The nurse depicted in episode 6 is Renee Lemaire, whose parents lived in Bastogne and she went to visit them in December '44 from Brussels. She wasn't able to leave due to the German forces surrounding them and she and another nurse (Augusta Chiwy) volunteered at the aid station. When the aid station was bombed, Renee was able to help 6 soldiers out of the building but was killed when she went back to attempt to rescue another wounded soldier. This series doesn't pull any punches, and it stays pretty close to the actual facts, making it much more difficult to watch. It is not easy to follow the men of Easy, but I believe it is necessary in order to honor the sacrifices that so many made.
Interesting side note on Doc Roe. In Word War II, soldiers were eligible for an extra $50+ a month (about $750 a month in today’s dollars) for combat pay for being in a combat zone. However, since medics didn’t carry weapons, they weren’t considered combatants and weren’t eligible for combat pay. So Doc Roe, despite being the equivalent of a sergeant and being constantly under fire, was getting paid less than virtually every soldier he treated despite being exposed to all the hazards of a regular soldier. It was only after a letter-writing campaign in the military’s Stars and Stripes magazine by front-line GIs on behalf of combat medics' pay that the military finally authorized combat pay for medics in the spring of 1945.
The character of the nurse, Renée, was inspired by the real life character Renée Lemaire, The American Troops called her the angel of Bastogne. Lemaire was from the Bastogne area, her parents owned a hardware store there, throughout much of the war, prior to this moment, she had been a nurse in Brussels, where she helped take care of the wounded. She just happened to be going home to see her parents in Bastogne for Christmas 1944, and little could she have realized that this battle would erupt in her front yard. He further states there's no evidence to suggest that she interacted with Doc Roe. Renée did lose her life during German bombing of Bastogne, but she was not in the Church basement, she was actually in a store basement that wasn't too far away. A building had caught fire, and she was taking part in an effort to evacuate men who had taken refuge in that building, an aid station in the basement of the Sarma Store. She was able to pull six men out of the fire and when she went back in to get a seventh, she lost her life. She was 30 years old. Her body was later delivered to her parents wrapped in a white parachute. Also the Congolese nurse, Auguste Chiwy, was also a real figure in Bastogne. She survived the war, and died in 2015. Keep up the good work.
Fun fact, when you look at the amount of men and material that the Germans lost trying to take Bastogne, there are some reports that the 101st actually outnumbered the Germans by the end and could have attempted a breakout maneuver.
@@DongusMcBongusThe Battle for the Ardennes was the largest battle the US Army ever fought, there were at least two dozen divisions involved, where only a handful were actually engaged in combat immediately surrounding Bastogne. My father was there on the outskirts of Bastogne (near hamlets of Warden, Foy, Michamps area) with the 6th Armored Div., 25th Combat Engineering Battalion, C Company. Both sides suffered heavy losses of similar numbers including tank losses, but the Germans were not decimated even though they were pushed back to the edges of the forrest. The battle lasted from Dec. 16th, 1944, until the end of January 1945. As the battle wore-on it became a slugfest of artillery where Allies enjoyed an estimated near to 10x advantage in field pieces (fixed & motorized). Germany disengaged once Hitler finally accepted it was a lost cause; their 1945 battles transitioned in to a defense of their homeland.
The PTSD scene was incredibly accurate. My uncle is a decorated combat officer and he told me that it often comes out of nowhere and at the slightest trigger. These WW2 vets often suffered in silence, which is so sad. Also, he told me in the Bastogne episode, the scene where Babe Hefron is trying to rescue Julian, along with Tom Hanks first peering from behind the sea wall in SPR are the two closest scenes from any production that accurately simulate what it would be like to be pinned down with suppressive fire from a machine gun.
My uncle Milo fought in the Battle of the Bulge near St. Vith. He was a heavy machine gunner (like Smokey, the soldier paralyzed in this ep). On December 16th he and his squad were cut off and evaded capture in the woods for days before returning to friendly lines, on Christmas Eve. As soon as he hooked up with a larger group of men (the same day, Christmas Eve), they turned around and went right back into the battle. He was eventually evac'd to the rear with trench foot and frost bitten feet, so bad he couldn't walk. He was awarded a bronze star for the battle. He was a wonderful writer (was a writer in Stars and Stripes several times during the war) and when he got home he wrote about that Christmas Eve. I have the typewritten pages (on that super thin old typing paper) with his signature and handwritten copyright. The Bastogne episode always wrecks me.
