Fun Fact: Speirs run was even more unbelievable in real life. The distance was longer & wider just like cornfields. He ran in plain open field. As expected from veteran who survived WWII & Korean War. No doubt the toughest generation.
Yes you are absolutely right, Ronald Speirs was a true soldier and leader, and he was more badass than this show describes. Look up his history and be amazed. He retired A decorated Lieutenant Colonel.
it wasn't actually through the german lines though, I-Co. was to the right of Easy, Spiers run was across no mans land between the two companies under direct fire -- still bad ass -- but not exactly what is shown here. The sniper incident with Shifty shooting the sniper and Lipton being the bait actually happened, but the events leading to it with the singing ambush thing, that didn't happen here. So, as always, some literary license was taken and events compressed/combined to present the story or heighten tension, etc.
@@sergiozammel8261 Sadly, one down side is that what was implied in this show was confirmed in Dick Winter's book, that he indeed did execute prisoners. However, as you said, he had a remarkable career.
8:28 Shifty's humility never fails to amaze me. One of the best marksmen in WW2, and yet he forever held that he wasn't that great a shot. Always cited his father as the better shooter.
He was one of those who never got wounded in combat and yet was admired by his commanders. That means he managed to stay safe but didn't try to hide from the conflict. Not bad...not bad at all.
He was from Virginia, boys from Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky have always made themselves distinguished amongst the military brass as being good marksmen. Old vet who fought in Vietnam said he was drafted asked what he wanted to do, he said he wanted to drive a truck they saw he was from West Virginia and said “Infantry” and pushed him through.
The thing is, if he wasn't just being humble, Shifty's old man probably actually could shoot the wings off a fly. Only way there could be a better shot than him lol
The story that Muck tells about swimming the Niagara River was true. The actor who played him exchanged letters with Muck’s sister Ruth when he was filming the show and the writer of the episode incorporated it into the script. What was most fascinating about the story for me was that his childhood friend rode in a boat alongside him in case he needed to rescue him and that friend was Fritz Niland who was the real life inspiration for the title character in the film Saving Private Ryan. Stephen Spielberg and Tom Hanks were inspired to make Band of Brothers while researching and making Saving Private Ryan not realising there was a connection between Niland and Muck. They only found out when Ruth sent that letter to the actor playing her brother.
I tried to swim the Niagara river when I was young. Below the falls that is! Downstream. The swirling current is so strong I was swept upstream and struggled to get back to shore after just a minute. Kudos to Pvt. Muck.
What fascinates most with the two of you is that at the start of every episode you say how you regret watching this show, but you last it out and by the end of each episode you have a greater insight and respect for the show. It's not easy to watch but that's war and your reactions are expected. Keep at it only 3 left.
In the directors cut, Speirs tells Lipton that Donne Wahlberg is a superior actor to his brother, Mark. Lipton stares at him in confusion. Speirs replies: “You have no idea who I’m talking about don’t you?” then walks away.
Yeah that tugged on the heartstrings, but when Neal Mcdonough, "Buck" Compton ripped the broken " mmMmedic!!" and dropped his helmet, my soul just fell out.
I know these are hard to watch but I believe Band of Brothers is one of the most important series ever made. My great-grandfather was in 3rd Battalion Company H. He never spoke about it. We actually didn’t even know he was in the war until after he passed and a guy from his company came to his funeral. This series helps me understand my great grandfather and what he went through.
Spiers was a genuine badass. His run was much farther IRL. Winters picked him because he was close. He always thought Spiers put himself where he wasn't supposed to be because he knew that Dike would need to be replaced.
A couple of things… A hit song from 1790, the song the girls in the convent sing is Plaisir d’Amour. The first verse is “The joys of love last only for a moment, the pain of love lasts the whole life long.” This song underwent a key change, some changes to adapt to English lyrics, and a new bridge. It became “Falling in Love With You,” a big hit for Elvis. Toye and Guarnere lived long lives. More credit to “Doc” Roe. It was an important moment when Buck took off his helmet. Winters remarked that when a man was done, when he stopped being a soldier he took off his helmet. You will see men take off their helmets in episode 9 in a very different context.
I got to meet Bill Guarnere and Babe Heffron at a baseball game probably around 2011-2012? Babe signed a baseball bat for me. Definitely something I'll treasure forever.
I live in The Netherlands, and every year we remember the people who have died for our freedom on may 4th, and we celebrate our countries liberation from the war on may 5th. So I watch Band Of Brothers every year in may. Not only because it´s so real compared to anything out there, but also to honor those soldiers that fought for my freedom. I think it´s important to remember the events, and the people that fought, and maybe died, so that I can be free today. There for, I think it´s important that series like these are out there. So that we don´t forget how horrific the war was, and to try our best not to repeat it.
As tough as it is for you to endure the stories week after week, this has easily become 'must watch TH-cam TV'. Just a real honest and sensitive perspective every time. No pretense needed, just a heartfelt reaction to a horrific time in these men's lives. You guys get it, and it's great creator content.
Ladies, there is a big reason people watch this show over and over. It is as real as it gets. Like Saving Private Ryan, it grounds you. It humbles you and your way of living and thinking about how difficult you think you have it now. We are so lucky to live the way we do and it's all thanks to the men in WW2 that had the resolve to fight against an enemy that wanted the world under his heel.
Again thanks for reacting to this. The Buck scene gets me, just something about them describing all he had been thru to that point and to see him so broken then in contrast the 'ignorance is bliss' version of him his family sees being described in the letter compared to him curled up and devastated.
I know that MOST people like watching reaction videos for super loud, usually annoying people to talk over everything, but it's so refreshing to have two people actually sit and watch. Emotional reactions are better than most of the talk. Thank you.
I heard once an American teacher asked her class what they had done to earn the right to be in that class. After a long session of wrong guesses the teacher went into the hall and brought in several old men. They didn't introduce themselves by name, but by battle. Chosin Korea, 1951. Okinawa, 1945. Normandy, 1944. Then the teacher explained to the students that they had the right to be in that class because these men had earned it for them.
Lola freaking out at 18:47 is because LT. Foley, played by actor Jamie Bamber, also plays Lee Adama in Battlestar Galactica. Apparently, she's a fan :)
Highly recommend you watch "We Stand Alone Together" when you finish the last episode. It is the actual full interviews of the Easy Company members (pieces of which are shown at the start of each Band of Brothers episode). It is actually very uplifting and not nearly as emotionally tough as watching these episodes.
Girls I know it’s not a show you enjoy. Just remember it was a war these men didn’t enjoy. But by watching these events you are somehow honoring their memory. All these men are gone now. This entire 10 film series was done so that what took place could be told by those who lived it. If it causes you pain think of the pain that each of them suffered for the remainder of their lives.
One of the main reasons why people watch and rewatch this series is that it keeps reminding those that follow how many sacrifices these men who served did for us all. As an American we try to remember those that fought for us, served in both war and peace. It’s what binds us to remember all these people from vastly different backgrounds came together. I’ve been privileged to know some WW2 veterans, and they’re very special people. Keep watching and yes it’s painful at times but we need to remember and you’ll see why coming soon. The book describes the scene with Spiers slightly differently but it’s still freaking amazing.
I watch this show every 10 years or so. The new generation must never forget this. I am Belgian and my grandparents were born in 1923 and 1929, they were young during the occupation and the ww2 but they had so many things to tell about this(my grandfather died in 2016) If the allies hadn't come to free us I would never have been born
Been holding this story till this episode. Wild Bill Guarnere never let what happened slow him down. He was friends with my boss in Philly & would come in now and then. Chatted with him now & then, before I even heard of this series, and I gotta say that Frank John Hughes friggin NAILED it.
There's a documentary about winners of the Victoria Cross medal that Jeremy Clarkson made, in which they observe that one of the traits of men who win the medal is that they are either the eldest child of a large family, or the responsible child in a family where the mother was widowed at an early age. Carwood Lipton fits that profile, because his father died early, and then his mother ran a boarding house, so he was the responsible child, and he was working in the boarding house looking after the guests. So his life before the war was focussed on other people and taking care of them.
