I love how they made sure in the script for Winters to ask his name. George Rice. The paid respect to the guy who helped Easy Company survive Bastogne.
"We're paratroops we're supposed to be surrounded" 1/325 Abn. '76-'84 My unit , the 82 Airborne was up North , St. Vith stopping SS Panzer Corps with help from some bridge blowing engineers elements of 7th Armor & remnants of the green 106 info div
IT brings me to tears and my heart what my Grandpa both did in World War Two and both are gone.I miss them all.So any Service Men and Women think you for our Liberty.
My father was blind in one eye (since 9) and was a truck driver in the army. He was one of the first trucks with supplies to get to Bastogne when the Germans pulled back. He got some big hugs from the 101st Airborne boys when he opened up the passenger door on his truck and there were two large pots of hot soup and bread up to the ceiling of the cab!
At the end of the scene when Winters was looking at his men and saw Guarnere, Liebgot, Talbert and Toye . . . Winters’ realized “with these guys we can’t lose!” Best scene from the best series ever!
What these men did inspired me to join the Army. I never regretted it even though I ended up a disabled veteran. I served America as a soldier in a front line unit. I grew up on the stories of WW2. I'm 70 now. I still remember. I will never forget.
I loved this part. Especially when they started taking the ammo and other items. off the retreating soldiers, it made perfect sense. use what you can get, especially if your short on it. wished they could have gotten rations as well.
Having done a bit (UK Territorial Army 1990-1999), getting hold of spare equipment/rations/etc. is/was a big deal. The military are conditioned to be resourceful, and in times of war, to scavenge, to get hold of anything that helps them survive/defend/fight. This is why Band of Brothers tried to be close to the truth, but had to have a few embellishments for dramatic effect. The attitudes of the men portrayed is typical; we've got a job to do so let's make sure we've got some stuff to do it with...
What a weirdly peaceful scene I can't even start to imagine what it was like for these guys. Being told their orders are to hold this town knowing exactly what was coming for them, and just that calm collected get shit done mindset before walking right into the frozen hell. So much respect for those that serve and have served.
Imagine even that as they came in, the whole US Army was actually going in the opposite direction after having been defeated. So it's like "oh gosh, all those who were here before us were massacred, we are the next..."
@@velocipastor7402 No, a lot of the troops that got hit hard were relatively new. As battle-hardened veterans knowing they were about to be surrounded, the 101st would have felt familiar because they're paratroopers... they're supposed to be surrounded. That's why Major Winters said that line so matter-of-factly.
@@ScottyShaw So funny, im watching this video right now and currently reading some comments. Exactly at "they're paratroopers.... they're supposed to be surrounded" Dick is saying this. What a nice moment lol
That LT. should get a lot of credit by taking the bull by the horns and suppling them with as much ammo as he could with out being told to do this. Some young LT using his brain probably saved a bunch of lives.
The fact these men knew they were going into hell, and not only marched willingly into it. But held the line so that others may live will always be a testament to the American spirit.
I wasn't in combat, but I was attached to tankers and infantry when I was in. My MOS was a truck driver. A lot of the younger guys who were privates or guys who never experienced combat always gave me a hard time. It was their NCOS, LTs and other soldiers who've been to combat, would thank me for bringing ammo, food and supplies when ever we were training.
@@scottgallagher557 It sums up the series imo. If you only had a choice of 1 frame to use to describe the whole series, I would choose the part of the endscene where you see a few flashes on the horizon as they march off in a standard column formation into the darkness
"Farthest from your mind is the thought of falling back, in fact, it isn't there at all. And so you dig your hole carefully and deep, and wait." -- Scrapbook of the 506th PIR
They did a very good job. 1 division (101st Airborne Division) against two, three or more divisions of SS Panzers and German infantries. That's one heck of stand still for a very experience units that survive the Operation Overlord and Market Garden. The Battle of Bulge is one of the most bloodiest fight in the history of Earth and also in the Western Front of Europe. We salute you boys 🖖🖖. Currahee!!!!
