Band of Brothers

Over the last few weeks I have been watching Band of Brothers on HBO. This series made in 2001 tells the story of Easy Company, an Airborne Division from the invasion of Normandy the end of the war in Europe. I have watched 9 of the 10 episodes, the last airs tonight. This is HBo's prelude to the recently produced companion piece The Pacific which will, we assume, tell the story of the Pacifiic War in much the same way.

Band of Brothers is perhaps the best thing I have ever seen on TV. Now of course I am a history buff, the John Adams miniseries, from HBO a couple of years ago also rates high on my list, but this show has such a compelling story and is handled in a great way. Several episodes tell the story of a specific individual as the primary story. A story about being boxed in during the battle of the Bulge focuses on a medic, the story of raids to gain Germans for intelligence focuses around a character who was hospitalized for injuries after a battle in Holland, and in the eyes of some of his compatriots did not get back to the front soon enough ends with a comrade giving him a hand to hoist himself up into a transport truck, a hand that was not offered when he rejoined them. Battle together, together forever. A lesson that men can understand even today when a great majority of men have never been in battle.

The men who came home from WWII did not talk about what they saw, they moved on with their lives. I am not sure if they were stronger, but it was a different time. Much might have been because no one doubted the validity of what they did, how needed it was. Episode 9 of Band of Brothers was incredibly powerful. The men tired, discouraged, slogging from day to day are wondering what the purpose is, what does it all mean, does it even matter. Soon on a patrol they find an abandoned concentration camp filled with prisoners. This episode is powerful, tasteful and sickening in places. It is not pleasant. It is moving.

Band of Brothers is something anyone with an interest in WWII should see. It is epic.