What an incredible series!!! So grateful to have watched it. Thank you to all the soldiers who served and never forget those we have lost. Hope everyone celebrating in the States has a safe Independence Day. Full watch-a-long reactions can be found here: bit.ly/3ykuf9u
If you can, I would suggest watching the hbo show "We Stand Alone Together" . it is the documentary about the making of the show Band of Brothers (not for reaction, but for the interviews it contains). It's posted in it's entirety on youtube with millions of views. It is primarily interviews with the soldiers , and is where most of the interviews in the series originated.
This series caused a huge movement to have Richard Winters' Distinguished Service Cross upgraded to a Medal of Honor. Winters himself wanted nothing to do with it, and indeed remained incredibly humble in the face of his vastly increased recognition after the series aired, until his death in 2011 at age 92. Shortly before, he agreed for a 12 foot statue of himself to be erected in Sant-Marie-du-Mont, as long as it was dedicated to all the junior officers of the D-Day landing. It was finished and unveiled the following year.
Hes military tactis and strategic execution of his battle plans in 2nd or 3rd episode, where they ambush German positions, is still taught in military academy's till this day! Im a Canadian but some of the old american warriors just blow me away man, d day was a combined Canadian, American and British assault, but those boys on Ohama beach got chewed up, we may not agree with all wars, but we should always have the soldeirs backs and welcome them back home after. If you have time, please check out Canadas highway of heros, its a highway that fallen soldiers travel when they get back and 1000s of people line the sides of the road to pay respects
@@NikkiStevenReact Hey I'm also watching The Superdeep on my Xbox it has a USA version which I'm watching it starts off in black and white but goes into color after 5 min I'm not shure if it's about zombies or what yet.
Served in the 101st airborne. The men of Currahee are legends. The last line Maj. Winters said about the company of heroes, always and will forever get me to tears. Sadly in 2014 the Currahee disbanded. I am honored to have served in the same division as these men.
Hi, I served in 3rd Field artillery regiment reserves in Ireland, thanks for your service, I saw the lovely statue of Major Winters near Utah, beach and saw his personal equipment in Dead man's corner near Carentan. I've been to all the Dday beaches, Brecourt Manor, Carentan, bloody gulch, a lot of cemeteries, American, British, Canadian and German.
To be honest with you, I have noticed that this is happening in every country, I am from the UK and served in the Royal air force and 2/3 of the squadrons I served on, in fact all but one have been disbanded and dissolved. Horse waves of the British Army have been merged with valiant and courageous regiments with history as rich as can be have been completely swiped away. This gives me great sadness for the legacy. How are the young people coming into the forces supposed to enrich themselves and have anything to live up to, I think we both know that this is planned. But if you also noticed it’s the same with the rest of all our societies in the west
There is one inaccuracy that I feel I have to point out, because the real story is actually far more meaningful than what the show did. When the german commander is surrendering and offering his sidearm, Winters actually took it, and kept it until his death. The important thing was, that sidearm was never fired once during the war when it was handed to Winters. And Winters made sure that luger was never fired in his lifetime as a symbol.
One of the single best creative decisions in film/TV history was having a German General deliver the message to the audience you were expecting from the Ally side about being a group of brothers in combat, deserving of peace and harmony. Puts into perspective the human side of war and in the end we're not all that different. Now that's how you actually subvert expectations.
It's also heartwarming to see that the General actually survived opening the Ark of the Covenant back when he was still a Colonel. Yes, that's the same actor, Wolf Kahler.
For me as a German it was difficult to watch this series. But the speech by the German general at the end showed that men simply fought on both sides. War sucks. And I'm glad that our two great nations are allied today.
What cuts deep in that particular episode for me is the scene where Grant gets shot by one of his own (so to speak, as he was a replacement from another company, but from the same division). But as Winters said, it was due to them having weapons, alcohol and too much time on their hands. You put those three things together, there's bound to be trouble from within, no matter what flag you fight for.
@@paddydahunter9252 No doubt they would've also experienced similar hardships as the Allies did. That is with regards as to what happened to Grant in this episode. I'm sorry, but the whole thing with Grant and his encounter with a drunken replacement, it makes me wonder if the Germans ever had the exact same issues with intoxicated young soldiers with far too much time on their hands.
@@GreyDoofus88 no doubt they did and I’d like to hear those stories told. They probably didn’t have as much free time as the allied soldiers did being as they were on the defensive so probably not as many incidents.
That ending quote of Winters (“Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?”) always, ALWAYS gets to me not only because it’s objectively moving in its humble truth, but because I’m also around your ages and both of my own grandfathers also fought in the war. I can remember asking them similar questions as a kid and having them both kindly redirect me in that same loving but humble way. They’re both gone now, but given their combat experiences (one in the Pacific and one in Europe), I totally get it.
I met Shifty Powers in France in '04 during the 60th anniversary of D-Day. We got to tour a few of the French battlefields depicted in this show. The tree Lipton climbs in episode 2 during a battle is still there. The locals celebrate D-Day by wearing American military uniforms of the time, some of them even driving old US army jeeps. A very surreal, amazing experience from the people we met, to the natural beauty of Normandy, to the history...one of the best things I've ever gotten to do.
Richard Winters was a very humble man. Per his wishes, his death wasn't announced here in PA until after his funeral, because he didn't want people to make a fuss over him.
I didn't find out until after his death that my dad had flown in bombing runs over Berlin, late in the war. He was a volunteer, and he knew it had to be done, but he wasn't overly proud of having to kill the people he was fighting against.
Hi Steven. I want to say that you’re the best editor of any reaction channel I’ve seen. You take more care to both include the important story moments AND the moments that affect you two. It has to take more time and effort on your part. Just want you to know it doesn’t go unnoticed.
@@NikkiStevenReact Have to back this comment. I've been watching your reactions since Game of Thrones and you guys come off as so genuine and seem actually interested in the shows you watch which is such a breath of fresh air compared to other reaction youtubers.
The actor who played Buck Compton, Neil McDonough, became friends with Buck Compton and kept in touch after the filming of Band of Brothers. Neil's son has a nickname, "Little Buck", in honor of Compton. Sadly there are no more members of Easy Company still alive. The last surviving member of Easy Company died in 2019.
Just wanted to remind you to watch We Stand Alone Together after this . That's when you hear from all the men who are still alive at that time, please don't miss it, thanks.
I watched The Pacific but saw it only once. I don't think it was as great a series as Band of Brothers, perhaps because there isn't really the same camaraderie. It was also a darker series in many ways.
They’re mostly all gone now but when I was younger I used to tell myself if I got impatient with an elderly slow driver that he might have fought and won WWII so give him some slack.
That last line "Grandpa were you a hero in the war?" I will answer for you sir, yes your grandfather was a hero. I was in tears watching that and I have watched this series 3 times I believe.
I watch this every year between Memorial Day and June 6. Last time I watched it, I just sobbed through most of it. The sacrifices these men and so many others made for a worthy purpose… I’m crying now just thinking about it. Episode 9 is so hard. But I watch it because I think it’s the least I can do. And yes, I sob and sob at the end of Ep 10 when the men are identified. Of course, I’ve watched it so many times now, I know them all by heart. I feel like they’re my friends. Then I realize they’re all gone now, and I cry some more. Greatest Generation.
We lost Major Winters in 2011, in May 2014 the Richard D. Winters leadership memorial was unveiled in Normandy. Nikki talked about the people, In Holland they still hold liberation parades, they also have families who adopt the allied graves at the cemeteries there. The waiting list to adopt a grave has thousands of families who sometimes wait decades to do so.
If you want to see the German soldiers side you should watch "Generation War". It's tells the German side of the war. It is about 5 friends. Two brothers who go to serve as soldiers on the eastern front, a girl who serves as a nurse, an actress who stays in Berlin and a Jewish young man who gets taken away by the SS. It is very well made and it is definitely worth a watch if you are interested in the German perspective.
while i completely agree, i do want to add that Generation War isnt quite on the same level as historical accuracy as BoB or Pacific. Not that that devalues it in any way, just something to keep in mind. Its a bit more fiction than the other two.
