The two nurses portrayed here were real people. Renee Lemaire was killed saving injured troops from a burning building. The other, Augusta Chiwy was blown through a wall but survived . She died in 2015. There’s no evidence that Doc Roe actually met either of them, but the screenwriters included them as a tribute to their heroism.
@@nickchivers9029 Yes; the surviving Easy guys commented on this episode: sure they're no proof that Roe Met Renee, but they were all sure they would have gotten along because Eugene was 'that kind of guy'.
My great Uncle was a medic and was captured during the battle of the bulge. At the time he was captured he was giving aid to a wounded German soldier when he was shot in the leg by a German pratol. They were going to kill him, but a German officer saved him because he had given aid to a German soldier. He spent the rest of the war in a POW camp and was liberated by the Russians and spent a year in a hospital in Russia. He was a mechanic after the war in small town in NC and never talked about the war. When he died in 2001 over 2500 people came to his viewing, I arrived in the middle of it, and it took me two and half hours to get to the casket. Five towns in the county sent fire trucks and police offices to the funeral. and the NC National Guard flew a medical helicopter over the grave during the service. He was the most humble and kindest man I ever knew, and I think of him every time I see this episode. ❤
Best part of this episode? The NURSES!! They actually existed and were the forgotten heroes of Bastogne until long after the war. The French nurse Eugene falls for is actually Renée Lemaire. She is still considered a Hero to the French and the soldiers she helped save and a legend in her hometown of Bastogne. She was killed in a German Air raid on Christmas Eve 1944 as portrayed here in the series. She's buried in the cemetery next to the church, her shroud is made from the parachutes of the men of the 101st Airborne. The black nurse also featured briefly here is Augusta Chiwy otherwise known as Anna "The FORGOTTEN ANGEL of Bastogne" who was born in the Congo and immigrated to France where her father was a veterinarian. She actually survived the war and was later made Knight in the Order of the Crown by the Belgian Minister of Defense, and received the Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service by the Us Army in 2011. 🥰🥰🥰🥰
When Doc Roe was writing "M" in blood on Lieutenant Welch's forehead after he got hit in the leg, it was to indicate to other medical personnel that he had been given one dose of morphine, so that whomever took over his care would know that and not overdose him. You had just said at that moment you weren't sure what that was for. Thought I would help. Loving watching your reactions to this incredible series.
@@jackpowell9276 Exactly. But it's especially fitting because the wounded man here (Harry Welsh) is the same man Eugene scolded for his mishandling of the morphine.
The shaving scene was a nod to a standing order by General George Patton to his 3rd Army (of which the 506th was under). The order was that all soldiers will be cleanly shaven and properly uniformed at all times. Patton believed it was a way for his men to always meet or exceed expected standards.
In an interview later, Winters said he did that because of the importance of maintaining a routine. Helps you stay grounded and able to focus when you need to.
@@Zapranoth-lf8nt It reminds of a video that has been making the rounds. A general was giving a speech at a graduation ceremony. He said something like "if you accomplish nothing else, just make your bed. Do it every day". There's value in routine and good habits. Same idea, I think.
When I was stationed in Germany my Father came over to visit and we took a trip to Bastogne. In the town center as you drive in, was a Sherman tank next to an American flag high on a pole next to the tank. We wandered into a nearby café and on the wall was an 8X10 picture of General George S. Patton. The owner and the people in the café all bought us drinks and told us they would never forget what the Americans did in liberating Bastogne and all of Belgium during the war and were eternally grateful. Their hope was successive generations would never forget either. And speaking of Patton...I think you would enjoy the movie "Patton" with George C. Scott and would give it a great reaction! It won 7 Academy awards!
For Europeans, WWII is not "Ancient History". Every family lost loved ones. In Russia, who lost 20-25 million, an entire generation of young men was gone
Some of the trenches from that battle have been preserved as historical sites. Smokey, who was the one paralyzed, would regain some of his ability to walk. Decades later, as part of a documentary, Smokey was allowed to go back into his preserved fox hole. He dug around for a bit and found the mug tin he was drinking out of when he was shot with his initials still etched on it. Currahee Least we forget
@@PamelaHipple Cool! I hate to admit when I was over there, but my visit was in 1976! I'm sure the tank is still there along with Patton's picture in the café!!
Jesus, no matter how many times I watch this... I become a total mess. My pride and love for the men who served, like my father, is even felt more so on this Veterans Day 11/11/23.
I find it charming (if that's the right word) that she gets emotional during the opening interviews with the actual vets. Because that's how I always get too... breaks my heart.
I was a US Navy Hospital Corpsman (counterpart to Doc Roe's medic). Desert Storm . Served 10 years. In 2005, my son's best friend (a Marine) came home from Fallujah just in time for Christmas. He had been in the 2nd battle the year before. We went to a local VA Home. One old man in the dining area was utterly inconsolable. Everyone else was singing and happy. I heard a little girl ask her dad why he was so upset. I knelt beside him and simply asked where? His answer- Bastogne. Through tears he told me he was the sole survivor of his platoon. They died Christmas day. He was not an Easy Company member, but for him Christmas was forever a nightmare. I held his hand and hugged him. My friend said Doc it's time to go. The old man looked me in the eyes and said God Bless you, you guys paid a higher cost than most of us. I will not argue against his expert knowledge. As for this episode, it is one of my favorites if that's the right word. As for the next episodes, 7 is harder, 9 is the roughest, but a nessecary watch. Steel yourself. As for the bloody "M", it indicates the patient received morphine
The Belgian nurse, Renee Lemaire, was a real person. She worked tirelessly for days on end to treat wounded soldiers at Bastogne. She was killed on Christmas Eve when the Germans bombed Bastogne, as depicted in the series. I think it was wonderful that the creators of the show included her as a character. She was a hero too. ❤
By now, you understand why this series means so much to so many people. It's a story that had to be told and shared with the world. I will never forget the price paid by the heroes of our greatest generation. Hang in there, little sister. Still loving your reactions.
My Great-Grandfather was a combat medic in the 101st, but not in E company. He died well before I was born, and the only things I know about him are brief anecdotes my Grandfather told me. I am a combat vet myself (Iraq 2), but what I experienced doesn't compare at all to what this generation of servicemen went through. Just the privation alone is hard to imagine. This show as a whole gave me some insight into my ancestor that I never knew, but this episode in particular really hit me as it was the pov of a medic. That is the one job I don't think I could do in the military. Having to keep composed around so much gore and agony is something that you need another level of fortitude to stand. One thing movies used to never really do is show the results of the shooting, the suffering and trauma. As hard as it is to pull a trigger with a fellow human being in the sights, it is even harder to witness the aftermath in all its awful forms. I recently rewatched Band of Brothers, and serendipitously your video popped into my youtube suggestions. This episode always hit me the hardest. Now, I am a writer by trade, and one of the tricks we employ is that it's not an action itself that stirs the emotions of the audience, but the reaction of the characters. For instance, seeing a man blown to pieces doesn't illicit the same emotional response as seeing how his best friend reacts to the tragedy. The reason I liked your video is that you added another layer to this paradigm. You are a very understanding and empathetic person, and while I get to feel the way these men felt by proxy just by watching the episode, watching how it affected you was also validating to my feelings toward my relative and my own combat experience. Thank you.
I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman (Medic) in Vietnam (3 Tours). I had 4 months of basic medical training, After that you could be assigned to a ship, a clinic, a hospital or with the Marines. If you were assigned to the Marines you received two months of combat medical training. My first tour in Vietnam was on a troop transport (1500 marines on board). Those boats you see with the gate in front that drops down were (Higgins boats) LCVP’s smaller and LCM’s larger boats. I was assigned to an LCM each time we off loaded Marines on the beach. My job was to take care of wounded on the boat and any we could pickup in the water on the way back to the ship. My third tour in Vietnam I was on a small ship in the Mekong Delta. Me and another corpsman were the only medical personnel on board. Called independent duty, no doctor (You received more training if you were assigned independent duty) . Small ships had no doctor usually only one or two corpsman. We were taught that during combat conditions we were to be on opposite ends of the ship. The 2 corpsmen we replaced were together during a fire fight and they both got killed.. I saw a lot of young bodies torn apart. You don’t remember all the ones you save. You can never forget the ones you can’t save.
Ye they crafted this series so well that we really get to feel the low points easy had, 6, 7 and 9 are really hard to get through without getting emotional and the point of view characters for 6 and 7 are masterfully chosen, don't know if the book focuses on those two in the same way but here it's probably the two best viewpoints that could have been chosen. and 9 hits in a completely different way...
Not just feeling clean by shaving. His men see him doing it. They knew that their commander was by the rules, even under shitty conditions. It was comforting for them to see. The shit didn't change him. He was their leader!
This episode is such genius. This is probably the heaviest of the fighting that Easy Company sees in WW2, and yet they shot it from the perspective of the medic who isn't actually looking at the fighting, so they don't need to show the battles erupting around him. Saves them a lot on production costs, and yet the episode is written and shot so masterfully that we the audience don't feel like we're missing anything by following Eugene Roe as he shows us the other side of the battle and his personal struggle with PTSD, and the bravery of what it means to be a combat medic. Definitely has to be a top 3 episode in the series, in a series where every episode is excellent, I always marvel at how good this one is.
Funnily enough the set they made was an entire forest indoors rigged with explosives to simulate artillery fire. It was one of the most expensive sets in the show. So not showing the heavy combat was probably a nice compromise to balance the costs out.
Great reaction Ames! Having been to Bastogne and stood in those foxholes it's difficult to imagine how anyone survived. Also of note, the Belgian nurse, Renee Lemaire, who was killed in the bombing, had her body wrapped in an American parachute (the women saved them to be used as wedding dresses) and brought back to her house. There is a memorial at her grave (as well as at the grave of the other nurse featured, Augusta Chiwy who survived the war and live a long life). There is also a separate memorial for them and all the nurses. Renee and Augusta were know as the "Angels Of Bastogne"
I recently had a Canadian friend come to the US and he asked me why there was so many flags flying. He couldn’t understand why there were so many American flags outside homes and businesses. Now you understand. We have lived such an amazing privileged life because of the blood and sacrifice of these men and women, and those that came before and after. I myself had not ever had to serve our country in the military because of the bravery of these people and I will never forget it or be able to thank them enough. It stirs my anger to see a younger generation who take what they’ve got for granted and then act as if they are owed something by this country. Be right or wrong I see them is ridiculous self-centered egotistical spoiled brats. They, and myself included, no not the meaning of sacrifice. However I will never take this for granted. As the old quote goes“all that takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing “. This will become more and more clear as you move through the series. Thank you so much for watching this and understanding what people from both of our nations did in sacrifice. I have a hard time even looking these men in the face, they’ve seen so much more than I’ve ever had to see. God bless them.
