We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company

Thank you so much, gentlemen, for taking us on this journey with the men of Easy Company.

Reminder that there is a follow up to this series called, "We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company". Lots of interviews with the actual men from Easy company.

A few things from the various texts that aren't mentioned much: Buck and Nix disliked each other. Nix thought Buck was a pompous frat boy, and Buck thought Nix was a whiny drunken idiot. But Nix was his superior officer, and sometimes held that over his head. The show maybe wisely avoided that, and we end up liking them both. Winters considered Liebgott in the same category as Speirs: Someone who enjoyed killing. The scene where he tells him to drop his ammo to take prisoners was much tenser in reality. Liebgott had as much as bragged about his intention to massacre them all, and Winters had to almost point his gun at Liebgott to make him drop his ammo. Winters believed in a lot of things, but he lived in reality. Winters, in his autobiography, comes close to saying that he broke down when they tried to deploy him to Korea. It wasn't like some "No thanks," it was begging them on his knees to let him retire. That's what he says himself. His suffering is palpable, and puts these experiences in a lot of context. Man had moral clarity, and the Cold War was not his scene. Nix's wife Grace, who brought his life together, was Japanese-American. For someone of that generation and in veteran circles, that's a whole thing. Sobel's son talks to some of the kids of the Easy members. His memories of his dad are just of a normal guy, even funny sometimes.

The sad thing is that nobody from Easy company is alive anymore. I believe the last soldier passed away I want to say last year. I live outside of Philly and Hershey PA isn’t to far away from me. On my birthday last year which is Jan 2nd I wanted to see dick winters Memorial he has in Ephrata PA. I went it was absolutely beautiful and very moving. After that I went on a mission to find his gravestone. I did find it and I saw he passed away Jan 2nd of 2011. I had instant goosebumps since it also was my bday. Salute to Easy Company and all the military who have served. Beautiful reaction guys ❤❤❤

21:00. Charles "Chuck" Grant did indeed survive the grievous head wound, but he never fully recovered. He was plagued with health problems for the rest of his life (including partial paralysis and speech problems), but he did have a family and ran a tobacco shop, and frequented the Easy Company reunions until his death in 1984.

Enjoyed following the journey with you guys. As mentioned, We Stand Alone Together will also be something you will want to watch and react to. It will provide more perspective from the men of Easy Company and their experiences.

Malarkey was supposed to be included in the baseball scenes at the end, but Scott Grimes who plays him, missed his flight to Switzerland, he took a train but didnt make it in time, and he's said it's one of the biggest regrets in his life. ------- I don't know if someone already wrote this on your patreon, but here goes, about the 85 points, that's how they were earned. 1 month of military service 1 point each 1 month of military service overseas (in addition to total time in service) 1 point each Combat award (Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Silver Star Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Purple Heart) 5 points each Having a dependent child under the age of eighteen (up to a max of 3 dependents) 12 points each They also earned 5 points per campaign they took part in. Egypt-Libya 11 June 1942 - 13 February 1943 Air Offensive, Europe 4 July 1942 - 5 June 1944 Algeria-French Morocco 8 - 11 November 1942 Tunisia 17 November 1942 - 13 May 1943 Sicily 9 July - 17 August 1943 Naples-Foggia 9 September 1943 - 21 January 1944 Anzio 22 January - 24 May 1944 Rome-Arno 22 January - 9 September 1944 Normandy 6 June - 24 July 1944 Northern France 25 July - 14 September 1944 Southern France 15 August - 14 September 1944 North Apennines 10 September 1944 - 4 April 1945 Rhineland 15 September 1944 - 21 March 1945 Ardennes-Alsace 16 December 1944 - 25 January 1945 Central Europe 22 March - 11 May 1945 Po Valley 5 April - 8 May 1945 As an example, a man who served for three years in the Army, including one and a half years overseas, had a child under 18, and fought in the Northern France, Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns, earning a Bronze Star Medal and two Purple Hearts would have: 36 (months in service) + 18 (months overseas) + 12 (dependent under 18) + 5 (Northern France) + 5 (Rhineland) + 5 (Ardennes-Alsace) + 5 (Central Europe) + 5 (Bronze Star Medal) + 5 (Purple Heart) + 5 (Purple Heart) = 101 points, enough to go home!