My father who is 94 was drafted at the end of the war in the German army. He was captured , became a POW at 17 with the Americans. We immigrated to the US in 1954.he is still around, mom dies in April at 91.Thank God we made it too the US. You guys did a great job on BOFB.
I appreciate that you covered Shifty Powers saying goodbye to Major Winters.although I served in a peacetime army, saying goodbye to a friend(s) you served with can be a punch in the gut .
Just a suggestion, but take a bit of a break before hitting "The Pacific" I would also recommend "Taking Chance" as a good movie to review. Looks at what the country does for it's fallen, and how the populace reacts as well. Good movie, no action, but very emotional!
If you enjoyed this watch ''Pacific'' Similarly shot but about the japanese pacific fight in ww2. Your genuine appreciation of the men that fought and the honour this show tried to portray is now showing how horrible war is, may man kind try and learn. But with the thousands lost in the middle east I fear it doesn't.
Not only does the quote, "But I served in a company of heroes", always makes me cry, but so does the part where Winters tells what happened in each man's life after the war. It feels like good-bye.
Brother I said same thing now for weeks and the people in the comments bashed me..... I believe most people have no idea about the pacific.....band of brothers was the army side and pacific was the marines...."hooah" to all my vets ..
@@eddiedaves9457 WARNING: SPOILER QUOTE: "We're dirty, raggity-assed marines. But there's a reason for it." Yup, they went through hell, and too many times their RnR wasn't the civilised world of a Paris or the English shires as the European war had, just a bunk on another dot in the pacific. Heroes all.
@@eddiedaves9457 People bashed you for recommending The Pacific? What did they say? 😠 That pisses me off because it’s so important to watch, the men who fought there don’t get nearly as much recognition.
I was never a WWII buff, or a military enthusiast, or anything of the sort. But as soon as I saw this series it became one of my favorite things ever put on film. I'm a tremendous cynic and not at all a sentimental person, but don't think I have ever had as much admiration for anyone as I have for those men. To this day, I marathon this series every Memorial Day weekend. An absolute masterpiece and a wonderful reaction series from you two. Thank you.
I was going to advise you to not jump directly into the Pacific. It is it's own beast and you should go in fresh. You should also be warned that the Pacific War was an entirely different kind of war and the show reflects that.
I've watched many watch-a-longs for the Band of Brothers series, but yours was the best! I can't wait for you to do The Pacific, but we know you'll need time to recompress after this. You guys are fantastic. Thanks for doing this!
I feel like there's a missing part of my soul every time I finish a good series like this. This is definitely one of the best mini-series that I've ever seen and it was such a good starting point to educate myself about WW2. I'm so glad that it accurately paints the reality of war - it's not much fun, it's brutal, there's a lot of psychological and physical pain, it's exhausting, death is unavoidable, etc. Yet, the bond formed from these dark experiences is exceptionally tighter than that formed from benevolent experiences. Bravo and thanks to the thousands that made this show possible, to educate people on the horrifying events of WW2. This series has consumed me emotionally for the past few weeks, and I honestly need a break before I continue on to The Pacific.
An bittersweet ending to an amazing series. to the fallen and those who survived that terrible war, I salute you 😔 to all the soldiers serving now, and to all our veterans, thank you. Thank you for all that you do and all you've done... With this amazing reaction series down, I'd love to recommend The Last Kingdom for reconsideration 🤞
Everyone who reads this, please never forget: It doesn't matter what conflict, our veterans who lived through battle carry the scars every day of their lives. I am honored to have called a WWII veteran one of my dearest friends. I knew him from age 84 to 95. He still regularly 'fought the Gerries (Germans)' in his nightmares. Don't think it just ends. He once told me that he tried to live as good of a life as possible to honor the men who didn't make it. God bless each one of them, and if you know combat veterans, don't just verbally thank them for their service, mow their yard, or cook them a meal, but most of all, visit them.
i have re-watched this series at least 3 or 4 times since 2003, every a couple years i watch it again, this series is entirely real, everything you watched it happened, there are places in Bastogne in Belgium were you can still see their foxholes, they are still there.. Its one of the most immersive series you can see, the Pacific is also very good, but be aware, the Pacific is more heavy and hard to watch in my opinion.
FYI - A majority of the actors either met their real-life counterparts or family members to get the personal details. A great series - documentary is the BBC - Battlefield on UA-cam. Lastly, civilians get caught up in the war. More civilian Frenchman 2X, died on D-Day (6/6/44) than Allied soldiers.
One of my old units was 82nd Airborne. Some people never got hurt. But when we got back 1 soldier shot himself and two more got drunk and played chicken on dirt bikes both hit each other and died.
A friend of mine is the son of a World War I veteran. His Uncle also served in the war as a member of the 101st airborne and was actually at Bastogne. He used to get drunk in the years after the war and would fly his private airplane Up on one wing tip down South Tacoma way just above the street lights, Herein Tacoma, Washington which has been a military talent for over a 100 years. If you all want something really good read the book by Stephen Ambrose, "Band Of Brothers." You won't waste your time doing so, You'll get a lot more out of it than the series it'll be just like the series plus more.
My Grandfather and 9 of his Brothers served in World War II. Some in Europe and Some in The Pacific. Our Family we're only two generations out of Switzerland and still spoke and understood High German at home. Of the 12 boys 10 served. One was too young and the other was too old. A lot of the men of that generation were just amazing people that came back and build us the best standard of living the country has ever known.. Most of them are very humble men. I had one of my grandpa's brothers who had been a Ranger have a lot of beers at a Family Reunion for him to literally say two or three sentences about it. That generation were amazing people.
The last member of Easy Company Bradford Freeman passed away July 3rd 2022. All of these incredible men are gone and they will always be our Greatest Generation May they all rest in peace.
That you didn't expect the camps to eventually show up, actually surprises me. Because when I first watched this series, that was something I was waiting for. I'm from Norway and I've grown up learning about WWII, even before I started school. My mothers father had to escape to Sweden during the war, so I've learned local and national WWII stories for as long as I can remember.
I know this is an older post but still.... I watch this series from start to finish every Memorial weekend, as a veteran myself its so humbling to see what these men and women went through. I got to go to Germany for two weeks for training in 2009 and the one full day we had off I decided to rent a car and drive to Bastone to walk the Battle of the Bulge site. It was pouring down rain but still just being there had me choked up. My best friend from active duty actually got to meet Maj Winters, it was right after the show had came out and he was touring bases... incredible!! Thanks you two!!
Some others background in the series. Sobel had hard times after the war, with his marriage and with his mental stability. His attitude and personality kept apart his family and wife (even though he was a good father), he tried to kill himself but was blinded, and spent the last 2 decades tragically in a VA home where he died of malnutrition and neglect. Lipton, the after-war glass manufacturer, did well in life but tragically died soon after you see him interviewed for the tv series in 2001. Guamere and Toye who both had their legs damaged during the artillery strikes both had long and happy lives with family after the war, and died within a year of each other in 2014-2015. Gordon who was injured during the war used to organize the EZ company reunions afterwards. McGrath, one of the background soldiers that wasn't really focused on, partook in the battles with EZ and never took a hit and fought in all their battles. A silent hero.
You should see on UA-cam when the show won the Emmy Award and all the men were together in a hotel watching the award and are part of the show. Also watch Tom Hanks interview after the Memorial Service for Winters. Next see The Pacific which will show a different war that was brutal physically and mentally on the men.
Watching Buck Compton playing baseball at 21:58 I learned that he played baseball for UCLA==and ironically, so did the actor that played him, Neil McDonough (at least for a while).