Cpl. Eugene Roe - Band of Brothers Oh Lord, grant that I shall never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, or to be loved as to love with all my heart. It's a type of strength/serenity prayer you hear this one quite a lot in the deep south where I'm from. You gotta remember roe is from Louisiana, and his grandmother was actually quite the healer herself. She was curing cancers.
Thank u for another emotional reaction. For me... ep6 is really one of the best BOB episode. Its also my fave ep.. doc. Roe really worked hard... Also if you happen to read the book.. the Easy men really respect doc. ROE... especially during bastogne. Easy company said that doc. Eugene Roe is one of the "HEART OF EASY" considering that his the only Medic who served Easy through out their journey... and it was actually stated in the book that the men felt doc. Roe really deserves a medal on how well he worked hard saving all of them in bastogne... I even remember reading Malarkeys book and i remember him talking about doc.Roe.. "If you happen to see doc. Roe, he will just sit by himself and you can totally tell his losing it. Doc. Roe witnessed more death than any of the men so who could blame him if his just seating from behind, not saying a word"-Donald Malarkey. Not sure about the exact word malarkey used... its been so long since ive read the book... but that statement really broke my heart and i didnt forget it since then.... doc. ROE... Roe was helping anyone he could, no matter the situation. He ran out into the open during a German artillery strike. He ran out into the open without weapons and dragged a wounded man back. Roe was described as the most dependable, caring person in Easy Company. Malarkey even recommended him for a silver star but the citation was set aside and forgotten about. He was known for getting to anyone who needed help, even if they weren’t sure how he got there. Easy company said that... "its amazing how He was always there when we needed him"... and one thing more the miniseries didnt shw is the fact that... Roe was also injured in his jump into Holland. He landed on barbed wire and cut open his leg. He received another purple heart for that...
Ep 6 and 7 were always my favorite. It showed how shared trauma could develop such strong bonds between men and make them truly brothers. Just a harrowing set of episodes
Ames, your channel has quickly become one of my favorites! Your empathy and compassion shines through! Around 8:02, Eugene is saying part of the Prayer of Saint Francis otherwise known as the Simple Prayer for Peace -- Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is error, truth; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
The best (or worst, depending on how you see it) part about watching your reactions, especially to this series, is your empathy. It is incredible to watch your reactions. It wasn't a minute into the episode and you were already crying. You're an incredibly caring person, and that's a wonderful thing. I hope you never ever have to see the things depicted in war movies/shows. And to be honest, that's why service members fight and do the hard things they do, to keep wonderful people like you from experiencing this irl.
Tidbit, my family's contribution to world war 2 was the invention of the Jeep. Our great uncle owned Bantam Car Company and developed the Land Recon Vehicle which became the Jeep. He had a wing at the Smithsonian dedicated to him, Roy Evans
Smokey, the machine gunner who was paralyzed eventually regained full use of his limbs. Later in life he returned to where his foxhole was and found the cup he dropped.
Thank you for your reactions! It is wonderful to see our younger generations view this critical series. I am retired Army, did 21 years, and had a chance while I was serving to meet some of these men while they were out promoting it. What an incredible honor for me. Their story needs survive so thank yiu for doing this! Keep the faith! Love what you do!
It always gets me too! All military branches in my family. My father's father was Navy. My mother's father was army. My oldest brother is army. My baby brother went Navy. My brother in law went air force My father's I'm law, the most bad ass man that even manned, was a marine❤ *Bonus content* my mother's grandmother is a Russian Jew, and she was one of the first who was rescued. I do remember her complaining LOUDLY about the us soldiers who were "no better than those German pigs! That they only give us a tiny cup of water and a bite of bread and cheese) She was a spicy woman. I never talked back once to my nana😳
I applaud you for taking an interest in WWII. This series is the most accurate portrayal of what E company experienced from enlistment to the surrender of Germany. They remain the most decorated company in all of WWII. Watching this series shows why they and all who lived in that time are called "the greatest generation".
Growing up my next door neighbor was POW survivor of the Battle of the Bulge (of which Bastogne was part of). He had really been through it and came out a terrific person. He passed just a year or so ago not long after turning 100 and he is very much missed.
This entire series showcases real men being real heroes. I'm only 2 generations removed from these guys and already I can't imagine my generation being this heroic, nor any generation after mine. At least not on this scale. Today's men mostly want to avoid war. During WWII, most men were disappointed if they could NOT enlist. That's a very different take on duty, heroism, and courage.
These men were part of the greatest generation that ever lived and my Dad and Mother were part of that generation, I really hope we never forget what they did.They truly saved the world.
The real tragedy of Renee's story is that she was initially only in Bastogne to visit her parents for Christmas, but when the town was cut off by the Germans she volunteered to serve as a nurse while she was stuck there, and was killed on Christmas Eve.
I'm a Vietnam era veteran and simply wanted to offer that I deeply appreciate your reaction to those who endure the realities of war. That said, I believe I could make a good argument that every high school student in the United States should be expected to sit through "Band of Brothers", "Saving Private Ryan" and "Hacksaw Ridge". I believe it absolutely necessary that young people hear these stories.
These medical personnel truly are angels on earth. I’ve been to the ER a few times, and I am amazed by the nurses that work in it and see this stuff on a daily basis in civilian life. Thank you to everyone that works and I field like this!
Ames, please don’t change who you are. I’m in love with you. 😂 I LOVE how deeply you feel this series and the reverence you show for the men and their stories. As a veteran, and an army brat, and my great grandfather having served in WW2 I love that you did this series and are loving it.
Your comment about shaving while out in the wilderness made me chuckle. When I was going through the Army’s Special Warfare Center and School, my cycle was during the winter. I grew up in the Carolinas so knew the weather but that year was particularly cold and during my culmination exercise temperatures were often floating around the teens in the morning with the wind chill. I still clearly remember the sound of my cheap Bic razor clanging against my canteen cup of ice cold water as I would shave every morning with no light, using my free hand to feel around my face for missed spots. Days definitely blend together after a while but I will say that morning shave woke me right up and got me focused. And with the limits for hygiene out in the field it was one of the few things I could control out there
High School history teacher was in 101st (not Easy Co, but his obituary read like a list of BoB episodes - Normandy, Eindhoven, Bastogne, Berchtesgaden). He was adament that they did not need to be "rescude" by Patton or anyone else. He said that they only needed more supplies & to have their wounded evacuated, RIP Mr Hurt.
In the book Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends, Babe says that they recovered Julian's body. There is a photo in the book of Babe visiting Julian's grave in 2004. Babe: "You never get over something like that. I'm only glad he didn't suffer long. . ."
Your comment about the realism of the wounds resonated with me because I remember thinking the same thing when I watched this. I was in the navy but I don't have any combat experience. I was on the maintenance air crew side of things. But that experience made me believe in miracles. Especially miracles involving fatal wounds. We had the most random and horrific workplace accident that I have ever seen personally. It happened to a guy about 15 yd away from me. We maintained the trailers and handling equipment the navy used for armaments like bombs and missiles. What we call ordinance. Restored some marine trailers that are used specifically for rough terrain like the desert or a mountain environment. The tongue and the hitch of these are much heavier than they look. You can lift one by yourself at the hinge to lock it upright, but it takes some effort. For some perspective these things are heavier than a sledgehammer for sure and I use that as an example for a reason. We were walking through the Bay to the back and a guy like I said about 15 yd ahead of me was walking in front of one of those trailers that was stacked on top of another 1. They were stacked on top and reverse direction of each other. So the tongue on the bottom was facing the wall, and the tongue on the trailer on top was locked upright facing out toward the Walkway. Randomly.... So randomly that if they had been there the ghost hunters would have put it on TV and called it supernatural. The lock on the tongue on the top trailer just popped loose And that tongue, which as I said weighs far more than a sledgehammer, Came swinging down right on the top of this guy's head. The design on bottom of that tongue is probably the only reason he survived and wasn't instantly killed. There isn't anything sharp on the bottom of them. It is a flat surface it might as well be a sheet of steel. Because if one corner of any of that had come down it absolutely would have killed him right in front of me, because it almost killed him as it was. So the miracles start with the fact that he stayed conscious after it hit him. I'm sure he wasn't happy that he was conscious, but it's probably great that he didn't get knocked out. The next miracle is that the only ambulance on the entire base was at the radio tower which is across the street from us. We never even called when we started scrambling to get help somebody was already out there smoking and they just jumped up and down and flagged this ambulance down. The timing could not have been better. They were 9n scene helping this dude in less than a minute after he got hit. This is gross and I don't mean to get graphic but..... Have you ever seen how much headwounds bleed even when they're not that severe? It's on a whole other level. If somebody that didn't know what happened walked into that room after he got hit they would have thought somebody got brutally murdered. They had to call a Hazmat team to come in and clean up the blood off the floor. And the 3rd miracle is that he did have a skull fracture and a brain bleed and he was not expected to live. But he did against all odds. And the final and biggest miracle of all is that not only did he not die. There was no real lasting damage at all, and he was back working with us in just a little over a year. My very long roundabout story was to say that I got an up close look at this dude's head, and I would never in a million years have guessed that he would survive. It looked absolutely horrifying. I thought, and I might have just been panicking a little bit, but I could have sworn that I saw his brain in the wound. Which for this show makes me feel kind of bad for the guy that got shot in the neck that they had to leave...... As unlikely as it looked there's always the chance that somebody could have saved his life. I like to tell stories I'm sorry if it wasn't that entertaining thank you for indulging me
Doc Eugene Roe is my favorite character in the whole series. (2nd First Sargeant Lipton) but for Doc To go into combat without a gun simply amazing and such an interesting character// real person. He shows us the physical and mental toll that wears down on medics because they have to treat so many wounded men
If you're familiar with the series M.A.S.H., the chain of evacuation for wounded soldiers was similar to what it was during WW2. How far up the chain the man was moved depended upon the severity of his injuries. The medic on the battlefield> battalion aid station> collecting station at regimental command post> clearing station for minor wounds and shock> evacuation hospital for surgery on lesser wounds> field hospital for surgery on severe cases> general hospital> convalescent hospital What made Bastogne even worse was that soon after the 101st arrived, German troops captured their medical detachment, the 326th Medical Company.