Always loved ths story of an army driver coming across a lone soldier digging a fox hole “You looking for somewhere safe?” Said the soldier “Yes” replied the driver “Well park that thing behind me pal, I’m 82nd Airbourne and this is as far as the bastards are going!”
Kinda how he called out Winters from running out to Easy Company when he was the company commander he had a bigger job to do than the watch them. Leadership means delegating to your subordinates.
Quite a few of the units that took the brunt of the German offensive were relatively green units put in line in what was thought a 'quiet' sector to get a little seasoning. Unfortunately the sheer weight of the German offensive made them dissolve as even good veteran units would have had little hope against the onslaught. It must have been some comfort seeing 101st paratroopers arriving on scene sort of like seeing 'the old pros' are on the job now.
@Chris Madison To be fair, it also made zero sense for Germany to waste their last few divisions they can spare and launch an attack. The Allies were under the assumption Germany would try to defend every square inch.
@@Seriona1 I remember a GI's interview on the great series 'World At War' in which he stated the attack shortened the war because all of the German armor used in the attack ran out of fuel and got destroyed by Allied airpower. According to him it would have been extremely difficult to cross the Rhine had the armor been saved for it.
@@Seriona1 Also on the Eastern Front Von Rundstedt wanted a strategic withdrawal in order to build a heavy defensive wall before winter way back in '41. He knew Barbarossa failed and the staggering casualties had pretty much wiped out German offensive power. It just makes the Ardennes Offensive that much more useless and pointless and reflects Hitler as supreme commander which Von Manstein tongue-in-cheek poked full of holes in his memoir.
@@tomservo5347 The eastern front was a shit show but the western front was a test to Hitler's ultimate stupidity. I get people will laugh at that because USSR invasion went to shit but Hitler at the time had good reasons and it made sense on paper. In the West this was different. UK actively rejected Hitler's request for peace time after time. Now that France is liberated and back in the war as a nation, he assumed invading in the winter time against the Western Allies and taking back the Low Countries would give Germany the ability to close a front and then 100% focus against USSR. This was stupid beyond reasons because the Allies would of zero reason not to continue to invade. The Allies knew German resources and manpower was getting low and dangerous, if Hitler asked for peace, they would of laughed, there is zero reason to assume he had any fresh divisions behind that invasion if it were successful.
The looks of fear and determination in their eyes is to be respected. Most of the men in today's generation would never be able to do what these guys did.
I think you'd be surprised by what people are capable of in extraordinary circumstances. This degree of fortitude isn't generational. It's the human spirit.
Towards the ending when the BoB opening alternative played, and Winters gazing out thinking about how far the unit came to be (especially the original Currahee troopers), while at the same time possibly struggling to find the odds of his unit coming out of the battle with minimal casualties despite having witnessed battle-exhausted troops and logistical issues from before-- all the while, even the chain of command of his superiors are squeezed in a position of combatting a German offensive. It's like a foreshadowing of us witnessing the last of what held that sweet-sweet sense of morale and comradery Easy Company had until the aftermath of this mission.
long ago I recall many demoralized and beaten ARVN troops and regular US army behaving the same way. 3RD CAG and yards never did. Its all about your leaders..you follow them. The small hill people we abandoned in Phu Bai were the bravest i ever saw and never believed after training and arming them the marines would just walk away. They remain..we are "all gone".
The bravery of these men is amazing. Thanks for your service to all and especially the 101st Airborne. My late father was part of Patton's 3rd Army 5th that came up in support of Bastogne. He was in the 5th Division and they were on the southern shoulder. His regiment went from Metz in France to Echtenach, Luxembourg about 50-60 miles in the snow and bad weather. He was wounded in combat on Christmas Day, 1944 on a recon mission. They 10th Regiment were trying to counteratack take the town and move the Germans back across the river. He rarely spoke anout it, but he said that the men thought they would win as soon as they saw the skies imprive and the Allied planes startred flyhing again. God bless
In reality the 10th Armor was surrounded as well (Team Desobry at Noville before pulling back with 1/506th to Foy and bastogne on the 20th) and Rice, although ordered to try to supply the 506th never made it to them. What was said though on the 21st when the encirclement was complete was: "The have got us surrounded again, the poor bastards" when asked why "we always start out this way".