I'm a Veteran of the Gulf war and the Iraq war and I appreciate you reacting to this serious even though it's hard to watch. These stories cannot be put aside even though their hard to watch and I know you said you won't watch The Pacific but as a Veteran of a war I would ask you to deal with how hard it is to watch to remember the heros of these wars. And understand what they went thru.
@callmecatalyst lol I'm not a bot and thank you . I was a Army Engineer and joined out of high school from 89-93. I then re-enlisted 15 years later and served as a gunner for convoy security in Iraq in 2009. I served for another 8 years and got out 2015..
@@Littleman91779 Oh no shit, my dad was one of the logistics guys doing the long hauls between Dammam Kuwait. Was an NCO and his convoy's 2nd lead truck. 😅
I know these episodes are hard to watch, but it is important to honor the men and women who fought and died during the war, on both sides. The emotions you feel are genuine and that speaks volumes about how hard these events were. I watch this whole series, and The Pacific, at least once a year. Every episode brings me to tears, and I think about what these men did for the world. You say you'll never watch it again, but I hope you do find it somewhere to revisit these stories and feel the powerful sacrifice and remember how much we all owe to these brave soldiers.
One reason I watch it around Christmas is because the key battles of Bastogne were fought during this time. To me it expresses how thankful I am to these men who served and endured during the same month. They insured future generations to be at home to celebrate that time of year. They sacrificed their lives and their early years for us. So watching these episodes near Christmas is to honor them for what they did and endured. Another one I watch near Christmas is the Crossing which is about George Washington and the Continental Army crossing the Delaware River to attack Trenton. I don't watch them because of the violence I watch them to remember what they did.
I subscribed to your channel because you are both so empathetic and invested emotionally in this series, I think it brings the right amount of respect and 'weight' to the material. At the same time you recognize how challenging it all is but persevere because it's worth it. You are caring and empathetic people, and your Band of Brothers reactions are perfect.
By far my favorite line in the series is during that second arty barrage when that “made in Czechoslovakia” dud hits the GI hole with Luz and Lipton. Luz lights a cigerette. Lipton steals lit smoke. Luz, “I thought you didn’t smoke.” Lipton (shaking and twitching) “I don’t.” -takes a drag. And now he’s a smoker. RIP Muck and Penkala.
Watching this is hard; imagine living through it. I think the least we can do is honor the veterans by watching their story, as we live in the free world that they won for us.
20 years? I probably watched BB every year near Christmas for the first 15 years then took a break and just watched it last year again, love the reactions. People probably watch it around Christmas because Pearl Harbor is on Dec. 7th and that stirs up memories of the war. My father was in WWII he was drafted at 12 when the ROC swept his village ahead of the Communists. He never saw his parents again as they starved under Mao's Great Leap Forward. Fought the Japanese for the next 6 years and never talked to me about anything he experienced. After going to school in Taiwan he eventually immigrated to America and became a Prof. Of Mathematics having not learned to read or write until he got in the army.
Your reactions and comments are spot on, and well-articulated. This show is a tough watch, but so well done. I always tell myself, as tough as it is for me to watch, imagine what it was to live it.
People watch this during Christmas as we remember that the battle for Bastogne occurred from December 22 through December 27, 1944. Many people head to rifle ranges on Christmas Day here in the USA to honor the “Battered Bastards of Bastogne” firing symbolic rounds with WWII M1 Garand Rifles, the rifles you see most of Easy Company using. Thank you, I love your channel!
It’s very rare to find young people to have an interest in WW2 and to review one of the greatest mini series on earth of Easy Co of the 101st. It really made my day watching this reaction video.
Lt. Dike got the shaft in this series for no reason. He's portrayed as an incompetent coward when in reality he was a hero. Lt. Dike was awarded a Bronze star in September 1944 for defending a strategic road junction at Uden, Holland against repeated enemy attacks while completely surrounded. He was awarded a second Bronze Star in January 1945 at Bastogne for personally removing three wounded members of his company from an exposed position while under intense enemy fire. During the attack on Foy (portrayed in this episode) Lt. Dike did NOT have a breakdown, Easy Company Sergeant Clancy Lyall witnessed Lt. Dike get shot in the shoulder and was unable to continue the assault. After he recovered he was promoted to Captain and served as aid to General Taylor at the 506th Headquarters. After WW2 he served in the Korean war where he would rise to the rank of Lt. Colonel until resigning his post in 1957. He continued his education, became a lawyer, built a family, moved to Switzerland, and practiced law until his death in 1989. It's disgusting how this show smears Norman Dike's legacy with this fabricated imagining of him.
Colonel Sink was not present at the battle. However, his presence there is meant to represent Winters's conscience - Winters wanted to go but knew he had to concern himself with the whole Battalion. At which point he spotted Spiers and the rest follows as the episode lays out. Lt Dike may have been wounded and that was a factor in him losing his composure. However, most of the men of Easy Company were not willing to give him such an out considering his performance outside of the battle and I think the producers were correct to not include it, though you kinda see it a little in the fact that he's holding his neck when Spiers relieves him. Dike was able to make it to the rank of Lt Col before retiring in the late 50s. It should be noted that all armies have staff officers who are less capable at combat leadership and more capable at planning or organizing or other administrative tasks. Dike's career overall suggests that was far more compatible with who he was. Obviously, that makes him a terrible fit for Easy Company (and it would certainly explain why he had limited interest in the job) Buck Compton's first appearance, in episode 1, has him in a car with Winters and Winters lecturing him about getting too close to the men
The show according to those veterans still falls far short of what the horrors they went through. The reality of it is that it can tear the soul from the body.
I love how serious you two take the war,.. it's not fantasy, all of this happened and worse. There are thousands of horrific stories about WW2 and many will never be remembered... You two comprehend the toll the war takes on these guys more than most, thanks!
The true scale is incomprehensible. This story is of individual soldiers in a company because that’s about all we can take in. 16 million soldiers, sailors, and airmen died in WWII. An additional 45 million civilians died. Can you wrap your head around that? I can’t. Still, we must try to understand that the horror and anguish so artfully represented in the Band of Brothers story of Easy Company is a tiny fragment of the horror and suffering and death of millions. We should hate war, but we should understand it. We should understand that it can’t always be avoided by rationality, appeasement, and diplomacy. But maybe it can be avoided by showing resoluteness and a willingness to fight sooner rather than later.
3:17 I've watched Band of Brothers over half a dozen times from start to finish and I must have also seen over a score of reactions to it as well. 7:48 Again, you should at least recognise him even if you don't remember his name. He's been in almost every episode. Assaulted the guns with Winters in episode 2. Was wounded in the attack on Carentan in episode 3. He's also the one who told you that Sobel was now a supply officer in episode 4.
Of all the reactions I've watched to this series, this may be my favorite. You "get" the message of the film and appreciate the master quality of the production. I can see how tough this is for you, but know there are many of us who appreciate your reaction! Looking forward to #8!
I agree this is a favorite reaction. My wife has such a tender heart she was only able to watch through episode 5, so I totally understand the trauma you are experiencing while watching this.
So intense. I watch peoples reaction to this episode. You have sensitive people. You have people that are upset, but not crying, and then you have people that watch it dried eyed. Nothing wrong with either emotion. It's just how people take things in. I love the sensitivity of you two. Thats just like me.
Yes! I don’t think they react the way they do because they are “snowflakes.” Quite the opposite. They are closer to war than we are. They probably see refugees from the Ukraine, from Syria. And the Bosnian War was in their lifetimes. The destruction of lives and property is not a special effect for them.
I’m one of those “dry eyes” people. To be fair, my father is a Vietnam vet, from Honduras, and my brothers/sister and I grew up watching all sorts of shit we were (maybe)too young for lol 😅
All reactions are Ok. My dad was a recon pilot for Air Force. Like you, I think we see a different side of things. I served in the Army but was lucky to never have to see war. God bless all the soldiers. God bless, America, and thank your dad for his service in, Vietnam. It couldn't be easy to come from another country and fight for another country. Give him a hug and tell him how much we appreciate him!!
