First time watching BAND OF BROTHERS | Currahee & Day of Days Reaction

[@iamredoctober]

This is simply one of the very best TV series ever made.

[@jamestoddjackson9655]

The best thing ever put on camera. Series, miniseries, movie. THE. BEST!

[@sumelar]

Sobel is really a tragic story. Everyone hated him but later on many who survived the war credited his training for preparing them for everything they went through. He attempted suicide many years later, but didn't die. The bullet blinded him, and lived the rest of his life alone in a VA hospital, where he died of malnutrition. Alone. He didn't even get a memorial service, because he had no one in his life at that point. Winters was an amazing officer, but such people are unbelievably rare. Sobel had good qualities, he knew what kind of hell they would be going through and prepared them the best he could, but had no real leadership abilities.

[@ronweber1402]

If he was as described he did it to himself. I am sure he continued to a petty dick but now he would be a bitter petty dick and that makes no friends.

[@RedMenace71]

Sobel’s story has haunted me since I first read it.

[@JaocbBond]

Not trying to be a dick, but he had kids, why did he have no memorial service? Maybe he was an asshole, that’s okay, but it’s pretty important that he had family that wanted no contact with him.

[@PolymurExcel]

@@JaocbBond Well, he did hold a grudge over the members of Easy Company, saying that they ruined his life. Which they technically did I guess. I can't imagine he had great interpersonal relationships outside of the war. I don't really know anyone who does while holding on to old grudges.

[@alphaomega2117]

@@PolymurExcel Actually technically they saved his life because had they not done the resignation thing it's him not Meehan in that plane the blows up over Normandy. The problem with Sobel is he understood how tough it was going to be and did his best to prepare them but forgot they also needed to trust him to lead them - not only was he skittish in the field but he regularly lied to their faces and broke his word (like the Spaghetti incident). The fact his own family disliked him and wanted little to do with him sums up his behavioral issues were not limited to his role in the Army. He was clearly a deeply flawed man who had the potential to be better but could just never get his mind around doing that.

[@americandad8903]

You will not be the same person after you are finished and you will be so glad you watched this series.

[@alextan1478]

And now, your Band of Brothers journey begins.

[@alextan1478]

I highly recommend Dunkirk (2017), an intense Christopher Nolan war movie that's more of a survival thriller. #DunkirkForAddieCounts I also recommend Pearl Harbor (2001) with Ben Affleck. It's produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Michael Bay. #PearlHarborForAddieCounts

[@salto1994]

@@alextan1478 adding The Pacific and Masters of the air to the list

[@josephwallace202]

No non-ancient war movies other than ww2, civil war or us independence as usual

[@Pedrogog]

I've been in this journey for over 20 years 😂

[@praetorxian]

Oh Addie, you’re gonna cry…

[@Robalogot]

David Schwimmer doing this at the height of Friends is absolutely crazy...

[@shawnmiller4781]

This role defiantly broke the Ross typecast

[@shoehead65]

You forget he’s Ross in a matter of minutes. Great performance.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

​@@shawnmiller4781 defiantly, yes! He definitely defied the odds!!

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Private Boolshet!

[@saltifate]

"Easy Company WILL destroy that garrison" - Lt. Meehan said with absolute confidence and authority

[@jandm4ever716]

He knew even though he sadly wasn’t there to witness it

[@saltifate]

@@jandm4ever716 first time I heard his voice during that scene i was like: “why am I in love with this man”? #nohomo

[@blakewalker84120]

6:20 "Are you actually going to give it to him?" Every reactor asks the same thing. I think I wondered that when I watched it. Of course he will. Colonel Sink said "Why don't you give them to him?" which sounds like a request but it was just friendly phrasing for an order - disobeying that order would get Captain Sobel in huge trouble. Like it or not, he has no choice but to do what his C.O. tells him to do.

[@Stevarooni]

...he couldn't help but add that classic Sobel stink on it.

[@Okidata29]

He has to give it to him not because it's an order per se. But because Winters was officially promoted 2nd Lt --> Lt. His rank insignia needs to match his orders of promotion. Last I remembered there were promotion ceremonies

[@mithroch]

Oh Addie. Band of Brothers is truly excellent... but you are going to be in tears.

[@keithowen3523]

I heard a combat veteran say “Even after you come home it’s like a part of you doesn’t come home but stays over there”.