Wow. That’s amazing and so special that you were able to learn and keep that piece of your family history with you. My thanks to you and your family for their service and sacrifice.
If the interviews are your favorite part, I would HIGHLY recommend watching the documentary that complements this show, “We Stand Alone Together.” I truly consider the documentary to be the 11th episode of the series. It’s simply more of the interviews from the episodes. I, for one, would absolutely watch your reaction to it.
There's a great interview with the actor who played Dukeman. He fell on hard times after the show, but ended up getting contacted by a fan of the show who was from Colorado - Dukeman's home state, and for that reason he decided to go there an meet her They ened up eventually getting married. He talks about how he owes his entire life to a guy who died before he was even born. He now has Dukeman's service number as a tattoo, has visited his grave, and even went to the actual spot where Dukeman died.
Yes, that was Jimmy Fallon. Apparently, he couldn't drive a manual transmission, so he kept it in neutral and was pushed into the scene by extras. Bastogne was considered by the army a quiet, safe spot off the front lines for R&R. Hitler was able to make very quick advances because it was such a surprise.
ugh, Jimmy cant stop laughing at his own jokes Fallon is the one thing i don't really like about this show. Mercifully, that's the only single scene he's in. lol
My understanding is that he is portraying a real-life relative. So while we can all agree that he is super irritating, I guess he deserves the chance he got here.
It didn't make the edit here, but the scene in Crossroads where Roe chews out Winters and Welsh for not knowing the dosage of morphine is a favorite of mine.
Mine too. A rare occasion where a medic can pull rank on his superiors without getting in trouble for it. Truly awesome scene. I think it was also a clue for the audience that the next episode would be dedicated to him.
[27:10] You'll probably be glad to hear that Renée and the other volunteer nurses are collectively known as the Angels of Bastogne, and that there's a monument to them at the north end of the town.
I recall an interview in a documentary with a survivor of Bastogne who woke up with his legs frozen in blocks of ice. His friends had to chisel him out. He wàs hospitàlized for several weeks learning to walk. Once he got back on his feet they sent him back to his unit.
Btw, as someone whose experienced military life up north. The trick to deal with wet socks is not to hang them around your neck, but between first and second layers of clothing on your upper body. In freezing temperatures you should be wearing 3 layers on your upper body. First to wick sweat, second to insulate, and the third and outermost layer being the winter jacket. Of course if you get into warm space, immediately hang your wet articles to dry.
Addie, you might find it interesting to watch the movie 'Patton,' for more background to this episode (episode 6). Patton is the general who ordered his men out of a battle 100 miles to the south, had them march 100 miles north and go immediately into battle to relieve the pressure on the troops at Bastogne. The movie Patton stars George C. Scott as general Patton, and it came out in 1970. I think you will be impressed.
The episode of Bastogne was filmed entirely on a sound stage, amazing. Winters said his favorite memory of the war was throwing what he thought was water on Nix to wake him up.
In episode 6, they make it seem as though they were alone in Bastogne. They were not. They were reinforced with two full battalions of tank destroyers, and, Combat Command B of the 10th Armored Division. And, yes, that was Jimmy Fallon as 2nd Lt. George Rice. Fallon couldn't drive a manual transmission, and, kept stalling that Jeep. For the take they used, it was in neutral, and, several crew members had to push it into frame.
Great job Addie, you've come a long way. A year or two ago your couldn't have sat through the scene of Doc and the Nurse desperately trying to save the soldier in the church, but you did it! It's a tough show, especially for someone who's been in combat, but it's a very important and amazing show.
