just didn't have the will to start another war. The world was exhausted with war and Uncle Joe knew it.
@@EdwardLewisIV That's because Uncle Joe cavalierly used his people as cannon fodder, and executed his most experienced officers. The US and UK were far more circumspect about getting their men killed - they would have been held accountable for huge losses whereas Stalin was not.
You ladies are doing a great job. I know it's emotionally draining, and the fact that this series is based on true events, it just hits even harder.
Major Dragutin Gavrilović from the Defense of Belgrade. Never heard of him before. Was amongst the survivors - badly wounded - and fought in WWII but died shortly after being freed from a Nazi Concentration Camp. Austro-Hungarians raised a monument in the honor of his unit, one of the few times in history where a monument was raised in honor of an enemy force.
This show was so well done, the pacific was as well as was the movie Hacksaw Ridge. War is hell, and they all did a fantastic job depicting what those men went through.
Pacific was fantastic but much harder to watch for me.
Don’t stop watching. It’s worth it to see what these men did for all of us.
This is one of the best series of reactions for Band of Brothers I have seen. You are both so open and impacted by it, that it seems like a wonderful tribute to what they went through.
This 'hysterical blindness' that happened to Blithe is a rare traumatic stress reaction. I don't know the name of it, but some accounts of the battle of Marathon in ancient Greece tell of one Greek warrior going blind despite not suffering any injuries, just like Blithe.
I hope you keep watching this show. The fact that it affects you is why I like watching you.
Approximately 350,000 American women joined the US military during World War II. Most served in the WACs or WASPs. They worked as doctors, nurses, drove trucks, served as telephone operators and couriers, flew airplanes from factories to military bases including to England, repaired airplanes, served in anti aircraft and shore batteries in the U.S., performed clerical work. Several served in the OSS as spies and as liaisons with resistance fighters. Some were killed in combat or captured as prisoners of war.
Many American women joined the Canadian military, at first because Canada entered the war in 1939 before the U.S. entered the war, and later because women had to be 21 to join the U.S. military but only 17 to enlist in Canada. Many underage girls lied about their age to enlist in Canadian service. Canadian recruiting offices even operated in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, and other large cites near the Canadian border.
It's amazing that you can meet a character (Albert Blithe) follow his journey throughout the episode for 45 minutes and develop such a strong emotional connection to him. The scene where he is shot shortly after overcoming his fear, always produces the tears. Bravo to the writers and director of this episode.
The disorganized aftermath of the jump was due to a couple of factors. One was that it was a night drop, making it harder for the pilots to navigate the assigned drop zones. The second factor is that the planes were taking evasive actions as the men jumped. Ideally, a plane is traveling at a slow speed and at a certain altitude for making sure the paratroopers hit the drop zone. If the plane is traveling too fast, the paratroopers get more spread out. Too high and they will drift more as they float to the ground. The paratroopers from a single plane can be spread out for miles (or kilometers) under these clusterfuck conditions.
Operation Overlord was the first and last time the U.S. airborne did a nighttime jump during wartime. (I don’t know if they ever did night drops during training after Normandy). The next major airborne operation was a daytime jump.
This show is very realistic and is indeed quite hard to watch at times. When you think about how old some of these soldiers were at the time…literal boys…it’s mind blowing…there’s a reason they are considered “the greatest generation”
Girls, I get that this is brutal but, please, keep watching. You'll not regret it. This is one of the best shows ever made. It will change your lives. Trust me.
Band of Brothers is Stephen Ambrose's most famous book because of this series. He was a very entertaining historian. My favorite book of his is "Citizen Soldiers", although "Band of Brothers" is really good. If you watch the old "World At War" series (narrated by Lawrence Olivier) towards the end a young Stephen Ambrose is interviewed. As well as actor Jimmy Stewart, who was a bomber squadron leader.
Here for your analysis on the show and characters!
You two above all others are able to emphasize with everyone on screen, whether they be friend or foe to the heroes, giving insights that no other channel makes! Love your videos, keep it up!
Yea, having seen there reaction to Azula at the end of ATLA I knew this one was gonna be draining for them.
From back when i was studying Operation Overlord there was one quote that really hit me hart and stuck with me the whole time, and it goes something like this "We trained together for three years, only to lose more than half of us". This was from one soldier that was in the first wave on Omaha Beach.