I read the book when it first came out and was knocked over by it, then watched the series when it was on HBO and the only option was once a week (thank God). When the DVD's came out, I bought them...and have never watched it again. But now I'm seeing it for the second time through you guys and it makes all of those moments from the story come back through a new set of perspectives. Thank you for soldiering through it all...and knowing you came to it with no real idea what you were getting into makes me appreciate you even more for it. Thank you for pushing me through it the second time. You really should watch 'We Stand Alone Together' as well, because it will give you closure as to what happens to all these guys in their future lives. Many of them went on to accomplish many other things personally and had productive lives in spite of having to drag all their baggage - true Paratroopers, they never stopped moving forward.
The real Norman Dike was actually a decent soldier, who won several awards in combat, he was actually wounded in the assault and most likely froze up due to shock. He wasn’t without his flaws as an officer but this depiction does a disservice.
You should know that since the end of the war the survivors of Easy Company got together once every year for a reunion. Perhaps only with each other could they truly be themselves.
6:31 Exactly the point of the show (I think). To remember. To never forget. That real, living and breathing human beings endured these events because it was necessary. You may not 'enjoy' Band of Brothers. But it teaches you something about the human spirit and what can be done if it is required. I'm glad that you both made the choice to see it through to the end.
My grandfather fought in Italy. When they were at loggerheads with the German army in the Poe Valley, a shell from an 88 landed very close to where he was standing, and didn't go off. If it had, three of his four kids would never have been born, nor would have any of their kids, and on and on...
Another fun fact about this episode happened during the writing of the book. Ambrose (author) and Winter plus their wives went to Foy. While at the edge of what was the woods Winters pointed to two spot saying he place the mgs there and there. The second spot was where Ambrose’s wife was standing. As winter says that’s where the mg was she kicks at the ground and kicks over one of the brass brackets that held together the ammo belts for a .30 mg. Even half a century later Winters knew exactly where things were.
In the States, Memorial Day (last Monday in the month of May) is when our county honors members of the military who have died for their country in battle, but includes all who have passed on long after their wars. Memorial Day Weekend is when most American Families have lots of family over for picknicks and dinners, and is also the time we honor our own family members who have passed on by visiting cemeteries and placing flowers on our family graves. So the entire weekend has always had special meaning for many, if not most Americans. We are loosing all of our World War 2 generation extremely fast... they are simply passing away from old age at a rapid rate. Soon all of them will be gone. Every year since 2008 (when I got the DVD set) I watch Band of Brothers from beginning to end over Memorial Day Weekend. It is how I honor the men who fought to end the nightmare that was Hitler. When the last soldier dies who fought in World War 2... that will be when I stop watching Band of Brothers.... It is an amazing show about young boys from every walk of life sacrificed everything they had to make the world better. What were any of us doing at the age of 18? Going to college? Going out on dates? How about a concert? At 18 they stormed the beaches of France and waded through Hell to end Hitler's reign of terror.
One of the most wonderful surprises about the 90s is that one of The New Kids on the Block turned into such a fine actor who has portrayed such fine characters over the years! Donnie Wahlberg is incredible as Carwood Lipton in this series.
The both of you have sensitivity that gives you a strong insight into the humanity of the brothers. Stay with it, you'll be pleased you made it through. Thinking you should avoid "The Pacific" which is even more brutal if you can believe it. I am glad I joined you on this journey...😌
I think it resonates emotionally with People because you see the real people that lived through it. You know this really happened and you just cannot believe what suffering people can endure and still keep going on
Compared to fantasy films and pretend cartoons, True stories of the men who gave themselves for people in a foreign land are hard to watch, but that is a small price to pay compared to the price they paid. Thanks for acknowledging these people.
I think about the stories, that my late Maternal Great-Uncle told me. He served with the British 8th Army and was a battle-hardened Veteran of El Alamein. Survived the War and died in 2014 aged 92. Rest In Peace Great-Uncle Walter John Robertson Jr
Because you said it must be hard for the vetereans to talk about it in the interviews. In a podcast with tom hanks about band of brothers he said when they did the interviews with the veterans a lot of family members and friends showed up. The crew thought it was for them to see the equipement etc. Like usual But the family members went because it was with most of the veterans it was the first time they were gonna talk about what happened to them in the war
I can already picture their reaction to episode 9 - Why We Fight. I got choked up several times when first watching Band of Brothers, but episode 9 had me in tears before I even realized.
I actually watched their reaction to that 1st, and their reaction to that is why I subscribed to them and backtracked through the whole series with them. I believe they have the best reactions for all the TH-camrs watching this to date.
I rewatch this frequently with my girlfriend. I keep telling her how hard a time you're having with this. It isn't that we don't feel emotionally for these human beings, or that we particularly enjoy the hardship or violence. Specifically, we enjoy the moments of levity in the face of it all. We love the characters, and we love seeing them fight through hell because we know what their sacrifice and hard work earned. It earned us our future. It earned us our lives and our freedom. By experiencing this with them again and again, we *remember* their bravery. We show them our *respect* and we *honour* them. We give them the *dignity* and *love* which they will always deserve through that remembrance. It is our *duty* to remember. Lest we forget.
I’ve been to war, but I cannot imagine losing my brothers one after the other like happened in this war. These guys were really special. Hell, anyone that went through that, is special.
Thinking about the kinds of casualties we are only hearing about from Ukraine - Russia war. It must be similar being on the front lines in Ukraine for both sides.
Stephen Ambrose is the author who wrote the book this miniseries is adapted from in case someone doesn't know. He has written a lot of ww2 history books.
This episode move me. The scene in the church where each man fades out brings the deaths to life. Buck Compton went on to be a ADA in California. He prosecuted the man who shot Robert Kennedy. The other amazing thing from this series was how many of the men became close friends with the men they were portraying.
Long ago, before this series was created, I was a social studies teacher. I wish I could have had access to Band of Brothers to help the students understand WW II in the European Theater of Operations. My parents generation truly were the greatest.
thanks for watching this, and for your authentic reactions. This series is more than entertainment, it is important. Few enough people still take time to remember the suffering and sacrifice soldiers went through, to ensure that we today life free and in comfort. And yes, those who survived were nonetheless casualties. I'm one of those who rewatches the series every year, because it puts most of my worries and troubles in perspective, it reminds me of what is important. I'm from Europe and the 11th of november is when we remember fallen soldiers. That was the end of WW I, but we remember all fallen soldiers. Having recently seen the series deepens the experience at the graves, remembering and honouring their sacrifice. Yes, it is sad but beyond sadness there is hope, love and respect. Thank you for these video's, i'll be waiting for the next.
After the war Buck Compton joined the LAPD, then became a prosecutor. When RFK was assassinated in 1968 Buck Compton was the lead prosecutor for the state in convicting his assassin. Growing up in LA his mother worked in movies and one day he pissed off the star of the picture, Charlie Chaplin, who forced him to be an extra in one scene as comeuppance. Later he would play Baseball and Football at UCLA, where he was a teammate with Jackie Robinson. In my opinion no human being comes quite as close to being a real life Forrest Gump than Lynn Davis “Buck” Compton. What an incredible life he lived.
" Uncommon Valor was a common Virtue" (This was a quote to the US Marines on Iwo Jima, but the sentiment was exactly what the Band of Brothers portrays so clearly).
By Cape Gloucester and Peleliu, the loss of humanity is starting show... Nevertheless, "The Pacific" is needed to be watched. Most Europeans know nothing about WWII in the Pacific. "The Pacific" is quite 'dark' and perhaps a bit difficult to watch, for some.
@@dioghaltasfoirneartach7258 I'm European myself but it's my favorite WW2 front and probably the most brutal in terms of general combat next to the Eastern Front, Japanese were crazy ass fucks and would make the US marines pay in every drop of blood from Guadalcanal to Okinawa, generally death before dishonor mindset is just so damn fanatical yet amazing to think about.
Glad to see you watching a series such as this, these men should be remembered as the heroes they were. Imagine the hardship they had to pull through, the evil they had to deal with. We should be grateful for the time we're living in, and never forget.