The germans had hit new recruits if memory serves me, so when Ike needed the best thats why he turned to the 101st because he knew that they were well tested and trained.
@@AbbaZabbaOlyFrn I have never carried an ammo box that big that wasn't totally fucking heavy, but I am sure you are aware of the historical weight of the boxes, so thank you for making me think. But speaking of acting, and you made me study the scene carefully, so thanks for that also, some of the actors lug the boxes and some of them act like they are filled with doughnuts, very light doughnuts. I am guessing a box that big filled with thirty caliber rounds, even if in pouches would still weigh more than allowing someone WITH GLOVES ON, to just put his hands flat on the side in a compression grip and swing it around. I could be wrong, so thanks for challenging my assertion. But looks to me after careful viewing that the boxes were fucking empty, with both careful acting and not so careful acting. For analysis and assuming forty-five and thirty caliber rounds, what would you consider being not that heavy sir?
@@lewisticknor These were tried and true paratroopers, acting or not they would have no issue throwing those boxes around with how much weight they trained carrying and had to carry during combat.
@@lewisticknor Looks like some of the larger crates were filled with bandoliers loaded up with .30-06. Wouldn’t be as heavy as belts or plain clips as the cotton bandoliers themselves take up quite a bit of storage.
i agree, paratrooper or not, you cant clasp boxes like that and make it look authentic. it was an oversight and cant believe anyone would argue with your perception lol, your 100% right they couldhave acted it better...even for paratroopers you have to grip around hard and lean in than lean back to take the load. that didnt happen.
Most of the units the Germans attacked at first were either totally green or so battered from the Huertgen Forest debacle to be considered combat ineffective and thus were in what was supposed to be a "quiet" part of the line. Germans had excellent luck or great intel to attack where they did.
They capitalized on a mistake that the Allied Commanders kept making over and over again. Same as 1940 nobody thought the Germans could attack in such a heavily wooded area. Come to that Lee did the same thing to the Union army two years in a row at Chancellorville and then again at the Wilderness (basically the same ground with two different names). I guess the lesson here is to expect the attack to come from a direction that seems unlikely or even impossible.
For those that were confused about the "slaughter" that was mentioned at 1:38, this was the infamous Battle of the Bulge aka the last major German counteroffensive of WW2.
I am writing an essay for History and I chose to write about the crucial role the 101st Airborne Division played in liberating Europe. One of my quotes in it is "We're paratroopers Lieutenant. We're supposed to be surrounded." I also finished reading Band of Brothers and I am using that as my source (not the show!)
Fact is that Rice never got to 2/506 and Winters never said the famous BoB line. Another Trooper did say something that could've been used on the show on the 21st when the encirclement was complete "they have got us surrounded, the poor bastards" upon why he said that he responded "we always start out that way". There are a lot more errors in the show, Winters had big issues with some of them but "this is Hollywood" was the response. So don't take everything of BoB as fact but read, read, read and listen/watch interviews of the veterans.
Glad to hear that you got your sources straight. Because Winter DID make a similar remark about being surrounded in Holland on the Highway of Hell. Along the lines: We've trained for this. So no problem. We're surrounded now. But We're trained for that too. So no problem!
My father a 1st Lt in the battle of the bulge drove ammo through closed roads doing the same thing as the Lt in the movie and received a bronze star for this service. He said he had to beg for tommy guns for the front line troops. Every officer in the rear non fighting areas had to have his own just for appearances. At times the front line troops had to supply bootie, knives, daeggers nazi things so he could trade them for guns.