I am happy that you are watching this, even though I know it is tough!!! I am US Army Combat Medic Iraq war Veteran. I am proud that I served, my father was a Combat Medic in the Army and was on the 2nd Wave in Normandy on D-Day. Please do not stop watching it!!! As a matter of fact, I think you should watch Saving Private Ryan also if you have not yet!
I am saying this because men and women gave their lives for this purpose in this war, This is true history and it is important to remember what happened and not just dismiss World history so easily, just because it makes people uncomfortable!!
It is the curse of men that they forget.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it!" George Santayana---
The Life of Reason--1905
My father was in the U.S. Army (1st Infantry Division) from February 1941 to October 1945 and served all through North Africa and Europe. He told me that when he went overseas the first time in ‘42 he never expected to live long enough to ever return to the USA.
First time I see someone taking apart that message spiers had for Blythe, most other reaction just goes over it. Also Blythe was considered to be dead until this show aired when his relatives let them self know that he surivved that injury and probably served even in korea.
Hey Lola and Milena! Thanks for watching this! Take your time with the show. It’s very heavy and difficult and I wouldn’t blame you if you can’t continue. It’s okay!
It also makes me hesitant on recommending The Pacific which is the companion series to Band of Brothers. It’s a little bit more difficult to watch than Band of Brothers imho. There are some moments of levity in BoB. There are few and far between in the Pacific
WW1 it was common for hysterical blindness and likely due to the trenches and the fear of the shells coming in, the raids, and absolute atrocity of that war.
It was basically a war based on old tactics and when the artillery, machine guns, and other weapons came in but with these supposed generals digging into siege was a way to waste thousands (50k plus during some attacks) for no reason.
Sounds familiar.
So Artillery is going to be a recurring thing in this show. Its the whistling sound followed by explosions that seem to come from no where. Artillery is any kind of cannon (big gun) that is used to fire munitions indirectly (and sometimes directly) at targets from longer ranges. Think from 3km to 20km distances. Mortars on the other hand are smaller man portable artillery that fire apple sized explosives shorter distances. Most of the time they fire high explosive shells which are just giant slabs of metal that explode and send chunks of metal(shrapnel) all over the place in every direction as well as turning other things like buildings, trees, rocks, and other materials into shrapnel with the blast. Artillery is King of Battle.
So in episode 2 the Flak Gun Emplacements (which Germany was also able to double as artillery) were being used to shoot at the Allied forces that were storming the beaches of Normandy while the guys we are following got dropped in the night before. So by knocking out these guns (damaging the barrels which renders them unusable) they really decreased the amount of danger to the guys coming onto the beach, as well as finding a map of other gun emplacements that were doing similar things.
No matter how trained you are, you’re never prepared for your first battle. Battle is the real transformation.
The series tried to depict in this episode a scene that featured prominently in the book but it gets lost a bit in the noise. When Easy gets attacked by tanks they had been issued a rather new anti-tank weapon (or, at least, new to Easy); the bazooka. It shoots a rocket designed to penetrate the armor of a tank but Easy was still unfamiliar with exactly how best to use it. One or more are shot at the German tanks only to see the rocket glance off the armor causing no damage. With near suicidal courage a Lieutenant leads an Easy trooper out in advance of Easy’s line of foxholes in the middle of an open field under a small hill the tanks were coming across. The Lieutenant wanted to get close enough to ensure a kill and try to give the trooper a shot at the thinner armor on the underside of the tank. The book relates a line from the story where the trooper could be heard screaming at the young officer over and over, “Sir, you’re going to get me killed! We’re sitting ducks out here, sir. We’re going to die!” The Lieutenant finally gave the order to fire and the rocket penetrated the tank, knocking it out. The two scrambled back to the line of Easy’s foxholes, miraculously, untouched. This scene is in the series but is lost a bit in the noise and the jerky camera work.
Well, you wondered out loud, “I don’t know how you get your legs to move!!??!!” in regards to the scene I mentioned above. The actual question is, “How do you STOP your legs from running away, stop your arms from throwing down the bazooka, when EVERY instinct you have is to run?” How did these men stand, or in this case, kneel, with their weapon on their shoulder and let the tank get close enough to ensure a kill? How did they force their hands to not shake or just pull the trigger without aiming just to be allowed to run? It’s partly leadership, partly training and partly shame. The soldier wasn’t going to run with his officer’s hand on his shoulder repeating, “Hold!……. Hold!…….. Not yet!……” As long as the officer directed him, he’d obey. What made the officer even try such a suicidal tactic? Duty as he saw it in that moment, maybe? I suppose the trooper couldn’t let himself drop or poorly fire the weapon because all of Easy was watching him and, though nothing might have ever been said, he couldn’t bring himself to run when his officer was risking his life right next to him or run away with every Easy eye on him. He limited himself to simply assessing the situation as he saw it with the appropriate military courtesy, “Sir, we’re going to die! You’re going to get me killed, sir!”