My grandfather was in the Battle of the Bulge. He never spoke about the war or his experiences. We didn't find out till after he died what his service record was and where he'd been. Not even my grandmother knew, she said he simply would not talk about it. He always seemed to be so funny and happy. So many people liked him and were friends of his. So many people showed up at his funeral. And that entire time this was all bottled up inside of him.
Your reaction is just like all our reactions when we watched for the first time 22 years ago and dozens of times since. I love taking this journey with you.
Having spent my career as a Paratrooper in the 101st and 82nd, I can tell you that this series is universally loved in the Airborne community. The men of Easy Co. 506th are legends, as are many, many more. To this day, many of the regiments that are still active bear the monikers and nicknames earned in WWII. I was lucky to be a member of the "Devils in Baggy Pants". As for Combat Medics, they're awesome, and a Grunt's best friend. So much so that I married one. She and I will be celebrating 11 years in a couple weeks. Lastly, I'd like to HIGHLY recommend watching "Generation Kill", which is based on the 2003 invasion of Iraq. And "The Pacific" which is about the fight with Japan in WWII. Both are produced by the same crew as Band of Brothers.
I give you a lot of credit for watching this unbelievable, unforgettable series that every single American should see ( along with The Pacific ). Its heartwarming to know that some young people are still interested in what our relatives endured as young people, and thus helping to save the world in the process.
In my humble opinion, B.O.B is the best portrayal of WW2 ever made. It tells the story of the 506th, and of WW2 in general, unlike anything before or since. Now that all have passed on, these interviews with this band of heroes becomes even more important. My father was in the air force during WW2 as an Airframe Tech, and my uncle was in the airborne and jumped into Holland. They never said anything. This series means a great deal to many. You cannot watch this series and not get emotional. The reverence I feel for these men, words do not do justice. Currahee!
@@holddowna: I have a very dear friend, who is 102 this year. He was a tank driver with the Canadian 1st Hussars. What he has spoken of, I just can't imagine. The trauma, fear and courage under fire, scars he carries to this day.
Heart breaking, thank you for sharing Ames, stay safe and well, my grandfather was a UK medic during D-Day and after, i still miss him after losing him in the 1980's, he had a beautiful soul. with love and kind regards, Chris.
Renee Lemaire, was a Belgian nurse who provided medical care to the wounded in Bastogne. When the church she was in was bombed by the Germans on Christmas Eve, 1944, she survived the initial bombing but went back in to rescue wounded soldiers who were non-ambulatory. She went in 6 times, and pulled soldiers out. On the 7th time, the building collapsed and she was killed. She was a nurse who lived in Brussels but was home at Bastogne to visit her family for Christmas before the German offensive. Her friend and fellow nurse August Chiwy from Congo survived the war. They were known as the Angels of Bastogne. After the 101st Airborne recovered Renee;s body, they wrapped her in a parachute and returned her body to her family. .I visited the graves of Renee and Augusta in Bastogne while on a tour this past September.
I'm loving this Ames journey of watching all the famous acclaimed war films and miniseries that she's never seen. I haven't seen a lot of them in a while so Ames is giving us all a trip down memory lane. It's very satisfying and it's a nice thing to come home too after work. A watch-along and beer with Ames.
This is the beginning the of the hardest episodes in the show. I remember watching this for the first time while we were freezing our butts off in Korea during a military exercise. During our breaks we would come in and watch this and the other Bastogne episode. Watching what these men went through was a reminder that we didn't have it bad at all.
This is where the series get tougher and tougher to watch, but they're also the best and most important episodes IMO. It really shows you the reality of how bad it was for them, and some of the most important happenings with each man.
So glad for your appreciation of the series, a wonderful celebration of these brave men. At the same time I feel for your distress with the awareness of how real this was. I remember the level of shock I had watching this series for the first time. An amazing perspective through the eyes of Doc Roe, such a compassionate heart, as many of the men also had for their fellow brothers. It’s hard for me to hear Doc when the Aussie actor who plays him speaks in interviews, so big props for his Cajun performance. Sometimes I think about these men and what they endured in Bastogne when I have to endure a tough situation. I mean, that Joe Toye, with frostbite wanting to stay on “the line” to support his brothers just blows me away.
Every time I see him deny the morphine hits me hard. Because how many of us would be willing to go through that much pain just because in that moment your thinking of others. That selfless sacrifice is inspiring and is only shown for a couple minutes. I've known people who wouldn't give you even a second look if you were in need. And I've known people who'd give the shirt off their back. Those are the people who even if I don't get along with have a insane amount of respect from me.
This, without a doubt, is THE BEST miniseries ever made.. The follow up documentary “We Stand Alone, Together” is a must to watch. Interviews with more of the veterans. If you’re really into history, there’s more here on UA-cam covering the men of Easy Company and their actor counterparts ie. reunions and such.
My dad had a buddy who was in Vietnam as a corpsman, the Navy medics who accompanied the Marines in combat. Said the dude couldn't buy himself a beer in a bar anywhere, because there was always a marine there to put one in his hand. He also couldn't get into a fight in a bar, because if anyone messed with him there would suddenly be a gang of marines behind him to fuck up whoever messed with their corpsman. My father-in-law was a medic in the Hmong guerrilla fight against Laos in the secret war. Neither one of them talked much about their experiences.
My English teacher 50 years ago, Mr Christie, had been a conscientious objector during WWII. He served as an Army Medic in an infantry regiment. He taught me the same trick about treating trench foot by changing socks and drying the wet ones next to your body under your uniform. And writing an “M” on the forehead of a wounded man alerted other medics that he had been given morphine. So they wouldn’t accidentally give him an overdose.
Regarding shaving, there was mention of the officer keeping morale. This was part of military discipline. Discipline was part of keeping morale up. If you left each individual soldier to make up their own minds and accept their own thoughts on their condition, then they would quickly fall apart. Uniforms, drilling, following procedure are all part of military discipline through a disciplined life. General Patton was famous for requiring his soldiers to wear ties as well as entire complete uniform at all times, and to be cleanly shaven. This was all part of his demand of discipline. You may be dehydrated, starving and on death's door, but by God you'll look like a soldier. That was Patton's way.
My dad and I took a trip to France to see the World War I and World War II sites last year. We also went to Bastogne where they had a museum that documented the Battle of the Bulge. Not to far away was the forest area where the fighting happened and it's well preserved. While this is a set built to simulated the woods in Bastogne, I can confirm that all the trees were spaced out like that with no underbrush and all over the place there were pits that were either foxholes or blast craters where the enemy artillery had hit. The foxholes were dug due to the lack of cover with the trees being spaced out. The trees being evenly spaced out was part of France and Belgium keeping wooded areas clean to reduce the chances of wildfires. Being there really got me thinking about the men who died there, it also had me think about my granddad who was there when he was in the Army during World War II. Seeing Bastogne in person really does change your perspective and you develop a deeper understanding.
“It is altogether foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.” George S. Patton General, United States Army
On December 16, 1944, Hitler launched his last great (WW2) offensive on the Western Front through the Ardennes. Known as the 'Battle of the Bulge'. The code name for the buildup to the offensive, 'Wacht Am Rhein' (Watch on the Rhine). The actual offensive was codenamed Operation 'Autumn Mist' (Unternehmen Herbstnebel). The German army attacked with approximately 28 Divisions [Fifth and Sixth Panzer Armies and Seventh Army]. The weather for several days was a combination of freezing rain, thick fog, snow and record-breaking low temperatures. It wasn’t until Christmas Day that the weather conditions finally cleared, allowing Allied air forces to strike. Eisenhower ordered elements of the 10th Armored Division [Combat Command B] to the Bastogne area. It joined elements of the 9th Armored, several artillery battalions, and infantrymen defending Bastogne and the small towns around it. On Dec. 18th, the 705 Tank Destroyer Battalion arrived, and on the 19th the 101st Airborne.
At one battalion I served with in the Army we had a couple of Samoans who were absolutely unaccustomed to the sub zero wind temps we'd sometimes deal with through the night in the field with no shelter. We were all freezing cold of course but those poor guys just looked miserable. However when I spoke with them (I was serving as fire platoon leader) they always responded in a remarkably good natured way. Tough men and fine soldiers both.
Production fact: the outdoor snow scenes were filmed inside a hanger in England. The lights used to light the scenes gave off a lot of heat and actually made filming very uncomfortably hot for the actors. The breath vapor was done in post/CGI'd.
The forest of the Ardennes made the shelling (the German artillery fire) deadly as the trees that were hit by shells that then exploded caused chunks of the wood to explode into the men nearby. This is shown very well in this episode. It was part of the horror of this battle, The Battle of the Bulge. There is an older movie called The Battle of the Bulge that is much less gritty but has much of the story, though there is disagreement on much of the accuracy of the film due to Hollywood dramatizing it for the audience. If you want to further yourself as a WW2 film buff, you should see this movie. A Bridge Too Far is a good movie dramatizing Operation Market Garden and features an all-star cast. It is very well done and I do love it and recommend it.
Watching this show is as close - thank goodness - most people will ever get to this situation - but it gives us comfy civvies a sense of what people went through in these times - priceless.
I always loved the Bastogne episode, because I think at the time Band of Brothers came out, how unique it was to actually feature an entire episode (or close to a movie length's of screen time), on how isolating yet completely vital the work is of medics in warfare. I still have never seen a portrayal of a medic topped for just how much that contrast stays with you- they're part of the men, but also separate, and most likely don't want to emotionally get too close. The portrayal of Doc Roe is just amazing.
Love your reactions. I've been to Belgium and took a private tour with my guide to Bastogne and the Ardennes Forest. The entire area pays great thanks and respect to the 101st Airbourne. The Bastogne War Museum is a must see. It's dedicated to the 101st and the Battle of the Bulge. While visiting the Ardennes Forest, I walked in the area where Easy Company spent that brutal winter and saw many of the foxholes still there. Another profound and humbling experience I will never forget.