24:55. David Kenyon Webster's wartime diaries is actually one of the primary sources for Stephen Ambrose's book, "Band of Brothers," on which the series is based. Considering when it was written, there is a lot of great material and perspective on certain members of Easy Company that are either not directly referenced in the show or, at least, are hinted at.

Easy Company is the most ironic name in military history. From D-DAY all the way to Hitler's Eagle's Nest, there was nothing Easy about it. I never want things I love to end, but you want the pain to end for these Men, and the peace to begin. The German Field Marshall's speech is actually what ties the entire concept of of the series together unexpectedly. I implore you to see "We Stand Alone Together" and Ron Livingston's (Nixon) Bootcamp Diary. It makes you appreciate the series even more unbelievably. You also need to watch "The Fallen of WW2" for perspective on the scale of this tragedy. "Were you a hero in the War Grandpa? Grandpa says no, but I served in a company of heroes" Near tears every time. Currahee! ♠

Great reaction! Thanks, it's like reliving the first time I saw the series, and it's good to share the same feelings with others. Thanks again!

18:50. The shooter of Sergeant Grant was a guy named Floyd W Craver, who was indeed an Item Company replacement. And his actual story was even worse than what was depicted here. After Craver shot Grant, he fled and was later found trying to rape an Austrian girl. He was apprehended and indeed beaten within an inch of his life as we see here, and then was turned over to the MPs, where he was sentenced to life in the stockade. However, for reasons unknown, Craver was released and went back to civilian life. He was killed when a truck slammed into him while he was riding his moped years later.

11:30 He let him keep his pistol out of respect for being a regular German Army officer. He was not an SS officer. eta Thoroughly enjoyed you guys on this series. Looking forward to The Pacific. Thanks.

Great to watch you guys watch this incredible miniseries. Make sure to check out "We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company", that's the documentary made in conjunction with this miniseries and it's just the interviews with the men.

Nixons odd behavoir including saying it was time to go to bed first thing in the morning was due to his job as an intelligence officer. He worked very late into the night/early morning processing intelligence and drafting reports for the morning. Once the reports were done and ready he could then go to bed and get some sleep. Meanwhile guys were getting up to start their day. Of course his increased drinking would have only made this worse.

Back then, you didn't sign up for four years you were in for the duration of the War +1 year. That included the Pacific theatre. Points included being married, children, wounds, and campaigns fought in.

The casting of ‘Wild Bill’ Garnier was perfection. The kid playing him also had a fantastic role in the sopranos. You guys did an outstanding and respectable job reacting to this masterpiece. Hopefully, you move on to ‘The Pacific’ and then to deadwood and Rome!😎😃

Excellent reactions, incredibly heartfelt. Thanks for posting this.

Saving Private Ryan, Fury, We Were Soldiers, The Patriot, Black Hawk Down, American Sniper, Lone Survivor all must watch movies

Outstanding reaction, guys. There's not a single viewer who hasn't choked up at the end, just like you did. Such a beautifully crafted show. Easily one of the greatest ever made. It's been 20+ years and it never gets old.

Points were awarded according to the following formula:-One point for each month in service in the Army, One additional point for each month in service overseas, Five points for each campaign, Five points for a medal for merit or valor (Silver Star for example), Five points for a purple heart (awarded to all soldiers who were wounded in action), and Twelve points for each dependent child up to three dependent children 85 points were required to be discharged.

Gonna throw a suggestion out to you that you may not have heard yet. "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946). Made only a year after WW2, about veterans coming home, and some of the challenges they faced. An excellent film, that was a real hit among post-war America.

That ending going over how they ended up in later life always gets me 😢

I’ve seen the series so much that even though the last part with the real men of Easy had no sound I could still hear their voices in my head as I read the captions. Btw, if anyone is interested to learn more about the series from the actors and producers themselves you should watch the videos of the 20th anniversary symposium they did at the National WWII Museum. Many of the actors who played the men talk about their experience making the series and how they remain close to the families of the real men. Some of the writers and producers also talk about the production. Including the boot camp stories the actors went through. So cool to hear their joy and love for this whole project.

