I served with numerous heavy drinkers in a number of units. They showed up and they functioned. and that's that. Everyone has their method in coping with the long days, fatigue and chaos.
@r2gelfand3 ай бұрын
I saw it many times while serving in the USAF. Men showing up drunk to work on dangerous, expensive equipment. One guy used to drink in the shower from his own beermeister.
@RW4X4X30063 ай бұрын
@@r2gelfand We looked after our people, one way or another. I think that's exactly what Winters was doing with Nixon. As long as he functioned and his shit was tight while on duty, that's that. He wants to sleep in a case of J&B after work, let him.
@danieltoft21163 ай бұрын
Dad was a corpsmen in 2/4 Marines, he said as long as you made it to morning muster nobody questioned how much you drank or partied. I can sat In my time in the army that was mostly true
@jonnyp55863 ай бұрын
Everyone fell in love with Ron's version of Nixon.
@samiam6193 ай бұрын
Not me. He was a DRUNK. Ron did a fine job of portraying a drunk.
@soccerreff3 ай бұрын
@@samiam619 That's what he was saying, they fell in love with his portrayal.
@RW4X4X30063 ай бұрын
@@samiam619 The difference between Nixon and the rest of the enlisted rank and file - Nixon being an officer had easy access to alcohol. The rest had to suffer.
@matthilton61893 ай бұрын
Ron did tell actual Major Winters that he would give it all he had to portray Nixon in the show and from what I read about the man it was spot on.
@jeffbosworth81163 ай бұрын
Nixon was fortunate to have Winters as an advocate/protector
@MARYREED-nh7gb15 күн бұрын
You nailed it. If he didn't have Winters, he would have been busted down to nothing. And Winters was happy to work for Nixon after the war for several years. I guess one hand washes the other in such cases.
@merrylmarsh90373 ай бұрын
Ron Livingston did a splendid portrayal of Nixon. BOB was an incredible series as was Pacific and MOA.
@danieltoft21163 ай бұрын
Did you watch Generation Kill? Not a ww2 story, but still good
@gobanito3 ай бұрын
Lewis Nixon was what one would consider a functional alcoholic. Another World War 2 figure who was a hard drinker and yet still managed to perform his duties was Greg "Pappy" Boyington of the Black Sheep Squadron.
@DidMyGrandfatherMakeThis2 ай бұрын
You’ve got this idea in the present, stay sharp, avoid the drink. Yet we know that the Battle of Britain pilots were as screwed on beer as they were on “uppers”. It’s war and like you say you probably get a lot of functional alcoholics in war but at the end of the day, you’ll see the same on Wall Street or downtown London who aren’t putting their lives on their line every single day. It’s respect they deserve, people like Nixon and all those like him
@mikeall70123 ай бұрын
In all honesty, looking back at my military career, I can relateba lot to Nixon, in many ways. Every human has flaws.
@andysheepleton3 ай бұрын
Nixon came from Money, Went to Yale and was well connected. I think Winters was strategic in keeping Nixon around. Nixon was well connected and would be useful if they needed to get the ear of someone higher up the chain for supply issues etc.. He also ended up getting a job through his connection to Nixon.
@dlxmarks3 ай бұрын
From various accounts, Nixon's personality had rough edges that rubbed a number of people the wrong way but I think his fundamental character was sound and that was the basis of his friendship with Winters. They had very different personal styles but they saw eye to eye on the important aspects of life.
@altonbunnjr3 ай бұрын
I think Buck Compton might disagree with you.
@bmac4543 ай бұрын
By Today's standards Winston Churchill would be considered a alcoholic, and he certainly did his bit for the war effort, little things like inspiring his own nation ( & government) to keep fighting when all looked lost !
@rocketguardian20012 ай бұрын
We all want to classify people as heroes or villains but the truth is a lot more complicated.
@MARYREED-nh7gb15 күн бұрын
Exactly! Well said! People are sooo much more complicated.
@HandyMan6573 ай бұрын
Sorry people got worked up, I thought you did a fine job with the episode. As long as you don't tell me lies you know are lies we'll be all riiight. Take care man, keep safe. Happy 4th of July !
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
Thank, and I'm always searching for the truth.
@MARYREED-nh7gb15 күн бұрын
@@War_And_Truth That is the only thing that truly matters.