The part about "You may keep your sidearm, Colonel" was Winters' way of telling the German Colonel "I accept your surrender, but you can keep your dignity."
and Hell on Wheels, so underestimated. Its about the building of the transatlantic railroad, uhmmm, and soo well done. Not at all as boring as I just made it sound...
Great reactions, guys, think we all leaned - and felt - such a lot watching this series. I've been to Berchtesgarden - it is gorgeous, although we couldn't get to the Obersalzburg where the Eagles Nest was because the elevator only runs in high summer (...and the Eagles Nest itself was demolished after WWII). Worth a trip for the beauty of the town and mountains, the sense of history. People very friendly and English speaking. Nearby Salzburg in Austria is stunning as well. Anyway, Happy July 4th, I hear Americans have a bit of "do" today... :)
Yeah I went in 1985. My sister had married an Austrian (still married) his father was in the SS. Walked all the way up to Eagles Nest and back down, I was 10. Still strong in the memory, beautiful scenery.
@@NikkiStevenReactit is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The view from the top of the Eagles Nest is insane. There is a restaurant at the top now but I believe there are still some of the rooms inside the mountain. The gold elevator ride was eerie and creeped ne out a little. I remember thinking when I got to the top and looked out over the alps that I would never see such a stunning view again in my lifetime, but there was also a heaviness in the air that made me uneasy the whole time we were there. It's weird seeing the top covered in tourists and tables with umbrellas knowing what it used to be.
The German soldiers fighting in Europe were very young, I've been to the German cemetery in Normandy and many were 16-17 years old, meaning they were 11-12 when the war started. So no they didn't know, nor were they responsible... The Waffen SS however was the military branch of the nazi party that organized the holocaust. Also, the older generations of Germans that didn't serve were aware of what was happening, they might not be guilty nazis, but the Nazi party was democratically voted in power, and too many didn't stand up when they saw what was happening, long before the war. They might not have participated, but they didn't stand up against an obvious evil.
i like the comment and i get what you are saying but TECHNICALLY the Nazi party wasn't Democratically voted into power. Hitler lost the Chancellor election and the Nazis only won like 1/3 of the Parliament. They gained enough seats where they had the leverage where Von Hindenburg who defeated Hitler in the Presidential election had to appoint him to Chancellor to form a government. Then the Nazis used the false flag of the Reichstag Fire to give Hitler dictatorially powers.
There is a great difference between the SS Divisions from the first time to the WaffenSS Units. The first SS Units were constructed out of volunteers, the WaffenSS in the last war years are formed mostly out of conscripted men.
This series premiered the on September 9, 2001. Two mornings later the world was in chaos. I’ll admit seeing the return of the Series on 9/16/2001 made it more powerful and the emotion and tears flooded me. I hadn’t cried in years. I was a wreck for months having a Dad who served honorably in both Korean and Viet Nam Wars. Every single episode something hit me that horrible fall and winter.. Actually saw my Dad show emotion watching this while hooked to oxygen and fading into eternity after being stoic during that rest of the week of 9/11. Hit him hard knowing his Dad was in demotions and was a translator who marched at the front of Patton’s Army and broke the siege of Bastogne.
I really enjoyed this journey with you guys! I've rewatched this show almost once a year for 20 years, but your reactions made it feel new again, you both have such a big heart, and your reactions are very real and emotional.
A lot of architecture and buildings remain mainly as reminders , museums and lessons Quite a few of the concentration camp main structures remain. I've visited one of them and even all cleaned up and lot of stuff removed you can still feel the horror etc of it
Thank you for reacting to this show, it’s the best ever. I was lucky enough to meet some of the vets and spend a day with them, like Winters, Compton, Powers, Malarkey and they were the real deal. So humble, but also still affected by the war.
My great grandpa was born in Israel exiled into Germany 🇩🇪 married my great grandmother & came over in 1937 when it was still an option… I watched a special on Pearl Harbor the soldiers felt disgraced when they learned it was a sneak attack as Japanese culture believes in warning your enemy before a war so they can prepare.. imagine being an American soldier there, imagine being a Japanese soldier there no imagine being an American/Japanese soldier… the survivors of Pearl Harbor gathered there & planted cherry blossom 🌸 trees together… we were in Japan for a few years when I was a kid, Dad in the Navy & those trees are just as mystical & magical & beautiful as they say ❤️
Berchtesgaden and the Eagle's nest are very real. The Eagle's Nest is now the Dokumentation Obersalzberg museum, which chronicles the Nazi era so no one will ever forget what happened. Its a haunting place, to be honest. (I went there during my college years while I was finishing my PhD in history). Though it does have a rather pleasant cafe attached to it. The view is astonishing. The people of Berchtesgaden -- who live there now -- are some of the friendliest, most open, and welcoming people I have ever met. When I told them why I was in their town, no one... not one person... was reluctant to tell stories about the town, about what the people who lived there during the war did, and how they felt it was their duty to never allow such things to happen again.
If you start The Pacific, Nikki, I highly recommend you fortify your emotions by any means necessary lol. Completely different tone than Band of Brothers... but I'm glad that this side of the war's story is also told, as we tend to focus on the European side of things.
In high school this series came out and our teacher, for a class called War in American Society (combination of war and it's effects on the american culture), stood in line for hours to get Band of Brothers on it's release day (which was around Black Friday), he was so thrilled to have the series. A class of high schoolers who paid attention to every second of this series, didn't bitch or complain or moan, and most of who were in tears by the end of it, this is by far one of the best war documentary/series ever made. You may not agree with the things they did or why they were there but what happened and the hell they went through, no one should disrespect that. As fubar as thing gets, soldiers go through so much and a lot of it's still taken for granted once they get home. It means so much more to see the real men at the end and throughout the series. Watching an old grown man go through these memories and break down in tears is about as powerful as you get.
Nikki we are talking Thousands of years of history in Europe where we are talking less than 20 years of Nazi history. These places were beautiful before the Nazi government took over and are beautiful today. The whole reason the German military wanted these places was because of the beauty in these places.
Winters wrote a book about his experiences in the war, I have it: Winters, D., Kingseed, C.: "Beyond Band of Brothers: The war memories of Major Dick Winters", 2006.
@@Notsosweetstevia i dont think its anywhere as good but its better at learning individual people and their view on things where there wasn't as much in band of brothers
Another good one for fans of these to see, Generation Kill. Modern times tho so a little bit different, set on the 2003 invasion of iraq from the perspective of usmc recon battalion
Band of Brothers has been one of my favourite shows since it came out. I was 10 and I watched it with my parents, and I feel like these men have been with me my whole life. Ever since I was a kid I've been interested in learning about both world wars. It's so crazy to me that people in different parts of the world know so little about it all, but then I realise my parents are both interested and I grew up in northern France where we had German bunkers in every field and tunnels under cities that were used for the war, etc, so it was all real to me from the day I was born. And the men of Easy Company will always be my heroes
Idk if you guys already talked about this in this video(I'm commenting early) or have already watched the show and recorded vids for it but will you guys be watching The Pacific? It's just like Band of brothers but obviously about the Marines against the Japanese Empire
My great uncle served in the Pacific with the Marines and survived those island battles. There's a Life Magazine photo of him helping rescue a child from a cave on Saipan. He made it through all that and was never wounded. He came home to Texas and was living down near the border where he taught little Mexican children who had immigrated to the US how to speak English. He was in a small plane flying home to see his parents (my great grandparents) and the plane hit power lines and crashed... killing all on board. This was only a few months after he got home. My wife and I named our son after him. There is so much that I would have loved to have asked him.
I agree; it’s not a “Band of Brothers but in the Pacific”, but like you said, still very, very good. I think some folks (myself included) were expecting a recreation of BoB and so lost interest early in the series when it first aired. And like you also referred to, it’s absolutely fucking brutal (like the real war was in that theater). So glad I gave it a dedicated watch a few years back. It absolutely stands on its own legs and has moments of emotional impact that rival a lot of Band of Brothers’, in my opinion. (Sorry to hijack your post, I just have a lot of feelings about these series lol)
I wanted a panel discussion on here of a 2012 sitdown with Babe Heffron and other survivors plus the actors who played Liebgot and Percante. IT WAS AMAZING and puts everything in a different perspective.