The most important contributors to this series were the writers…the men who wrote this story with their heroism. God bless The Band.

Webster was there at the formation of the unit in Georgia. He jumped into and fought in Normandy and in Market Garden and was wounded in Holland which was why he missed Bastogne.

Greetings from Austria!

Thank guys! Great journey together. Currahee! 🇺🇸

That final line at the end with winter’s citing, “grandpa were you a hero in the war?” IM FUCKING BAWLING BRO I can never walk away from seeing that fry eyed

I'm glad y'all took the jouney. Now you'll find yourself watching it about once year like the rest of us.

41:24 - Whoa, B; easy, brother. Webster was wounded.

The violence and recklessness with soldiers having no one to fight, too much time, and alcohol also highlights the onset of PTSD. When things slow down, it creeps up on you.

If that ending doesnt choke you up you aint human. Was great watching this with you guys

Thank you, it's been beautiful

Good job, gentlemen! Now it's time for Boardwalk Empire.

The replacement was called Floyd W. Craver, after shooting Grant he tried to rape an Austrian girl. He was sentenced to life but for whatever reason, they discharged him. He was hit by a truck whilst riding a moped in 1987, aged 65

Misty eyes all around. Great review as always.

24:50. Fun fact: Neal McDonough become very close to the real Buck Compton after playing him, and his son Morgan is nicknamed "Little Buck" in Compton's honour.

"Land of Mine" is a Danish about German POWs clearing mined beaches after the war. The film has won several awards. Trailers are on KZfaq. They were lucky they surrendered to the Danes. The French might have had them goose stepping across the beach.

"All did everything" ... 100% nailed it.

You guys did a great job with this entire series.