[@josephwallace202]

Maybe if we stopped revering the "sacrifices" of deeply broken men and started seeing them not as heroes, but as the victims they truly are, we'd be able to ensure this never happens again.

[@tre8435]

@@josephwallace202 People Sleep Peacefully in Their Beds at Night Only Because Rough Men Stand Ready to Do Violence on Their Behalf. I for one, will NEVER stop revering their sacrifices....

[@josephwallace202]

@@tre8435 childish and historically illiterate. George Orwell wrote children's books for simpletons who can't read at an above 10th grade level.

[@josephwallace202]

@@tre8435 childish and predicated on false premises. Stop pretending that George Orwell is a serious thinker fit for anyone over the age of 15.

[@niftymagic]

Addie, remember as you watch this series that the guys were your age some as young as 16 yrs old (Audie Murphy) most decorated soldier in American history. Compare 16-24 yr olds today to these guys. No contest. Greatest generation for sure.

[@TheGoIsWin21]

It took me probably 3-4 viewings to realize that Winter's "as a matter of fact yes" about Sobel being the enemy was incredibly apt. Winters was fighting against everything to best prepare and protect Easy Company for the entirety of the show. In Episode one, Sobel IS the big enemy he's fighting to protect the company. I suspect that, when no one else could hear him, questioned by a civilian he'd most likely never see again, he would characterize Sobel as his enemy in that moment.

[@HelloThere.GeneralKenobi]

We get a first look at a lot of actors early-ish in their careers. I’m in the same boat as you, I recognize them from other shows and movies, and it speaks volumes to their hard work.

[@johannesvalterdivizzini1523]

The planes they were flying in on were known as the C47 (in civilian use as the DC3) They were tough and reliable airplanes. DC3s made up the bulk of US cross country airlines flights for nearly 20 years, manufactured and sold to airlines around the world. They were so successful that some are still in use, mostly as cargo planes in fairly remote places, nearly 80 years since they first appeared. Arguably the best designed and well made aircraft in history. My dad flew one of them during WWII.

[@davewhitmore1958]

It was called "the Skytrain"

[@TheFioda]

Sir, thanks for the service of your dad. Deep respect, from Brazil

[@benschultz1784]

A couple that were still in service in the 1960s got fitted with 7.62mm miniguns and were sent to Vietnam as the AC-47 "Spooky" gunship.

[@columlennon]

There's one or two still flying in Canada with Buffalo airways

[@paulhewes7333]

-Sobel was jealous because he saw how much better an officer Winters was. Winters inspired the men under him to excel, Sobel was not an inspiring leader. Sobel was a good trainer, but he was inept for combat. Winters force the Court Martial trial to put an end, one way or another, to the competition between himself and Sobel. -I am glad you watch the first two episodes together, as they were shown together in 2001.

[@ronweber1402]

To Winters it wasn't a competition but to Sobel it definitely was. He tried to do whatever he could to sideline Winters but he played himself when Winters forced the court martial and he knew it. He thought Winters would just meekly take it because Sobel, in that position, knew would have knuckled under.

[@paulhewes7333]

@@ronweber1402 Winters didnt want to fight with his commanding officer. He was never that guy. He wanted the men in E Company to be ready for combat, and he knew that any conflict between the company commander and its XO would mean the company would be less efficient. But he also knew that Sobel wasnt giving him a choice when the court martial debacle began.

[@walterblackledge1137]

Yes you get the names at the end of Episode 10.

[@ugib8377]

What a fantastic series this is. You start not knowing anyone, when you finish you'll never forget them. About 95% of what is portrayed here is accurate. There are one or two inaccuracies, and one or two things that were credited to Easy that they didn't actually do. Regardless, a stellar show, and gripping story. Buckle up. This one will crush your soul by the end.

[@bryanrhenderson6510]

THE best miniseries EVER made….

[@sjmccafferey4437]

It at this assault that Winters found a map detailing German defensive positions on the coast. After parachuting into Normandy himself, Nixon located Winters and ran with the map three miles to Utah Beach to run it up the chain of command. Without the service of these two men, countless additional Allied lives may have been lost during the Normandy invasion. Winters was promoted to Captain, while Battalion headquarters was so grateful for the intelligence that they deployed the first two tanks to land on Utah Beach to find and assist the 101st.

[@rawschri]

The leg bags that they mention actually worked really well, when loaded to their 20-25 lbs limit. The British Paratroopers landed with their's largely intact. The Americans overstuffed them to around 65-70lbs and the extra weight caused them to detach ... Please, please, also react to " We stand alone together ", the documentary that accompanies the series, and if effectively episode 11 ...