This is my biggest grip with BoBs. Dike wasn’t a coward in real life. He revived two medals for bravery including saving 3 soldiers. Also his indecisiveness where he seemed to freeze up, he was actually shot in real life which led to Spears relieving him.
Get ready for Episode 9. It's a doozy. You deserve to know ahead of time. Get your drinks ready if you ladies are those who enjoy a stiff drink. You'll need it.
I've got to tell you -- and I mean this in a good way -- it's harder for me to watch the pain of your reactions than to watch the horrors portrayed in the show. It's nice to watch two genuine young ladies such as you.
I don't know the truth, but here's what I found online about *Dike:* _In the series, Lieutenant Dike is portrayed as being an incompetent coward._ _However, in real life he performed many acts of heroics._ _For example, Dike was awarded a Bronze Star for his action at Uden, Holland, with the 101st Airborne Division between 23 and 25 September 1944, in which he “organized and led scattered groups of parachutists in the successful defense of an important road junction on the vital Eindhoven (sic)-Arnhem Supply Route against superior and repeated attacks, while completely surrounded."_ _Dike was awarded a second Bronze Star for his action at Bastogne, in which "he personally removed from an exposed position, in full enemy view, three wounded members of his company, while under intense small arms fire" on 3 January 1945._ _In preparation for the 13 January 1945 attack on Foy, Belgium, E Company was attached to the 3rd Battalion, 506th PIR._ _Division Headquarters ordered the attack to begin at 0900 hours._ _During the assault, Carwood Lipton, at that time the company's first sergeant, described Dike as having "fallen apart." Clancy Lyall stated that he saw that Dike had been wounded in his right shoulder and that it was the wound, not panic, that caused Dike to stop._ _Dike survived the assault, and eventually returned to the rear in the company of a medic._ _Afterwards, he was transferred to 506th Regimental Headquarters to become an assistant operations officer. Dike then moved on to become, as a captain, an aide to General Maxwell Taylor, Commanding General, 101st Airborne Division._ _He later served in the Korean War._ 🤷🏼♂️
I think Milena's thoughts at the start of this episode pretty much sum up my own. This is an amazing series, with incredible production and acting, and very true to the very important and painful history it portrays. But its a hard watch. Much Love to you guys
I am so glad you finally seem to find an episode you enjoy, despite all the violence and heartbreaking casualties . I am sorry to tell you that I am the kind of person who likes to re-watch this series , not because I enjoy watching pain or enjoy torture but because this series is such an inspiration to me about real people portrayed by actors who performed acts of bravery, sacrifice and heroism. It's insane to think that all these events really happened and we get to see the actual people who lived through these events in history and how humble and unassuming they actually are in real life. This is a show that makes me want to emulate their positive characteristics and be a better person.
16:50 I think you girls misunderstood the Lt. Peacock scene. It is meant to be funny, not emotional. They were trying to get rid of him because he was not a good platoon leader per the show.
can ya believe that building with the German sniper that was killed on the top floor still exist ,they showed it in the making of this and measured the shot that killed the sniper and it was more then 100 yards ,that building still shows the bullet hits on the building and its been made into a bed and breakfast .....
You know, these young ladies talk about how tough this show is often. What I hope they take from it by its end is that the reward of victory over evil in a predatory world is worth the high cost of the blood, sweat, and tears of these brave men. Maybe they'll feel differently by the end of episode ten.
@callmecatalyst I'm open to talk, definitely. I'm not following you, though. I can be dense from time to time, so forgive me, please. What do you mean to say with your comment?
I've watched it through probably 10+ times, as well as The Pacific, and I think it's good to put yourself back in their shoes every now and then to remind yourself of how fortunate you are to live without all the horrible things they went through.
This is a show I watch once a year. This is one of the most important shows that has ever been made. This is history that can never be forgotten. If I was alive in the 30-40s I would have been there, just like my grandad was.
The best reaction and commentary I have seen/heard.....which is surprising because you are soo reluctant to start each episode. Obviously, you are, nevertheless, paying acute attention!! Great job ladies! Now....carry on!
My wife and I watched this series when it first came out. At the end we picked our favorite soldier. My wife picked Winters, and when I picked Speirs she got pissed and asked "Why? He's mean and nasty" and I said "Exactly!"
The shows portrayal made me feel that Winters is the guy you want when tactics are an option, and Speirs is the guy you want when the only option is forward. Colonel Sink even applauds his skills when promoting Winters to Battalion CO. Recall how Speirs is the only man left standing in Episode 2 when he requests that he and members from his platoon destroy the final gun. Winters’ approach was much more methodical and flawless, resulting in minimal casualties…Speirs the hammer, Winters the scalpel.
Great reaction! My only wish would be less time between reactions lol I would also recommend the documentary “We Stand Alone Together” that has all the interviews of the men of Easy Co. 506 PIR 101st. I would recommend The Pacific but you guys are barely holding it together through this. The Pacific has much more loss due to the way the Japanese fought against US Marines. Great reaction ladies!
I hope you two make it through episode 9! Definitely the most difficult episode in the series, but also the most important. Such a fantastic series, but I understand the discomfort in watching.
The reactions of this pair remind me of two quotes: "Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made." -Otto von Bismarck “Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - George Orwell
Just want to add, I'd suggest people look up Norman Dike (The one that's portrayed as cowardly) apparently during the Battle of Foy he was actually shot and wounded which forced him to stop. Prior to this he was awarded two bronze medals for a successfully lead defense and saving three wounded men under enemy fire. That's not to say he had a likeable personality but I feel like the cowardly trait they gave him isn't fair either and there are also people who yawn from anxiety not just from being tired, just to add.
Fun Fact: Speirs run was even more unbelievable in real life. The distance was longer & wider just like cornfields. He ran in plain open field.
As expected from veteran who survived WWII & Korean War. No doubt the toughest generation.
From the book, it states he went house to house, from cover to cover. But the most unexpected thing was that he came back.
Yes you are absolutely right, Ronald Speirs was a true soldier and leader, and he was more badass than this show describes. Look up his history and be amazed. He retired A decorated Lieutenant Colonel.
it wasn't actually through the german lines though, I-Co. was to the right of Easy, Spiers run was across no mans land between the two companies under direct fire -- still bad ass -- but not exactly what is shown here. The sniper incident with Shifty shooting the sniper and Lipton being the bait actually happened, but the events leading to it with the singing ambush thing, that didn't happen here. So, as always, some literary license was taken and events compressed/combined to present the story or heighten tension, etc.
@@sergiozammel8261 Sadly, one down side is that what was implied in this show was confirmed in Dick Winter's book, that he indeed did execute prisoners. However, as you said, he had a remarkable career.
@@82SSchultz He also killed a lieutenant you was reportedly drunk and refused to obey orders in combat.
8:28 Shifty's humility never fails to amaze me. One of the best marksmen in WW2, and yet he forever held that he wasn't that great a shot. Always cited his father as the better shooter.
i watched at least once a year since the early 2000, i cey like a baby every time, but i know i'll wacht it till i died
He was one of those who never got wounded in combat and yet was admired by his commanders. That means he managed to stay safe but didn't try to hide from the conflict. Not bad...not bad at all.
He was from Virginia, boys from Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky have always made themselves distinguished amongst the military brass as being good marksmen. Old vet who fought in Vietnam said he was drafted asked what he wanted to do, he said he wanted to drive a truck they saw he was from West Virginia and said “Infantry” and pushed him through.
He's portrayed as such a humble and quiet soldier when in reality he was the best thief in the Company and one of the most mischievous as well.
The thing is, if he wasn't just being humble, Shifty's old man probably actually could shoot the wings off a fly. Only way there could be a better shot than him lol
The story that Muck tells about swimming the Niagara River was true. The actor who played him exchanged letters with Muck’s sister Ruth when he was filming the show and the writer of the episode incorporated it into the script. What was most fascinating about the story for me was that his childhood friend rode in a boat alongside him in case he needed to rescue him and that friend was Fritz Niland who was the real life inspiration for the title character in the film Saving Private Ryan. Stephen Spielberg and Tom Hanks were inspired to make Band of Brothers while researching and making Saving Private Ryan not realising there was a connection between Niland and Muck. They only found out when Ruth sent that letter to the actor playing her brother.