If by "these places" you mean these towns and villages, those have seen the same kind development as the rest of post-war Germany and Austria. Of course strong efforts been made to teach the public and especially the following generations about the horrors of the Third Reich, that it may never happen again, and to get over centuries of wars, fighting and "national revanchism". While these efforts might not have been absolutely thorough in every part of society, you won't find much sympathies for Nazis in places like Berchtesgarden. If you were talking about buldings and structures like Hitler's "Eagle Nest" (Kehlsteinhaus), many of these places still do exist. That includes many of the concentration camps. Usually these buildings and structures are used as museums or memorial places today to educate people and ensure that the crimes of Nazi-Germany are not forgotten (nor trivialized). And if were asking if these towns and cities were destroyed, well, that depends. The Ruhr Area, a large industrial center of Germany, has was exposed to many carpet bombings. So were cities like Dresden, Cologne, Berlin of course, basically every major cities. The scars are still visible today as the many of the historic structures in these cities were destroyed, and the "construction sins" of the often hastily attempted rebuilding during the post-war years and the "Wirtschaftswunder" era still influence the city centers to this say. Smaller cities and towns like Berchtesgarden were usually spared though (unless they became a battlefield).
Very well put man. one thing i really love about Dresden today (my parents live there), is that there was made a very big effort to restore and repair the historical buildings to lessen the "construction Sin" the city had to bear^^
Best Reaction videos I have seen on the internet. In some cases I enjoy watching your reaction videos as much as the show itself. You are both so honest, real, humble, and sincere. I feel like I know you, you are both such good people. Please keep the videos coming!!! Band of Brothers is a show that keeps giving and giving. Discovered and appreciated again and again. One of the best shows ever! Words can never express the appreciation and gratitude I feel for all those that have fought and died in the name of freedom and peace for all. Love from Canada. 💕
while you think about that consider this: you come back and there are civilian employers that tell you that "you arent qualified" to do even the most basic of jobs.
@@lelouchvibritannia4028 But you have to wonder how could they not be qualified? They've learned to do hard, dangerous work under extremely stressful conditions with a diverse group of people you often barely know, oftentimes with little or no guidance
@@nickmitsialis Because that's what the communist ideology that infiltrated the US post-WW2 does; it uses its soldiers in wars, and then tosses them away like pieces of trash. Too many commies in this country, the ungrateful pigs they are.
@@lelouchvibritannia4028 Indeed; it seems while Easy Company's 'Great War' was mainly fought on a physical realm, we in this generation are entangled in a culture war fought on political grounds, and the scary thing is the enemy is gaining ground at an alarming rate.
ETERNAL GRATITUDE FROM THIS FRENCHMAN TO YOUR FOREFATHERS What a journey. Welcome to the family! I'"ve stopped counting the times I've watched it and now I watch it again through reactions.
I served in Germany from 89 to 92. As soon as I got in country, deja voo! I really felt that I had been there before! Especially where I was stationed, western Germany near France and Luxembourg. I wasn't homesick. Isn't that uncanny? I got deployed to Desert Storm (follow-on forces) in August of 91. NO deja voo there! The desert is featureless and empty. Had some hairy times there. Got injured in an accident. But made it back to Germany in December of 91. Christmas was special that year, I was happy and thankful to be back in Germany. I was on profile (physical restrictions) for the rest of my time there. I came back to the states in April of 92.
Happy 4th of July! Loved your reactions to Band of Brothers. I had a Grandfather in both campaigns and look forward to when you react to the Pacific. I want to thank all who served our country. God Bless.
What an incredible series!!! So grateful to have watched it. Thank you to all the soldiers who served and never forget those we have lost. Hope everyone celebrating in the States has a safe Independence Day.
Full watch-a-long reactions can be found here: bit.ly/3ykuf9u
Any chance you guys will react to the documentary?
May be finished with the airborne story, there is another show called the pacific which tells the marines stories against the Japanese.
Ahead legendary epic «The Pacific» !
If you can, I would suggest watching the hbo show "We Stand Alone Together" . it is the documentary about the making of the show Band of Brothers (not for reaction, but for the interviews it contains). It's posted in it's entirety on youtube with millions of views. It is primarily interviews with the soldiers , and is where most of the interviews in the series originated.
even 20 years after seeing it for the first time, it sill is powerful in emotions.
Of all tee-shirt you wore Sherry, the one for Curahee was the best.
"Grandpa said 'no'. But I served in a company of heroes"
Tears every single time.
Don't you dare be fooled, EVERY. SINGLE. ONE of them were heroes
when you see the stuff men do next to you in combat, its difficult to impossible to call yourself a hero in the face of such men.
If anyone asks you why that generation is known as the greatest, just say Easy Company.
You're literally everywhere. I see you write this on every single reaction of this episode. Cracks me up, i look for your comment lol
"I thought those guys were ten feet tall. I still do." Stephen Ambrose, author "Band of Brothers "
This series caused a huge movement to have Richard Winters' Distinguished Service Cross upgraded to a Medal of Honor. Winters himself wanted nothing to do with it, and indeed remained incredibly humble in the face of his vastly increased recognition after the series aired, until his death in 2011 at age 92. Shortly before, he agreed for a 12 foot statue of himself to be erected in Sant-Marie-du-Mont, as long as it was dedicated to all the junior officers of the D-Day landing. It was finished and unveiled the following year.
Wouldn’t expect anything less from him. Sounds like an incredible person.
@@NikkiStevenReact There is a documentary on it. react to it, please.
Hes military tactis and strategic execution of his battle plans in 2nd or 3rd episode, where they ambush German positions, is still taught in military academy's till this day! Im a Canadian but some of the old american warriors just blow me away man, d day was a combined Canadian, American and British assault, but those boys on Ohama beach got chewed up, we may not agree with all wars, but we should always have the soldeirs backs and welcome them back home after. If you have time, please check out Canadas highway of heros, its a highway that fallen soldiers travel when they get back and 1000s of people line the sides of the road to pay respects
@@NikkiStevenReact Hey I'm watching The Tomorrow War on my Xbox it's good.Infinite,Wrath of Man,Nobody and Unhinged are good to.
@@NikkiStevenReact Hey I'm also watching The Superdeep on my Xbox it has a USA version which I'm watching it starts off in black and white but goes into color after 5 min I'm not shure if it's about zombies or what yet.
"You're one hell of a fine soldier, Shifty. There's nothing more to explain."
Served in the 101st airborne. The men of Currahee are legends. The last line Maj. Winters said about the company of heroes, always and will forever get me to tears. Sadly in 2014 the Currahee disbanded. I am honored to have served in the same division as these men.
Legends indeed.
Thank you 💖
The company is still there in the 101st Airborne today
Hi, I served in 3rd Field artillery regiment reserves in Ireland, thanks for your service, I saw the lovely statue of Major Winters near Utah, beach and saw his personal equipment in Dead man's corner near Carentan. I've been to all the Dday beaches, Brecourt Manor, Carentan, bloody gulch, a lot of cemeteries, American, British, Canadian and German.
To be honest with you, I have noticed that this is happening in every country, I am from the UK and served in the Royal air force and 2/3 of the squadrons I served on, in fact all but one have been disbanded and dissolved. Horse waves of the British Army have been merged with valiant and courageous regiments with history as rich as can be have been completely swiped away.
This gives me great sadness for the legacy. How are the young people coming into the forces supposed to enrich themselves and have anything to live up to, I think we both know that this is planned. But if you also noticed it’s the same with the rest of all our societies in the west
There is one inaccuracy that I feel I have to point out, because the real story is actually far more meaningful than what the show did.