[@va3svd]

Buck Compton suggests that the real difference was the jumping technique of the British/Canadian/Polish paratroopers. The Americans jumped from the side into the prop blast; the British and others jumped from tail or bomb bay doors from the underside of the plane, avoiding it. They jumped just as loaded as the Americans did. Compton said his leg bag hit the prop blast, and flew off. He tried to hold onto the rope but it went so fast and hard it burnt his hand, and he had to let it go.

[@Stevarooni]

Another suggestion I've seen on these _Band of Brothers_ reactions is that Brits hugged their drop bags until they got close to the ground while Americans didn't.

[@TheLanceUppercut]

A lot of them also dropped from their planes at much higher speeds than the leg bag was rated for. It really is a testament to the quality of the soldiers involved, and the logistical power of the Allies in general, that the invasion was still a success despite the multitude of problems like the leg bags.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

@@va3svd what planes did the Brits fly for their paratroops?

[@va3svd]

@@genghisgalahad8465 Armstrong Whitworth Albemarles mostly, but I also think they used some other kinds of modified bombers.

[@drummy2112]

Buckle up, Miss Addie...just remember, we're all watching with you😍

[@mr.osclasses5054]

13:15 when you ask if Winters just didn't get the message...it's nothing to do with that at all. The point is that Sobel is completely b.s.'ing the court martial/punishment because he got embarassed by the men and thought Winters put them up to it because they had a rivalry in real life (mostly in Sobel's head, but Winters admitted later that he stuck it to Sobel a time or two on purpose because he was being unfair and abusing his power). When Sobel claims he telephoned, Winters says they don't have a phone where he's at (basically calling him on his b.s.), so Sobel double's down on the lie and claims he also sent a runner, trying to make Winters think he actually did miss the change in his orders. It doesn't work, as you saw, and he calls his bluff again by requesting the court martial because he knows he's in the right on it.

[@wesley.peterson]

Addie 30 minutes for 2 episodes ain't gonna cut it! The next 3-7 episodes are so heavy and they all deserve their own youtube video! Please consider k thx bye

[@shawnf6970]

Yes, the interviews continue through the entire series.

[@krisfrederick5001]

Day of Days: "Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops," Eisenhower wrote. "My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone." -Dwight D. Eisenhower Supreme Allied Commander. This was his other speech. D-Day was never a guarantee..

[@PeterGoss-f6p]

So happy you are doing this. Stories that need to continue to be told from generation to generation.

[@marcuszaja6589]

One of the best mini series ever. Glad you watch it!

[@JDelwynn]

When I was in NCO school, we watched the first episode of Band of Brothers as an example of what makes a good leader, between good (Winters) and bad (Sobel).

[@lidlett9883]

There are episodes that will tear you up. Youll be amazed at their bravery.

[@joeblankenship377]

Saw this for the first time a few months ago. It's pretty awesome. Super well done and the effects are still impressive 20 years later. And ohh, there will be lots of tears to come.

[@ytorwoody]

In regards to David Schwimmer, someone said "He walked on as Ross. He walked off as Harold Sobel." That might be the best compliment for an actor that I have ever read. The two roles are so totally different, and he played them to perfection.

[@dsmdgold]

I've watched a lot of people react to Ep. 1 on KZbin and about 70% of them scream "Ross" as Schwimmer marches across the screen. I think there will come a day when some people looking at friends for the first time will scream "Sobel". BoB is going to stay relevant far longer the Friends.

[@ytorwoody]

@@dsmdgold That is an excellent observation. Fewer people will be familiar with Friends than will watch BoB as time goes by. Eventually, hardly anyone will think "Ross", but David Schwimmer's Sobel will still be a defining role. I'd compare it to Matthew Broderick's role in Glory. Either one, David Schwimmer or Matthew Broaderick might have good to great roles to play in the future, but BoB and Glory will be the defining moment for each of them.

[@ITPalGame]

I have much respect for the blonde actor. He's a devout Christian and has played excellent villains 😁.

[@paulm7842]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet: these particular episodes came out on September 9th, 2001... just 2 days before 9/11. It's a whole added gut punch nowadays hearing the one veteran saying, "It was different... our country was attacked!"

