Band of Brothers | E06 Bastogne - REACTION!

[@stonie0212]

The nurses name was Rene Lemaire, and she was called The angel of Bastogne.

[@saxxsam]

Yes and she died going back to save the 8th or 7th person I can't quite remember something along those lines

[@prashant_kerung_thegim0709]

Man she was an angel.

[@brenthartley8822]

She was a gift from God, as are all nurses!

[@felipeaquitral]

Yeah, and the congolese-belgian nurse (here called "Anna") was Augusta Chiwy, she survived that bombing and died in 2015 at 94 years old. Also, Renée Lemaire's body was wrapped in a white parachute and sent to her parents.

[@nero7469]

In French "The Angel of Bastogne" is "L'Ange de Bastogne"

[@madmic6064]

i could watch a whole video series of your dad explaining history he's great

[@jakewaters1546]

I totally agree with you but I love Kat (is that her name?) she always finds the emotional power behind the historic details. Her insights are great.

[@jayvdub5390]

Indeed.

[@derekweiland1857]

The 101st was so short on medical supplies as the 501st entire regimental hospital and all of its staff and supplies were taken prisoner at the very beginning of the Battle.

[@MrTech226]

Sonny, salute to your dad for his service in the Danish Military!

[@AndrewAHynd]

The girl, both of them, were based on real people. Renee Lemaire died in a bombing on Dec 24th. She is known as the 'Angel of Bastogne.' and there are memorials to her there. While there is no known interaction between her and Doc Roe as shown in the show, they included it to show her, and her story. The other girl, Anna, is based on Augusta Chiwy, who survived the bombing on the 24th. She was blown through a wall, but was otherwise unhurt. She worked as a nurse the remainder of the war, and passed away in 2015. Was recognized by both the American and Belgian gov'ts in her lifetime for her work done during the battle.

[@nickmitsialis]

The thing RE: Doc Rowe and Anna was, according to the E Co. survivors, fictional BUT...they thought very highly of Doc Rowe so they said the ep just showed the kind of man he was by pairing him with another real life angel of mercy.

[@AndrewAHynd]

@@nickmitsialis Oh absolutely. I know how highly he was thought of. I never meant to infer otherwise. It was just a great way of showing the human side of the city as well, through an Angel, as well as showing the depth of Doc Roe.

[@wirelad2007]

Thanks for sharing that, mate

[@nickmitsialis]

@@AndrewAHynd Yes I totally agree.

[@ddanielsandberg]

3:35 Military dad doesn't move a muscle. Everybody else had a heart attack.

[@matthewwilliams2093]

Facts.

[@Firan25]

also at 5:22 they see bones and blood, the two youngins turn away in disgust. dads like "yup, that needs morphine alright."

[@Philbert-s2c]

Colonel: "Sir, General MacAuliffe turned down the German demand for surrender. Know what he said?" General Patton: "No, what?" Colonel: "Nuts." Patton (laughing): "Keep em moving, Colonel. A man that eloquent HAS to be saved." Patton (1970)

[@yoehonjohn4832]

That movie is a classic.

[@brenthartley8822]

😁As an Former US Army Captain, I have to say "Patton" (1970) was one of those movies that built up so much motivation and made you so gung-ho!💪

[@gawainethefirst]

Just to clarify, NUTS at the time was supposed to be a more polite way to to tell someone to “go to hell.”

[@tbone2885]

Right. It comes from the full phrase "Nuts to you!", meaning essentially the same thing as you stated, "go to hell" or any form of angry vulgar filled reply that you can think of.

[@Philbert-s2c]

Which in itself is the polite way to say "Fuck off and die."

[@AximandTheCursed]

From what I've been told, NUTS was an acronym for "Not Understanding Terms of Surrender"

[@panther7584]

"We don't have proper facilities to take you all prisoners!"

[@Zenon0K]

@@AximandTheCursed It may have morphed into that, but that isn't what it means. The story is that when the American General was awakened by a Major to received this message, he was confused and asked "the Germans want to surrender?" The Major then said no, the Germans want US to surrender, to which the general said "Us surrender? Aw nuts." After a while, the Major phoned to say that since the German messengers had made a formal request, then were expecting a formal reply (I.E. on paper) to return to their General. The General called a meeting, and said he didn't know what to say. The Colonel, who was present for the initial remark, said his previous reply would be hard to beat. The General asked what he said, and the Colonel said "you simply replied ...nuts!" The rest of the staff started laughing and agreed, so he scribbled down the date, addressed it to "The German Commander", N U T S ! , and signed it "The American Commander" to have it typed out. Upon receiving the message, the Germans were confused and asked what it meant, thinking it was American slang. A soldier present that spoke German that better than his college of saying it meant "to take a flying shit" and said that it basically meant for them to "go to hell". Upon receiving the reply, the German General was livid, and demanded that the promised artillery barrage commence, before his fellow General told him that the artillery had already been moved on to the primary target, that Bastogne was not the main objective, and that the Luftwaffe and a smaller force were assigned Bastogne.