My Uncle Milo fought in this battle, outside St. Vith. He and his heavy machine gun squad (the type of gun used by Smokey, the soldier shot and paralyzed in this episode) got cut off behind enemy lines and had to evade in the snow. Milo eventually got separated from his men when some Germans discovered them. He was on the run from the 16th until Christmas Eve, when he finally reachded safety. He was taken off the line for trenchfoot and frostbite, which may have saved his life given what happened to the majority of the men of the 106th.
Doc didn't call people by their nicknames for the same reason one of the guys in the beginning interviews said he didn't want to be friendly with the replacements, because when they got killed it hurt too much. So Doc calling everyone by their proper names helped keep some professional distance allowing him to emotionally separate and do his job. If Heffron dies he's just another soldier in the company, but if Babe dies, thats his friend. IDK if that makes exact sense but thats the best way I can put it
Let it be remembered that the Germans would have reached Bastogne first, if not for the delaying actions of the 28th Infantry Divisions 110th Infantry Regiment ( which was essentially annihilated) and the 10th Armored Divisions Combat Command "B", that sent blocking units ("Team Cherry", "Team Desobry", others) to towns 8-10 miles east of Bastogne. They were mauled as well, with the survivors being the main armored force in Bastogne when surrounded. Just an FYI........Desobry, leader of "Team Desobry" was badly wounded and captured by the Germans. Thirty years later, as a General, he was one of the leaders of the Army team that headed the development of the M-1Abrams.
You have such a beautiful humanity. From a veteran, I'm sure I can speak for many others when I say I am so glad you have decided to educate yourself about these amazing men and women who gave so much. All gave some, some gave all! God bless you, Ames!
Bastogne will always be my "favorite" episode, if you wanna call it that, because it is relentless. It shows how the medics had to deal with the war constantly in and out of combat. Every episode before and after will have ups and downs but not Bastogne. Bastogne is a constant display of stress and stress management.
Simply watching your response to the woes of our Boys in Bastogne... you are a virtuous, wonderful woman. And, yes... personal hygiene during combat is very conducive to morale.
So glad to see that a young person like youself 'get it'. Band of Brother is the best ever and it is in my soul as well. North Amercia is being invaded on an epic scale and war will result soon. Our military has betrayed us. What an insult to these men who gave their it all.
I served with the 101st in 1970. W men in my company were in Bastogne They bath told me that all Paton's 3rd army did for them was make it so their wounded could get out. Both told me this at dif times with neither talking to the other about saying anything to me. Then in 1986 I meet another man who was there. He had been a major and said that there was no way Paton's 3rd Army did any recuing. He said after the air drops of Dec 25 they had all they needed to keep fighting and keep the Germans out. This form a man who was in command of a battalion. Winters said it all when told if they went into Bastogne they would be surrounded. Winters told the guy we r Airborne. we'er suppose be be surround. Airborne r not just another soldier We are troops and very elite ones. Even today the USA had less then 25K Airborne Troopers. Marines eat ur heart out.
According to History Professor Jared Frederick, the character of the nurse, Renée, may have been inspired by the real life character Renée Lemaire, Lemaire was from the Bastogne area, her parents owned a hardware store there, throughout much of the war, prior to this moment, she had been a nurse in Brussels, where she helped take care of the wounded. She just happened to be going home to see her parents in Bastogne for Christmas 1944, and little could she have realized that this battle would erupt in her front yard. He further states there's no evidence to suggest that she interacted with Doc Roe. Renée did lose her life during German bombing of Bastogne, but she was not in the Church basement, she was actually in a store basement that wasn't too far away. A building had caught fire, and she was taking part in an effort to evacuate men who had taken refuge in that building, an aid station in the basement of the Sarma Store. She was able to pull six men out of the fire and when she went back in to get a seventh, she lost her life. She was 30 years old. Her body was later delivered to her parents wrapped in a white parachute.
The shaving is to maintain discipline. Being the leader, he wanted to make sure he maintained the best discipline he could as an example to his men. This show is great. The stories are great. There's a reason they're referred to as the Greatest Generation. The things they had to endure are unfathomable to us today.
Look up "Angels of Mercy: Two Screaming Eagle Medics in Angoville-au-Plain on D-Day". Two medics of the 101st set up a field hospital in a 12th century church and proceeded to treat wounded from both sides along with civilians. Their only rule was no weapons in the church for either side. Both sides respected this rule. The blood from days of wounded men being treated still stains the pews and floors.
One Sunday when I was a boy, we had a substitute Sunday School teacher. He was the father of a classmate. I sort of knew he had been a paratrooper. The day's lesson included a picture of a military chaplain holding services. He explained that they did that even in combat conditions. The example he used was Christmas 1944 in Bastogne.
Amazing series. In 2018 I took a tour with the WWII museum out of New Orleans. We spent 2 weeks following the path Easy Company took through WWII. We had two of the actors with us on our tour. Learned that this episode was filmed inside an aircraft hanger in England in the summer, during some of the hottest days of that summer. They would have to take breaks during the filming to go outside and try to cool down. Complete opposite of what was being portrayed in this episode.
Ames is the only movie reviewer I watch because she’s the only one to add anything to the story. FYI, dipping finger in blood, he wrote M on his forehead to signify that he had received Morphine, thereby letting any follow up medical assistance know not give him more as it could kill him. Using his blood was just a field expedient. If you think episode was overwhelming, you better have the tissues ready for the next 2 episodes.
I remember watching this and i remember the stories that my granddaddy told us when he was in Korea. Boy he said it was cold hell marching in those snowy terrains almost lost his fingers.
I just want to say you are one of the best movie reaction channels . You genuinely are moved on the dramas and have alot of fun on the comedies and horror films. Some background on this because I know you are a cinema geek. This part of the series was all done on a soundstage . And it was so hot under the lights etc that the actors were sweating with their costume gear on. So, it is incredibly good acting to still get into the mindset of the men they were portraying and try to mentally place yourself where they were. Cold starved and freezing while they are over heating and apparently well fed. As far as Bastogne, it was hell. The whole war was mostly hell like they all are. But to sit and freeze and be so hungry that you are resorting to eating snow . Plus having mortars launched at you over and over with nothing that you could do but try to hold on. It's just an incredible inner strength they had. But they had been prepared for it through tough training. They were the elite soldiers in that war. I want to say something about these generations of young people...the greatest generation and silent generation . This generation was my parents generation . And, one thing I can tell you and I know for fact is they never complained. No matter how hard it was, sick they were, hurt or disabled they still just got up and did. I have so much admiration for the people born and who lived in these times. Maybe it was growing up in a depression that they knew they had to get tough. There was nothing to complain about because everyone was hungry and poor. These men and women were fighting and trying to help the wounded . But still home you had women who left their home life to go build planes and tanks. You had the WAC who bravely tested planes. People grew gardens because food was rationed. Some because we weren't able to produce enough with so many pulled from farms into service . But also food needed to go to servicemen . So the line at the end where they said they never felt they needed rescue... doesn't shock me at all. They were a tough as nails generation. What gets me alot in this is the church where many soldiers might have been removed to after wounded...it was demolished . That's a special kind of stab in the heart to have those attacked who can no longer even fight back. Go honor your fallen vets this Veterans Day. Show up for their services . Think about how many gave their lives just so you could be born and live. How many lived with pain from injuries (mental and physical) for those who survived . Donate to some veterans organizations to honor these guys and all vets (even if never in combat). Or to a VFW in the states. Remember your vets still here too yet. Remember them all. This is a really great series for the most. There are inaccuracies . Yet overall it was a pretty good written series and had a excellent cast . The cast to this day is also their own kind of band of Brothers holding their own type of reunuon events just like the 101st did. However they make it open to the public to attend and ask questions. If they have another any time soon , you might consider going to it.
The black nurse is known as the angel of bastogne and has a very cool interesting story. She was alive til 2015. Renee was also very important, as shown. Their presence greatly helped with the morale of the soldiers.
I myself was a Medic (though nothing like the level of what Roe and the others went through) so this is easily my favorite episode and it's always a treat when Band Of Brothers react videos get to this one
Anytime I’m in a water cooler conversation with someone on the topic of Band of Brothers; if they say they have not yet watched the series, I always tell them that they need to see it because it’s life changing.
The two nurses portrayed here were real people. Renee Lemaire was killed saving injured troops from a burning building. The other, Augusta Chiwy was blown through a wall but survived . She died in 2015.
There’s no evidence that Doc Roe actually met either of them, but the screenwriters included them as a tribute to their heroism.
To be fair, it's not that much of a stretch, he could well have met them so it's not that egregious to put that in.
The Angels of Bastogne
Brave gals
@@nickchivers9029 Yes; the surviving Easy guys commented on this episode: sure they're no proof that Roe Met Renee, but they were all sure they would have gotten along because Eugene was 'that kind of guy'.
I hope your not watching this Alone. I hope you have a support circle.
It can be real stressful alone💯
My great Uncle was a medic and was captured during the battle of the bulge. At the time he was captured he was giving aid to a wounded German soldier when he was shot in the leg by a German pratol. They were going to kill him, but a German officer saved him because he had given aid to a German soldier. He spent the rest of the war in a POW camp and was liberated by the Russians and spent a year in a hospital in Russia. He was a mechanic after the war in small town in NC and never talked about the war. When he died in 2001 over 2500 people came to his viewing, I arrived in the middle of it, and it took me two and half hours to get to the casket. Five towns in the county sent fire trucks and police offices to the funeral. and the NC National Guard flew a medical helicopter over the grave during the service. He was the most humble and kindest man I ever knew, and I think of him every time I see this episode. ❤
Best part of this episode? The NURSES!! They actually existed and were the forgotten heroes of Bastogne until long after the war. The French nurse Eugene falls for is actually Renée Lemaire. She is still considered a Hero to the French and the soldiers she helped save and a legend in her hometown of Bastogne. She was killed in a German Air raid on Christmas Eve 1944 as portrayed here in the series. She's buried in the cemetery next to the church, her shroud is made from the parachutes of the men of the 101st Airborne. The black nurse also featured briefly here is Augusta Chiwy otherwise known as Anna "The FORGOTTEN ANGEL of Bastogne" who was born in the Congo and immigrated to France where her father was a veterinarian. She actually survived the war and was later made Knight in the Order of the Crown by the Belgian Minister of Defense, and received the Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service by the Us Army in 2011. 🥰🥰🥰🥰
When Doc Roe was writing "M" in blood on Lieutenant Welch's forehead after he got hit in the leg, it was to indicate to other medical personnel that he had been given one dose of morphine, so that whomever took over his care would know that and not overdose him.