@georgesouthwick70003 ай бұрын
Nixon was given a pass in Band of Brothers due to his friendship with Winters.
@Hal09i3 ай бұрын
There was no love lost between Lewis Nixon and Buck Compton. It may have started as a bit of class warfare...Nixon was educated and rich, and Compton was a handsome, gifted athlete, very much a BMOC. Nixon may have resented a guy like that from the middle class, a jock encroaching on what was once an exclusive domain of the elite. Even if he didn't know him directly in civilian life. Friction between the two may have spilled over in to Army life, as both competed for the friendship of Dick Winters. The real point of contention was Bastogne. Compton broke towards the end of the siege, and walked off the line. Dick Winters implored him to stay, reminding him of his duty and need to set an example for the men. However, it was over for Compton. Winters partially understood, but he was disappointed in Compton. A feeling he carried to his dying day by all accounts. To Nixon it was cowardice, and he saw the incident in the blackest terms possible. It was Nixon, spouting off disparaging remarks about Compton during a reunion that drew the ire of Don Malarkey.
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
Just my opinion but I don't think Winters had much respect for Buck during the early part of the war. He had ignored his advice at Aldbourne about gambling with the men and then he had a couple of digs at him in the Brecourt Assault memoir (being too slow to get into position and messing around with a grenade). That may have changed in Holland and Bastogne before he was wounded or cracked up (so many versions of that story) Nixon calling him a coward in front of everyone at a reunion for being taken off the line at Bastogne didn't go down well.
@MARYREED-nh7gb15 күн бұрын
@@War_And_Truth I believe you are correct. Isn't it interesting how the enlisted men truly understood Buck better than the officers? They "got it", while Winters and Nixon never did. I found it so sad that after all those years, Nixon would "toss a grenade" in that situation. What was he trying to prove by that act? "All behaviour has meaning" or so we are taught in psychology. If that is correct, then what was trying to prove?
@HollywoodMarine03513 ай бұрын
Lewis Nixon’s third wife, Grace Umezawa, was of Japanese descent. In the spring of 1942, as a Nisei, she was interned in Amache, Colorado.
@DTeichmanАй бұрын
After watching Band of Brothers again recently, I wondered about Capt. Nixon's drinking issues. I'm glad to hear that he got control of it. Thank you.
@Cabbieghost3 ай бұрын
No need to apologize for your other video on Nixon. Most of us have the same opinion of him.
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
Thank you, that's nice of you to say.
@eloquentsarcasm3 ай бұрын
During my Army years I became something of a "Semi-Pro" drinker. My father had been a Medic in Vietnam and came home with a nasty drinking habit that often turned violent towards my Mother. My own enjoyment of good whisky and brandy worried me until I realized that 1. I didn't NEED it, went 10 years without a drink because I got bored, and 2. I never once hit my ex-wife and only drank when I wanted to relax or celebrate. Nowadays I drink now and again, same as before to relax or celebrate, so I guess I beat my Father's ghost in the end. Nix used booze to cope, like a lot of grunts in 'nam smoked weed or drank. I have a feeling that if the War had gone on much longer Nixon would have slipped past "functional" to full blown alcoholism. That kind of pressure wears on a man something fierce. He was flawed like all of us, but at heart he was a good man, who did extraordinary things in some terrible years. Finding Grace saved his life, and gave him some much needed peace. Rest well Airborne, Sua Sponte brother.
@joshkarena30583 ай бұрын
I served with afew men who drunk "like fish" their reasons been stress related mainly. Watching B.O.B. Nixon's portrayal by Ron Livingstone was my favourite reminded me of an American Soldier I knew in the services.
@MARYREED-nh7gb15 күн бұрын
I can attest to the fact that there are many, many alcoholics in the military. I do believe that there was a natural affinity between Nixon and Winters in the early days, as sometimes happens in everyone's life. In his book, Winters said they worked well together in that he worked day shift, and Nixon took over at night. One thing I did note about Nixon, he never asked to be an exception. Given his advantages and wealth growing up, he never singled himself out on those grounds. He was not a gold brick, just the opposite. Unlike many, he did finally dry out, much to his and Gracie's credit.