We really live in a small world.
I tried to swim the Niagara river when I was young. Below the falls that is! Downstream. The swirling current is so strong I was swept upstream and struggled to get back to shore after just a minute. Kudos to Pvt. Muck.
Thank you for this information. I had no idea and that is quite amazing.
Watching the real life veterans get choked up breaks me everytime. Oh and Speirs had some huge balls!
Total legend. Remember what he said in episode 3. He walked the walk.
The real run he did was much longer than what they showed in the movie.
@@ungenerationed9022 Every rumor about him was true. th-cam.com/video/W-V6OAtgr6c/w-d-xo.html
too funny because he's Dan's dad in gossip girl.
@@ronweber1402 I hear it was cut down because they thought the true story might seem too unbelievable for the series.
What fascinates most with the two of you is that at the start of every episode you say how you regret watching this show, but you last it out and by the end of each episode you have a greater insight and respect for the show. It's not easy to watch but that's war and your reactions are expected. Keep at it only 3 left.
"Only 3 left"
But *that* episode is still coming.
Speirs entrance as CO is one of my favorite moments of this show. Badass to the bones.
100%! The epitome of "Badass"!
Ditto to both of the above comments. As close to a fist pumping moment as this show gets.
And the way he acknowledged Donny Walburg.
In the directors cut, Speirs tells Lipton that Donne Wahlberg is a superior actor to his brother, Mark. Lipton stares at him in confusion. Speirs replies: “You have no idea who I’m talking about don’t you?” then walks away.
@@SIickTurtIe The really surprising part of that is when Speirs offers a cigarette to the rest of the Funky Bunch.
Kirk Acevedo going "I gotta get up" gets me every time.
Brilliantly executed.
If his tenacicty and shear hearted bravery, does not bring people to tears...what will ? A great actor 😍
Yeah that tugged on the heartstrings, but when Neal Mcdonough, "Buck" Compton ripped the broken " mmMmedic!!" and dropped his helmet, my soul just fell out.
I know these are hard to watch but I believe Band of Brothers is one of the most important series ever made. My great-grandfather was in 3rd Battalion Company H. He never spoke about it. We actually didn’t even know he was in the war until after he passed and a guy from his company came to his funeral. This series helps me understand my great grandfather and what he went through.
Spiers was a genuine badass. His run was much farther IRL. Winters picked him because he was close. He always thought Spiers put himself where he wasn't supposed to be because he knew that Dike would need to be replaced.
A couple of things…
A hit song from 1790, the song the girls in the convent sing is Plaisir d’Amour. The first verse is “The joys of love last only for a moment, the pain of love lasts the whole life long.” This song underwent a key change, some changes to adapt to English lyrics, and a new bridge. It became “Falling in Love With You,” a big hit for Elvis.
Toye and Guarnere lived long lives. More credit to “Doc” Roe.
It was an important moment when Buck took off his helmet. Winters remarked that when a man was done, when he stopped being a soldier he took off his helmet. You will see men take off their helmets in episode 9 in a very different context.
I got to meet Bill Guarnere and Babe Heffron at a baseball game probably around 2011-2012? Babe signed a baseball bat for me. Definitely something I'll treasure forever.
@@scruggs6633 Holy cow- that's definitely a special honor. Good on you for having the chance to thank these men.
I live in The Netherlands, and every year we remember the people who have died for our freedom on may 4th, and we celebrate our countries liberation from the war on may 5th.
So I watch Band Of Brothers every year in may. Not only because it´s so real compared to anything out there, but also to honor those soldiers that fought for my freedom. I think it´s important to remember the events, and the people that fought, and maybe died, so that I can be free today.
There for, I think it´s important that series like these are out there. So that we don´t forget how horrific the war was, and to try our best not to repeat it.
As tough as it is for you to endure the stories week after week, this has easily become 'must watch TH-cam TV'. Just a real honest and sensitive perspective every time. No pretense needed, just a heartfelt reaction to a horrific time in these men's lives. You guys get it, and it's great creator content.
I don't usually re-watch things. That being said, Ive watched "Band of Brothers" at least 10 times.
BoB reactions are the only ones I repeat. It's that powerful and important of a show.
Same guys I wish there were more shows like this
At least
I'll rewatch it until I die, and I'll pass it onto my children when they're old enough.
It needs to be remembered, and respected.
I watched more than 40 times
Ladies, there is a big reason people watch this show over and over. It is as real as it gets. Like Saving Private Ryan, it grounds you. It humbles you and your way of living and thinking about how difficult you think you have it now. We are so lucky to live the way we do and it's all thanks to the men in WW2 that had the resolve to fight against an enemy that wanted the world under his heel.
Again thanks for reacting to this.
The Buck scene gets me, just something about them describing all he had been thru to that point and to see him so broken then in contrast the 'ignorance is bliss' version of him his family sees being described in the letter compared to him curled up and devastated.
I know that MOST people like watching reaction videos for super loud, usually annoying people to talk over everything, but it's so refreshing to have two people actually sit and watch. Emotional reactions are better than most of the talk. Thank you.
I heard once an American teacher asked her class what they had done to earn the right to be in that class. After a long session of wrong guesses the teacher went into the hall and brought in several old men. They didn't introduce themselves by name, but by battle. Chosin Korea, 1951. Okinawa, 1945. Normandy, 1944. Then the teacher explained to the students that they had the right to be in that class because these men had earned it for them.
I'll take things that never happened for a thousand Alex!
Lola freaking out at 18:47 is because LT. Foley, played by actor Jamie Bamber, also plays Lee Adama in Battlestar Galactica. Apparently, she's a fan :)
Highly recommend you watch "We Stand Alone Together" when you finish the last episode. It is the actual full interviews of the Easy Company members (pieces of which are shown at the start of each Band of Brothers episode). It is actually very uplifting and not nearly as emotionally tough as watching these episodes.
Agreed. "We Stand Alone Together" is basically the last episode of this show and the best one imo. Heart-warming stuff at the end too.
Girls I know it’s not a show you enjoy. Just remember it was a war these men didn’t enjoy. But by watching these events you are somehow honoring their memory. All these men are gone now. This entire 10 film series was done so that what took place could be told by those who lived it. If it causes you pain think of the pain that each of them suffered for the remainder of their lives.
One of the main reasons why people watch and rewatch this series is that it keeps reminding those that follow how many sacrifices these men who served did for us all. As an American we try to remember those that fought for us, served in both war and peace. It’s what binds us to remember all these people from vastly different backgrounds came together. I’ve been privileged to know some WW2 veterans, and they’re very special people. Keep watching and yes it’s painful at times but we need to remember and you’ll see why coming soon. The book describes the scene with Spiers slightly differently but it’s still freaking amazing.
"We are grateful that, at the threatened nightfall, the blood of our fathers ran strong." - _William F Buckley_
Buckley always was a pompous chickenhawk, but that is a beautiful quote.
I watch this show every 10 years or so.
The new generation must never forget this.
I am Belgian and my grandparents were born in 1923 and 1929, they were young during the occupation and the ww2
but they had so many things to tell about this(my grandfather died in 2016)
If the allies hadn't come to free us I would never have been born
Been holding this story till this episode. Wild Bill Guarnere never let what happened slow him down. He was friends with my boss in Philly & would come in now and then. Chatted with him now & then, before I even heard of this series, and I gotta say that Frank John Hughes friggin NAILED it.
There's a documentary about winners of the Victoria Cross medal that Jeremy Clarkson made, in which they observe that one of the traits of men who win the medal is that they are either the eldest child of a large family, or the responsible child in a family where the mother was widowed at an early age. Carwood Lipton fits that profile, because his father died early, and then his mother ran a boarding house, so he was the responsible child, and he was working in the boarding house looking after the guests. So his life before the war was focussed on other people and taking care of them.