When the german commander is surrendering and offering his sidearm, Winters actually took it, and kept it until his death. The important thing was, that sidearm was never fired once during the war when it was handed to Winters. And Winters made sure that luger was never fired in his lifetime as a symbol.
Doesn't he tell that story in the doc?
@@deuces_shoeless he does. That's where I learned it ☺️
It was actually a different general. Winters received the formal surrender of several German officers at the end of the war.
And to be completely correct it wasn't Luger, it was Walther PP.
@@deuces_shoeless He talks about it in We Stand Alone Together (which is on YT) .. a documentary which features all the real life guys from the show.
One of the single best creative decisions in film/TV history was having a German General deliver the message to the audience you were expecting from the Ally side about being a group of brothers in combat, deserving of peace and harmony. Puts into perspective the human side of war and in the end we're not all that different. Now that's how you actually subvert expectations.
True
It’s my single favorite moment of the entire series. It’s absolutely beautiful
It's also heartwarming to see that the General actually survived opening the Ark of the Covenant back when he was still a Colonel.
Yes, that's the same actor, Wolf Kahler.
@@agp11001 Thank you for that. I was wondering who was the actor who played the German General in BoB. He was very convincing. Love that scene.
For me as a German it was difficult to watch this series. But the speech by the German general at the end showed that men simply fought on both sides. War sucks. And I'm glad that our two great nations are allied today.
Amen Brother 🇺🇸 🇩🇪
What cuts deep in that particular episode for me is the scene where Grant gets shot by one of his own (so to speak, as he was a replacement from another company, but from the same division). But as Winters said, it was due to them having weapons, alcohol and too much time on their hands. You put those three things together, there's bound to be trouble from within, no matter what flag you fight for.
I would love to see a WW2 movie shown from the German perspective. Really feel like there are a number of interesting stories from the other side.
@@paddydahunter9252 No doubt they would've also experienced similar hardships as the Allies did. That is with regards as to what happened to Grant in this episode. I'm sorry, but the whole thing with Grant and his encounter with a drunken replacement, it makes me wonder if the Germans ever had the exact same issues with intoxicated young soldiers with far too much time on their hands.
@@GreyDoofus88 no doubt they did and I’d like to hear those stories told. They probably didn’t have as much free time as the allied soldiers did being as they were on the defensive so probably not as many incidents.
That ending quote of Winters (“Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?”) always, ALWAYS gets to me not only because it’s objectively moving in its humble truth, but because I’m also around your ages and both of my own grandfathers also fought in the war. I can remember asking them similar questions as a kid and having them both kindly redirect me in that same loving but humble way. They’re both gone now, but given their combat experiences (one in the Pacific and one in Europe), I totally get it.
Have you heard the quote of his about the pistol he was given by a surrendering German Officer.
That end quote. Tears every time
Absolutely
literally every time
I met Shifty Powers in France in '04 during the 60th anniversary of D-Day. We got to tour a few of the French battlefields depicted in this show. The tree Lipton climbs in episode 2 during a battle is still there. The locals celebrate D-Day by wearing American military uniforms of the time, some of them even driving old US army jeeps. A very surreal, amazing experience from the people we met, to the natural beauty of Normandy, to the history...one of the best things I've ever gotten to do.
Richard Winters was a very humble man. Per his wishes, his death wasn't announced here in PA until after his funeral, because he didn't want people to make a fuss over him.
I didn't find out until after his death that my dad had flown in bombing runs over Berlin, late in the war. He was a volunteer, and he knew it had to be done, but he wasn't overly proud of having to kill the people he was fighting against.
He deserved the fuss tho. To pay your respect to a man who sacrificed so much. They all deserved it.
Major Winters: We salute the rank, not the man.
Captain Sobel: We were on a *BREAK*
😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
LOL
I was drinking a coke when I read this comment, now there's coke everywhere...
@@bigd8924 "drinking", sure.
@@waibhavkrishnaChandra started off drinking coke, ended up snorting coke
Omggg....😂😂
Hi Steven. I want to say that you’re the best editor of any reaction channel I’ve seen. You take more care to both include the important story moments AND the moments that affect you two. It has to take more time and effort on your part. Just want you to know it doesn’t go unnoticed.
I really appreciate that. I do put a lot of time and effort to make the best videos possible. Thank you for the huge compliment.
I happen to agree! Very well edited!
@@NikkiStevenReact Have to back this comment. I've been watching your reactions since Game of Thrones and you guys come off as so genuine and seem actually interested in the shows you watch which is such a breath of fresh air compared to other reaction youtubers.
Agreed.
It’s true, so many other reactors skip the parts I care about or cut out the audio
The actor who played Buck Compton, Neil McDonough, became friends with Buck Compton and kept in touch after the filming of Band of Brothers. Neil's son has a nickname, "Little Buck", in honor of Compton. Sadly there are no more members of Easy Company still alive. The last surviving member of Easy Company died in 2019.
Ed Shames, who was a Lieutenant with Easy, is still alive at 99 years old.
@@rhysevans4253 Sadly Bradford Freeman passed away on July 3rd 2022, he was 97.
"no....but I served in a company of heroes ." No matter how many times I hear it, I get choked up every time.
I was actually crying and I have seen it a few times
Probably an inspiration for the title of the critically-acclaimed WW2 RTS game.
And THAT is why Band of Brothers is one of the best miniseries of all time.
Just wanted to remind you to watch We Stand Alone Together after this . That's when you hear from all the men who are still alive at that time, please don't miss it, thanks.
THIS
From D-Day...to Hitler's Eagle's Nest...Nothing was ever easy for Easy Company...it's bitter sweet to end. Currahee!
My father was friends with the son of Alton Moore who actually showed him Hitler's photo album when they were kids back in Wyoming.
That is awesome
Even to the end, Major Winters never took credit for himself, it was all placed upon his men!!
Already at the end ): Really hope you guys do The Pacific next!!
agreed!
Ditto!
Yes they definitely should. And they should also look into "the fallen of WWII" mini docu right here on youtube as well. Maybe as a closer ?
All this HBO though, makes me wonder when The Sopranos and The Wire are coming
I watched The Pacific but saw it only once. I don't think it was as great a series as Band of Brothers, perhaps because there isn't really the same camaraderie. It was also a darker series in many ways.
How many times do young people walk by elderly folks and dismiss them because of their age. You never know what they've lived through.
They’re mostly all gone now but when I was younger I used to tell myself if I got impatient with an elderly slow driver that he might have fought and won WWII so give him some slack.
oh man
That last line "Grandpa were you a hero in the war?"
I will answer for you sir, yes your grandfather was a hero. I was in tears watching that and I have watched this series 3 times I believe.
I watch this every year between Memorial Day and June 6. Last time I watched it, I just sobbed through most of it. The sacrifices these men and so many others made for a worthy purpose… I’m crying now just thinking about it.
Episode 9 is so hard. But I watch it because I think it’s the least I can do.
And yes, I sob and sob at the end of Ep 10 when the men are identified. Of course, I’ve watched it so many times now, I know them all by heart. I feel like they’re my friends. Then I realize they’re all gone now, and I cry some more.
Greatest Generation.
We lost Major Winters in 2011, in May 2014 the Richard D. Winters leadership memorial was unveiled in Normandy. Nikki talked about the people, In Holland they still hold liberation parades, they also have families who adopt the allied graves at the cemeteries there. The waiting list to adopt a grave has thousands of families who sometimes wait decades to do so.
omg
If you want to see the German soldiers side you should watch "Generation War". It's tells the German side of the war. It is about 5 friends. Two brothers who go to serve as soldiers on the eastern front, a girl who serves as a nurse, an actress who stays in Berlin and a Jewish young man who gets taken away by the SS. It is very well made and it is definitely worth a watch if you are interested in the German perspective.
while i completely agree, i do want to add that Generation War isnt quite on the same level as historical accuracy as BoB or Pacific. Not that that devalues it in any way, just something to keep in mind. Its a bit more fiction than the other two.