As you are going to dive into "The Pacific War" miniseries (sometime in the future!), may I recommend the book "The Pacific War, 1931-1945: A Critical Perspective on Japan's Role in World War II" (1968) by Saburo Ienaga...for those who still read. Ienaga was an historian and educator who notably took the Japanese Ministry of Education to court several times to challenge the way the Pacific War was being taught in high schools. Here is one review of the book by Dan Ford: It's bad enough when you read this stuff written by an American, but when it comes from a Japanese writer it's really unsettling. Saburo Ienaga was a high-school teacher during the war and a university professor afterward; he got into trouble with the authorities for trying to bring some balance to the high-school history texts in the 1950 and 1960s, when the Cold War and the end of the U.S. occupation allowed the schools to gloss Japan's role in World War II. I read this book when I was researching the Flying Tigers, but to sit down and read it on its own merits was a revelation. (Sorry about the cover! Obviously the publisher's design staff didn't take the time to read the book.) Americans may be startled to pick up a 256-page book about the Pacific War and discover that Pearl Harbor isn't mentioned until page 135, more than halfway through. That's a consequence of Ienaga's belief that the war began with the Japanese army's 1931 coup in Manchuria, which led inevitably to war with China, which in turn led to the wider war that began in December 1941. Despite Japan's claims about liberating Asians from white colonialism, its purpose in going to war with the Americans, British, and Dutch was to obtain the raw materials with which to prosecute the war in China. That was one reason the Japanese treated the "liberated" people so badly--as badly as their treated their prisoners of war, which was as bad as anything east of the German death camps. Part of the blame goes to the Japanese military tradition, in which the officers were an elite and the troops were conscripted from the younger sons of tenant farmers. Brutality was the norm, and the enlisted men who stayed in the army and became sergeants were precisely those who would most brutalize the next batch of recruits. Draftees were called issen gorin--roughly, "penny postcards," because that was the cost and the method of obtaining one. Why husband the life of a soldier when he could be replaced for a penny? Ienaga explains that the enlisted soldiers were the bottom of the food chain, that they had no on upon whom to vent their brutality in return. (He was wrong, of course: the Korean labor guards were lower, and the prisoners and captive peoples were lower still, and it was they who suffered the lash for every indignity visited upon the common soldiers.) Yet the same army was notably humane during the Russo-Japanese War. Why the difference? The Imperial Japanese Army lost its humanity in China, where national pride became the ugliest kind of racism. "Chinka, Chinka, Chinka," as the translator renders a poem that appeared in Japanese schools in the 1930s: "they're ugly and they stinka." A grade-school boys would be told that his duty and his privilege when he grew up would be to kill "hundreds of Chinese." (Military training began in elementary school, and each middle school had a military cadre to lead the boys in drill.) During World War II, it was fashionable in the U.S. to show General Tojo as the Japanese dictator, making a trio with Germany's Hitler and Italy's Mussolini. But of course that was very far from true, as even American propaganda recognized, since sometimes the emperor Hirohito filled the same role. Ienaga is especially good at explaining this mystery, in which a dictator could be imposed by a group of elder statesmen--and then deposed when his usefulness was over. Tojo ruled the government and the army, but he never managed to rule the navy--he didn't even learn about the defeat at Midway until a month after four aircraft carriers and a major portion of the navy's fighter planes had gone to the bottom. In fact, the army and navy controlled the government (including Tojo), with occasional input from the emperor and the elder statesmen (basically, everyone who had ever served as prime minister). It was an intricate web, and often enough the real power was exercised not by the generals but by colonels and majors in the field. (One of these movers was Colonel Tsuji, whose story is told elsewhere on this website.) Ienaga wasn't disloyal, nor was he one of those who curried favor with the Occupation by writing what the Americans wanted to hear. He savages the United States for using the atomic bomb on Japanese cities--an atrocity that he ranks with Germany's death camps and Japan's Rape of Nanjing. More sobering, in a book written in 1968, he accuses the U.S. of acting as the new Imperial Japanese Army. We were the brutal overlords in Vietnam, as Japan had been in China--while Japan itself played the ignominious role of the Manchukou puppet state of the 1930s and 1940s, dutifully supporting the aggressor. It is an uncomfortable comparison. This is a valuable book, and one of only a half-dozen serious studies by Japanese scholars of World War II that are available in English. We didn't know our enemy in 1941; we hardly know him any better today. Posted June 2019. Websites © 1997-2019 Daniel Ford; all rights reserved.

Speirs is an old school warrior. Of course he believes in plunder.

Amazing ending to an epic series. !!!! Kudos to yo u Bros. !!!!!

Congratulations for completing this masterpiece series. Now many people will tell you to watch The Pacific next but be warned, that is not the same journey this series was lol. There was a book that was written about the Pacific war titled "War with no Mercy", It was an apt title. The battle in the pacific was unforgiving attrition fighting against a fanatical enemy that saw death as the only alternative to victory. It is equally well done but they actually had hold back the authenticity because it would sicken audiences if they saw how awful the conditions and fighting were in the Pacific. The losses suffered combined with the area covered made it impossible to follow one group from start to finish unlike like Band of rothers.

Helluva reaction gentlemen. Thoroughly enjoyed watching it again with you.

I Salute this Show and the men involved not just the people who made it but those whose lives we saw portrayed. A little known fact not related to the Band of Brothers, but to another branch of the service the Army Air Corps which didn't become an official branch of the service. The Air War over Europe claimed the lives of 25,000 pilots and crews in 9 months. In the entire War in the Pacific the Marines lost 24,000 over 3 years. That's quite a sobering thought. Great reactions and thoughts thanks.

The replacement that shpt Grant was supposed to have been drunk. Different sources said illicit drugs may have been involved, but can't confirm.

If you want to dive in more, Saving Private Ryan is a tremendous movie about D day and the 101st

Just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your reaction to this series. I have one grandfather that served in the pacific and another that served in the airforce as a B-17 crewman. He didn't see any action due to the war winding down as he was finishing his training. The other grandfather saw lots of action, including the Aleutian Islands campaign. It's good that there are shows like this that keep their memories alive, and that people are still reacting to it. I'm sure you will enjoy the Pacific when you finally get around to it.