[@josephwallace202]

The difference being of course that on Sept 11, the ones being attacked were the little Eichmanns in New York

[@johnstrickler2238]

So, I'm very excited about you doing this series. As a personal request, I'd love to see these as each episode being it's own video. It helps, in my opinion, with showing the level of content that really makes this series stand out.

[@greencello599]

My dad and I told my grandpa, who was a WW2 veteran in Europe, about the scene with Malarkey and the guy from Eugene, Oregon. Grandpa said that those guys would've been very valuable for information. Americans fighting for Germany because of Hitler's call for all Germans to return. Some answered, others didn't. The soldier from Eugene would have gladly given information if it meant going back to the States. The commanding officers the men of Easy liked include Winters and Compton, or Buck as they knew him. Others include Lipton and Speirs. Speirs is a character with a great reputation. That is what made him a good leader for Easy. Compton is played by Neal McDonough, who was Dum Dum Dugan in Captain America The First Avenger. Easy Company was made a tight unit by Sobel because he was hard on them and they hated him for it. Sobel was an excellent trainer, but as you saw, he was also a terrible field commander. He couldn't read a map and damaged private property. His attempts to derail Winters led to that small mutiny by all the non-commisioned officers. They knew that during the invasion, Sobel would get them killed. You don't need to like someone to give them credit on how you were trained or to trust them in a bad spot. Sobel never had any soldiers trust to lead them into battle. His disrespect towards Winters was especially disgusting as he was being transferred out. Winters may not have liked the man, but Sobel was his superior officer and he saluted as per the ranks. Captain Sobel will reappear later on. Keep an eye on the interactions he has with the men of Easy Company.

[@PatriotRebel]

I joined the Marine Corps when I was 19 and am proud of it still. But having seen this show MANY times, I wish I had been in 101st AB and hopefully get the respect of Dick Winters!! God bless him and all of the fine men of the 506th PIR.

[@bravejango12]

"I didn't know he was in this" - Everyone is in this.

[@leonardodavid4670]

After finishing this series, you should watch "The Pacific", tells the second part of the WW2 across the ocean against the Japanese, basically a continuation of this series.

[@johncmousley]

a great training officer and a liability in combat; really interesting character

[@Heathcoatman]

Very George McClellan. Could train and prepare men for combat, but could not lead them to save their lives (literally)

[@lee32476]

I’m really excited to see your reaction to this show. They really spent a lot of time and effort to get things as close to reality as possible. You’re going to get attached to the characters, and they are based on real people. The interviews are the beating heart of the show. The reason so many people watch this annually is because of the attention to detail. Maybe the best miniseries ever produced. Can’t wait for the rest of the ride.

[@revolcane]

Sobel HAS to promote Winters, it's official, if he doesn't and Colonel Sink finds out it's a massive violation.

[@RedMenace71]

I did not watch this when it first aired on HBO, because I didn’t think a WWII story was my thing. Watched it a few years later and was blown away. I, too, had trouble distinguishing characters, but now I feel like I actually knew them. I used to think “the greatest generation” was a facile term, but these men literally saved the world.

[@billbabcock1833]

This reaction was really good. I liked watching you figuring out the why's and how's of the military. Each episode has different directors so there's different aspects. It just gets better and better from one episode to the next.

[@benvsreality]

There's a scan of Sobel's letter on the internet where you can see that he did write "courts martial" and "indorsement", but some people say that was actually the common way to write those terms at the time.

[@Zemzam]

I watched this series when I was a lot closer to your age more than 20 years ago. Watching you experience it for the first time with your own perspective and thoughts is very interesting. I was already following your channel, but seeing you react to this series is great. Thanks!

[@digitalbegley]

The ambush under the bridge was filmed on a military training area just outside London in the UK. When I was a soldier, I led an attack on the same bridge during a training exercise. It was then cool to see it on here.

[@MountainSnowInc]

I give subscribbles to every reactor that starts this series! Congrats!

[@davemcbroom695]

Being ordered to not drink from ur canteen is pretty much a must for covert operations. A full canteen doesn't slosh around giving up ur position.

[@wwoods66]

But in this case I assumed to was to add stress to the exercise. Like the spaghetti.

[@2003bigt]

Addie, welcome to the series! I am an older retired Army man, it is with great pleasure I get to see your generation see this series, I truly hope you enjoy this. Unfortunately none of these men are still around. I got a chance to meet them when I was still on active duty before my retirement, what a true honor it was from a current member of the Army to chat with them. Have fun with this!

[@matthewdunham1689]

One of the greatest series of all time ❤

[@sca88]

This should be required watching for all high school students.