I recently saw "Generation War," though the Holocaust is not heavily featured in the series. It shows how war changes a person.
I love the reveal at the end where we see the surviving 101st soldiers along with the incredibly moving quote from Winters.
My father who is 94 was drafted at the end of the war in the German army. He was captured , became a POW at 17 with the Americans. We immigrated to the US in 1954.he is still around, mom dies in April at 91.Thank God we made it too the US. You guys did a great job on BOFB.
I appreciate that you covered Shifty Powers saying goodbye to Major Winters.although I served in a peacetime army, saying goodbye to a friend(s) you served with can be a punch in the gut .
Just a suggestion, but take a bit of a break before hitting "The Pacific"
I would also recommend "Taking Chance" as a good movie to review. Looks at what the country does for it's fallen, and how the populace reacts as well. Good movie, no action, but very emotional!
I second that.
Never saw all of “The Pacific.” I was a young teenager, too much sex, parents weren’t comfortable with it. Might have to find it again.
Extremely emotional movie....
More tissues will be needed.
@@FreemanicParacusia Watch it bro its incredible.
The Pacific doesnt even compare to this series. Not nearly as good.
If you enjoyed this watch ''Pacific'' Similarly shot but about the japanese pacific fight in ww2. Your genuine appreciation of the men that fought and the honour this show tried to portray is now showing how horrible war is, may man kind try and learn. But with the thousands lost in the middle east I fear it doesn't.
Not only does the quote, "But I served in a company of heroes", always makes me cry, but so does the part where Winters tells what happened in each man's life after the war. It feels like good-bye.
Please go on to “The Pacific” after this, another superb learning experience! 👍❤️
Brother I said same thing now for weeks and the people in the comments bashed me..... I believe most people have no idea about the pacific.....band of brothers was the army side and pacific was the marines...."hooah" to all my vets ..
@@eddiedaves9457 WARNING: SPOILER QUOTE: "We're dirty, raggity-assed marines. But there's a reason for it." Yup, they went through hell, and too many times their RnR wasn't the civilised world of a Paris or the English shires as the European war had, just a bunk on another dot in the pacific. Heroes all.
@@eddiedaves9457 People bashed you for recommending The Pacific? What did they say? 😠 That pisses me off because it’s so important to watch, the men who fought there don’t get nearly as much recognition.
@@neilgriffiths6427 brother I respect all branches well beside air force..lol .jk ..
@@falsenostalgia-shannon just ingnorence....which is a level of intelligence that denies the truth...
I was never a WWII buff, or a military enthusiast, or anything of the sort. But as soon as I saw this series it became one of my favorite things ever put on film. I'm a tremendous cynic and not at all a sentimental person, but don't think I have ever had as much admiration for anyone as I have for those men. To this day, I marathon this series every Memorial Day weekend. An absolute masterpiece and a wonderful reaction series from you two. Thank you.
I was going to advise you to not jump directly into the Pacific. It is it's own beast and you should go in fresh. You should also be warned that the Pacific War was an entirely different kind of war and the show reflects that.
Well said. No need to jump in right away. Also, maybe don’t wait to long. I mean. The Pacific in the summer is probably the right time to watch it.
"....but I served in a company of heroes".
Soo powerful. Also, great timing on the final episode for 4th of July :)
Happy Fourth guys! So glad to be with you as you covered this stunning series!
You too Nick. Thank you.
Im not a man who cries, but dammit if the last 10 minutes of this episode makes me cry every time
Check out Hacksaw Ridge it's an amazing movie and true story.
I will never, NEVER forget this show and the men of the 101st airborne. I salute you heroes, you will never be forgotten.
I'm a simple man. I see a reaction video for Band of Brothers, I watch. Especially from Nikki and Steven. : )
Thanks Robby
Now watch "we stand alone together". It is a great documentary follow on.
I've watched many watch-a-longs for the Band of Brothers series, but yours was the best! I can't wait for you to do The Pacific, but we know you'll need time to recompress after this. You guys are fantastic. Thanks for doing this!
I feel like there's a missing part of my soul every time I finish a good series like this. This is definitely one of the best mini-series that I've ever seen and it was such a good starting point to educate myself about WW2. I'm so glad that it accurately paints the reality of war - it's not much fun, it's brutal, there's a lot of psychological and physical pain, it's exhausting, death is unavoidable, etc. Yet, the bond formed from these dark experiences is exceptionally tighter than that formed from benevolent experiences. Bravo and thanks to the thousands that made this show possible, to educate people on the horrifying events of WW2. This series has consumed me emotionally for the past few weeks, and I honestly need a break before I continue on to The Pacific.
An bittersweet ending to an amazing series. to the fallen and those who survived that terrible war, I salute you 😔 to all the soldiers serving now, and to all our veterans, thank you. Thank you for all that you do and all you've done...
With this amazing reaction series down, I'd love to recommend The Last Kingdom for reconsideration 🤞
Everyone who reads this, please never forget: It doesn't matter what conflict, our veterans who lived through battle carry the scars every day of their lives. I am honored to have called a WWII veteran one of my dearest friends. I knew him from age 84 to 95. He still regularly 'fought the Gerries (Germans)' in his nightmares. Don't think it just ends. He once told me that he tried to live as good of a life as possible to honor the men who didn't make it. God bless each one of them, and if you know combat veterans, don't just verbally thank them for their service, mow their yard, or cook them a meal, but most of all, visit them.
i have re-watched this series at least 3 or 4 times since 2003, every a couple years i watch it again, this series is entirely real, everything you watched it happened, there are places in Bastogne in Belgium were you can still see their foxholes, they are still there..
Its one of the most immersive series you can see, the Pacific is also very good, but be aware, the Pacific is more heavy and hard to watch in my opinion.
FYI - A majority of the actors either met their real-life counterparts or family members to get the personal details. A great series - documentary is the BBC - Battlefield on UA-cam. Lastly, civilians get caught up in the war. More civilian Frenchman 2X, died on D-Day (6/6/44) than Allied soldiers.
Best mini-series of all time!
So good
Best TV of all time, period.
The Pacific is better imo, but BoB is amazing.
One of my old units was 82nd Airborne. Some people never got hurt. But when we got back 1 soldier shot himself and two more got drunk and played chicken on dirt bikes both hit each other and died.
"When you talk to an officer, you say 'sir'."
A friend of mine is the son of a World War I veteran. His Uncle also served in the war as a member of the 101st airborne and was actually at Bastogne. He used to get drunk in the years after the war and would fly his private airplane Up on one wing tip down South Tacoma way just above the street lights, Herein Tacoma, Washington which has been a military talent for over a 100 years. If you all want something really good read the book by Stephen Ambrose, "Band Of Brothers." You won't waste your time doing so, You'll get a lot more out of it than the series it'll be just like the series plus more.
These WERE the Avengers. You guys need watch Ron Livingston’s Diaries (behind the scenes) training.
My Grandfather and 9 of his Brothers served in World War II. Some in Europe and Some in The Pacific. Our Family we're only two generations out of Switzerland and still spoke and understood High German at home. Of the 12 boys 10 served. One was too young and the other was too old. A lot of the men of that generation were just amazing people that came back and build us the best standard of living the country has ever known.. Most of them are very humble men. I had one of my grandpa's brothers who had been a Ranger have a lot of beers at a Family Reunion for him to literally say two or three sentences about it. That generation were amazing people.
"But I served in the company of heroes....." Gets me every time.
The last member of Easy Company Bradford Freeman passed away July 3rd 2022. All of these incredible men are gone and they will always be our Greatest Generation May they all rest in peace.
That you didn't expect the camps to eventually show up, actually surprises me.
Because when I first watched this series, that was something I was waiting for.