You had just said at that moment you weren't sure what that was for. Thought I would help. Loving watching your reactions to this incredible series.
Which harks back to an episode or two before where they say 2 maybe 3 doses when the new lieutenant gets shot.
@@jackpowell9276, “Crossroads”, when the sentry shoots Moose Heyliger while he’s walking & talking with Winters. 👍🏻
Beat me to it. Also to say it's an alternative to "pinning" the used morphine syrettes to their uniform jackets.
@@jackpowell9276 Exactly. But it's especially fitting because the wounded man here (Harry Welsh) is the same man Eugene scolded for his mishandling of the morphine.
About the morphine they used to say 'One makes you feel like you're in heaven, two puts you there'.
Winters shaving was a morale play. I read somewhere the men would say "Well, the Captain's still shaving. Things must still be okay."
The shaving scene was a nod to a standing order by General George Patton to his 3rd Army (of which the 506th was under). The order was that all soldiers will be cleanly shaven and properly uniformed at all times. Patton believed it was a way for his men to always meet or exceed expected standards.
In an interview later, Winters said he did that because of the importance of maintaining a routine. Helps you stay grounded and able to focus when you need to.
@@Zapranoth-lf8nt It reminds of a video that has been making the rounds. A general was giving a speech at a graduation ceremony. He said something like "if you accomplish nothing else, just make your bed. Do it every day". There's value in routine and good habits. Same idea, I think.
@@citizenghosttownadmiral McRaven speech, good stuff
@@macleunin That's it!
When I was stationed in Germany my Father came over to visit and we took a trip to Bastogne. In the town center as you drive in, was a Sherman tank next to an American flag high on a pole next to the tank. We wandered into a nearby café and on the wall was an 8X10 picture of General George S. Patton. The owner and the people in the café all bought us drinks and told us they would never forget what the Americans did in liberating Bastogne and all of Belgium during the war and were eternally grateful. Their hope was successive generations would never forget either. And speaking of Patton...I think you would enjoy the movie "Patton" with George C. Scott and would give it a great reaction! It won 7 Academy awards!
For Europeans, WWII is not "Ancient History". Every family lost loved ones. In Russia, who lost 20-25 million, an entire generation of young men was gone
Some of the trenches from that battle have been preserved as historical sites. Smokey, who was the one paralyzed, would regain some of his ability to walk. Decades later, as part of a documentary, Smokey was allowed to go back into his preserved fox hole. He dug around for a bit and found the mug tin he was drinking out of when he was shot with his initials still etched on it.
Currahee
Least we forget
Incredible! @@derekweiland1857
I saw that to back in 83 when I was over there
@@PamelaHipple Cool! I hate to admit when I was over there, but my visit was in 1976! I'm sure the tank is still there along with Patton's picture in the café!!
Jesus, no matter how many times I watch this...
I become a total mess. My pride and love for the men who served, like my father, is even felt more so on this Veterans Day 11/11/23.
We remember them!
I find it charming (if that's the right word) that she gets emotional during the opening interviews with the actual vets. Because that's how I always get too... breaks my heart.
It gets worse with each watch, the more you know whats coming.
@@jackpowell9276when you learn who these men are and their stories the short videos hit like a ton of bricks.
When I hear those tough old men's voices break when they're talking in the intro it just stabs me in the heart.
completely agree. her emotions are so pure and genuine. And relatable.
I was a US Navy Hospital Corpsman (counterpart to Doc Roe's medic). Desert Storm . Served 10 years. In 2005, my son's best friend (a Marine) came home from Fallujah just in time for Christmas. He had been in the 2nd battle the year before. We went to a local VA Home. One old man in the dining area was utterly inconsolable. Everyone else was singing and happy. I heard a little girl ask her dad why he was so upset. I knelt beside him and simply asked where? His answer- Bastogne. Through tears he told me he was the sole survivor of his platoon. They died Christmas day. He was not an Easy Company member, but for him Christmas was forever a nightmare. I held his hand and hugged him. My friend said Doc it's time to go. The old man looked me in the eyes and said God Bless you, you guys paid a higher cost than most of us. I will not argue against his expert knowledge.
As for this episode, it is one of my favorites if that's the right word. As for the next episodes, 7 is harder, 9 is the roughest, but a nessecary watch. Steel yourself.
As for the bloody "M", it indicates the patient received morphine
The Belgian nurse, Renee Lemaire, was a real person. She worked tirelessly for days on end to treat wounded soldiers at Bastogne. She was killed on Christmas Eve when the Germans bombed Bastogne, as depicted in the series.
I think it was wonderful that the creators of the show included her as a character. She was a hero too. ❤
By now, you understand why this series means so much to so many people. It's a story that had to be told and shared with the world. I will never forget the price paid by the heroes of our greatest generation. Hang in there, little sister. Still loving your reactions.
In regards to Winters shaving, he's upholding the officer's standard, always being well kept and being a model to his men.
My Great-Grandfather was a combat medic in the 101st, but not in E company. He died well before I was born, and the only things I know about him are brief anecdotes my Grandfather told me. I am a combat vet myself (Iraq 2), but what I experienced doesn't compare at all to what this generation of servicemen went through. Just the privation alone is hard to imagine. This show as a whole gave me some insight into my ancestor that I never knew, but this episode in particular really hit me as it was the pov of a medic. That is the one job I don't think I could do in the military. Having to keep composed around so much gore and agony is something that you need another level of fortitude to stand. One thing movies used to never really do is show the results of the shooting, the suffering and trauma. As hard as it is to pull a trigger with a fellow human being in the sights, it is even harder to witness the aftermath in all its awful forms.
I recently rewatched Band of Brothers, and serendipitously your video popped into my youtube suggestions. This episode always hit me the hardest. Now, I am a writer by trade, and one of the tricks we employ is that it's not an action itself that stirs the emotions of the audience, but the reaction of the characters. For instance, seeing a man blown to pieces doesn't illicit the same emotional response as seeing how his best friend reacts to the tragedy. The reason I liked your video is that you added another layer to this paradigm. You are a very understanding and empathetic person, and while I get to feel the way these men felt by proxy just by watching the episode, watching how it affected you was also validating to my feelings toward my relative and my own combat experience. Thank you.
I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman (Medic) in Vietnam (3 Tours). I had 4 months of basic medical training, After that you could be assigned to a ship, a clinic, a hospital or with the Marines. If you were assigned to the Marines you received two months of combat medical training. My first tour in Vietnam was on a troop transport (1500 marines on board). Those boats you see with the gate in front that drops down were (Higgins boats) LCVP’s smaller and LCM’s larger boats. I was assigned to an LCM each time we off loaded Marines on the beach. My job was to take care of wounded on the boat and any we could pickup in the water on the way back to the ship. My third tour in Vietnam I was on a small ship in the Mekong Delta. Me and another corpsman were the only medical personnel on board. Called independent duty, no doctor (You received more training if you were assigned independent duty) . Small ships had no doctor usually only one or two corpsman. We were taught that during combat conditions we were to be on opposite ends of the ship. The 2 corpsmen we replaced were together during a fire fight and they both got killed.. I saw a lot of young bodies torn apart. You don’t remember all the ones you save. You can never forget the ones you can’t save.
Wow. I’m an RN and I genuinely cannot imagine operating under those circumstances… much respect to you.
That poem is known as The Prayer of St Francis.
I’ve always thought the next episode is the hardest to get through. Great reactions.
My complete agreement on the next episode. ♠️
7 is gonna be tough but there's no shot it'll be harder for her than 9.
@@canadian__ninja 9 is hard but in a different way. For me 6 and 7 are the hardest.
Ye they crafted this series so well that we really get to feel the low points easy had, 6, 7 and 9 are really hard to get through without getting emotional and the point of view characters for 6 and 7 are masterfully chosen, don't know if the book focuses on those two in the same way but here it's probably the two best viewpoints that could have been chosen. and 9 hits in a completely different way...
Not just feeling clean by shaving. His men see him doing it. They knew that their commander was by the rules, even under shitty conditions. It was comforting for them to see. The shit didn't change him. He was their leader!
I LOVE this comment! Thanks!
This episode is such genius. This is probably the heaviest of the fighting that Easy Company sees in WW2, and yet they shot it from the perspective of the medic who isn't actually looking at the fighting, so they don't need to show the battles erupting around him. Saves them a lot on production costs, and yet the episode is written and shot so masterfully that we the audience don't feel like we're missing anything by following Eugene Roe as he shows us the other side of the battle and his personal struggle with PTSD, and the bravery of what it means to be a combat medic. Definitely has to be a top 3 episode in the series, in a series where every episode is excellent, I always marvel at how good this one is.
Funnily enough the set they made was an entire forest indoors rigged with explosives to simulate artillery fire. It was one of the most expensive sets in the show. So not showing the heavy combat was probably a nice compromise to balance the costs out.
@@ThePsychoAnon They go all out with that set in the next episode, but by then the worst of the Battle of the Bulge is already over.
Great reaction Ames! Having been to Bastogne and stood in those foxholes it's difficult to imagine how anyone survived. Also of note, the Belgian nurse, Renee Lemaire, who was killed in the bombing, had her body wrapped in an American parachute (the women saved them to be used as wedding dresses) and brought back to her house. There is a memorial at her grave (as well as at the grave of the other nurse featured, Augusta Chiwy who survived the war and live a long life). There is also a separate memorial for them and all the nurses. Renee and Augusta were know as the "Angels Of Bastogne"
It’s worth noting that Augusta lived to a ripe old age. She wasn’t killed in the bombing of the church.