[@VeryFastRodi]

A video that would compliment this series also. And gives a backstory to the guys giving eachother mohawks before jumping. The fat electrician- the story of sergeant mcnasty mcneese If you ever get the change to visit the area and beaches of Normandy, its a very nice area to visit. But seeing the actual surroundings and beaches the landings took place. Gives it a different kind of view and an extra layer of respect of what they had to overcome and fight through. Then finishing it with a visit to Mont Saint Michel, makes a great trip.

[@rayvanhorn1534]

Such a great surprise, seeing this series pop up on your channel! Thank you, looking forward to hearing your commentary. These men of that "Greatest Generation" ...I hold the ultimate respect for.

[@TRWilley]

An interesting point about Sobel riding them about the rust on their equipment - I attended college at Toccoa Falls, GA near Mt Currahee - it is EXTREMELY humid there, both summer and winter, so fighting rust on your gear would be a full time job.

[@okami36]

Incredible show. Incredibly powerful.

[@jramostt86]

this series follows the real men of Easy Company and their accounts of what happened.

[@LadiesmanB007]

This series will change you. It’s incredible

[@alexalvarez1843]

At 26:13 Hall doesn't get shot, he walks thru a landmine/booby trap. That actually saved Winters life. Cuz remember its Winters and Hall going around sabotaging/blowing up the guns, just so happens that Hall goes first and dies :(

[@economath8164]

I don't remember whether it says it in episode 2's end cards, but the company's attack on that artillery position at Brécourt Manor is a textbook case of a fixed position assault and is still used to instruct cadets at West Point. Moreover, Winter's leadership in the assault had him considered by his command for a Medal of Honor recommendation. Division HQ instead thought that Lt. Col. Robert Cole of 502nd PIR was the more worthy soldier to recommend for the MoH given the bayonet charge he led at the Battle of Carentan, which is why Winters received the DSC, the next highest award for the Army.

[@stevendiaz7633]

I would love to say we should make a Band of Brothers for us IRAQ/AFGAN Vets but I was an equipment operator. Some interesting moments that I will never forget. That being said, Nice reaction Addie.

[@sword_of_light]

Schwimmer's performance is nothing short of brilliant. I never knew anyone like Winters when I was enlisted, but I knew officers like Sobel. My mom, who is a Navy veteran, once told me "you think Frank Burns is funny when you see him on MASH? Wait till you actually have to work for him." The military is full of guys just like Sobel - and Sobel was at least good at organization - and it would have been easy to make him cartoonish, but Schwimmer delivered a nuanced performance. Sobel was a deeply flawed man, to be sure, but no one is wholly one thing or another.

[@deiwi]

I'm so envy that you get to experience one of the best limited series ever made for the first time. You're in for a treat!

[@bigpace]

That plant pot with a lean to it has me in the edge of my seat!!😮😮😮

[@iKvetch558]

Hi Addie...welcome to BoB, I am sure you will love the show, as tough as it will be at times for you to watch it. I have a couple of notes that I usually post on episodes 1 and 2 that have extra bits of information in them...here they are. Interesting fact about Winters that gives a big idea as to why he was such a good leader...he enlisted in August of 1941 and completed training as an enlisted man, then he remained at the camp where he trained to help train other men after him. He was selected for Officer Candidate School in April 1942, and after he finished that training and became an officer in July 1942 he volunteered for the Airborne...so when we see him as a Platoon Leader in Easy, that is his third set of training that Winters is undergoing. Also...in case nobody mentions it, "Easy" was just the way that the US Army referred to the E Company in each Regiment. Companies, usually 9 of them, were lettered in each Regiment...A Company thru usually I Company...and each company had a standard phonetic name that was used to refer to them based on the letter of that company...so pretty much all the A Companies in the US Army were called "Able Company" and all the B Companies were "Baker" and all E Companies were "Easy". But of course, there was only one Easy Company that we are worried about for this show. And the one for episode 2... Following the action of the battles is sometimes difficult, so I highly recommend the channel Operations Room, which has top down animated videos that cover all the details of most of the battles depicted in the show. There is one about the action to take the guns at Brecourt that is shown in this episode, and whether you do a reaction to it or not it is a really good short video to watch. The videos on that channel become increasingly helpful as the series progresses due to the battles getting much more confusing, but also because it was impossible to recreate some of the future battles on the show exactly as they happened in reality...so the Operations Room's analysis will fill you in on all the variances.