I'm from Norway and I've grown up learning about WWII, even before I started school. My mothers father had to escape to Sweden during the war, so I've learned local and national WWII stories for as long as I can remember.
Make sure to pass that knowledge on as much as possible.
Never Again, Never Forgotten.
Same here. I'm from Denmark. I grew up listening to stories and to the adults talking about it.
I know this is an older post but still.... I watch this series from start to finish every Memorial weekend, as a veteran myself its so humbling to see what these men and women went through. I got to go to Germany for two weeks for training in 2009 and the one full day we had off I decided to rent a car and drive to Bastone to walk the Battle of the Bulge site. It was pouring down rain but still just being there had me choked up. My best friend from active duty actually got to meet Maj Winters, it was right after the show had came out and he was touring bases... incredible!! Thanks you two!!
Watch "The Pacific" It's just as powerful and emotional.
Some others background in the series. Sobel had hard times after the war, with his marriage and with his mental stability. His attitude and personality kept apart his family and wife (even though he was a good father), he tried to kill himself but was blinded, and spent the last 2 decades tragically in a VA home where he died of malnutrition and neglect. Lipton, the after-war glass manufacturer, did well in life but tragically died soon after you see him interviewed for the tv series in 2001. Guamere and Toye who both had their legs damaged during the artillery strikes both had long and happy lives with family after the war, and died within a year of each other in 2014-2015. Gordon who was injured during the war used to organize the EZ company reunions afterwards. McGrath, one of the background soldiers that wasn't really focused on, partook in the battles with EZ and never took a hit and fought in all their battles. A silent hero.
You should see on UA-cam when the show won the Emmy Award and all the men were together in a hotel watching the award and are part of the show. Also watch Tom Hanks interview after the Memorial Service for Winters. Next see The Pacific which will show a different war that was brutal physically and mentally on the men.
Watching Buck Compton playing baseball at 21:58 I learned that he played baseball for UCLA==and ironically, so did the actor that played him, Neil McDonough (at least for a while).
The part about "You may keep your sidearm, Colonel" was Winters' way of telling the German Colonel "I accept your surrender, but you can keep your dignity."
"We Stand Alone Together" is a definite must watch as a companion to this series, so I hope you'll watch it.
In real life Winters actually kept the Luger the German colonel surrendered to him
TV shows that I recommend you watch next:
- Rome
- Strike Back
- Spartacus
- The Wire (but reacting to it will prove tricky)
and Hell on Wheels, so underestimated. Its about the building of the transatlantic railroad, uhmmm, and soo well done. Not at all as boring as I just made it sound...
Great reactions, guys, think we all leaned - and felt - such a lot watching this series. I've been to Berchtesgarden - it is gorgeous, although we couldn't get to the Obersalzburg where the Eagles Nest was because the elevator only runs in high summer (...and the Eagles Nest itself was demolished after WWII). Worth a trip for the beauty of the town and mountains, the sense of history. People very friendly and English speaking. Nearby Salzburg in Austria is stunning as well. Anyway, Happy July 4th, I hear Americans have a bit of "do" today... :)
Yeah I went in 1985. My sister had married an Austrian (still married) his father was in the SS. Walked all the way up to Eagles Nest and back down, I was 10. Still strong in the memory, beautiful scenery.
Oh wow. Good to hear that it’s a nice place after all that.
Same. I'm from Slovenia and we had a school trip to Salzburg snd Berthtesgarden and it really is a gorgeous town. It also has a fascinating salt mine.
@@NikkiStevenReactit is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The view from the top of the Eagles Nest is insane. There is a restaurant at the top now but I believe there are still some of the rooms inside the mountain. The gold elevator ride was eerie and creeped ne out a little. I remember thinking when I got to the top and looked out over the alps that I would never see such a stunning view again in my lifetime, but there was also a heaviness in the air that made me uneasy the whole time we were there. It's weird seeing the top covered in tourists and tables with umbrellas knowing what it used to be.
@@rhysevans4253 there is still a building there. There is a restaurant inside and I think there remains some of the structures inside the mountain.
Bless you both. My Grandfather saw Buchenwald. He took pictures. That generation raised me, and I am thankful for both of you.
The German soldiers fighting in Europe were very young, I've been to the German cemetery in Normandy and many were 16-17 years old, meaning they were 11-12 when the war started. So no they didn't know, nor were they responsible... The Waffen SS however was the military branch of the nazi party that organized the holocaust. Also, the older generations of Germans that didn't serve were aware of what was happening, they might not be guilty nazis, but the Nazi party was democratically voted in power, and too many didn't stand up when they saw what was happening, long before the war. They might not have participated, but they didn't stand up against an obvious evil.
i like the comment and i get what you are saying but TECHNICALLY the Nazi party wasn't Democratically voted into power. Hitler lost the Chancellor election and the Nazis only won like 1/3 of the Parliament. They gained enough seats where they had the leverage where Von Hindenburg who defeated Hitler in the Presidential election had to appoint him to Chancellor to form a government. Then the Nazis used the false flag of the Reichstag Fire to give Hitler dictatorially powers.
There is a great difference between the SS Divisions from the first time to the WaffenSS Units. The first SS Units were constructed out of volunteers, the WaffenSS in the last war years are formed mostly out of conscripted men.
This series premiered the on September 9, 2001. Two mornings later the world was in chaos. I’ll admit seeing the return of the Series on 9/16/2001 made it more powerful and the emotion and tears flooded me. I hadn’t cried in years. I was a wreck for months having a Dad who served honorably in both Korean and Viet Nam Wars. Every single episode something hit me that horrible fall and winter..
Actually saw my Dad show emotion watching this while hooked to oxygen and fading into eternity after being stoic during that rest of the week of 9/11. Hit him hard knowing his Dad was in demotions and was a translator who marched at the front of Patton’s Army and broke the siege of Bastogne.
They rigged the lottery for shifty so he could go home
I really enjoyed this journey with you guys!
I've rewatched this show almost once a year for 20 years, but your reactions made it feel new again, you both have such a big heart, and your reactions are very real and emotional.
Happy 4th of July everybody.
Great reaction guys👍
A lot of architecture and buildings remain mainly as reminders , museums and lessons
Quite a few of the concentration camp main structures remain. I've visited one of them and even all cleaned up and lot of stuff removed you can still feel the horror etc of it
That ending is a real tear-jerker
Thank you for reacting to this show, it’s the best ever. I was lucky enough to meet some of the vets and spend a day with them, like Winters, Compton, Powers, Malarkey and they were the real deal. So humble, but also still affected by the war.
So glad you got to meet some of the men! I’m a little jealous :)
The Pacific is the next step
Then "Generation Kill" in Irak; and back to WWII with "Masters of the Air" that will be released in November I believe.
My great grandpa was born in Israel exiled into Germany 🇩🇪 married my great grandmother & came over in 1937 when it was still an option… I watched a special on Pearl Harbor the soldiers felt disgraced when they learned it was a sneak attack as Japanese culture believes in warning your enemy before a war so they can prepare.. imagine being an American soldier there, imagine being a Japanese soldier there no imagine being an American/Japanese soldier… the survivors of Pearl Harbor gathered there & planted cherry blossom 🌸 trees together… we were in Japan for a few years when I was a kid, Dad in the Navy & those trees are just as mystical & magical & beautiful as they say ❤️
The actors actually had to go through a boot camp to get ready for this series.
Berchtesgaden and the Eagle's nest are very real. The Eagle's Nest is now the Dokumentation Obersalzberg museum, which chronicles the Nazi era so no one will ever forget what happened. Its a haunting place, to be honest. (I went there during my college years while I was finishing my PhD in history). Though it does have a rather pleasant cafe attached to it. The view is astonishing.
The people of Berchtesgaden -- who live there now -- are some of the friendliest, most open, and welcoming people I have ever met. When I told them why I was in their town, no one... not one person... was reluctant to tell stories about the town, about what the people who lived there during the war did, and how they felt it was their duty to never allow such things to happen again.