@johntowle3 ай бұрын
Ron Livingstone has a striking resemblance to the real Lewis Nixon. 08:34
@KOHTAOMURDERSDEATHISLAND3 ай бұрын
👍👍 Two thumbs up again
@lianabevyrage3 ай бұрын
I came across your channel while going down a Band of Brothers rabbit hole. Your voice is so calming and I love your content.
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
Thank you, that's nice of you to say.
@davidknight16123 ай бұрын
Excellent!!👍👍👍👍🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
Thank you! Cheers!
@ChuckJansenII3 ай бұрын
Buck Compton and Nix never got along. Buck said he had no use for Nixon. One video that would be good to do would has to do with the details surrounding the discovery of Landsberg sub camp. A good explanation of why Band of Brothers depicted Easy as discovering the camp instead of the 10th Armored. It's a valid reason.
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
Ill definitely do that
@ChuckJansenII3 ай бұрын
@@War_And_Truth Cool
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
@user-vl6xt2rt7p Lol Yes I saw that. He had made him responsible for the physical training.
@ChuckJansenII3 ай бұрын
@@War_And_Truth Who was the fittest in 2nd battalion, Winters or Compton?
@J.B.Martin3 ай бұрын
I loved this line…maybe this is a good time to stop drinking..on the business end of the allied advance. Cheers
@AllenPaulTrego3 ай бұрын
Thanks once again. From Sc
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
Welcome!
@rickpilhorn2 ай бұрын
IDK if they changed names or something but Camp McKall is in N. C. now. That's where we went to the field from Bragg.
@AngryMarine-il6ej3 ай бұрын
Had Nixon remained with Easy Company, things could have turned out differently for him.
@mrgnr-smith3873 ай бұрын
FWIW I’d say this one is the better version compared to your earlier one
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
Many people would agree with you Lol
@bobleicht52953 ай бұрын
Good job, one tweak - Camp Mackall is in N.C., not Kentucky.
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
I know it sounds like Mackall in Kentucky but my narration is actually Mackall 'and' Kentucky. I certainly know the geography there
@vortega4723 ай бұрын
Ron Livingston's portrayal made you like him - they *ahem* avoided his London affair so it just made his first wife seem callous. And his character never interacted much with the Buck character. In the end, if Richard Winters cared about him, he couldn't have been a bad guy.
@GR-bn3xj3 ай бұрын
Yes, I didn't know about the affair till I saw video, and thought the first wife was horrible for leaving him while at war. I have watched BoB several times and never picked up on the fact that he had an affair. When he didn't go home when he had the chance, I assumed he stayed for Winters.
@hpygolkyone3 ай бұрын
People leaving comments about someone they have never met as though they knew them on some personal level is *next level* crazy.
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
Historians have been doing it for hundreds of years.
@paulkweiner65773 ай бұрын
Excellent plus !!! Question-how much of the intelligence Winters found was useful as far as wiping out more German artillery ?
@samiam6193 ай бұрын
What the series didn’t show was Winters going to Brecort first and alone to get his own intelligence.
@samiam6193 ай бұрын
What affair did Nixon have in England? First I’m hearing of it…
@War_And_Truth3 ай бұрын
He had met someone (like Speirs) in Aldbourne. I think its even mentioned in the series. Also remember that he gave up a chance to go back home and see his first wife and child while in Bastogne by giving up his seat to Lieutenant Peacock. There were obviously a lot of issues there.
@samiam6193 ай бұрын
@@War_And_Truth No, I don’t remember either of those details in the series. So it’s time to re-watch it…
@patriciamay17363 ай бұрын
@@samiam619It was in the Crossroads episode when Nixon mentioned he was going to London to catch up on a certain young lady while Winters was being sent to Paris to relax.
@skylaneav8r9022 ай бұрын
@2:16 you reference “Camp Mackall in Kentucky”. Camp Mackall is in North Carolina.
@War_And_Truth2 ай бұрын
I actually say Camp Mackall 'and' Kentucky, it sounds a bit like in. After studying this for years I certainly know where Camp Mackall is.
@oilman77183 ай бұрын
How about presenting this material without the cheesy AI voice? You’re detracting from your content.
@War_And_Truth2 ай бұрын
I'm deaf brother so that's what you get. Turn the subtitles on.