[@Rmlohner]

Also present at Bastogne was an 18 year old minesweeper named Mel Brooks, and one night when the Germans tried to demoralize the Americans by blasting patriotic German songs at them, he retaliated by playing Al Jolson back at them. There's something to keep in mind the next time you watch The Producers.

[@TheBS1000]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZ-vhJ5_hNGld7M

[@brenthartley8822]

I am currently a professor of history at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), with a focus on military history, as well as a former US Army Officer and a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan. I must say that your father is very knowledgeable on the history of the Battle of the Bulge and the Second World War as a whole. It was a pleasure watching his reaction, and giving you both the history behind the battle. My own grandfather 1st Lieutenant Richard Hartley was a platoon commander in charge of 5 M4 Sherman Tanks in the 4th Armored Division which was part of Patton's famous US 3rd Army that relieved Bastogne on December 26, 1944. I have enjoyed your reactions to this series very much. And just to warn you the next 2 episodes get very tough and emotional so just be prepared. P.S. Hope that you might be able to find the time to react to "The Pacific" which is the sister series to "Band of Brothers". It focuses on the Pacific Theater and the United States Marine Corps.

[@petergil9715]

Thank you and your family for your service. I would like you to know that all American appriciate what you do for us. God bless sir

[@brenthartley8822]

@@petergil9715 Thank you for your appreciation and blessings! It has been has been my honor to serve as a military officer.

[@yungathart7801]

Sonny, Much respect to your father for his military service and historical knowledge of the Battle of the Bulge and WWII in general. Also, Kat: I hope your foot is getting better. I know there are some very difficult episodes coming up. Take care of yourselves and stay safe.

[@EthanBSide]

Your dad knows his shit. By that I mean The Buldge itself, but the WHOLE scenario well before and after. His memory is better than History Channel. Get him a channel on KZbin, I'd Patreon.

[@MisterMac4321]

The story behind Gen.Mcauliffe's famous reply of "Nuts!" to the German demand for surrender is a bit more prosaic than most people are aware. Mcauliffe was actually just the 101st division's deputy commander at the time, and was only acting as division commander since the official commander (Gen.Maxwell Taylor) was away on leave in London when the division went into action at Bastogne. When Mcauliffe first read the German demand for the 101st to surrender (written in very flowery language) he simply rolled the document into a ball and threw it aside, dismissively mumbling "Us surrender? Aw, nuts." While the division's staff was struggling to come up with appropriate wording for their reply to the German demand, then LtCol.Harry Kinnard (the division operations officer) commented that Mcauliffe's remark would be "hard to beat." So "Nuts!" was typed up as the formal reply back to the German commander. The German officer acting as courier for the American response waited for over two hours before he received the document, and was confused as to what the single word response meant (being slang, it apparently didn't translate into German). The American officer delivering the message explained that, "...in plain English it's the same as 'go to hell'."

[@michelmorio8026]

Actually there are words for it in German... translated: „Wir, aufgeben? So ein Quatsch/Schmarrn!“ or „Aufgeben, wir? Zur Hölle mit ihnen/Fahrt zur Hölle!“

[@frankhenneick9983]

How cool and nice your dad is. This made my day. Really nice to see that u and ur dad have a really strong connection. It’s the second time he actually appeared on this channel, am I right? He was watching Star Wars with you, wasn’t he? That made him the coolest dad around! I hope Kat's foot doesn't hurt so much anymore. Get well soon! Have a nice weekend you three!

[@benschultz1784]

The 4th Armored Division Sherman that broke through to Bastogne, the M4A3E2 "Cobra King," was just recently discovered rusting at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany and is currently under restoration at the Battle of the Bulge Museum in La Gleize, Belgium.

[@jacksonthompson7099]

That is awesome! I really really hope the restoration is going according to plan with very few to no hiccups. Hope to visit europe some day and stop by all the museums.