[@saberx08]

Always cool to see another reactor following Band of Brothers. Because there's a lot of confusion & misinformation about how "true" to the actual events the series is, I typically comment and try to give it the perspective between what did and did not happen. Lots of commenters will talk about how "true" this story is. It is... but, this series, throughout all of the episodes presents the story with various degrees of accuracy & inaccuracy simultaneously to help tell the story in a way that the viewer can follow better. Easy Company did indeed exist, and we're about to follow events they experienced through the conclusion of the war. When they left England for D-day, there were 139 guys making up the company, and the company would shrink with casualties, and then beef back up with replacements throughout the war, so the neighborhood of "120-ish" is pretty much how many guys were in the company at any given time. Because of this, it would be logistically impossible to depict the experiences of every single guy in a ten episode series. So a lot of stories that happened to Easy company guys we're never introduced to were attributed to a small core of characters that we're going to be following. One huge difference between episode 2 and real life is the D-Day landing. In real life, the paratrooper that landed near Winters that night wasn't Hall, but some supply Sgt from F company that Winters recognized right away. Then when Winters encountered Lipton (with that clicker), Lipton had twelve guys, not just two. Although a few of the twelve were indeed stragglers with the 82nd. One real life occurrence that's not depicted at all is when Winters went under that poncho to look at the map, one of the group that was with Lipton stole Winters knife. Winters was furious about it, but decided that it was neither the time or place to address the theft. During the night, several other Easy company guys latched on to the group, including Buck, Guarnere, and Malarkey. Winters, Lipton, Buck, and Guarnere had nothing but their knives - as all of their leg-bags had been torn away in the same manner. At about 3:00AM, they came across the Lt Colonel of another unit, who had about fifty men with him. Winters and his men were headed in the same direction they were going, so they fell in with the group for a little bit. It was with this huge group that the Germans were ambushed. Several of the Lt. Colonel's men are the ones who opened fire prematurely, as Guarnere still hadn't obtained a replacement weapon yet. After that, Winters and Guarnere were finally armed - having taken pistols off the dead Germans. Another big change was that although Malarkey did come across an American who had come to Germany after Hitler's call for "all loyal Germans" to serve the Reich, it wasn't as depicted here. He was a German Master Sergeant, in the company of about twenty other German POW's, and was from Portland, Oregon. This American now fighting for Germany had worked at Schmitz Steel Company up until 1938. Malarkey worked at Monarch Forge and Machine Works in 1942. The two places were extremely close to each other. Due to the year differences, Malarkey had never seen him before, and said he had no idea what happened to him. Lt. Speirs did execute a group of German POW's, but it likely wasn't that group. The assault on Brecourt Manor is depicted as taking just a couple of minutes, when in reality it took place over about three hours, during which time Winters had to make his way back to headquarters to get them to send reinforcements and more ammo (they had taken three of the guns okay, but were spread way too thin to take the fourth). During the Brecourt Manor fight is when Hall first showed up, and he was unfortunately killed shortly after showing up to help. Ironically, Winters had attacked the gun from one side while Compton & Guarnere had attacked from another side - all three of them outside the safety of the trench, and Hall was the only one in the trench, yet the only one in that attack who was hit.

[@frankmiller4550]

If you watch The Pacific, please watch "Play With Historical Background." The historical background is a very short introduction before each episode. The background includes the awesome Veteran interviews. It doesn't automatically play, like Band of Brothers.

[@agchee]

Glad you're watching this show. It's one of my favorites! I think it's important for everyone to watch this series & understand what it took & what was sacrificed. There are moments you get absorbed into the show & you have to remind yourself this all really happened. It's important to remember these people & honor them as much as we can.

[@lukasismael430]

So happy to see that you are reacting to this show, which is probably my most favorite World War II show of all time! I think more than any other movie or TV show about this subject, the way Band of Brothers was made instills the most respect and appreciation for what these soldiers did during the war, and I am really grateful that the survivors were still alive during the making of this series that we could get their first hand accounts in the opening interviews.

[@Mithinco]

It's going to be a wild ride! You're going to witness this amazing journey with these brave men

[@barrycollier7451]

The best series that has ever aired on television. It's an emotional roller coaster but so worth it.