Milena, you stated "not everybody can not be scared. Not be terrified"....in combat. That's not true. I came across a quote from a character in book that I read from an author I love; the character stated, "A man who says he has never been scared is either lying or else he's never been any place or done anything".
I've been in combat. Every time you hear that first round fire or explosion go off, fear kicks in. But what also kicks in is the training. You only saw a couple of minutes of this in the first episode of this series as these soldiers trained for war. But as a combat soldier, training helps. And we get a lot of it. Fun fact, in order for us(a unit) to deploy to combat, you must be certified. Because once the first round is shot or the explosions go off, your training kicks in, as well as the adrenaline. When this fear happens in sync with the adrenaline, "fight or flight" kicks in. And yes, there are guys like Blithe that let the fear take them. In short, you can train and prepare yourself and talk $hit on how tough you are, ready for combat. But when that first round goes past you, you'll see how you will react.
I'm no hard-@$$, by all means. I was raised in a small family farm on a Native American reservation. I never thought I'd ever witness such things like being in numerous firefights, getting blown up, picking up pieces of my brethren before the sun goes down and the wild dogs come around to eat them. I was just a regular guy. And still am. But when we were attacked, I stood up and said I'll serve and defend this country. Because someone has to do it.
The flower taken by Blythe was an edelweiss. It was worn by Fallschirmjaeger (German paratroopers), who were elite soldiers in the Wehrmacht. Blythe's action taking the flower was a symbol of the strength of the German resistance in the capture of Carentan.
Watching the two of you react makes it obvious just how good a job HBO did with this series... you experienced all the emotional responses exactly as intended. This series IS hard to watch, but it's important that people do.... not only so that sacrifices and experiences of the people who actually went through all this horror are understood, but also to help prevent future generations having to unnecessarily go through this themselves.
Great reaction! I love that you two are watching this series. I do hope after the series ends you both watch We Stand Alone Together, the Band of Brothers documentary with all the interviews of the surviving Easy Co. members. As well as The Pacific which covers the US Marines fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Theater of War.
On Blythe’s ‘hysterical blindness,’ in the book Winters was asked about that and, with that very human touch he had, it was his opinion that Blythe “just needed someone to talk to him for a minute, to reassure him that he was ok.”
Never saw you this broken and terrified before, great emotions! Everyone feels different watching this show, but it is great to see. ❤
The scene at the end with the laundry lady always get's me, not the death, destruction and killing.
If I haven’t said it previously, your reactions to this series are the best I’ve seen. The extensive commentary and the thoughts you express put you over the top. And like others have said, I hope that you continue, even though it can be hard to watch at times.
They were a rare unit whose deployment carried them through all the most crucial events, from D-Day, to occupying Hitler’s mountaintop villa. And when the series is over, they made a great documentary that introduces the surviving members. Some of them are the guys interviewed at the beginning of each episode.
17:17 Blithe coming out of his shell is one of the most chill inducing masterpieces in camera work and sound design I've seen... also his acting. Wow!
Thank you both for paying respect for the history being portrayed here in this fantastic series. Always remember this is a story based on real people and real events. My great uncle took part in the European invasion on Normandy France in 1944. I would very much like for you both to finish the series.
You will continue to like Winters. The character and actor is amazing, but the real man Richard Winters was very much like they portrayed him. He was alive during the filming of this and they were in contact with him to make sure things were accurate. He was an amazing man with kindness and leadership just as they showed him in this episode, and a real hero.
I know it can be hard, but there is a lot of value in watching art like this. Episode 6 is one of the best episodes of television ever made, and definitely gives a perspective on war you rarely see
In regards to Winters, I think the main thing is that he wouldn't ask his men to do something that he wouldn't do himself, and like one of the veterans said, he always went first. In regards to surviving, for some people I think it's sheer dumb luck (if they weren't wounded).
In reality though, I'm not sure Blythe would have been handled quite so delicately, especially if he said he didn't try to find anyone, because he was scared and didn't want to fight. It should be dealt with like Winters does here (because he's not letting him sit it out, but is right beside him, encouraging him and when Blythe did go 'blind', he told him to just stay a bit longer whereas someone like Spiers would have bullied him into going back.