[@MrTech226]

That commander at Bastogne is played by Dale Dye who actually served in the Marines during Vietnam War. Besides acting as a commander, he is a technical military adviser for Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg during making of Band of Brothers.

[@Rmlohner]

And he's been a military advisor for a ton of other stuff, including Platoon (which he did a DVD commentary for).

[@GhostEye31]

Not to mention he also did the same thing for Saving Private Ryan, he also has done some voice work for different games.

[@zombiTrout]

He was great in Platoon.

[@tehdipstick]

Dale Dye also plays the same character, Colonel Sink, in Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway, a tactical first person combat game set during Operation Market Garden.

[@MrTech226]

Dale started out as war correspondent during war.

[@101natethegreat]

Your father was dropping some knowledge. Thanks for the short history lesson.

[@jimroe1081]

My grandpa was in that battle. He was in the US 284th Artillery. He was the only one from his cannon that survived the battle. They were hit with a German 88 gun. He was such a soft spoken, quiet, and gentle man. Hard to imagine what he experienced in contrast with his personality. Thanks for posting.

[@markieman64]

Your dad's take on this was excellent! I really appreciated that he fit into this so well.

[@GaunteroDimmm]

One of the greatest pieces of media ever put to film. These men suffered through so much and this miniseries allows a showing of a fraction of what they went through.

[@texaspatriot4215]

As an American whose father was in the battle if the bulge I know quite a bit about this part of the war, your father was excellent, his knowledge was spot on. Thank you

[@roryowens9703]

This is my favourite episode of the series. I love the conceit of seeing the war through the eyes of a medic - someone who doesn't fight, isn't supposed to fight. He's there to look after his comrades. One of the lieutenants in Easy Company actually recommended Doc Roe for a medal, based on how much he did to support the company in Bastogne.

[@MrFloppyHare]

The next episode also deals with the battle of the Bulge, I believe. Would be nice to have your dad there for that as well.

[@timofeegraaay8165]

One of my fathers friends was at Bastogne and I was very young and would ask him about it, because I did not understand that he disliked speaking about it. The only thing he really told me was how cold it was, and how the Germans would fire artillery into the trees which would explode and send splinters and all kinds of things ripping into US GI’s. I think my father, who fought in the Pacific in the US Navy, found out and gently told me not to ask this man any questions, as he prefers to keep that in the past. After this man died his widow told me he would have nightmares for many years after they married in the late 1940’s. My father passed 23 years ago and he would occasionally speak about Okinawa and how he couldn’t believe anyone survived that “damn battle”. He was a LT. Junior Grade on a battleship.

[@darthveatay]

My grandfather was at Bastogne. He wasn't in the city itself during the fighting. He was with general Patton, part of the relief force broke through German lines to save easy company

[@joshuawells835]

"Nuts"- one of the great one-liners of WWII. The other being, at Dunkirk, the British commander replied "But If Not". It is a reference to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the Fiery Furnace. "Our God can save us from the fires, but if not, know that we shall never bow down and worship thy image."

[@davechandler4704]

Episodes 7 & 9 are no doubt fantastic, but this episode #6, "Bastogne," is the one that really affected me. I can't imagine being in a situation this horrific, where you don't even have a weapon to fight back. The only thing you can do is treat casualties, one after the other after the other. The character of Eugene Roe really hit me hard. One Easy Company lieutenant had particular praise for the actual man, Eugene Roe. He said that he had no idea how Roe did it, but somehow or another he was there, mere moments after a soldier had been wounded, in the face of intense artillery and mortar fire. God bless the real Eugene Roe and every medic who charged into sheer hell to save other men's lives.

[@optimalrefundable]

My grandfather and his brother (my grand uncle) from Kentucky were both in the Battle of the Bulge -- my grandpa survived, but my uncle died. His gravesite is in northern France and a French family takes care of it. Thanks for such a good reaction. Makes me feel closer to both of them, somehow.

[@AndrewAHynd]

As well, a lot of these foxholes are still there in the Bois Jacques and around Bastogne and Foy. You can visit them. The man, Smokey Gordon, who was hit in the shoulder and paralyzed and drops his coffee, his foxhole is still there. About 15 years ago, with the help of some of the survivors from Easy, they were on a visit and found that coffee cup in Gordon's foxhole. If you are interested, there are many other youtube videos showing the holes, and the area Easy was in.

[@emmano6340]

Damn, that's incredibly interesting

[@dirus3142]

I think Babe found his sun glasses still in his whole. Might have Bill.