I recently had a Canadian friend come to the US and he asked me why there was so many flags flying. He couldn’t understand why there were so many American flags outside homes and businesses. Now you understand. We have lived such an amazing privileged life because of the blood and sacrifice of these men and women, and those that came before and after. I myself had not ever had to serve our country in the military because of the bravery of these people and I will never forget it or be able to thank them enough. It stirs my anger to see a younger generation who take what they’ve got for granted and then act as if they are owed something by this country. Be right or wrong I see them is ridiculous self-centered egotistical spoiled brats. They, and myself included, no not the meaning of sacrifice. However I will never take this for granted. As the old quote goes“all that takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing “. This will become more and more clear as you move through the series. Thank you so much for watching this and understanding what people from both of our nations did in sacrifice. I have a hard time even looking these men in the face, they’ve seen so much more than I’ve ever had to see. God bless them.
Cpl. Eugene Roe - Band of Brothers
Oh Lord, grant that I shall never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, or to be loved as to love with all my heart.
It's a type of strength/serenity prayer you hear this one quite a lot in the deep south where I'm from.
You gotta remember roe is from Louisiana, and his grandmother was actually quite the healer herself.
She was curing cancers.
Thank u for another emotional reaction. For me... ep6 is really one of the best BOB episode. Its also my fave ep.. doc. Roe really worked hard... Also if you happen to read the book.. the Easy men really respect doc. ROE... especially during bastogne. Easy company said that doc. Eugene Roe is one of the "HEART OF EASY" considering that his the only Medic who served Easy through out their journey... and it was actually stated in the book that the men felt doc. Roe really deserves a medal on how well he worked hard saving all of them in bastogne... I even remember reading Malarkeys book and i remember him talking about doc.Roe.. "If you happen to see doc. Roe, he will just sit by himself and you can totally tell his losing it. Doc. Roe witnessed more death than any of the men so who could blame him if his just seating from behind, not saying a word"-Donald Malarkey. Not sure about the exact word malarkey used... its been so long since ive read the book... but that statement really broke my heart and i didnt forget it since then....
doc. ROE... Roe was helping anyone he could, no matter the situation. He ran out into the open during a German artillery strike. He ran out into the open without weapons and dragged a wounded man back. Roe was described as the most dependable, caring person in Easy Company. Malarkey even recommended him for a silver star but the citation was set aside and forgotten about. He was known for getting to anyone who needed help, even if they weren’t sure how he got there. Easy company said that... "its amazing how He was always there when we needed him"... and one thing more the miniseries didnt shw is the fact that... Roe was also injured in his jump into Holland. He landed on barbed wire and cut open his leg. He received another purple heart for that...
Keep your head up, your half way thru. When your done, you will carry this series with you for the rest of your life.
And you'll come sprinting into a room if you ever hear that opening music, for life.
@@jackpowell9276truer words were never spoken.
Michael Kamen was a fantastic composer. ❤
Ep 6 and 7 were always my favorite. It showed how shared trauma could develop such strong bonds between men and make them truly brothers. Just a harrowing set of episodes
Ames, your channel has quickly become one of my favorites! Your empathy and compassion shines through! Around 8:02, Eugene is saying part of the Prayer of Saint Francis otherwise known as the Simple Prayer for Peace --
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Thanks for sharing this! Roe is such an inspirational figure and this is probably my favorite episode.
I love this prayer now! Thank you 😊
The best (or worst, depending on how you see it) part about watching your reactions, especially to this series, is your empathy. It is incredible to watch your reactions. It wasn't a minute into the episode and you were already crying. You're an incredibly caring person, and that's a wonderful thing. I hope you never ever have to see the things depicted in war movies/shows. And to be honest, that's why service members fight and do the hard things they do, to keep wonderful people like you from experiencing this irl.
❤️❤️❤️❤️thank u so much for watching
Tidbit, my family's contribution to world war 2 was the invention of the Jeep. Our great uncle owned Bantam Car Company and developed the Land Recon Vehicle which became the Jeep. He had a wing at the Smithsonian dedicated to him, Roy Evans
Smokey, the machine gunner who was paralyzed eventually regained full use of his limbs. Later in life he returned to where his foxhole was and found the cup he dropped.
My dad was a medic in WW2. Winter of 1944, European theater. The stories...
Thank you for your reactions! It is wonderful to see our younger generations view this critical series. I am retired Army, did 21 years, and had a chance while I was serving to meet some of these men while they were out promoting it. What an incredible honor for me. Their story needs survive so thank yiu for doing this! Keep the faith! Love what you do!
It always gets me too!
All military branches in my family.
My father's father was Navy.
My mother's father was army.
My oldest brother is army.
My baby brother went Navy.
My brother in law went air force
My father's I'm law, the most bad ass man that even manned, was a marine❤
*Bonus content* my mother's grandmother is a Russian Jew, and she was one of the first who was rescued.
I do remember her complaining LOUDLY about the us soldiers who were "no better than those German pigs! That they only give us a tiny cup of water and a bite of bread and cheese)
She was a spicy woman.
I never talked back once to my nana😳
I applaud you for taking an interest in WWII. This series is the most accurate portrayal of what E company experienced from enlistment to the surrender of Germany. They remain the most decorated company in all of WWII. Watching this series shows why they and all who lived in that time are called "the greatest generation".
Growing up my next door neighbor was POW survivor of the Battle of the Bulge (of which Bastogne was part of). He had really been through it and came out a terrific person. He passed just a year or so ago not long after turning 100 and he is very much missed.
Mey his memory live on in your hearth.
This entire series showcases real men being real heroes.
I'm only 2 generations removed from these guys and already I can't imagine my generation being this heroic, nor any generation after mine.
At least not on this scale.
Today's men mostly want to avoid war.
During WWII, most men were disappointed if they could NOT enlist.
That's a very different take on duty, heroism, and courage.
These men were part of the greatest generation that ever lived and my Dad and Mother were part of that generation, I really hope we never forget what they did.They truly saved the world.
The real tragedy of Renee's story is that she was initially only in Bastogne to visit her parents for Christmas, but when the town was cut off by the Germans she volunteered to serve as a nurse while she was stuck there, and was killed on Christmas Eve.
I'm a Vietnam era veteran and simply wanted to offer that I deeply appreciate your reaction to those who endure the realities of war. That said, I believe I could make a good argument that every high school student in the United States should be expected to sit through "Band of Brothers", "Saving Private Ryan" and "Hacksaw Ridge". I believe it absolutely necessary that young people hear these stories.
These medical personnel truly are angels on earth. I’ve been to the ER a few times, and I am amazed by the nurses that work in it and see this stuff on a daily basis in civilian life. Thank you to everyone that works and I field like this!
Ames, please don’t change who you are. I’m in love with you. 😂 I LOVE how deeply you feel this series and the reverence you show for the men and their stories. As a veteran, and an army brat, and my great grandfather having served in WW2 I love that you did this series and are loving it.
Your comment about shaving while out in the wilderness made me chuckle. When I was going through the Army’s Special Warfare Center and School, my cycle was during the winter. I grew up in the Carolinas so knew the weather but that year was particularly cold and during my culmination exercise temperatures were often floating around the teens in the morning with the wind chill. I still clearly remember the sound of my cheap Bic razor clanging against my canteen cup of ice cold water as I would shave every morning with no light, using my free hand to feel around my face for missed spots. Days definitely blend together after a while but I will say that morning shave woke me right up and got me focused. And with the limits for hygiene out in the field it was one of the few things I could control out there
Thank you for taking this journey to honor these brave men.
High School history teacher was in 101st (not Easy Co, but his obituary read like a list of BoB episodes - Normandy, Eindhoven, Bastogne, Berchtesgaden). He was adament that they did not need to be "rescude" by Patton or anyone else. He said that they only needed more supplies & to have their wounded evacuated, RIP Mr Hurt.
In the book Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends, Babe says that they recovered Julian's body. There is a photo in the book of Babe visiting Julian's grave in 2004.
Babe: "You never get over something like that. I'm only glad he didn't suffer long. . ."
Your comment about the realism of the wounds resonated with me because I remember thinking the same thing when I watched this.
I was in the navy but I don't have any combat experience. I was on the maintenance air crew side of things. But that experience made me believe in miracles. Especially miracles involving fatal wounds. We had the most random and horrific workplace accident that I have ever seen personally. It happened to a guy about 15 yd away from me. We maintained the trailers and handling equipment the navy used for armaments like bombs and missiles. What we call ordinance. Restored some marine trailers that are used specifically for rough terrain like the desert or a mountain environment. The tongue and the hitch of these are much heavier than they look. You can lift one by yourself at the hinge to lock it upright, but it takes some effort. For some perspective these things are heavier than a sledgehammer for sure and I use that as an example for a reason. We were walking through the Bay to the back and a guy like I said about 15 yd ahead of me was walking in front of one of those trailers that was stacked on top of another 1. They were stacked on top and reverse direction of each other. So the tongue on the bottom was facing the wall, and the tongue on the trailer on top was locked upright facing out toward the Walkway.
Randomly.... So randomly that if they had been there the ghost hunters would have put it on TV and called it supernatural. The lock on the tongue on the top trailer just popped loose And that tongue, which as I said weighs far more than a sledgehammer, Came swinging down right on the top of this guy's head. The design on bottom of that tongue is probably the only reason he survived and wasn't instantly killed. There isn't anything sharp on the bottom of them. It is a flat surface it might as well be a sheet of steel. Because if one corner of any of that had come down it absolutely would have killed him right in front of me, because it almost killed him as it was. So the miracles start with the fact that he stayed conscious after it hit him. I'm sure he wasn't happy that he was conscious, but it's probably great that he didn't get knocked out. The next miracle is that the only ambulance on the entire base was at the radio tower which is across the street from us. We never even called when we started scrambling to get help somebody was already out there smoking and they just jumped up and down and flagged this ambulance down. The timing could not have been better. They were 9n scene helping this dude in less than a minute after he got hit. This is gross and I don't mean to get graphic but..... Have you ever seen how much headwounds bleed even when they're not that severe? It's on a whole other level. If somebody that didn't know what happened walked into that room after he got hit they would have thought somebody got brutally murdered. They had to call a Hazmat team to come in and clean up the blood off the floor. And the 3rd miracle is that he did have a skull fracture and a brain bleed and he was not expected to live. But he did against all odds. And the final and biggest miracle of all is that not only did he not die. There was no real lasting damage at all, and he was back working with us in just a little over a year.