I'm a Veteran of the Gulf war and the Iraq war and I appreciate you reacting to this serious even though it's hard to watch. These stories cannot be put aside even though their hard to watch and I know you said you won't watch The Pacific but as a Veteran of a war I would ask you to deal with how hard it is to watch to remember the heros of these wars. And understand what they went thru.
@callmecatalyst lol I'm not a bot and thank you . I was a Army Engineer and joined out of high school from 89-93. I then re-enlisted 15 years later and served as a gunner for convoy security in Iraq in 2009. I served for another 8 years and got out 2015..
thank you for your service
@@Littleman91779 Oh no shit, my dad was one of the logistics guys doing the long hauls between Dammam Kuwait. Was an NCO and his convoy's 2nd lead truck. 😅
I know these episodes are hard to watch, but it is important to honor the men and women who fought and died during the war, on both sides. The emotions you feel are genuine and that speaks volumes about how hard these events were. I watch this whole series, and The Pacific, at least once a year. Every episode brings me to tears, and I think about what these men did for the world. You say you'll never watch it again, but I hope you do find it somewhere to revisit these stories and feel the powerful sacrifice and remember how much we all owe to these brave soldiers.
One reason I watch it around Christmas is because the key battles of Bastogne were fought during this time. To me it expresses how thankful I am to these men who served and endured during the same month. They insured future generations to be at home to celebrate that time of year. They sacrificed their lives and their early years for us. So watching these episodes near Christmas is to honor them for what they did and endured. Another one I watch near Christmas is the Crossing which is about George Washington and the Continental Army crossing the Delaware River to attack Trenton. I don't watch them because of the violence I watch them to remember what they did.
It’s kind of a show that you might not like to watch. But it’s a show that everyone needs to watch.
I subscribed to your channel because you are both so empathetic and invested emotionally in this series, I think it brings the right amount of respect and 'weight' to the material. At the same time you recognize how challenging it all is but persevere because it's worth it. You are caring and empathetic people, and your Band of Brothers reactions are perfect.
By far my favorite line in the series is during that second arty barrage when that “made in Czechoslovakia” dud hits the GI hole with Luz and Lipton.
Luz lights a cigerette. Lipton steals lit smoke.
Luz, “I thought you didn’t smoke.”
Lipton (shaking and twitching) “I don’t.” -takes a drag. And now he’s a smoker.
RIP Muck and Penkala.
I wonder if that was an Oskar Shindler shell?
Watching this is hard; imagine living through it. I think the least we can do is honor the veterans by watching their story, as we live in the free world that they won for us.
@callmecatalyst Not your honey.
20 years? I probably watched BB every year near Christmas for the first 15 years then took a break and just watched it last year again, love the reactions. People probably watch it around Christmas because Pearl Harbor is on Dec. 7th and that stirs up memories of the war. My father was in WWII he was drafted at 12 when the ROC swept his village ahead of the Communists. He never saw his parents again as they starved under Mao's Great Leap Forward. Fought the Japanese for the next 6 years and never talked to me about anything he experienced. After going to school in Taiwan he eventually immigrated to America and became a Prof. Of Mathematics having not learned to read or write until he got in the army.
Your reactions and comments are spot on, and well-articulated. This show is a tough watch, but so well done. I always tell myself, as tough as it is for me to watch, imagine what it was to live it.
People watch this during Christmas as we remember that the battle for Bastogne occurred from December 22 through December 27, 1944. Many people head to rifle ranges on Christmas Day here in the USA to honor the “Battered Bastards of Bastogne” firing symbolic rounds with WWII M1 Garand Rifles, the rifles you see most of Easy Company using. Thank you, I love your channel!
It’s very rare to find young people to have an interest in WW2 and to review one of the greatest mini series on earth of Easy Co of the 101st. It really made my day watching this reaction video.
Lt. Dike got the shaft in this series for no reason. He's portrayed as an incompetent coward when in reality he was a hero.
Lt. Dike was awarded a Bronze star in September 1944 for defending a strategic road junction at Uden, Holland against repeated enemy attacks while completely surrounded. He was awarded a second Bronze Star in January 1945 at Bastogne for personally removing three wounded members of his company from an exposed position while under intense enemy fire. During the attack on Foy (portrayed in this episode) Lt. Dike did NOT have a breakdown, Easy Company Sergeant Clancy Lyall witnessed Lt. Dike get shot in the shoulder and was unable to continue the assault.
After he recovered he was promoted to Captain and served as aid to General Taylor at the 506th Headquarters. After WW2 he served in the Korean war where he would rise to the rank of Lt. Colonel until resigning his post in 1957. He continued his education, became a lawyer, built a family, moved to Switzerland, and practiced law until his death in 1989.
It's disgusting how this show smears Norman Dike's legacy with this fabricated imagining of him.
Colonel Sink was not present at the battle. However, his presence there is meant to represent Winters's conscience - Winters wanted to go but knew he had to concern himself with the whole Battalion. At which point he spotted Spiers and the rest follows as the episode lays out.
Lt Dike may have been wounded and that was a factor in him losing his composure. However, most of the men of Easy Company were not willing to give him such an out considering his performance outside of the battle and I think the producers were correct to not include it, though you kinda see it a little in the fact that he's holding his neck when Spiers relieves him. Dike was able to make it to the rank of Lt Col before retiring in the late 50s. It should be noted that all armies have staff officers who are less capable at combat leadership and more capable at planning or organizing or other administrative tasks. Dike's career overall suggests that was far more compatible with who he was. Obviously, that makes him a terrible fit for Easy Company (and it would certainly explain why he had limited interest in the job)
Buck Compton's first appearance, in episode 1, has him in a car with Winters and Winters lecturing him about getting too close to the men
Thank you ladies. Your thoughtful reflections are reassuring in a dark world. Peace and Love.
The show according to those veterans still falls far short of what the horrors they went through. The reality of it is that it can tear the soul from the body.
I think I saw a quote from a vet saying that the portrayal of the incoming artillery was not intense enough, that the actual experience was worse.
Yeah even when u look at camera footage from actual war the artillery sound is way more intense.
I love how serious you two take the war,.. it's not fantasy, all of this happened and worse. There are thousands of horrific stories about WW2 and many will never be remembered...
You two comprehend the toll the war takes on these guys more than most, thanks!
The true scale is incomprehensible. This story is of individual soldiers in a company because that’s about all we can take in. 16 million soldiers, sailors, and airmen died in WWII. An additional 45 million civilians died. Can you wrap your head around that? I can’t. Still, we must try to understand that the horror and anguish so artfully represented in the Band of Brothers story of Easy Company is a tiny fragment of the horror and suffering and death of millions.
We should hate war, but we should understand it. We should understand that it can’t always be avoided by rationality, appeasement, and diplomacy. But maybe it can be avoided by showing resoluteness and a willingness to fight sooner rather than later.
3:17 I've watched Band of Brothers over half a dozen times from start to finish and I must have also seen over a score of reactions to it as well.
7:48 Again, you should at least recognise him even if you don't remember his name. He's been in almost every episode. Assaulted the guns with Winters in episode 2. Was wounded in the attack on Carentan in episode 3. He's also the one who told you that Sobel was now a supply officer in episode 4.
Of all the reactions I've watched to this series, this may be my favorite. You "get" the message of the film and appreciate the master quality of the production. I can see how tough this is for you, but know there are many of us who appreciate your reaction! Looking forward to #8!
I agree. I think I look forward to watching these ladies react to Band of Brothers more than any I have seen...and I have seen many.
I agree this is a favorite reaction. My wife has such a tender heart she was only able to watch through episode 5, so I totally understand the trauma you are experiencing while watching this.
32:42 Everytime I see the scene Winters shout: "Spiers, get yourself over here" I got goosebumps cuz I already know what's about to happen
32:59 Spiers coming through that explosion to save the day gives me chills
If you struggle watching these episodes....imagine living the lives of all these soldiers. They can't "un-see" what they have seen!
So intense. I watch peoples reaction to this episode. You have sensitive people. You have people that are upset, but not crying, and then you have people that watch it dried eyed. Nothing wrong with either emotion. It's just how people take things in. I love the sensitivity of you two. Thats just like me.