Renée Lemaire and Augusta Chiwy (Ana) were real people. Renée Lemaire was a trained nurse who was visiting her parents in Bastogne for Christmas 1944. When the town became surrounded by the surprise German advance, she volunteered at the American aid station in Bastogne, where she served under Dr John “Jack” Prior. On Christmas Eve 1944, the Germans bombed Bastogne. Renée helped rescue 6 people from a bombed and burning building. When she went back in to get more people, the building collapsed, and she was killed. Her body was recovered, and the Airborne returned her to her parents wrapped in a parachute. Augusta Chiwy was also a practicing nurse who was visiting her parents in Bastogne for Christmas. Her father was a former Belgian soldier, and her mother was from Congo. Like Renée, she volunteered at the American aid station when the town became surrounded. During the Christmas Eve bombing, Augusta was blown through a wall, but escaped with only minor injuries. After the war, Augusta continued to practice nursing, specializing in neck and spinal injuries. She married a Belgian soldier, and they had two children together. Finally in 2012, both the American and Belgian governments recognized Augusta’s contributions to the Siege of Bastogne, awarding her the highest civilian honours each respective government can award. Augusta Chiwy passed away in 2015, at the age of 94. Together, Renée Lemaire and Augusta Chiwy are known as “The Angels of Bastogne”.
Crossroads: This is the episode when Tom Hanks literally takes the reigns in...becoming more introspective with Winters. Long before PTSD was even taken seriously. General Patton famously addressed it with the back of his hand on a soldiers face. Oh and if any of you come across any bacon sandwiches, let me know. Currahee ♠
Crossroads, Bastogne, and Breaking Point have got to be my top 3 episodes of this series. Winters' change of perspective, the point of view from Doc, and all the emotions of whats to come
Two things to add. Jimmy Fallons character George Rice made eight trips between that ammo depo and Easy company with the last run being AFTER the Germans had Bastogne surrounded. He had to be ordered not to go a ninth time. Was awarded a Silver or bronze star for this. When the rest of the allies heard that the troop surrounded in Bastogne were still holding out it, somehow, started to raise morale. They got the nickname ‘The Battered Bastards of Bastogne’.
You may have been told this already, but there is a documentary with more expanded interviews with the veterans called We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company. It was filmed before and during the production of the series. There is also a companion podcast that has a lot of viewpoints of the actors and production staff, including the actors’ experiences with the veterans.
According to History Professor Jared Frederick, the character of the nurse, Renée, may have been inspired by the real life character Renée Lemaire, Lemaire was from the Bastogne area, her parents owned a hardware store there, throughout much of the war, prior to this moment, she had been a nurse in Brussels, where she helped take care of the wounded. She just happened to be going home to see her parents in Bastogne for Christmas 1944, and little could she have realized that this battle would erupt in her front yard. He further states there's no evidence to suggest that she interacted with Doc Roe. Renée did lose her life during German bombing of Bastogne, but she was not in the Church basement, she was actually in a store basement that wasn't too far away. A building had caught fire, and she was taking part in an effort to evacuate men who had taken refuge in that building, an aid station in the basement of the Sarma Store. She was able to pull six men out of the fire and when she went back in to get a seventh, she lost her life. She was 30 years old. Her body was later delivered to her parents wrapped in a white parachute.
Yes they were talking about Winters before the Crossroads episode. Since the interviews are your favorite - be sure to check out the accompanying documentary, “We Stand Alone Together,” as a sort of episode 11 after the miniseries. Has all the interviews with the men (all names revealed) and they give great context plus archival footage and quite a bit on their postwar lives. Smokey (temporarily paralyzed due to swelling near his spine from his wound) won’t be back in the series but he did survive and did walk again but had back pain the rest of his life. The nurse as others have said was a real woman and she was known as the angel of Bastogne by the men. They carried her body home to her parents and used one of their silk parachutes as a shroud.
❤❤❤ Whie Sobel was unable to further torment his nemesis (Winters) and the rest of the Easy, he was still alive. I have to remind you that his successor was shot down on D-Day. Had he not been replaced, Easy would still have been rid of him and Lt Meehan would have been put in charge of the company. Dick Winters would probably not led the assault on the gust at Brecourt Manor. This story would have been soooo different. But being in charge somewhere, Dick would still have to write reports. The paper trail never ends. The memories never go away. I'm most partial for the Bastogne episode. My father was a Nvy Corpsman in the Pacific. While the brave men of the 101st were training for two years, he was on the ground with the Marine Corps doing what he could to save lives. Before his first deployment, his job was caring for Pearl Harbor burn victims. When Easy Company got to their sixth month in combat, my father was at his two year mark. It's no wonder that he was traumatized for life. Corpsman code. 1. Good men will die. 2. Doc can't save everyone. 3. Doc will go through hell to change rules one and two.