[@BlueDebut]

My great grandfather was wounded south of Bastogne near Wiltz. He was a part of the 28th Division who was holding the line south of Bastogne. He was on of the few survivors in his company

[@parkeydavid]

The 101st said, "They got us surrounded, poor bastards." The German siege of Bastogne was conducted incorrectly. They only attacked one area at a time, instead of an all out assault of the town, which would have worked.

[@AngeloBarovierSD]

*which would have had a much _better_ chance of working. There are very few guaranteed outcomes in war, especially in WWII. Even hindsight cannot give us 'perfect' maneuvers for victory. Any different strategy would encounter different unexpected setbacks. Sometimes one tank tread made the difference between victory and defeat in WWII.

[@lawrencewestby9229]

Exactly right. The one advantage the Americans had by being surrounded was that they had interior lines of communications. They were able to move resources from other points to where the attack was being made. If the Germans had attacked multiple points at the same time they would have been able to penetrate the line in at least one of the points.

[@jimirayo]

Keep in mind that Bastogne was not the objective. Antwerp was the mission. Bastogne was in the way So they decided to go around it, which put a crimp into their plans.

[@reecedignan8365]

You also have to remember that starting a major offensive requires, ammo, men and most importantly fuel for all the vehicles in the attack. And the German was very very short on fuel, men and even spare parts for most of their equipment (a lot of German vehicles were literally founds abandoned during the Argonnes offensive just due to them having no spare fuel or parts to keep me moving). As such, the Germans around Bastogne attempted to limit the need to use fuel and manpower that were needed for Antwerp. If they pulled forces for the Bastogne garrison it meant that the Antwerp garrison had a lesser fight to take on and more time to pull in reserves. As such the forces around Bastogne were not so much a full assault force but a lesser ring to keep the enemy pinned and occasionally attempt a break in as to take the city and shorten the logistics train to the front units.

[@druidwolf9959]

I love your dad. Very knowledgeable. Thank you, sir for sharing your knowledge.

[@jeffkablock3229]

Hello from florida usa my grandfather left copenhagen in 1940 when the germans came i am glad he did or i might not be here today i am 60 years old i served in the UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

[@ronaldolio76]

That was great Your father's comments gave us even more insight to the events of the episode Thank you Take care

[@Thoreaux]

I think this might be my favorite episode. The portrait of Eugene, out there in the snow trying to hold Easy together with rags and mattress stuffing, tryna "pull the pain out."

[@WriterusAeternus]

Oh my gosh your Dad is so adorable with his “Hello there”. You look like him.

[@JoeXTheXJuggalo1]

My grandfather that was in the 82nd airborne was one of the few survivors from a night attack that happened in the battle of the bulge because he was sleeping up in a tree. A survival tactic he learned growing up as a child living out in the boonies. Also thank your dad for his service. I salute to him.

[@Shawn-rq4py]

War is a hell of a thing. Both my wife’s grandfather and both of mine were in the Pacific during the war. They all made it home but were forever changed. This series as well as “The Pacific” are 2 of the best military mini series I’ve ever seen. HBO did a good job of bringing them to screen. WW2 is the most interesting war for me. A lot of movies references WW2. But they’re subjective and writers wrote what they think might have happened etc but these 2 having actual soldiers who were there tell their stories makes a huge impact. Several of the marines n “The Pacific” wrote books about their time in the war. One in particular had a very hard time. He was sickly and couldn’t enlist when he was young then finally was accepted. At the end he was a very changed man. I’ve watched both series several times and I see new things each time because there is so much going on. It’s just unbelievable that anyone made it through this war at all. Another great military movie is “We Were Soldiers”. Mel Gibson did a great job capturing another true event move from Vietnam. I’m glad I found your channel. Genuine and great reactions towards this series. I appreciated your father in this one as well. I always have the upmost respect for members of the military and I thank him for his service and sacrifice.

[@Cherokee9898]

This episode brings tears to my eyes every time. Not only for what happens in the episode but because my great-grandfather was at Bastogne. He passed before I was born but my great-grandmother told me some of his stories. She said he opened up about it as a way to deal with it but he always had tears in his eyes.

[@rangerscloud]

This episode was as the saying goes, "The quiet before the storm." Next episode is heavy in all categories which is fitting with the name "The Breaking Point."

[@jnlaf]

This is one of the show that hit the hardest,,One of my uncle was killed in this battle, another Uncle was with Patton when he went into Bastogne..My father was a Medic in the Pacific. He never talked much about his time there..