My very long roundabout story was to say that I got an up close look at this dude's head, and I would never in a million years have guessed that he would survive. It looked absolutely horrifying. I thought, and I might have just been panicking a little bit, but I could have sworn that I saw his brain in the wound. Which for this show makes me feel kind of bad for the guy that got shot in the neck that they had to leave...... As unlikely as it looked there's always the chance that somebody could have saved his life.
I like to tell stories I'm sorry if it wasn't that entertaining thank you for indulging me
Doc Eugene Roe is my favorite character in the whole series. (2nd First Sargeant Lipton) but for Doc To go into combat without a gun simply amazing and such an interesting character// real person. He shows us the physical and mental toll that wears down on medics because they have to treat so many wounded men
If you're familiar with the series M.A.S.H., the chain of evacuation for wounded soldiers was similar to what it was during WW2. How far up the chain the man was moved depended upon the severity of his injuries.
The medic on the battlefield> battalion aid station> collecting station at regimental command post> clearing station for minor wounds and shock> evacuation hospital for surgery on lesser wounds> field hospital for surgery on severe cases> general hospital> convalescent hospital
What made Bastogne even worse was that soon after the 101st arrived, German troops captured their medical detachment, the 326th Medical Company.
My grandfather was in the Battle of the Bulge. He never spoke about the war or his experiences. We didn't find out till after he died what his service record was and where he'd been. Not even my grandmother knew, she said he simply would not talk about it. He always seemed to be so funny and happy. So many people liked him and were friends of his. So many people showed up at his funeral. And that entire time this was all bottled up inside of him.
Your reaction is just like all our reactions when we watched for the first time 22 years ago and dozens of times since. I love taking this journey with you.
Having spent my career as a Paratrooper in the 101st and 82nd, I can tell you that this series is universally loved in the Airborne community. The men of Easy Co. 506th are legends, as are many, many more. To this day, many of the regiments that are still active bear the monikers and nicknames earned in WWII. I was lucky to be a member of the "Devils in Baggy Pants".
As for Combat Medics, they're awesome, and a Grunt's best friend. So much so that I married one. She and I will be celebrating 11 years in a couple weeks.
Lastly, I'd like to HIGHLY recommend watching "Generation Kill", which is based on the 2003 invasion of Iraq. And "The Pacific" which is about the fight with Japan in WWII. Both are produced by the same crew as Band of Brothers.
I give you a lot of credit for watching this unbelievable, unforgettable series that every single American should see ( along with The Pacific ). Its heartwarming to know that some young people are still interested in what our relatives endured as young people, and thus helping to save the world in the process.
In my humble opinion, B.O.B is the best portrayal of WW2 ever made. It tells the story of the 506th, and of WW2 in general, unlike anything before or since. Now that all have passed on, these interviews with this band of heroes becomes even more important. My father was in the air force during WW2 as an Airframe Tech, and my uncle was in the airborne and jumped into Holland. They never said anything. This series means a great deal to many. You cannot watch this series and not get emotional. The reverence I feel for these men, words do not do justice. Currahee!
It’s an unreal series
@@holddowna: I have a very dear friend, who is 102 this year. He was a tank driver with the Canadian 1st Hussars. What he has spoken of, I just can't imagine. The trauma, fear and courage under fire, scars he carries to this day.
Heart breaking, thank you for sharing Ames, stay safe and well, my grandfather was a UK medic during D-Day and after, i still miss him after losing him in the 1980's, he had a beautiful soul.
with love and kind regards,
Chris.
Renee Lemaire, was a Belgian nurse who provided medical care to the wounded in Bastogne. When the church she was in was bombed by the Germans on Christmas Eve, 1944, she survived the initial bombing but went back in to rescue wounded soldiers who were non-ambulatory. She went in 6 times, and pulled soldiers out. On the 7th time, the building collapsed and she was killed. She was a nurse who lived in Brussels but was home at Bastogne to visit her family for Christmas before the German offensive. Her friend and fellow nurse August Chiwy from Congo survived the war. They were known as the Angels of Bastogne. After the 101st Airborne recovered Renee;s body, they wrapped her in a parachute and returned her body to her family. .I visited the graves of Renee and Augusta in Bastogne while on a tour this past September.
I'm loving this Ames journey of watching all the famous acclaimed war films and miniseries that she's never seen. I haven't seen a lot of them in a while so Ames is giving us all a trip down memory lane. It's very satisfying and it's a nice thing to come home too after work. A watch-along and beer with Ames.
This is the beginning the of the hardest episodes in the show. I remember watching this for the first time while we were freezing our butts off in Korea during a military exercise.
During our breaks we would come in and watch this and the other Bastogne episode. Watching what these men went through was a reminder that we didn't have it bad at all.
I agree that medics are amazing. As a Vet, I just want to say that every Doc out there is an angel.
This is where the series get tougher and tougher to watch, but they're also the best and most important episodes IMO. It really shows you the reality of how bad it was for them, and some of the most important happenings with each man.
So glad for your appreciation of the series, a wonderful celebration of these brave men. At the same time I feel for your distress with the awareness of how real this was. I remember the level of shock I had watching this series for the first time. An amazing perspective through the eyes of Doc Roe, such a compassionate heart, as many of the men also had for their fellow brothers. It’s hard for me to hear Doc when the Aussie actor who plays him speaks in interviews, so big props for his Cajun performance. Sometimes I think about these men and what they endured in Bastogne when I have to endure a tough situation. I mean, that Joe Toye, with frostbite wanting to stay on “the line” to support his brothers just blows me away.
Every time I see him deny the morphine hits me hard. Because how many of us would be willing to go through that much pain just because in that moment your thinking of others. That selfless sacrifice is inspiring and is only shown for a couple minutes. I've known people who wouldn't give you even a second look if you were in need. And I've known people who'd give the shirt off their back. Those are the people who even if I don't get along with have a insane amount of respect from me.
This, without a doubt, is THE BEST miniseries ever made.. The follow up documentary “We Stand Alone, Together” is a must to watch. Interviews with more of the veterans. If you’re really into history, there’s more here on UA-cam covering the men of Easy Company and their actor counterparts ie. reunions and such.
That look they give each other at 15:23 is so well done to show hopelessness, anger, sadness, etc etc.
My dad had a buddy who was in Vietnam as a corpsman, the Navy medics who accompanied the Marines in combat. Said the dude couldn't buy himself a beer in a bar anywhere, because there was always a marine there to put one in his hand. He also couldn't get into a fight in a bar, because if anyone messed with him there would suddenly be a gang of marines behind him to fuck up whoever messed with their corpsman. My father-in-law was a medic in the Hmong guerrilla fight against Laos in the secret war. Neither one of them talked much about their experiences.
My English teacher 50 years ago, Mr Christie, had been a conscientious objector during WWII. He served as an Army Medic in an infantry regiment. He taught me the same trick about treating trench foot by changing socks and drying the wet ones next to your body under your uniform. And writing an “M” on the forehead of a wounded man alerted other medics that he had been given morphine. So they wouldn’t accidentally give him an overdose.
Regarding shaving, there was mention of the officer keeping morale. This was part of military discipline. Discipline was part of keeping morale up. If you left each individual soldier to make up their own minds and accept their own thoughts on their condition, then they would quickly fall apart. Uniforms, drilling, following procedure are all part of military discipline through a disciplined life. General Patton was famous for requiring his soldiers to wear ties as well as entire complete uniform at all times, and to be cleanly shaven. This was all part of his demand of discipline. You may be dehydrated, starving and on death's door, but by God you'll look like a soldier. That was Patton's way.
My dad and I took a trip to France to see the World War I and World War II sites last year. We also went to Bastogne where they had a museum that documented the Battle of the Bulge. Not to far away was the forest area where the fighting happened and it's well preserved. While this is a set built to simulated the woods in Bastogne, I can confirm that all the trees were spaced out like that with no underbrush and all over the place there were pits that were either foxholes or blast craters where the enemy artillery had hit. The foxholes were dug due to the lack of cover with the trees being spaced out. The trees being evenly spaced out was part of France and Belgium keeping wooded areas clean to reduce the chances of wildfires. Being there really got me thinking about the men who died there, it also had me think about my granddad who was there when he was in the Army during World War II. Seeing Bastogne in person really does change your perspective and you develop a deeper understanding.
“It is altogether foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”
George S. Patton
General, United States Army
On December 16, 1944, Hitler launched his last great (WW2) offensive on the Western Front through the Ardennes. Known as the 'Battle of the Bulge'. The code name for the buildup to the offensive, 'Wacht Am Rhein' (Watch on the Rhine). The actual offensive was codenamed Operation 'Autumn Mist' (Unternehmen Herbstnebel). The German army attacked with approximately 28 Divisions [Fifth and Sixth Panzer Armies and Seventh Army].
The weather for several days was a combination of freezing rain, thick fog, snow and record-breaking low temperatures. It wasn’t until Christmas Day that the weather conditions finally cleared, allowing Allied air forces to strike.
Eisenhower ordered elements of the 10th Armored Division [Combat Command B] to the Bastogne area. It joined elements of the 9th Armored, several artillery battalions, and infantrymen defending Bastogne and the small towns around it. On Dec. 18th, the 705 Tank Destroyer Battalion arrived, and on the 19th the 101st Airborne.
At one battalion I served with in the Army we had a couple of Samoans who were absolutely unaccustomed to the sub zero wind temps we'd sometimes deal with through the night in the field with no shelter. We were all freezing cold of course but those poor guys just looked miserable. However when I spoke with them (I was serving as fire platoon leader) they always responded in a remarkably good natured way. Tough men and fine soldiers both.
My grandpa was at Chosin in the Korean War, and every winter he'll say "It was colder in Korea." Winter warfare is Hell.
You get the key to this excellent series, the emphasis on the humanity of "The band of brothers"...
Thanks so much for watching !
Production fact: the outdoor snow scenes were filmed inside a hanger in England. The lights used to light the scenes gave off a lot of heat and actually made filming very uncomfortably hot for the actors. The breath vapor was done in post/CGI'd.
This is the episode that touches the soul
The forest of the Ardennes made the shelling (the German artillery fire) deadly as the trees that were hit by shells that then exploded caused chunks of the wood to explode into the men nearby. This is shown very well in this episode. It was part of the horror of this battle, The Battle of the Bulge. There is an older movie called The Battle of the Bulge that is much less gritty but has much of the story, though there is disagreement on much of the accuracy of the film due to Hollywood dramatizing it for the audience. If you want to further yourself as a WW2 film buff, you should see this movie. A Bridge Too Far is a good movie dramatizing Operation Market Garden and features an all-star cast. It is very well done and I do love it and recommend it.