Watching this video reminds me of when I was in the ARMY. When I was in the ARMY, I was in charge of the field gear for the food. Whenever I needed anything, the supply SERGEANT was next door and he was not intelligent playing games and all the cook's knew it and I didn't even bother with my duffel bag.
I had the honor of visiting Point du Hoc, St Mere Eglise, Carentan, Bastogne, the Hurtgen Forrest which is still mined in 2021....and most of the sights in West Germany, we need to learn something out of this, hooah! Peace on Earth!
No one is wearing any packs. They are going in with just weapons and ammo. I like how the camera looks at each soldier's face, as the march into the HELL that they all know is coming.
@@andrewvelonis5940 At 3:19 to end.......the majority of the soldiers have NO packs/personal gear/xtra clothing, etc. Some are carrying cases with probably mortar/bazooka ammo and maybe rations.
For anyone confused about why do many US soldiers were retreating, wounded, and dead at the outset of the battle of the bulge. By late '44. The Lions share of fighting in western europe was occurring within the German border and the frontier between Belgium and Germany. The US Army had been launching attacks at places like the Hurtgen Forest with little to no effect but entire divisions of infantry being killed and wounded to the point that those units quickly became combat ineffective. As a result, many of those units who had experienced soldiers were rotated to what we supposed to be quieter areas of the front to rest, refit, and receive replacements. In addition, many of the regular infantry units moving to the front were full of soldiers fresh out of boot camp who hadn't seen combat yet. Simultaneously the Germans deployed SS units with panzers against these green and under strength units like a sledgehammer. Resulting in huge casualties on the frontline units. On top of all this supplies were low due to a combination of materials used and lost in Market Garden as well as the Allies over extending their supply lines from back in Antwerp. All these conditions resulted in a perfect storm that could only be withstood by the Allies throwing their paratroopers, their most elite soldiers at the time, into the fray.
Agreed with everything you said except the last statement, as the SAS had been created by this time, and the Long Range Desert Group was still active. These were their MOST elite. But, their numbers were few, with the LRDG never having more than 350 at any given time.
The paratroopers were no doubt elite, but I don't think it's fair to say they were the only ones able to withstand the German offensive. In fact, I would say the 2nd Inf Div made one of the greatest feats of the battle - having to do a complete 180 from its attacks on the Siegfried Line to put itself directly in the path of the 6th SS Army and allow retreating units a chance to escape, then withdrawing to Elsenborn Ridge itself after decimating the 6th Army's spearhead. Ruined any chance for the Germans to achieve any of their main objectives on the northern shoulder.
@@redaug4212 ahh....Elsenborne ridge.....where AMERICAN armor were called "cat killers" for wiping out an entire SS panzer division and stopping the attacks on the north shoulder of the bulge....They should be as remember as much as the paratroopers of Bastogne...This is where the M36 TD shown....The panzertruppen learned to be terrified of the 90mm and its HVAP rounds....Karma is a bitch nazis...
I would like for all young people of Balkans to see this series, so they can see what the fucking war is, and to stop talking about how they would gladly go into one, without knowing how it really looks like.
Greetings from Austria jou beautiful people out there. "We're paratroopers Lieutenant. We're supposed to be surrounded!" - this line always sends chills down my spine, because this quote states so much about bravery, Leadership and facing insuperable conditions respectively death. What a great way to overcome fear (also to count on your skills as a paratrooper) and to move quietly into the night - intense and wonderful scene (and a great soundtrack)
There was no air support because nothing could fly due to the weather--including the Stukas Fallon's character referred to. There may or may not have been artillery support in Easy company's sector but 10th Armored provided VITAL armored & artillery support for the 101st. Historians are generally agreed that Bastogne couldn't have been held without that support. In their eagerness to prove Easy won the war by itself, the producers reduced 10th Amored's contribution to a Jimmy Fallon cameo. Its also pretty outrageous that the courage b& sacrifice by 3rd Army in breaking through & relieving the 101st was treated with such disdain.