After finishing this series, you should watch "The Pacific", tells the second part of the WW2 across the ocean against the Japanese, basically a continuation of this series.
Bastogne: "There's a lot of sh*t and it's heading this way..." Well, it's here now. Imagine being the only one in the middle of this chaos trying to save lives, while everyone around you is trying to end them...I dated a nurse once, it takes a certain kind of soul to do this, let alone in a war zone...
Crossroads is my favorite episode. How it followed Winters and all that he was dealing with while still being the exceptional leader that he was; the Navy Veteran in me respects him and everything he did. And that was Jimmy Fallon you saw at the end of the episode. What I liked about Bastogne was seeing things from Doc Roe's perspective as he tried to keep the men alive and in good health. Renee's death was heartbreaking. I liked the final scene with Doc Roe and Babe. That was a nice moment.
The cold - early on during my time in the Army, we were in sub zero conditions for about a week, without specific cold weather gear. I didn't see the inside of a building in all that time, and barely felt my feet. I wasn't the only one with cold weather injuries. All my fingertips were numb. A week or so later, the skin on all of my fingertips peeled off. It would take about 8 months before I regained proper sensations back. Not fun.
I can't imagine being a doctor in those situations, when despite all your efforts the only outcome is seeing your friends die, the consequences in life must have been heavy.
Winters put it best. " We're Airborne we're supposed to be surrounded " That statement tell you all you need to know about the character of these men. Tissue up Audley because you have some heavy hitting episodes coming up.
My step grandpa was 101st at Bastogne and he hated winter the rest of his life. He also admitted that General Patton and the 3rd Army saved their butts.
Tom Hanks had a cameo in the Crossroads episode. One of the Red Devils that was by Easy Company. He can be seen when the men are celebrating in the barn at about 7.30 minutes.
There are rough sequences throughout the whole show, but this episode for me is the roughest, and the next few episodes are some of my favorite TV ever.
A month before the Battle of the Bulge a German officer by the name of Friedrich Lengfeld gave his life to save the life of a wounded American. In 1994 members of the 22 Infantry Regiment Society dedicated a monument to Lt. Lengfeld at the entrance to the Hurtgen cemetery where Friedrich Lengfeld is buried. The plaque read, "No man has greater love than he who gives his life for the enemy." At the bottom it says, "Deeds not words." We can all learn from Lt. Friedrich Lengfeld.
Very nice, but what does that have to do with these episodes or this series? A German officer lost his life helping a wounded US soldier. How many US medical staff members or ambulance drivers died helping to treat wounded enemies?
You may have already recorded all your reactions for the series. I highly suggest the accompanying 'We Stand Alone Together' and the making of videos. Each are worth watching, but the first expands on the real soldier interviews.
As far as Winters reliving what he went thru, he actually thought back fairly often. He was one of few men to carry with him a book that he would read through the war. It was a tactics book, and he would often read and think back about what he had done to try and improve. Also, regarding the thought of sending men into battle, that's the one reason that Winters was never as buddy buddy with the men. You might remember him chastising Buck Compton in the first episode, he needed space to prevent any close friendships from preventing him from sending his men into battle
If your favorite part of the series is the interviews, there is a bonus episode of band of brothers called "We stand alone together" which is a longer collection of these interviews with the real men of Easy company. Some of the clips will be from these epsodes, but much of it won't be and can give a new perspective on some of the events depicted in the tv-series.
Remember Bill Guarnere in Ep.5 asking about a place called "Lulu's"? Sounds like he found it and now has a "souvenir" giving him urinary problems in Ep.6. (his nickname is "Gonorrhea" btw...)
When you watch this and realize it is following the true events relatively close… The magnificent sacrifice and true heroism that took place is unimaginable…. The greatest generation had plenty of flaws when it came to equality but who will ever equal these accomplishments in the most horrific circumstances… I hope we never have to know.