[@FadyenRS]

I love this episode. It's not only a very well done depiction of such a famous and pivotal battle, but it shows the real struggles of the men. Babe feeling bad about not getting his friends things to send home, Buck getting news of his girlfriend breaking up with him, Eugene forming this bond with the nurse and then sadly losing her. These are real human moments. They are not just soldiers in a fight, they are people who have struggles beyond the situation they find themselves in, and yet they have to put them to one side and get on with the difficult job they have to do.

[@matthewwilliams2093]

OMG, thank you Sonny for bringing your dad in to these Band of Brothers reactions! His perspective is something that really adds to Kat and your interpretation of what you are seeing here. Thank you for your service, sir, and also for your raising a wonderful gentleman.

[@sandraback7809]

Your father’s contribution was really interesting. Thank you. I do so enjoy your reactions and reviews. Just a mention that you might find of interest . Today,11th July is the second day of the Battle of Britain, 80 years ago. And yesterday was the funeral of our forces ‘sweetheart’, Dame Vera Lyn. She died aged 103.. Vera Lyn, singing , We’ll Meet Again and ‘White Cliffs of Dover’ is embedded in our collective memories and our history of WW11. Many of us in the UK, born after the war, shed a tear at her passing. Thanks for doing BoB😀

[@cubonemaker5080]

Clicked on this so fast!

[@Culperrr]

3:12... 501st is from Star Wars. I got so happy when he said that. A man of culture, haha. Oh, that was awesome. You don't find too many people his age know that minute detail.

[@TheLoneBoomer]

It's important to understand the life of a Medic, or "Doc" as they are affectionately known. There is a meme about them called rules of War: 1-In War good men will die. 2-Doc can't save everyone. 3-For his brothers, Doc will go through Hell trying to break rules 1 & 2.

[@sandercohen3309]

I have so much respect for medics, and I love how this episode focused a lot on exactly that. For a more modern perspective, I recommend people to check out the National Geographic show called "Inside Combat Rescue", which follows U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen saving lives while on deployment at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. Regardless of politics and regardless of what the war is about, I always admire people putting their lives on the line to rescue people that are wounded.

[@EricPalmerBlog]

Thanks for sharing your viewing of this series. And, hanging in there. You can see your stress when viewing the combat scenes. Keep up the good work.

[@moomerchant]

What a treat to have your dad join you for this episode. Thank you and thank him for his service.

[@daddynitro199]

Walter “Smokey” Gordon: “Hide your morphine, guys!” Wehrmacht: *BOOM!* Kat and Sonny: 😮😮 Dad: 😐

[@pokeygorilla9368]

Nuts! doesn't mean damn it. It is slang for crazy. Like you're nuts!. He was basically telling them you're crazy if you think we'll surrender. It confused the Germans too, they had no idea what to make of the reply.

[@TheWabbitSeason]

The US soldiers explained it to the German officers. They replied: Du kannst zum Teufel gehen.

[@marks3750]

In this context, it doesn't mean crazy. It was, at the time, a expression of frustration or exasperation. Such as, things are not going well you would say, well nuts, Your car would break down you would say nuts. During the sixties it started to go out of use.

[@pokeygorilla9368]

@@marks3750 The word does mean both things, but the way I always took it, since they thought the german's were surrendering not asking for one, and this was the official reply makes me believe Like you're crazy was the accurate way it was used.

[@polofiend]

The battle at Bastogne is not concluded in this episode, but it will be in the next. As such, I'd love to have your dad back again for the reaction of episode 7!... Heck, have him back for any other Band of Brothers reaction video!

[@kicklee_]

Fantastic. I love that you keep trying to improve your videos constantly and put a lot of work in it. Always interesting with guests and other points of views.

[@ghostfreely7493]

My great grandfather was an anti tank gunner right on the line at bastogne. He said the scariest part was when the Germans would try charging the line to break through, the fog was so thick you could only hear their boots stomping in the snow.

[@majorleagueminuteman1344]

You guys are doing great! All of you bringing a different, nuanced, but meaningful interpretation of what you’re seeing with this series. Keep it up!

[@gregall2178]

It was nice to have your dad along for this episode.

[@suprchickn7745]

You both give great, thoughtful reactions. God bless you. Thanks to your father for his service!

[@fester2306]

My opinion: episodes 7 and 9 are tougher to watch than episode 6.

[@AndrewAHynd]

Why We fight, its very tough, but its an important one to see. Its one I show my students so they know, and dont forget.