Keep up the great work, its important for young people to watch watch happened during WW2. This was only a spec compared to what the world faced, but these men deserve their story told. You don't get Spielberg and Hanks doing anything stupid.
30:15 the term HYSTERICAL BLINDNESS, now its called "Conversion disorder" (CD), or functional neurologic symptom disorder, "is a diagnostic category used in some psychiatric classification systems. It is sometimes applied to patients who present with neurological symptoms, such as numbness, blindness, paralysis, or fits, which are not consistent with a well-established organic cause, which cause significant distress, and can be traced back to a psychological trigger. It is thought that these symptoms arise in response to stressful situations affecting a patient's mental health "
What makes Band of Brothers so, so different from other war films and shows is how intensely focused it is. It doesn't attempt to make war heroic, or glorious. It's also not an anti-war production, either. It's about the experiences of the people who fought, from as close to their perspective as possible. And that means you're in the shit, so to speak. Frankly, it's genius cinematography.
Go at whatever pace feels right to you. It absolutely is worth watching to the end. And you will begin to know the characters much better from this point on
This is a great show it it get really emotional when you remember that these are real men that went off and did these battles for their country. This show will pull you in and make you care for each and every one of them. They are truly The Greatest Generation. Thanks for sharing with us.
It's supposed to be shocking and traumatic. They don't sugar coat it like most movies or shows do. Like the old saying goes "War is Hell". In some of the interviews you can see how emotional it is for some of them and this would be almost 60 years later. In the US the people that grew up in "The Depression", fought in WWII and then built this country into one the strongest economies in the world. Are often referred to as "Our Greatest Generation".
When this came out, this series was one that my now-ex and I would schedule our week around to watch. While neither of us saw combat, we're both Desert Storm veterans. WWII was our grandparents' war, and both of us had studied WWII. Though the show, like the book it was based on, takes some liberties with individual stories, it is accurate to the overall history.
I know it's hard on you. It was hard on my ex and I and we knew what to expect. Since it is so hard on you, I don't want to say that I'm happy you're watching it. Instead I will say that, as a military veteran, I'm grateful that you're watching it.
The advice Lieutenant Speirs gave to Blithe about accepting the fact that he is already dead in order to be a better soldier also applies to us. By accepting your mortality, not knowing when your death will come but come it will, then you will base your life on what matters and is meaningful.
Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
I really like that you girls take into account that these accounts actually happened. People went through these situations as romanticized as this was. Probably the best reactions to this I've seen.
On the having to volunteer for the Airborne, even though there was the additional ‘jump pay/hazard pay,’ to this day the US Airborne quite proudly states, “We don’t force people to jump out of planes. No one is forced onto the plane on the ground and no one, even those who volunteered for Airborne, is ever tossed out of a plane at altitude. Each paratrooper, each jump, had to force themselves out the door. Apparently it was the same for the bomber crews that were taking hideous losses over Germany, Romania and other places. Those men, too, received hazard pay, yet no one in any briefing ever heard the name or number of their bomber. No one laid a hand on a pilot, copilot, bombardier, navigator or crewman and shoved him into what must have seemed like a flying coffin. Reports consistently state the briefers would give the target, relevant information about the strike and that this mission required ‘maximum effort,’ meaning every plane that could be sent aloft was expected to go. All throughout the war instances of men going crazy, being unable to fly being quickly grounded and quietly transferred out of the unit. In Joseph Heller’s famous book, ‘Catch 22,’ he spells out the grimly humorous irony that the Army Air Corps couldn’t allow an insane man to fly in a bomber over enemy territory, yet the job was so hideously dangerous that no sane person would agree to do it. A signal that you were too insane to undertake the mission was if you WANTED to go. Only an insane person would want to go so only men who didn’t want to go were allowed to go.
I’m sure that bizarre dichotomy was operant in the Airborne, as well. One of the more humorous anecdotes from the book revolves around a rather naive young man going through infantry training states-side and attending a briefing put on by the Airborne asking for volunteers to join the paratroops. The young man, apparently an only child growing up, mis-heard the briefer and thought the briefer said “PAIR of troops.” Not having any friends in the service, he thought the Airborne would assign him a friend and, not wanting to be lonely anymore, signed up to become one of a ‘pair of troops.’ He received much verbal abuse from his new comrades when he foolishly inquired when his ‘friend’ would be assigned to him after several weeks of training without receiving one yet. Other Airborne soldiers, plucked from less elite units and knowing full well that more elite units of any kind were guaranteed to see far more action than ‘regular’ units, still chose to volunteer voicing sentiments like, “I was disgusted and disheartened by the level of stupidity I saw in the ‘regular’ units that even though I knew I’d see more action, I figured, ‘If I have to fight, I wanted to fight alongside the best men in the Army, not the passel of idiots I was surrounded by where I was.’”