Watching this show is as close - thank goodness - most people will ever get to this situation - but it gives us comfy civvies a sense of what people went through in these times - priceless.
Quite possibly one of my favorite episodes of the series. Buckle up, things get even more intense from here.
This was absolutely my favorite episode. Doc roe is my favorite character, he was portrayed so well by Shane Taylor
I always loved the Bastogne episode, because I think at the time Band of Brothers came out, how unique it was to actually feature an entire episode (or close to a movie length's of screen time), on how isolating yet completely vital the work is of medics in warfare. I still have never seen a portrayal of a medic topped for just how much that contrast stays with you- they're part of the men, but also separate, and most likely don't want to emotionally get too close. The portrayal of Doc Roe is just amazing.
Love your reactions. I've been to Belgium and took a private tour with my guide to Bastogne and the Ardennes Forest. The entire area pays great thanks and respect to the 101st Airbourne. The Bastogne War Museum is a must see. It's dedicated to the 101st and the Battle of the Bulge. While visiting the Ardennes Forest, I walked in the area where Easy Company spent that brutal winter and saw many of the foxholes still there. Another profound and humbling experience I will never forget.
Thanks so much for watching! This series changed my life!
Was your tour with Reg? He's great.
@@elodie_k221b I booked with The History Wolf Tours and it was just my guide Istvan and myself.
My Uncle Milo fought in this battle, outside St. Vith. He and his heavy machine gun squad (the type of gun used by Smokey, the soldier shot and paralyzed in this episode) got cut off behind enemy lines and had to evade in the snow. Milo eventually got separated from his men when some Germans discovered them. He was on the run from the 16th until Christmas Eve, when he finally reachded safety. He was taken off the line for trenchfoot and frostbite, which may have saved his life given what happened to the majority of the men of the 106th.
Doc didn't call people by their nicknames for the same reason one of the guys in the beginning interviews said he didn't want to be friendly with the replacements, because when they got killed it hurt too much. So Doc calling everyone by their proper names helped keep some professional distance allowing him to emotionally separate and do his job. If Heffron dies he's just another soldier in the company, but if Babe dies, thats his friend. IDK if that makes exact sense but thats the best way I can put it
Let it be remembered that the Germans would have reached Bastogne first, if not for the delaying actions of the 28th Infantry Divisions 110th Infantry Regiment ( which was essentially annihilated) and the 10th Armored Divisions Combat Command "B", that sent blocking units ("Team Cherry", "Team Desobry", others) to towns 8-10 miles east of Bastogne. They were mauled as well, with the survivors being the main armored force in Bastogne when surrounded.
Just an FYI........Desobry, leader of "Team Desobry" was badly wounded and captured by the Germans. Thirty years later, as a General, he was one of the leaders of the Army team that headed the development of the M-1Abrams.
You have such a beautiful humanity. From a veteran, I'm sure I can speak for many others when I say I am so glad you have decided to educate yourself about these amazing men and women who gave so much.
All gave some, some gave all! God bless you, Ames!
Bastogne will always be my "favorite" episode, if you wanna call it that, because it is relentless. It shows how the medics had to deal with the war constantly in and out of combat. Every episode before and after will have ups and downs but not Bastogne. Bastogne is a constant display of stress and stress management.
Simply watching your response to the woes of our Boys in Bastogne...
you are a virtuous, wonderful woman.
And, yes... personal hygiene during combat is very conducive to morale.
So glad to see that a young person like youself 'get it'. Band of Brother is the best ever and it is in my soul as well. North Amercia is being invaded on an epic scale and war will result soon. Our military has betrayed us. What an insult to these men who gave their it all.
I served with the 101st in 1970. W men in my company were in Bastogne They bath told me that all Paton's 3rd army did for them was make it so their wounded could get out.
Both told me this at dif times with neither talking to the other about saying anything to me.
Then in 1986 I meet another man who was there. He had been a major and said that there was no way Paton's 3rd Army did any recuing. He said after the air drops of Dec 25 they had all they needed to keep fighting and keep the Germans out. This form a man who was in command of a battalion.
Winters said it all when told if they went into Bastogne they would be surrounded. Winters told the guy we r Airborne. we'er suppose be be surround. Airborne r not just another soldier We are troops and very elite ones. Even today the USA had less then 25K Airborne Troopers. Marines eat ur heart out.
According to History Professor Jared Frederick, the character of the nurse, Renée, may have been inspired by the real life character Renée Lemaire, Lemaire was from the Bastogne area, her parents owned a hardware store there, throughout much of the war, prior to this moment, she had been a nurse in Brussels, where she helped take care of the wounded. She just happened to be going home to see her parents in Bastogne for Christmas 1944, and little could she have realized that this battle would erupt in her front yard.
He further states there's no evidence to suggest that she interacted with Doc Roe. Renée did lose her life during German bombing of Bastogne, but she was not in the Church basement, she was actually in a store basement that wasn't too far away. A building had caught fire, and she was taking part in an effort to evacuate men who had taken refuge in that building, an aid station in the basement of the Sarma Store. She was able to pull six men out of the fire and when she went back in to get a seventh, she lost her life. She was 30 years old. Her body was later delivered to her parents wrapped in a white parachute.
A parachute that she had apparently recovered that morning, with the intent of one day making her wedding dress out of it :’(
The shaving is to maintain discipline. Being the leader, he wanted to make sure he maintained the best discipline he could as an example to his men.
This show is great. The stories are great. There's a reason they're referred to as the Greatest Generation. The things they had to endure are unfathomable to us today.
Look up "Angels of Mercy: Two Screaming Eagle Medics in Angoville-au-Plain on D-Day".
Two medics of the 101st set up a field hospital in a 12th century church and proceeded to treat wounded from both sides along with civilians. Their only rule was no weapons in the church for either side. Both sides respected this rule. The blood from days of wounded men being treated still stains the pews and floors.
"No, Doc, save the morphine. I can make it."
that line always make me tear up
One Sunday when I was a boy, we had a substitute Sunday School teacher. He was the father of a classmate. I sort of knew he had been a paratrooper. The day's lesson included a picture of a military chaplain holding services. He explained that they did that even in combat conditions. The example he used was Christmas 1944 in Bastogne.
Amazing series. In 2018 I took a tour with the WWII museum out of New Orleans. We spent 2 weeks following the path Easy Company took through WWII. We had two of the actors with us on our tour. Learned that this episode was filmed inside an aircraft hanger in England in the summer, during some of the hottest days of that summer. They would have to take breaks during the filming to go outside and try to cool down. Complete opposite of what was being portrayed in this episode.
Ames is the only movie reviewer I watch because she’s the only one to add anything to the story. FYI, dipping finger in blood, he wrote M on his forehead to signify that he had received Morphine, thereby letting any follow up medical assistance know not give him more as it could kill him. Using his blood was just a field expedient. If you think episode was overwhelming, you better have the tissues ready for the next 2 episodes.
I remember watching this and i remember the stories that my granddaddy told us when he was in Korea. Boy he said it was cold hell marching in those snowy terrains almost lost his fingers.
Crying before the intro is even over? This one will be an emotional ride for sure.
This and the next episode, episode 7, are two of the best episodes in television. Period.
I just want to say you are one of the best movie reaction channels . You genuinely are moved on the dramas and have alot of fun on the comedies and horror films.
Some background on this because I know you are a cinema geek. This part of the series was all done on a soundstage . And it was so hot under the lights etc that the actors were sweating with their costume gear on. So, it is incredibly good acting to still get into the mindset of the men they were portraying and try to mentally place yourself where they were. Cold starved and freezing while they are over heating and apparently well fed.
As far as Bastogne, it was hell. The whole war was mostly hell like they all are. But to sit and freeze and be so hungry that you are resorting to eating snow . Plus having mortars launched at you over and over with nothing that you could do but try to hold on. It's just an incredible inner strength they had. But they had been prepared for it through tough training. They were the elite soldiers in that war.
I want to say something about these generations of young people...the greatest generation and silent generation . This generation was my parents generation . And, one thing I can tell you and I know for fact is they never complained. No matter how hard it was, sick they were, hurt or disabled they still just got up and did. I have so much admiration for the people born and who lived in these times. Maybe it was growing up in a depression that they knew they had to get tough. There was nothing to complain about because everyone was hungry and poor. These men and women were fighting and trying to help the wounded . But still home you had women who left their home life to go build planes and tanks. You had the WAC who bravely tested planes. People grew gardens because food was rationed. Some because we weren't able to produce enough with so many pulled from farms into service . But also food needed to go to servicemen . So the line at the end where they said they never felt they needed rescue... doesn't shock me at all. They were a tough as nails generation.
What gets me alot in this is the church where many soldiers might have been removed to after wounded...it was demolished . That's a special kind of stab in the heart to have those attacked who can no longer even fight back.
Go honor your fallen vets this Veterans Day. Show up for their services . Think about how many gave their lives just so you could be born and live. How many lived with pain from injuries (mental and physical) for those who survived . Donate to some veterans organizations to honor these guys and all vets (even if never in combat). Or to a VFW in the states. Remember your vets still here too yet. Remember them all.
This is a really great series for the most. There are inaccuracies . Yet overall it was a pretty good written series and had a excellent cast . The cast to this day is also their own kind of band of Brothers holding their own type of reunuon events just like the 101st did. However they make it open to the public to attend and ask questions. If they have another any time soon , you might consider going to it.
The black nurse is known as the angel of bastogne and has a very cool interesting story. She was alive til 2015. Renee was also very important, as shown. Their presence greatly helped with the morale of the soldiers.
I myself was a Medic (though nothing like the level of what Roe and the others went through) so this is easily my favorite episode and it's always a treat when Band Of Brothers react videos get to this one
funny how just a month ago i couldnt imagine the terror of bastogne, and now, for me, is just another tv episodes. wild.
She was already crying before the intro, you know it's gonna be a hard episode!
Anytime I’m in a water cooler conversation with someone on the topic of Band of Brothers; if they say they have not yet watched the series, I always tell them that they need to see it because it’s life changing.