Could not say it better myself. Looking on two decades later with more access to historical records hitherto unseen before in all of mankind's history it's easy to critique this show for the sensationalised narratives they try to push. Albeit it's more than likely that the David vs. Goliath portrayal of Easy Company was one of the reasons for this shows success that has fans even twenty years later obsessing about it. They in a way have to lessen historical accuracy because the show then becomes at risk of not appealing to wider audience rather than appealing to the vocal minority of us who are interested in history and as a result, historical accuracy in public media
They don't show that Easy company won the war by themselves. In episode 3 they're literally rescued by a 2nd armored platoon and in episode 4 they're driven back by the Germans at Nuenen. I think you're forgetting that this series is meant to focus on Easy company and Easy company alone and it would be pretty weird to just break away and focus on the 3rd army who has no connection to Easy right in the middle of the series. The reason they treat the 3rd Army's incredible rescue of the company like it was nothing and sort of push it aside is because the men in Easy company felt like they never needed to be rescued and treated it like it was nothing. The reason they cut out Fallon's characters ammo runs is for pacing and completely makes sense given the shows 10 episode run.
@@oscarjohnson2130 There was no need to be so dismissive of 3rd Army's efforts. They could have simply not noted 3rd Army at all. Instead, they not only have the dialogue between Winters & Toye, they have a big spiel at the end of the episode denying 3rd Army its rightful place in the battle. They did need to be relieved by 3rd Army & they also needed the armored & heavy artillery support offered by elements of the 10th Armored without which they never would have been able to hold Bastogne. Instead, we have the Fallon standup routine & the affirmative statement that there was no armored or artillery support when there was. In fact, many of the 10th Armored units serving at Bastogne were heavily decorated for their service. Bill Guarniere, for one, was embarrassed by the overemphasis of the 101's role. It didn't need to be overemphasized. It was quite worthy even accurately related.
@Boco Corwin There's no novel & I am not separating anything. They used a comedian to portray the blood and sacrifice of the 10th Armored & you are justifying the production's dismissal of the blood and sacrifice of 3rd Army & 10th Armored.
@Boco Corwin Actually I am wrong. There IS a novel. Its the portrayal of the battle of Bastogne in this & subsequent episodes. The 101 is portrayed as defending Bastogne by itself & its relief by 3rd Army is dismissed as unnecessary. Both of those representations are complete fiction. The 101 could not have held Bastogne by itself & it did not. It had significant armored & artillery support from elements of the 10th Armored which suffered 4700 casualties in the battle.By comparison, the 101 suffered 2500 casualties. The 101 could not have held out indefinitely & could not have broken out by itself. It didn't have to as it, along with those 10th Armored elements, was relieved by 3rd Army. I don't know how many of 3rd Army's 140K WW2 casualties were suffered relieving Bastogne, but they were surely significant. The fiction regarding 10th Armored could easily have been fixed in this very scene. The comedian's line at the end could have been changed from "Look's like you guys are about to be surrounded" to Look's like we are about to be surrounded". The captioning at the end could have been changed from the 101 being without air & artillery support--which was untrue--to simply say it was without air support. The 3rd Army was even easier to fix. If they were so worried about denying 3rd Army its role at Bastogne, they could simply have not mentioned them either in the dialogue or the captioning. That would have been petty enough but affirmatively denying that 3rd Army played an important role was also quite ungenerous as well as wildly inaccurate. It seems likely that whoever was responsible for this nonsense had their knickers in a twist over the portrayal of Third Army in Patton which came out THIRTY ONE YEARS before. I doubt very many viewers even knew what the captioning referred to. In fact, Patton refers to the 101 as heroes who deserved to be relieved...making these comments even more gratuitous & ungenerous. One final note. This scene shows soldiers retreating from the Germans as a beaten mob. In fact, the four divisions that were attacked initially consisted mostly of green troops who were hit with overwhelming force. Many fought heroically, crucially delaying the German advance & giving Bradley time to rush the 101 & elements of the 10th Armored into Bastogne just ahead of the Germans.