My father and his family lived a block away from the Malarkey family while he was growing up. He even dated Don's daughter for a short while in high school before he started dating my mother. I don't want to spoil anything, but if you have questions about WW2, specific events, accuracy, or anything, please feel free to ask.
The French 'Resistance' were magnificent before and during 'D-Day.' Attacking German logistics and transportation, especially rail networks. Maximum respect. (Reference: Nancy Wake,'The White Mouse.')
Band of Brothers is, in my estimation, the greatest show ever made. Many movies and shows have been made about this war, but only in BoB do I truly recognize my grandparents generation portrayed in it.
Girls if you haven't seen Saving Private Ryan you should watch it, is the movie that inspired this miniserie also made from Steven Spielberg as the director and Tom Hanks as the main actor. Is the story of other division who takes the omaha beach in D Day and make his way across france. This movie at difference with Band Of Brothers is not base on a real story but yes in real history events and shows the horrors of the WWll.
I think part of the same production was used in BOB because was made maybe like a year after the movie and kinda from the same people but taking different roles so the two produtions have very similar vibes.
I recommend the Polish film "Heroes of Westerplatte". The film tells the story of the German attack on Poland and the first battle of World War II. The battle lasted from September 1-7, 1939. The Polish defenders numbered about 200 people, and the German forces about 4,000. I am Polish and for me these people are heroes. They knew that they would not get any support, and they fought bravely for a week, despite the fact that the Germans had already entered deep into Poland. I would like as many people as possible in the world to know where it all began. And thanks to the huge sacrifices of Polish soldiers and if France and Great Britain had not betrayed us, perhaps the war would have ended as quickly as it began.
Below is a link to the trailer of this film with English subtitles:
ruclips.net/video/hZ-Lfz0Polo/видео.html
hope they read the comments. scrolled down to let them know about blithe surviving the war going to korea and earning brozne and silver star. He was listed as died in the show because winters thought he did but was mistaken and was informed. theres some videos on the internet about him talking about it. it makes me happy winters knew about Blithe before the end.
'Can a man still be brave if he's afraid? '
'That is the only time a man can be brave
For the record, when the episode states the number of Easy Company "lost" it means those injured and knocked off the battle line as well as those killed in action.
Of the 139 men in the company who initially jumped the night before D-Day 43 of them were wounded/injured and 22 were killed (17 of them from one plane) before being sent back to England for rest, 33 days later.
By war's end nearly 370 men served in Easy Company at some point or another - including replacements and transfers - and 50 were KIA.
Please keep watching and reacting. I think your heart and heritage provide an excellence of perspective for this series.
A little correction here - Albert Blithe didn't die in 1948....He survived. In 1967 he was diagnosed of a Perforated Ulcer and died after surgery in ICU on 17 December 1967 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full honors.
fun fact about that mg i think it was f company that took it out with rifle grenades not a hand grenade or frag pals (: 7:03
Shortly before WWII, H.G. Wells invented wargaming by setting up toy armies with toy cannons against each other on his grounds. Him and his friend fired the toy cannons and whoever they hit was laid down "killed." They rolled dice to determine which soldier (if any) survived a hand-to-hand fight. He said the game quickly and accidentally demonstrated the insane inhumanity of war. The indiscrimate and violent carnage. The massive loss.
The veteran at the beginning who comments that he thought he'd either be killed quickly or come home without a scratch is Ed Tipper - he is the soldier who is hit by the rocket grenade blast in the cafe in Carentan. He made it, but it had more than a scratch.
My friends Grandfather once talked about the seasickness pills they were given when were invading France and how it made them loopy and exhausted. Which is so crazy to imagine they were on planes flying towards the invasion of France and some of the soldiers are so tired they fell asleep.
As difficult as this is to watch, I'm glad you're watching it. What these men, English & Canadians, did to help free Europe from the Nazis & save the remnant of Jewish, Roma, ect shouldn't be forgotten. It should be honored for what it was a sacrifice of life, even if years of mental psin.