Yes! I don’t think they react the way they do because they are “snowflakes.” Quite the opposite. They are closer to war than we are. They probably see refugees from the Ukraine, from Syria. And the Bosnian War was in their lifetimes. The destruction of lives and property is not a special effect for them.
I’m one of those “dry eyes” people. To be fair, my father is a Vietnam vet, from Honduras, and my brothers/sister and I grew up watching all sorts of shit we were (maybe)too young for lol 😅
All reactions are Ok. My dad was a recon pilot for Air Force. Like you, I think we see a different side of things. I served in the Army but was lucky to never have to see war. God bless all the soldiers. God bless, America, and thank your dad for his service in, Vietnam. It couldn't be easy to come from another country and fight for another country. Give him a hug and tell him how much we appreciate him!!
18:48 The dawning recognition followed by the sudden aggressive grab and jump had me cackling XD
Who is it they recognize? I couldn't tell
@@Stonewielder Jamie Bamber
@@enigmadrath1780 Wow, all these years later and I'm still finding actors I never knew were in BoB. Thanks
@@StonewielderSteve Smith from American Dad is in Band of Brothers as well. He’s voiced by Scott Grimes, who plays Don Malarkey.
I read the book when it first came out and was knocked over by it, then watched the series when it was on HBO and the only option was once a week (thank God). When the DVD's came out, I bought them...and have never watched it again. But now I'm seeing it for the second time through you guys and it makes all of those moments from the story come back through a new set of perspectives. Thank you for soldiering through it all...and knowing you came to it with no real idea what you were getting into makes me appreciate you even more for it. Thank you for pushing me through it the second time. You really should watch 'We Stand Alone Together' as well, because it will give you closure as to what happens to all these guys in their future lives. Many of them went on to accomplish many other things personally and had productive lives in spite of having to drag all their baggage - true Paratroopers, they never stopped moving forward.
The real Norman Dike was actually a decent soldier, who won several awards in combat, he was actually wounded in the assault and most likely froze up due to shock. He wasn’t without his flaws as an officer but this depiction does a disservice.
You should know that since the end of the war the survivors of Easy Company got together once every year for a reunion. Perhaps only with each other could they truly be themselves.
6:31 Exactly the point of the show (I think).
To remember. To never forget. That real, living and breathing human beings endured these events because it was necessary.
You may not 'enjoy' Band of Brothers. But it teaches you something about the human spirit and what can be done if it is required.
I'm glad that you both made the choice to see it through to the end.
My grandfather fought in Italy. When they were at loggerheads with the German army in the Poe Valley, a shell from an 88 landed very close to where he was standing, and didn't go off. If it had, three of his four kids would never have been born, nor would have any of their kids, and on and on...
Another fun fact about this episode happened during the writing of the book. Ambrose (author) and Winter plus their wives went to Foy. While at the edge of what was the woods Winters pointed to two spot saying he place the mgs there and there. The second spot was where Ambrose’s wife was standing. As winter says that’s where the mg was she kicks at the ground and kicks over one of the brass brackets that held together the ammo belts for a .30 mg. Even half a century later Winters knew exactly where things were.
In the States, Memorial Day (last Monday in the month of May) is when our county honors members of the military who have died for their country in battle, but includes all who have passed on long after their wars. Memorial Day Weekend is when most American Families have lots of family over for picknicks and dinners, and is also the time we honor our own family members who have passed on by visiting cemeteries and placing flowers on our family graves. So the entire weekend has always had special meaning for many, if not most Americans. We are loosing all of our World War 2 generation extremely fast... they are simply passing away from old age at a rapid rate. Soon all of them will be gone. Every year since 2008 (when I got the DVD set) I watch Band of Brothers from beginning to end over Memorial Day Weekend. It is how I honor the men who fought to end the nightmare that was Hitler. When the last soldier dies who fought in World War 2... that will be when I stop watching Band of Brothers.... It is an amazing show about young boys from every walk of life sacrificed everything they had to make the world better. What were any of us doing at the age of 18? Going to college? Going out on dates? How about a concert? At 18 they stormed the beaches of France and waded through Hell to end Hitler's reign of terror.
When the show came out on VHS, my mother gave it to me for Christmas 🎄
One of the most wonderful surprises about the 90s is that one of The New Kids on the Block turned into such a fine actor who has portrayed such fine characters over the years! Donnie Wahlberg is incredible as Carwood Lipton in this series.
The both of you have sensitivity that gives you a strong insight into the humanity of the brothers. Stay with it, you'll be pleased you made it through. Thinking you should avoid "The Pacific" which is even more brutal if you can believe it. I am glad I joined you on this journey...😌
I think it resonates emotionally with People because you see the real people that lived through it. You know this really happened and you just cannot believe what suffering people can endure and still keep going on
The whole thing with Spears in the church was very human. He exposed himself a little to Lipton. But not to anyone else. The legend indeed.
Compared to fantasy films and pretend cartoons, True stories of the men who gave themselves for people in a foreign land are hard to watch, but that is a small price to pay compared to the price they paid. Thanks for acknowledging these people.
I think about the stories, that my late Maternal Great-Uncle told me. He served with the British 8th Army and was a battle-hardened Veteran of El Alamein. Survived the War and died in 2014 aged 92. Rest In Peace Great-Uncle Walter John Robertson Jr
Because you said it must be hard for the vetereans to talk about it in the interviews. In a podcast with tom hanks about band of brothers he said when they did the interviews with the veterans a lot of family members and friends showed up. The crew thought it was for them to see the equipement etc. Like usual
But the family members went because it was with most of the veterans it was the first time they were gonna talk about what happened to them in the war
I can already picture their reaction to episode 9 - Why We Fight. I got choked up several times when first watching Band of Brothers, but episode 9 had me in tears before I even realized.
I actually watched their reaction to that 1st, and their reaction to that is why I subscribed to them and backtracked through the whole series with them. I believe they have the best reactions for all the TH-camrs watching this to date.
I rewatch this frequently with my girlfriend.
I keep telling her how hard a time you're having with this.
It isn't that we don't feel emotionally for these human beings, or that we particularly enjoy the hardship or violence.
Specifically, we enjoy the moments of levity in the face of it all. We love the characters, and we love seeing them fight through hell because we know what their sacrifice and hard work earned. It earned us our future. It earned us our lives and our freedom.
By experiencing this with them again and again, we *remember* their bravery. We show them our *respect* and we *honour* them. We give them the *dignity* and *love* which they will always deserve through that remembrance.
It is our *duty* to remember.
Lest we forget.
I’ve been to war, but I cannot imagine losing my brothers one after the other like happened in this war. These guys were really special. Hell, anyone that went through that, is special.
Thinking about the kinds of casualties we are only hearing about from Ukraine - Russia war. It must be similar being on the front lines in Ukraine for both sides.
Stephen Ambrose is the author who wrote the book this miniseries is adapted from in case someone doesn't know. He has written a lot of ww2 history books.
This episode move me. The scene in the church where each man fades out brings the deaths to life. Buck Compton went on to be a ADA in California. He prosecuted the man who shot Robert Kennedy. The other amazing thing from this series was how many of the men became close friends with the men they were portraying.
Long ago, before this series was created, I was a social studies teacher. I wish I could have had access to Band of Brothers to help the students understand WW II in the European Theater of Operations. My parents generation truly were the greatest.
thanks for watching this, and for your authentic reactions. This series is more than entertainment, it is important. Few enough people still take time to remember the suffering and sacrifice soldiers went through, to ensure that we today life free and in comfort. And yes, those who survived were nonetheless casualties. I'm one of those who rewatches the series every year, because it puts most of my worries and troubles in perspective, it reminds me of what is important. I'm from Europe and the 11th of november is when we remember fallen soldiers. That was the end of WW I, but we remember all fallen soldiers. Having recently seen the series deepens the experience at the graves, remembering and honouring their sacrifice. Yes, it is sad but beyond sadness there is hope, love and respect. Thank you for these video's, i'll be waiting for the next.
Spiers and Winters were great officers.