Also they did Julian a little dirty. He was actually Babe's friend who was there since market garden like Babe. Also the significance of Doc not calling them their nicknames was also not to get to close to the men due to the nature of his job
My Grandfather was in Patton's 3rd, C company. (You should watch Patton w/ George C Scott btw) They marched over 100 miles in just a few days to get to Bastogne. Easy may have not needed "reusing" but the desperately needed reinforcement. My Grandfather also hated the cold. He never said anything about it so we heard stories from his brothers, who were also there, and just reading his service reports. 3 Purple Hearts, 1 Bronze Star and 1 Silver Star. I have always been very proud of my Grandfather service.
My great uncle was also apart of Pattons third. Uncle Doug and he loved Patton so much that he named his son Pat in honor. Now there is a lot of variation of that in the men in my family like Patrick etc.
Patton commanded the enormous 3rd Army, so which unit's "C" company was he in? (Division? Regiment?) I've seen your posting under other BOB reactions, and I'm curious; he sounds like quite a decorated soldier. You have every reason to be proud of him.
All they did was gripe about being abandoned and forgotten during the battle, saying how were paratroopers supposed to fight panzers, and when Patton arrived with his armor they said they didn't need to be rescued
I think one thing that really got to him besides what was happening in the field, was seeing that this "hospital" was basically just becoming a morgue as the bodies piled up. Him and other medics were saving people, but many just dye anyway. You know that had to destroy morale and make it feel pointless at times from his point of view.
I don't know how the medics did it. That had to be the toughest and most dangerous job. Going to the aid of a fallen soldier is actually going into the hellfire of a battle. Every part of their job involves severe wounds and death. I've had to treat severe wounds on 2 separate occasions. When I was in my teens a 6 year old boy cut in front of a speeding car right in front of my house. I saw the accident and rushed out to administer first aid. The little boy was bad hurt and bleeding profusely from his head. I used my shirt to control the bleeding. People started gathering around including the boys mother. She was hysterical and I was doing all I could to keep the boy from going into shock. The accident was a hit and run and it turned out the car was stolen. When the ambulance arrived and the medics took over, I stood up and nearly passed out. The little boy eventually recovered but I will never forget that day 60 years ago. The second occasion was when a friend of mine accidentally shot himself in the leg. The bullet cut the artery and blood was spurting out. We were out in the woods miles from a hospital. I had some rope in my truck and applied a tourniquet using a screw driver to tighten it. I got him to a hospital and he made a full recovery. I don't think I could have done that type of work over the period of hours, especially while bullets were flying around and artillery shells were going off nearby.
Skip Muck played by Richard Speight Jr, was instrumental in getting Mucks family his medals re awarded, they never knew what happened to him or that the book was written about him and Easy, until Speight started calling all the Mucks in the Tonawanda phone book in prep. There's great YT out there from History Hacks and We Happy Few 506th with him telling that story.
An awesome heartfelt review as always. The way BoB switches the focus from episode to episode is genius. Sometimes it's the battle...then it's this person...then another. Was so nice to include the veteran interviews. I'm currently watching Masters of the Air. Another excellent series (NO not as good as Bob before someone points it out). MotA lacks the veteran interviews (which is understandable as those the series covers have all passed as of the completion of the series) and that is truly missed. Looking forward to your next review in this series. I think Ep 7 is the hardest followed closely by 9. Have a great rest of your week.
If you like the interviews with the men definitely watch the documentary “We Stand Alone Together”, basically episode 11. It has more of the interviews with the the men of easy company.
Can not state it enough. You MUST watch the documentary We Stand Alone Together. The interview segments at the start of the episodes are taken from there. You'll be glad you do.
Winters was an amazing tactician. Buck Compton was one of my favorite soldiers. Though he became severely effected by the horrors of the war, he was one of the strongest to serve in Easy Company
My favorite part of these reactions is how you keep saying "we" and "lets" "We" found you some scissors "Lets" find him some boots Feels more immersive lol
I wanted Eugene and Renee to get married and open a radio shop in a coastal town on the French Riviera, and to branch out to selling stereos and televisions later on.
Winter should have been able to rest during that "holiday" tho. Even with all of those crowds. The problem is the ptsd he got from shooting the unarmed. Now it got stuck there in his head.