[@christophercurtis4131]

Glad to be with on this journey. I saw this back when it first came out in 2001. Much respect for Richard Winters; he was everything a good leader should be. I love the end of episode two when Winters makes his promise about finding a small piece of land and living the rest of his life in peace if he survives the war. I thought that was beautiful, not to mention, as a Veteran myself, something I completely understand. I also love the friendship between Winters and Nixon.

[@The_Greml1n]

I have been WAITING for this journey you just embarked on. As others have said, it will change you. It will also make you appreciate the men of easy company that went through absolute hell.

[@mikecarew8329]

Addie - so glad you are watching perhaps the best miniseries in the history of television. Please be sure after you finish episode 10 to react to the accompanying HBO documentary “We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company,” as a sort of episode 11 of the miniseries. Really a perfect capstone to the show with lots more context from interviews with all the men (with names revealed), archival footage and some great stuff on their postwar lives. Meanwhile, enjoy the journey on this incredibly well crafted, emotional, and rich depiction of the men of Easy. In these episodes: the real story of the German soldier from Oregon and Malarkey was even more wild in real life - they lived or worked across the street from each other. I had the honor to meet Don Malarkey when I lived in Oregon. The shooting the prisoners: remember these are paratroopers behind enemy lines - they had no facilities/men/logistics to take prisoners at that point in the invasion.

[@randallshuck2976]

Best of luck. This will test your mental toughness as it goes on. The fact that it is a dramatized documentary gives it additional impact. I liked the series hope you do also.

[@alexamerling79]

Such a great series. I recommend the movie Das Boot. Shows the war from the German perspective on a German U Boat. Really intense.

[@alextan1478]

#DasBootForAddieCounts

[@aka99]

#DasBootForAddieCounts

[@shawnmiller4781]

I assume you mean then original 1978-1979 miniseries Not the new miniseries or the “movie” cut of the original German miniseries

[@Niinsa62]

You are right about the names of the real veterans in the interviews. They are not shown, because then we would know who survives. But at the end of the show, the names are shown, so that we know who is who. Of those who lived.

[@woeshaling6421]

I grew up in Geldrop and Son, both have memorials to the 101st. As long as I remember, I was aware of the 101st airborne

[@TD-mg6cd]

Malarkey and the German actually worked across the street from each other. The producers didn't think the audience would believe that, so they changed it.

[@Mark_E_M]

AWESOME!!!! Love this series!!!! ALWAYS have tissues ready...ESPECIALLY for episode 9!!!

[@demo2080]

Addie thought they were gonna kill Sobel 🤣🤣🤣

[@ToxicDover]

Glad to see you watching this! It's an absolute masterpiece of a series - can't wait to see them all!

[@todddober]

Don’t forget Guarnere found out his brother died right before the jump. He was on record later on saying he wanted to kill every German he found. That’s why he opened fire before Winters’s command.

[@DavidSmith-mt7tb]

BoB is really a show everyone should watch, especially if they think it will be hard to watch, because this stuff really happened, and what they've captured on camera in this series is a very realistic rendition of what real people actually experienced. Their stories are the stories of human history and the horror we can inflict on one another when wisdom and compassion fail.

[@Jbryan23]

To me, this is the best series of any... that has ever been made! It's phenomenal, but episode 9 down the road, is very difficult. Get the tissues ready as it moves forward. Thanks for sharing with us, and I look forward to watching with you! ;)😢

[@krisfrederick5001]

Day of Days: Well, this is when the sh*t gets real. "We're not lost Private...we're in Normandy." This one line displays Winter's ability to instill confidence in his men, even unarmed in the face of all adversity. And this soldier wasn't even a member of Easy Company. Currahee ♠

[@MikeWood]

Such a good series. Without comparison really. It's always fun to see people react to D head Ross for the first time. :)

[@fuzzy__dunlop]

Addie and Band of Brothers?? 😲 count me in. Have seen this series all the way through so many times. So good. Get your tissues ready, Addie.

[@imahoare4742]

Please do The Pacific afterward. The Pacific Theatre is so often ignored despite being the reason we joined the war in the first place.

[@jamesellis1972]

So glad you are reacting to this. It is truly a moment in time when they filmed it that will never be matched. The real stories are heartbreaking and awesome. I do have one request; please react to the "11th" edisode titled "We Stand Alone Together." It is the interviews you see at the start of each episode. And if you do react to it, please do not turn it off when the credits start. One of the main characters (the real life one) does a little song that will melt your heart. Aside from all of that, I hope you enjoy.

[@Game_Over9224]

My favorite reactor and my favorite series! Im so excited for you to go on this amazing journey!!!