[@pokeygorilla9368]

9 is the best of the whole show

[@roryowens9703]

Episode seven is a roller-coaster of gut punches, episode nine just rips your guts right out.

[@AndrewAHynd]

@@roryowens9703 Episode 7 is my personal favourite episode, while I see Episode 9 the most important.

[@raqrod1606]

9 its a hard watch for sure but a necessary one

[@kel5423]

I really love the reactions to Band of Brothers you guys do. I also really appreciate your father's perspective.

[@chadthomas7287]

The dad's internal monologue can be summarized by a quote from Jessie Ventura's character in Predator "I don't have time to bleed."

[@TheCountfrankula]

Your Father is such a delightful addition to your reaction. I hope he appears again.

[@phj223]

A comment on the cold, my grandfather was Finnish and fought in the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union during WWII. When I was a kid and we'd visit him and his family they'd always have the heating cranked up to the max, and he'd go to bed in full pyjamas, an extra sweater, and wool socks. I always had a hard time sleeping there since it was so hot, and it wasn't until many years later I would understand why. He had done his lifetime share of freezing already.

[@cstephen98]

"Nuts" confused the German command as they tried to figure out if it meant they were surrendering or now :)

[@240nordey5]

I love the aspect of following the medic through the front lines. It made the episode so exhaustingly frustrating looking at it from that aspect, which I had a great time seeing portrayed.

[@GSFBlade]

Very interesting discussion at the end, your dad is a great addition to the team.

[@davidabplanalp4436]

Your English/American is very good! Better than my Spanish when I lived in Mexico and Panama. Well done.

[@davidgordon7306]

During the Vietnam war, a Ranger Battalion was surrounded and a Company Commander informed the Battalion Commander and the BC replied "good now we can get them all"

[@TheGamePlayZoneDE]

Your “father” is obviously you from 33 years in the Future. I call fake

[@KaniForLife]

Dark reference... Haha

[@momentary_]

I used to watch the The Little Rascals when I was a kid. They would say "nuts" all the time, but it was used in various ways. They would sometimes say it in defiance. That show was filmed from 1922 to 1944, so I'm guessing the "nuts" here was used in defiance too.

[@dirus3142]

The Germans never attacked Bastogne in a concentrated effort on multiple fronts. The German divisions moving through the area had objectives they had to reach so they were often ordered to continue. Bastogne is a hub of transportation. several roads connect in the city. Holding it was a huge obstacle to the German effort. It force the Germans to use smaller side roads not suitable for armor, heavy traffic, and took more time. The Germans would fluctuate between the urgency of trying to maintain their time tables and clearing out the defenders in Bastogne. Because of this attacks were ordered one at a time on a single section of Bastogne's perimeter. This aloud the defending artillery to concentrate it's fire power, and send reinforcements from "secure" areas in larger numbers. If the Germans made determined attacks on at least 3 sections, if not two, simultaneously they very well could have pushed the 101st out. Some of the American Artillery batteries had advantageous positioning. Several batteries were positioned between gently rolling hills. This gave them protection because German counter battery fire would often miss because of the need to clear terrain.

[@ramjb]

I honestly think the importance of Bastogne has been seriously overestimated through the years. now don't get me wrong, it was a vital road hub and not having it did harm the german offensive. But even if the germans had taken it, it'd changed little or nothing in the grand scope of things. simply stated, the germans didn't have enough fuel reserves to complete even 1/3 of their initial objectives. Their plan was to capture fuel from the americans along the road (which is not exactly the most promising logistical status to begin from, given that a GI with a Zippo would put a fast "NOPE" to that whole plan...as in fact happened). The main axis of attack of the offensive wasn't on Bastogne, either (was further north, alongside the 5th Panzer Army's axis) - it's importance wasn't for the offensive itself, but for facilitating the supply of the frontline forces...but if you don't have enough fuel to begin with, even if you have a clear road you're not sending that fuel, that you don't have, to your frontline tanks, are you?. In the end events proved that the real importance of Bastogne was not that great...the offensive petered out because the germans ran out of fuel, a few kilometers off Dinant (where the bulk of the XXX British Corps were holding the bridges and waiting for them). At that point they just had to turn tails and run back east on foot (as they had no fuel for their vehicles). Having Bastogne would've changed nothing of that for taking Bastogne woudn't created the massive amount of fuel the germans needed out of thin air.