I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman (Medic) in Vietnam (3 Tours). I had 4months of basic medical training and two months of combat medical training when I was assigned to the Marines. The army medical training is similar. They don't just say you're a medic. There are not enough men that volunteer to be a medic. Tests are taken while you are in training. If your test shows an aptitude for medicine, then they ask you to volunteer or just send you to school to be a medic. If you are not good at it they send you back to infantry. Most medics that have been in combat can do the job as well as or better than some doctors or nurses. According to the Geneva Conventions medics are not to carry offensive weapons. I never carried a weapon. During times not in combat the medic is supposed give first aid lessons to his whole platoon frequently. So, anyone can take over basic first aid if the medic is killed. They can carry a pistol for their own protection and the protection of the one they are working on. Those two medics in the same fox hole should never be close to each other during combat (That’s one of the first things you learn). One of my tours in Vietnam I was on a ship on the Co Chien River in the Mekong Delta. Me and another corpsman were the only medical personnel on board. Being the only medical person onboard I did everything medical. If you were on a ship or with the Marines, you were called Doc. We were taught that during combat conditions we were to be on opposite ends of the ship. The 2 corpsmen we replaced were together during a fire fight and they both got killed. You never remember all the ones that you have treated but you never forget the ones you can’t save.
FYI about Sobel, (not spoilers). He was an arse through the war, a skilled organiser but a 'stickler' for rules and pettiness who made enemies easily, including a long term feud with Winters. A deeply unhappy man. But AFTER the war he got married, had kids, and apparently became a MUCH better version of himself.
Really? He attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head and blinded himself. He spent the rest of his life in a VA hospital facility and died of malnutrition, with not even a memorial service.
Both statements are true - his family did not agree with his portrayal in the series. I have read that the suicide attempt was after he was diagnosed with cancer (he survived both, he was blind for about 10 years).
Great reaction, young lady. There's nothing wrong with tearing up when you see Babe eating the chocolate. It was the second time I did the first time I watched this series. The first was episode 4 when Webster gave the chocolate to the Belgian boy. (Must be something about chocolate). This series will stay with you forever. I'm looking forward to your next reaction. CURRAHEE !
Hope you aren't too attached to some of these guys. The nightmare known as Bastogne continues in the next episode. If you thought the shelling by the Germans was rough in this one, prepare to jump as the trees explode during the day. War is horrible. Always has been and always will be. It should be avoided, but alas, it can not happen all the time. Even though the battles are rough on all soldiers, especially the medics, the Germans knew better than to shoot medics. The war in the Pacific was a huge nightmare for medics. The big red cross they wore was removed from their uniforms because the Japanese saw those as targets. There is an independent film that takes place before the Battle of the Bulge, which is taking place in these episodes. Saints and Soldiers. It's about a group of American soldiers who escaped the Malmedy Massacre and escort a British pilot back to Allied territory with very sensitive information that only he can interpret as it was written in a shorthand writing he created. Worth a look.
Another thing that made the battle even more dangerous was infiltration by Germans posing as American soldiers, which made fighting even more confusing as it already was.
22:20 "Are they leaving?" I don't think you caught on to the fact that they are completely surrounded and cut off. That's why they have no supplies. That's why they cannot evacuate their wounded to hospitals in France and England. They cannot leave because there is no way out.
About the somewhat confusing scene where american planes shoot at them: The aim of the US army air force (as it was then called) was notoriously terrible and instances of friendly fire were constant. So much so that the germans had a popular joke that went: "When you see a plane, pay close attention to the flag on it. If it's British, we duck. If it's American, they duck. And if it's German, nobody ducks" (The german air force had an almost as bad reputation for poor aim)
Link to video of Mark Lawrence who played Dukeman goes to the real crossroads to see where Dukeman was killed. Lots of parallels between Lawrence and Dukeman. Lawrence married a woman from Colorado near where Dukeman was from........ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Dq84-nrmIdI.htmlsi=2oxPYiErKErewF8l
You’re not crazy, that was Jimmy Fallon in Episode 5. Also in the same episode during the scene where the British paratroopers are celebrating their rescue, you can just briefly catch Tom Hanks as one of them in an uncredited cameo.