Sure why should they feel guilty over the crimes of their ancestors... thats more of an American thing
If you start The Pacific, Nikki, I highly recommend you fortify your emotions by any means necessary lol.
Completely different tone than Band of Brothers... but I'm glad that this side of the war's story is also told, as we tend to focus on the European side of things.
In high school this series came out and our teacher, for a class called War in American Society (combination of war and it's effects on the american culture), stood in line for hours to get Band of Brothers on it's release day (which was around Black Friday), he was so thrilled to have the series. A class of high schoolers who paid attention to every second of this series, didn't bitch or complain or moan, and most of who were in tears by the end of it, this is by far one of the best war documentary/series ever made. You may not agree with the things they did or why they were there but what happened and the hell they went through, no one should disrespect that. As fubar as thing gets, soldiers go through so much and a lot of it's still taken for granted once they get home.
It means so much more to see the real men at the end and throughout the series. Watching an old grown man go through these memories and break down in tears is about as powerful as you get.
My brother dropped 100+ bucks on the original DVD release. HBO releases are not cheap.
Nikki we are talking Thousands of years of history in Europe where we are talking less than 20 years of Nazi history. These places were beautiful before the Nazi government took over and are beautiful today. The whole reason the German military wanted these places was because of the beauty in these places.
Winters wrote a book about his experiences in the war, I have it:
Winters, D., Kingseed, C.: "Beyond Band of Brothers: The war memories of Major Dick Winters", 2006.
Suggest the follow-up series, "The Pacific." NOT as good as "Band of Brothers" but still good.
Equally as good, but different, but equally as important.
I actually prefer The Pacific to BoB. I think they’re both fantastic.
@@Notsosweetstevia i dont think its anywhere as good but its better at learning individual people and their view on things where there wasn't as much in band of brothers
Another good one for fans of these to see, Generation Kill. Modern times tho so a little bit different, set on the 2003 invasion of iraq from the perspective of usmc recon battalion
@@gyderian9435 I liked that that series didn’t shy away from showing when things went wrong. Civilian casualties.
“The greatest generation” my grandpa and three great uncles served in WWII. My grandma operated a drill press in a factory for the war effort.
You guys should check out "Generation War"! Great German mini series in the German POV following 4 friends that took different directions in the war!
Band of Brothers has been one of my favourite shows since it came out. I was 10 and I watched it with my parents, and I feel like these men have been with me my whole life. Ever since I was a kid I've been interested in learning about both world wars. It's so crazy to me that people in different parts of the world know so little about it all, but then I realise my parents are both interested and I grew up in northern France where we had German bunkers in every field and tunnels under cities that were used for the war, etc, so it was all real to me from the day I was born. And the men of Easy Company will always be my heroes
Idk if you guys already talked about this in this video(I'm commenting early) or have already watched the show and recorded vids for it but will you guys be watching The Pacific? It's just like Band of brothers but obviously about the Marines against the Japanese Empire
My great uncle served in the Pacific with the Marines and survived those island battles. There's a Life Magazine photo of him helping rescue a child from a cave on Saipan. He made it through all that and was never wounded. He came home to Texas and was living down near the border where he taught little Mexican children who had immigrated to the US how to speak English. He was in a small plane flying home to see his parents (my great grandparents) and the plane hit power lines and crashed... killing all on board. This was only a few months after he got home. My wife and I named our son after him. There is so much that I would have loved to have asked him.
You should watch the Pacific next. It’s not as good as this one but it’s still excellent. A lot tougher to watch though.
1000 times this
I agree; it’s not a “Band of Brothers but in the Pacific”, but like you said, still very, very good. I think some folks (myself included) were expecting a recreation of BoB and so lost interest early in the series when it first aired. And like you also referred to, it’s absolutely fucking brutal (like the real war was in that theater). So glad I gave it a dedicated watch a few years back. It absolutely stands on its own legs and has moments of emotional impact that rival a lot of Band of Brothers’, in my opinion.
(Sorry to hijack your post, I just have a lot of feelings about these series lol)
I wanted a panel discussion on here of a 2012 sitdown with Babe Heffron and other survivors plus the actors who played Liebgot and Percante. IT WAS AMAZING and puts everything in a different perspective.
If by "these places" you mean these towns and villages, those have seen the same kind development as the rest of post-war Germany and Austria. Of course strong efforts been made to teach the public and especially the following generations about the horrors of the Third Reich, that it may never happen again, and to get over centuries of wars, fighting and "national revanchism". While these efforts might not have been absolutely thorough in every part of society, you won't find much sympathies for Nazis in places like Berchtesgarden.
If you were talking about buldings and structures like Hitler's "Eagle Nest" (Kehlsteinhaus), many of these places still do exist. That includes many of the concentration camps. Usually these buildings and structures are used as museums or memorial places today to educate people and ensure that the crimes of Nazi-Germany are not forgotten (nor trivialized).
And if were asking if these towns and cities were destroyed, well, that depends. The Ruhr Area, a large industrial center of Germany, has was exposed to many carpet bombings. So were cities like Dresden, Cologne, Berlin of course, basically every major cities. The scars are still visible today as the many of the historic structures in these cities were destroyed, and the "construction sins" of the often hastily attempted rebuilding during the post-war years and the "Wirtschaftswunder" era still influence the city centers to this say. Smaller cities and towns like Berchtesgarden were usually spared though (unless they became a battlefield).
Very well put man. one thing i really love about Dresden today (my parents live there), is that there was made a very big effort to restore and repair the historical buildings to lessen the "construction Sin" the city had to bear^^
Best Reaction videos I have seen on the internet. In some cases I enjoy watching your reaction videos as much as the show itself. You are both so honest, real, humble, and sincere. I feel like I know you, you are both such good people. Please keep the videos coming!!!
Band of Brothers is a show that keeps giving and giving. Discovered and appreciated again and again. One of the best shows ever!
Words can never express the appreciation and gratitude I feel for all those that have fought and died in the name of freedom and peace for all. Love from Canada. 💕
while you think about that consider this: you come back and there are civilian employers that tell you that "you arent qualified" to do even the most basic of jobs.
True story.
To fight for your country, come back, and get treated like that is a disgrace and should be a felony for those employers.
@@lelouchvibritannia4028 But you have to wonder how could they not be qualified? They've learned to do hard, dangerous work under extremely stressful conditions with a diverse group of people you often barely know, oftentimes with little or no guidance
@@nickmitsialis Because that's what the communist ideology that infiltrated the US post-WW2 does; it uses its soldiers in wars, and then tosses them away like pieces of trash. Too many commies in this country, the ungrateful pigs they are.
@@lelouchvibritannia4028 Indeed; it seems while Easy Company's 'Great War' was mainly fought on a physical realm, we in this generation are entangled in a culture war fought on political grounds, and the scary thing is the enemy is gaining ground at an alarming rate.
ETERNAL GRATITUDE FROM THIS FRENCHMAN TO YOUR FOREFATHERS
What a journey. Welcome to the family! I'"ve stopped counting the times I've watched it and now I watch it again through reactions.
Watch the Pacific next!!! Great series "different feel then BOB!!
I served in Germany from 89 to 92. As soon as I got in country, deja voo! I really felt that I had been there before! Especially where I was stationed, western Germany near France and Luxembourg. I wasn't homesick. Isn't that uncanny? I got deployed to Desert Storm (follow-on forces) in August of 91. NO deja voo there! The desert is featureless and empty. Had some hairy times there. Got injured in an accident. But made it back to Germany in December of 91. Christmas was special that year, I was happy and thankful to be back in Germany. I was on profile (physical restrictions) for the rest of my time there. I came back to the states in April of 92.
Happy 4th of July! Loved your reactions to Band of Brothers. I had a Grandfather in both campaigns and look forward to when you react to the Pacific. I want to thank all who served our country. God Bless.