[@mcvickerf]

Great reaction, nice meeting your dad! Loved your shirts, especially Kat's! Also the next episode is really hard! The most difficult episode to watch!!

[@Sir_AlexxTv]

Lovely to see you dad in here @Sonny !!!!!!!!!!!!! Lovely man ! I'm just worried for Kat on this episode 😎

[@gravitypronepart2201]

Thanks for sharing your Dad with us. I wish he was there for the whole series. I enjoyed his commentary.

[@nickmitsialis]

Not only does the clearing weather mean the guys on the ground can get resupply from the air, it also means they can get VERY heavy support from Allied Fighter Bombers. With skies clear, the German military will have a very hard time moving about during daylight hours, either in moving, attacking or trying to resupply. I think the biggest 8th Air Force mission was flown on or around Christmas 1944; I think no fewer than 2500 B17s and B24s flew mission in and around 'The Bulge', and I'm not even counting missions flown by fighter and medium bomber units.

[@cs3473]

The story about McAuliffe's "Nuts" reaction reminded me of another anecdote from the Battle. General George Patton, whose Third Army broke through the encirclement at Bastogne, was so frustrated with the bad weather impeding his advance, that he asked his Chaplain to literally write a prayer for good weather so that it would be easier for his troops to fight the Germans. The Chaplain did and the prayer worked. A simplified version of the event is portrayed in the movie "Patton" which, if you have not seen it, is a movie I highly recommend.

[@MrSmithla]

The whole ‘Nuts!” story is one of my favorite in all military history. When the 101st was tricked into Bastogne General Anthony MacCauliffe was actually the 3rd highest commander of the 101st. He was only the acting commander. The #1 was attending a conference back in the States and the #2 was on leave in Paris. So, MacCauliffe was acting as commander when the German attack came. So, he’s in Bastogne completely surrounded, up for 3 straight days and nights, organizing the defense against attacks coming from all directions and he was finally able to grab a few hours of much needed sleep when his acting number #2 received a German officer in his HQ. His #2 shakes him awake and he’s exhausted, not fully awake and his #2 says “The Germans are here to discuss surrender.” MacCauliffe’s response was “Oh, they want to surrender? We accept!” His Officer had to say, “Uh, no sir, they want us to surrender.” MacCauliffe’s exhausted reply, “Us surrender??!!?! Aw, nuts!” MacCauliffe was a religious man, never swore. For him, ‘Nuts,’ was the worst word you’d ever hear from him, His #2 had a grim laugh, nodded in agreement but said “Ok, sir, I agree with that but this is a formal request for surrender so we have to provide an official, written response.” MacCauliffe nodded but asked, “Well, what do I say?” His #2 opined, “Well, why don’t we say what you just said?” MacCauliffe said, “I haven’t slept for 3 days, what did I say?” His #2 said, “You said ‘ Nuts,’ sir. So, they wrote, “To the German Commander; Nuts!” When they presented this to the German officer and he read it, he said, “‘Nuss, was ist’Nuss’??!!?! Another American laughed and said “It means No!”

[@elainecanby412]

Just giving you guys a heads up; episode 7 has some historical inaccuracies about Lt. Norman Dike, so when you watch the episode keep a open mind to how they’re portraying him and when you watch the History Buffs episode on Band of Brothers, you will get the rest of the story. I hope to see that reaction video.

[@Aegolius]

Your father's insight in the discussion was excellent. Thanks for bringing him in on this one.

[@worthatronproduction]

My Grandfather in the British army was diverted from attacking to defend the top of the bulge in-case the Germans broke out into Holland. He was found in a field with PTSD not knowing his own name

[@timlois]

All I watched this whole time was your father's eyes and facial expressions. The eyes might squint a certain way during some scenes. Sometimes one of the corners of his mouth might drop a bit. He knew what was going on. Very stoic. Seems a quite respectable man.

[@rodneypayne4827]

One little detail is the gun run by the resupply escort P47 fighter. They learnt earlier that resupply parachutes were sometimes not reliable and falling crates would kill ground troops so DZ perimeter clearance runs were used to warn people not to go out in the open when the drop was happening. The fighter wasn't aiming at them, just marking a do not cross line.

[@TheManOnTheStreetOMG]

Lol Sonny, your dad calling you out on the 501st was cute

[@davidatkinson47]

Thank you to your father for his service.

[@j3RicK24]

Automatic Cool Dad vibes for recognizing the 501st in Star Wars.