After the war Buck Compton joined the LAPD, then became a prosecutor. When RFK was assassinated in 1968 Buck Compton was the lead prosecutor for the state in convicting his assassin.
Growing up in LA his mother worked in movies and one day he pissed off the star of the picture, Charlie Chaplin, who forced him to be an extra in one scene as comeuppance.
Later he would play Baseball and Football at UCLA, where he was a teammate with Jackie Robinson.
In my opinion no human being comes quite as close to being a real life Forrest Gump than Lynn Davis “Buck” Compton. What an incredible life he lived.
" Uncommon Valor was a common Virtue" (This was a quote to the US Marines on Iwo Jima, but the sentiment was exactly what the Band of Brothers portrays so clearly).
The Pacific is gonna be a Hail Mary for them girls, even more brutal and realistic about it's portrayal of what war does to a person.
They already said they will not watch it.
They will never make it thru it.
Yeah, they absolutely should not watch the Pacific
By Cape Gloucester and Peleliu, the loss of humanity is starting show...
Nevertheless, "The Pacific" is needed to be watched. Most Europeans know nothing about WWII in the Pacific.
"The Pacific" is quite 'dark' and perhaps a bit difficult to watch, for some.
@@dioghaltasfoirneartach7258 I'm European myself but it's my favorite WW2 front and probably the most brutal in terms of general combat next to the Eastern Front, Japanese were crazy ass fucks and would make the US marines pay in every drop of blood from Guadalcanal to Okinawa, generally death before dishonor mindset is just so damn fanatical yet amazing to think about.
Glad to see you watching a series such as this, these men should be remembered as the heroes they were. Imagine the hardship they had to pull through, the evil they had to deal with. We should be grateful for the time we're living in, and never forget.
This is my biggest grip with BoBs. Dike wasn’t a coward in real life. He revived two medals for bravery including saving 3 soldiers. Also his indecisiveness where he seemed to freeze up, he was actually shot in real life which led to Spears relieving him.
Get ready for Episode 9. It's a doozy. You deserve to know ahead of time. Get your drinks ready if you ladies are those who enjoy a stiff drink. You'll need it.
I've got to tell you -- and I mean this in a good way -- it's harder for me to watch the pain of your reactions than to watch the horrors portrayed in the show. It's nice to watch two genuine young ladies such as you.
I don't know the truth, but here's what I found online about *Dike:* _In the series, Lieutenant Dike is portrayed as being an incompetent coward._ _However, in real life he performed many acts of heroics._ _For example, Dike was awarded a Bronze Star for his action at Uden, Holland, with the 101st Airborne Division between 23 and 25 September 1944, in which he “organized and led scattered groups of parachutists in the successful defense of an important road junction on the vital Eindhoven (sic)-Arnhem Supply Route against superior and repeated attacks, while completely surrounded."_
_Dike was awarded a second Bronze Star for his action at Bastogne, in which "he personally removed from an exposed position, in full enemy view, three wounded members of his company, while under intense small arms fire" on 3 January 1945._
_In preparation for the 13 January 1945 attack on Foy, Belgium, E Company was attached to the 3rd Battalion, 506th PIR._ _Division Headquarters ordered the attack to begin at 0900 hours._ _During the assault, Carwood Lipton, at that time the company's first sergeant, described Dike as having "fallen apart." Clancy Lyall stated that he saw that Dike had been wounded in his right shoulder and that it was the wound, not panic, that caused Dike to stop._
_Dike survived the assault, and eventually returned to the rear in the company of a medic._
_Afterwards, he was transferred to 506th Regimental Headquarters to become an assistant operations officer. Dike then moved on to become, as a captain, an aide to General Maxwell Taylor, Commanding General, 101st Airborne Division._ _He later served in the Korean War._
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I think Milena's thoughts at the start of this episode pretty much sum up my own. This is an amazing series, with incredible production and acting, and very true to the very important and painful history it portrays. But its a hard watch. Much Love to you guys
I am so glad you finally seem to find an episode you enjoy, despite all the violence and heartbreaking casualties . I am sorry to tell you that I am the kind of person who likes to re-watch this series , not because I enjoy watching pain or enjoy torture but because this series is such an inspiration to me about real people portrayed by actors who performed acts of bravery, sacrifice and heroism. It's insane to think that all these events really happened and we get to see the actual people who lived through these events in history and how humble and unassuming they actually are in real life. This is a show that makes me want to emulate their positive characteristics and be a better person.
16:50 I think you girls misunderstood the Lt. Peacock scene. It is meant to be funny, not emotional. They were trying to get rid of him because he was not a good platoon leader per the show.
Waiting for episode 9 😊…sweet, innocent girls, hope life doesn’t change them.
I've rewatched this at least 2x a year since 2001. usually every June and Christmas season.
can ya believe that building with the German sniper that was killed on the top floor still exist ,they showed it in the making of this and measured the shot that killed the sniper and it was more then 100 yards ,that building still shows the bullet hits on the building and its been made into a bed and breakfast .....
There are guys from the easy who are buried not far from my home, they are Muck Penkala Julian Kenneth Webb and Patrick Neill
You know, these young ladies talk about how tough this show is often. What I hope they take from it by its end is that the reward of victory over evil in a predatory world is worth the high cost of the blood, sweat, and tears of these brave men. Maybe they'll feel differently by the end of episode ten.
@callmecatalyst I'm open to talk, definitely. I'm not following you, though. I can be dense from time to time, so forgive me, please. What do you mean to say with your comment?
@callmecatalyst Get some therapy.
I've watched it through probably 10+ times, as well as The Pacific, and I think it's good to put yourself back in their shoes every now and then to remind yourself of how fortunate you are to live without all the horrible things they went through.
The Speirs scene when he is promoted and takes command running through all out war is one of my favorite scenes in cinema history.
This is a show I watch once a year. This is one of the most important shows that has ever been made. This is history that can never be forgotten. If I was alive in the 30-40s I would have been there, just like my grandad was.
I rewatch this series probably once a year at least. The greatest miniseries of all time
The best reaction and commentary I have seen/heard.....which is surprising because you are soo reluctant to start each episode. Obviously, you are, nevertheless, paying acute attention!! Great job ladies! Now....carry on!
My wife and I watched this series when it first came out. At the end we picked our favorite soldier. My wife picked Winters, and when I picked Speirs she got pissed and asked "Why? He's mean and nasty" and I said "Exactly!"
The shows portrayal made me feel that Winters is the guy you want when tactics are an option, and Speirs is the guy you want when the only option is forward. Colonel Sink even applauds his skills when promoting Winters to Battalion CO. Recall how Speirs is the only man left standing in Episode 2 when he requests that he and members from his platoon destroy the final gun. Winters’ approach was much more methodical and flawless, resulting in minimal casualties…Speirs the hammer, Winters the scalpel.
Great reaction! My only wish would be less time between reactions lol I would also recommend the documentary “We Stand Alone Together” that has all the interviews of the men of Easy Co. 506 PIR 101st. I would recommend The Pacific but you guys are barely holding it together through this. The Pacific has much more loss due to the way the Japanese fought against US Marines. Great reaction ladies!
(Winters): .."Spears! Get in there and lead that attack !"
(Spears): ... "Hold My Beer..."
I hope you two make it through episode 9! Definitely the most difficult episode in the series, but also the most important. Such a fantastic series, but I understand the discomfort in watching.
The British watch The Great Escape (1963) every Boxing Day. I've read The Longest Day at least two dozen times. It's a thing.
The reactions of this pair remind me of two quotes:
"Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made." -Otto von Bismarck
“Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - George Orwell
Just want to add, I'd suggest people look up Norman Dike (The one that's portrayed as cowardly) apparently during the Battle of Foy he was actually shot and wounded which forced him to stop. Prior to this he was awarded two bronze medals for a successfully lead defense and saving three wounded men under enemy fire. That's not to say he had a likeable personality but I feel like the cowardly trait they gave him isn't fair either and there are also people who yawn from anxiety not just from being tired, just to add.
Thanks for sticking w it ladies. I enjoy watching this series again w you two!