And as well as the fighting, suffering & heroics of Czechs, French, Yugoslav & as you said, your own Serbian people and Russian people.
I guess if it didn't hurt to watch we'd never really know what they all suffered that others may live & live free.
Thank you Ladies. God Bless ...
The show is hard to watch for obvious reasons, but it feels like necessary viewing. Such great writing and great actors and gives us a glimpse into the Allies experience during the war like no other piece of media has before. Obviously we have great WW2 documentaries, but this show lets us get to know the soldiers and their camaraderie as young men would have been, almost like we experience a tiny amount of what it's like to lose friends and people we know through the horror of war. The human moments in this show are great and hit you at your core.
Crazy fact, the guy who got blown up in the building, Tipper, he survived.
in an interview major winters said that the
soldier Albert blithe did not die in 1948 as he says in the series, he died in 1967 and after fighting in Europe against Nazism, he enlisted and fought in the Korean War.
It's like a saying that goes
Don't provoke the coward he becomes Brave
3:07 am I the only one who immediately knew who this was before the big reveal at the end? like damn these actors got his character perfect 😁
Blithe survived, they didn't actually know when they were filming this series and all the veterans including winters assumed he died because they never saw him again until he turned up one veterans meeting after the war.
You may be two of the most beautiful souls I have ever heard opine on stories. I am always inspired by your humanity.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, it helps me maintain some semblance of hope. Greatest of fortune to you.
Hope you don't stop watching. This is a very important part of our history and people need to understand what so many did and what they sacrificed. As brutal as this series is, it still doesn't show how horrific war truly is but trust me, it IS worth it because of the life long bond and very special friendships you see develop that no one else can have except those who fought side by side.
I remember being a kid and watching this show on TV and really enjoying it. My dad came back from the casino and gave us kids 100 dollars each and I chose to buy the DVD box set which was almost 100 bucks back then. I probably watched the show over and over again dozens of times. Prolly cause I spent so much money on it and I didn’t want to waste it as a kid lol.
A wildflower picked on a mountaintop in the Alps
was carried to Normandy and still looks fresh. Literary license.
Thank you for watching this with us. Seeing you learn what happened helps veterans to get through the day
That Edelweiss story is very much true except that flower wouldnt be worn by German Fallshirmjägers (paratroopers). Edelweiss is meant for German mountain troops since the mountains is where that flower grows. Its even on their insignia. Its like the red paratrooper boots that only the Airborne wear, you wouldnt see a Marine wear those boots.
In this episode it seems like Lt. Spiers is kind of a harsh guy. The way he talked to a scared Bylthe. But believe me, you will like Spiers at the end of Episode 7.
It should be difficult, and it's important for others to know the things that veterans have to go through. It's important to learn about the sacrifices.
This to me at least, is why these shows need to be made and watched. We never should be allowed to forget, and be so so thankful for all whom served, not matter the side.
I'm Australian, and could relate to why my grandfather rarely spoke about his experiences. I didn't need to ask, you just seemed to understand and feel his pain.
I know it's hard, but the whole series if worth the pain, by enduring, we all share the respect for them
You guys spoke about how anyone could binge watch it. Every Christmas, and July 4/6 I watch it all in one sitting. One of my favorite shows of all time.
12:00 Unfortunately, LT Speirs admitted to Winters later on while he was working on the book project that he did execute those German POWs. A dark blemish on an insane career. Technically he could have been court martialed even at his advanced age but they never called him. Once we take custody of POWs we guard them with our own lives. We want the same from any enemies who might capture ours
There were a lot of “war crimes” on all sides. My law partner’s father was a machine gunner in Europe. The story is they captured a village defended by the SS and took a bunch of prisoners. One of them did something to piss off his father. He shot them all and then shot the remaining villagers to eliminate the witnesses.
As to why the guy wanted his parachute sent to his fiance. This was before artificial fabrics like nylon and rayon. So the parachutes were made using Silk. Silk for her white wedding dress.
Opens your eyes to what it was almost like for the men going through the war
The "Purple Heart" you see awarded while in the hospital is awarded to US service members wounded during battle. Even those handed out today were made during WWII in anticipation of the invasion of Japan - where it was estimated there would be anywhere from 1.7 million to 4 million American casualties.
I really appreciate your reactions to this fantastic show. I hope you continue. The show is one of the best miniseries ever and I think the later episodes are the best ones. I hope you stick with it!
Albert Blithe did not pass away in 1948, he was diagnosed with perforated ulcer and died in 1967 after surgery.