"Were paratroopers lieutenent, were supposed to be surrounded" winters was such a bad ass 🙌 thx for your service to all our veterans 🙏🙏 George rice played by fallon was a true American hero delivering much needed ammo to the 101st airborne and as they said they didn't need Patton to relieve them they were just fine where they were. 🙏
@@limitbassfishing2733 don't worry id be one of the soldiers to fuck up as Popeye said. And get shot. Or like private blithe and get shot. I am a walking breathing extension of the American military. I refuse to die but I refuse to live in a fascist utopia. I've been shooting since 9. I would love to proove my precision. I've always shot bolt action rifles my whole life. Sorry English is not my first language and i didn't watch the clip. I have band of brothers on dvd the whole series so I figured I could sum up his words but i failed and you corrected my failure. Thank you sir. I will do better next time i didn't mean to fuck up sir.
For anyone who doesn't know: These were the men of E Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. they were in the rear for rest and relaxation when they were told that Hitler had ordered the push of German Armor in the Ardennes. They were short on food, ammo, cold weather clothing, and medical supplies (which is why they took from the wounded) and despite being short on supplies they still marched in and stopped the German advance on the town of Bastogne and held until relieved by Patton and his tanks
Only time I EVER liked Fallon's work. ..He really acted like he was a good officer; showed leadership by taking initiative and getting those paratroopers equipped...otherwise all that ammo would have blown up with the rest of that ammo dump....instead the screaming eagles gave it back to the nazis at 2700 feet per second...
This is the scene where their bravely and valiantly walk into the front lines to face the bitter cold of winter and the Kraut's with enormous army during the bloodiest battle on the Western Front of WW II. The Battle of the Bulge.
If that really is Jimmy Fallon, then it's sad to have seen him go from playing a part in Band of Brothers to trying to slowly destroy the US via his toxic late night show garbage.
It really is Jimmy Fallon. He was still on SNL at this time. I have no idea who thought it would be a good idea to give him a part in this. He’s a terrible actor and is the absolute worst late night show host ever.
In what way is it toxic? I agree the show sucks but toxic really isn't the right word to describe it, and it certainly isn't 'destroying America', you're just being melodramatic.
They were committed with minimal amounts of ammo[worst was lack of mortar rounds], food and medical supplies were almost non-existent. They needed gloves, better boots[the shoe-pacs they should have had were held up in Comm Z], a single blanket was a rare commodity when you're sleeping in a foxhole in single digit temperatures. The 82nd was in a a better situation, they were in the line near Werbermont, but at least they could be supplied and their casualties evacuated.
You never hear a lot about casualties lost to hypothermia and frostbite. There had to be some, it'd be almost impossible that somebody in the 101 wasn't lost to one or both. But you don't ever hear about it.
I was checking out some Ukraine commentator (Speak the Truth) and thinking about this scene when he talked about Pokrovsk. So I will paraphrase Colonel Sink: “Welcome to Donetsk oblast this area is known as Pokrovsk. Strategic crossroads town, six roads leading in! Six roads leading out. Which makes it ideal for Orc armour. “Ike” wants to make sure that the Orcs can't use those roads, so we're gonna put a perimeter around Pokrovsk, dig in tight as a tick.”
Just realized that if Easy was camped near Mourmelon-le-Grand and they were driven to Bastogne, it was about 113 mi. Good distance to travel in the back of a deuce and a half in the dead of winter, not to mention bumps and having to hold it when you needed to take a leak!
I love how Colonel Strayer arrives just in time, back from a wedding in London, only to be sent away by Colonel Sink, so Sink can discuss the situation with the real Battalion commander, Captain Winters.
@@raynovikpchevotszcheck5812 I don't think Major Horton ever made an appearance in the show. He is only mentioned in Episode 1 by Captain Sobel as an excuse to why he cut the fence, to which Strayer answers that he's in London.
@@ToDDHeaDDoh !! So that was colonel strayer referring major horton being in london for a leave, i thought it was also him.. Thank you for the clarification buddy..