[@GodOfWar221]

In case you are wondering, as to why the P-47's straffed the Paratroopers that were coming out of the woods. It's because what's known as the "Fog Of War" the pilots didn't know where the German lines were..or where the American lines were. And personally, I really enjoyed the scene where Eugene can hear the German soldiers singing "Silent Night" it really drives home the fact, that the German soldiers weren't monster, just men doing a job. Reminds me, of the story from World War One...what's known as the Christmas Cease-Fire. I forget where along the front it happened...but unknown to most people, when there weren't officers around..there really wasn't much fighting happening..and one Christmas night, I believe it was the English, and the Germans...course I could be wrong, but they crossed to each other's lines...and shared a Christmas Eve celebration.

[@MortenM80]

After you guys are done with the episodes, you MUST react to the documentary "we stand alone together, - the men of easy Company" that was made with the series. It is just so good!

[@michaelgordon8235]

This is a must, it's a little over an hour but it's so amazing, I think I've seen it more than any other episode by like 10 times

[@MortenM80]

So true, it all hits home so hard first time watching it. I too have watched it a bunch of times

[@kp1968]

The idea of following up with a series including your dad on Denmark in WWII sounds wonderful. Please do this!!!

[@31Mike]

I enjoyed your fathers insights, I suspect that he and I would have some enjoyable discussions on both the military (I'm an old soldier, myself) and about history.

[@owbeer]

back when belgium still had icecold winters last year i mowed my lawn on christmas

[@Sam_Guevenne]

sounds like scandinavia haha

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

Regarding those who turned down morphine, there were many studies after the war about why their injuries didn't "hurt" as much as a civilian being shot in a robbery for instance. It was concluded that they were in pain, it was that they knew they'd be taken off the line and maybe sent home; this had a serious effect on their ability to tolerate the pain knowing they were getting out of a terrible situation. There is an entire RadioLab episode on it from a few years ago I believe.

[@MrTech226]

Next episode will be a doozy! Ep.7 Breaking Point. Sonny, have your dad back again for this one.

[@misamone]

Renée's scarf and the chocolate are symbols, just like the edelweiss flower in the Blithe episode... It's so beautifully related... I love this episode, I can't say it's my favorite, they all are, but it's one of the best.... The next episode is also about the battle of the Bulge, so you should invite your father again!!! Love your reactions, keep it up!!! 💪🏼

[@PaulBradshawMedia]

You are the epitome of cool. Cerebral yet still human and accessible. Kudos to you all 🙌

[@ethangospodareck]

Loved this. I think it would be great to have dad back for the next episode. Its basically part two of this episode and still in the Ardennes forest.

[@willv7868]

Watching here from New England and I'm enjoying this whole series. Keep up the good work!

[@lisastygall9062]

The Schlieffen plan for a German assault through the Ardennes was first implemented in WW1, dusted off in 1940 and how the allies fell for it again a third time says more about the high command of both sides than many other battles. What is little known is that 50,000 British held the north of the bulge. One of those was my father. Respect to your dad for his military service and insights.

[@jessdati1]

nice bringing the ol' man in...i love how he "studied" the bulge...WOW...what an honor to those who were there!! thank you! ...my dad was part of that, only as i've heard from my 92 yr old mom...my dad did the same thing only he was company "B"...he died when i was 19...(im 56 right now) he got 2 bronze stars, 2 purple hearts, & and others i actually dont even know what they are lolol...im sorry im bragging but i'm a very proud son...i sure love your reviews!

[@Romanoff.Kalashnikov]

Respect to your father Sonny and awesome video of reaction as always, I always cry when watching or read about the Battle of Bastogne... so much shit going on right there on that day :(

[@nutella_drifter]

I get a mini heart attack every time Sonny says "Hi!" at the beginning of the videos 😂

[@KatSonny]

Me too man, me too! (Kat)

[@ThorgrimThorvaldsson]

Your father is very knowledgeabe and insightful. This reaction was a joy to watch!

[@nickmitsialis]

RE: the attack thru the Ardennes, I had heard that the US units holding the area were either inexperienced ir were resting and refitting after being bloodied up in the battles around the Huertgen Forest==which was probably why the Germans made relatively good progress early on.

[@dirus3142]

The 106th ID was a green division. They got routed. One of their regiments held together and I think was part of the defense of Bastogne. I'm not sure, but the line of GI's marching in retreat at the end of the previous episode might be men of the 106. OK I double checked myself. 6000 men of the division were captured. The rest regrouped and joined the 28th at St. Vith. While some went to Bastogne.