[@rickguyer5236]

Just an fyi as you left the final post note off episode 2 that Winter's attack at Brécourt Manor is still taught at West Point.

[@r.b.ratieta6111]

Winters' offensive to take out the big guns at Brecourt is literally a testament to his skill as a leader and the adeptness of his men. He went in with 12 men, took out the guns, and got back with only a few casualties. It would be discovered later that Brecourt was manned by a force of 50+ men, somewhere in the vicinity of 60-80. That means they were outnumbered from 5 to 1 to 6 to 1, against the German Army that was considered the best in the world up until that day. What gets me (based on the biographical book) is how young they were as well. Winters was 24 years old on D-Day and had just barely graduated college when he joined two years earlier. Malarkey and Guarnere had just barely crossed their 20s. By today's standards, imagine a group of "Tik Tok-aged" boys taking down a hardened and camouflaged artillery battery with little to no casualties. Different times. So happy you chose to watch this. By far one of the best miniseries ever made. You literally form a bond with these men and their personalities as the story progresses even though you've never met them. Also, fair warning, no spoilers, but Episodes 6 and 7 get pretty brutal. Just saying to keep an eye out and prepare yourself. The realistic violence is persistent throughout the entire series, but 6 and 7 really wear down on the men and the viewers. And that's all I'm gonna say. Very long-winded, I apologize, but I love your reactions. Keep up the great work.

[@Ennoenno02]

Buckle up for this ride 👌

[@SC457A]

Sobel saying "Im losing Easy Company" just hits hard. Like a few comments say, Sobel's story is sad. BTW, the BEST miniseries of all time in my opinion.

[@alexfilma16]

BEST television production of all time in my opinion.

[@VHer5150]

Thank you for watching this true story about these brave men.

[@daddynitro199]

8:19 Parachutes not opening was a genuine hazard. Dittrich, the paratrooper who said that spaghetti isn’t supposed to be orange, had his chute fail on a training jump in England. I’m glad you’re doing this series! There will be a lot of information in the comments, most of it will be fairly accurate, and most of the well-informed commenters are pretty good about avoiding spoilers. The Pacific is also excellent, but much different tonally. It’s much darker and more brutal than Band of Brothers, but there are some breathtaking performances in it. I hope you enjoy your journey!

[@alanholck7995]

There was blood upon the riser….

[@Sir_AlexxTv]

By the end, you will get to know each member of the easy company and learn to love them. Great choice, enjoy it.

[@billbabcock1833]

I'm really looking forward to watching you react to Band of Brothers. It's so well done. I'm not spoiling anything but stock up on tissues.

[@ytorwoody]

Those planes that carried the paratroops from England to Normandy are C-47s. There were slightly more than 800 of them that went over for the first lift. During the war, there were thousands built. After the war, many were used by civilian companies until they were good only for scrap metal. A few years ago, as one was being prepared to be scrapped, it was discovered to be "That's All Brother". That's All Brother was the actual C-47 that led all of the others to Normandy. Once that was confirmed, the CAF (Commemorative Air Force) purchased it and completely refurbished it back to its configuration on June 6, 1944. That's All Brother can be seen at air shows now. What a remarkable coincidence that it was found almost eighty years after WWII and in time to be restored.

[@SeanHendy]

Addie, this is a truly epic series, and given who was behind it, the source of the material, and the cast list, that might not come as a surprise, but still, credit where it is due. My Grandfather landing on the beaches of Normandy on D Day (British Army), and then continued to serve throughout the rest of WWII in France, then Belgium after it was liberated. I'm still trying to research his Army career in more detail. My Father had a 39 year Army career, then I went on to serve also, and before us, there was my Great Uncle at Ypres (WWI), and my Great Grandfather in Malta, and Gallipoli (WWI). There's about 60 or 70 years of military service spanning 4 generations, 3 wars, conflicts, peacekeeping, and many other 'occasions' around the world. This series should be part of the national curriculum taught to all students. Hope to follow your journey as you continue through these episodes. The interviews with the actual veterans is incredibly thought provoking, and one in particular, near the end of the series, absolutely breaks me, and is now very iconic, as it encapsulates how many of us veterans feel, when asked about our time, and our experiences. I would also highly recommend 'The Pacific' too.

[@andyt9296]

These interviews you see the start is parts of a mini documentary about easy company where they talk to the veterans about their experiences of war. It is called “we stand alone together “ it is a must watch