You guys should Google the photograph of Nixon the morning after VE Day. Even in the black and white, you can see how hungover he is

10 perfect episodes. Remember watching when it was first released. A show you can always come back too every few years. Great work guys. Your reaction videos are top tier, because of the thoughtful debriefs you always give. Something other reaction channels just straight up lack. Been following since the early Sopranos days, and great to see you almost hitting that 10k.

I hope they watch The Pacific next

You'll recognize the Eagle's Nest now when you see clips of Hitler. Especially if you ever see him playing with his dogs...Those were unmistakable.

Y’all passed an important test in a reactor’s career: you noticed there were no other names in the hat.

great reactions guys!

21:13 - The shooter dies if he didn’t.

Grants shooting report said Pvts Craver & Houge had been drinking & smoking pot all evening, when Carver killed 2 German civilians & two British soldiers who came to help b4 shooting Sgt Grant. Houge said Carver was "appeared to be insane". Grant had some paralysis on one side, but was a tobbacanist in SF & attended Easy reunions. He died in 1984.

No one seems to have done a reaction to it. But "The Liberator" a 4 episode series on Netflix follows the true story of a Regiment that served 500 days straight in WW2 made up of Native Americans, White Southerners and Mexican-Americans that made a large impact on the war. I'd enjoy seeing y'all do a reaction to that series.

Someone may have already said this below, but Sgt. Grant, who got shot in the head by the I Company replacement (who had not been in combat, but was a bad seed, was VERY drunk and had already robbed some Germans and raped some, and was then prosecuted), did live; Webster WAS there from the beginning as one of the original Easy Co, men at Camp Toccoa, but was gone for 1-2 months after getting wounded in Holland so he missed Bastogne; and the point system was come up with toward the end of the war because otherwise they were in for the duration of the war.

So legend has it that one of the superiors told Spiers something like “you should’ve shot him and saved us the trouble.” That was regarding the trooper who shot Grant. The shooter was court martialed and eventually went back to civilian life.

I love your reactions. For this Las episode though your background screen kind of spoils it for a viewer if they are a first time viewer. You can see all the men who survived. The best part of this episode is finding out who survived at the end! Just a suggestion

And now, The Pacific!

Do the Pacific next

You have to watch, The Pacific next

It's been a journey.

You have to do ‘the pacific’ next ! Same producer and director . Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg

Guys, please react to the special, We stand alone together. Its all the boys talking about their experiences in the battles, as some of these clips were played at the start of each episode. Its such a fantastic way to close out the series. Great reactions all the way through btw. Keep up the good work. I also cant recommend another HBO series enough, Chernobyl which dramatically documents the nuclear disaster in the old Soviet Union. Its a five part series that is crazy well acted and the events that unfold are extremely shocking.

27:51. If you go back to Episode 4, "Replacements", to watch the scene where Sergeant Talbert is making out with the Dutch girl as Lt. Peacock pulls him away, you will see Babe Heffron in the foreground, waving a little Dutch flag. Babe had been on set that day and they put him in the show.

Webster was an original Toccoa Easy Co man.

YOU GUYS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB!! THANK YOU.

Its beena journey boys!

you have to do THE PACIFIC same directors and creators and casting marvels....

Now you boys need to check out the Pacific.

Loved watching with you guys and your actions. Hitler killed himself in Berlin though, not the Eagles Nest. I wish you left the volume on at the end when the men of easy company were talking though.

3:30 and worse than losing the kid!

"Die falsche Person" -- 'the wrong guy

I've been to the Eagles Nest. It's pretty stunning at the top but the vast majority of it is gone.. You wan't see any of the stuff they showed of it.

Please react to We stand alone together the men of easy company

Sergeant Grant, while he did survive, he passed away peacefully in his home in 1976, but he never regained any of his memories of his life before he was shot in the head by that Private in Austria, the Private however, not only was he caught, but it was discovered that he not only shot Sergeant Grant in the head, he also shot and killed the 2 checkpoint sentries, one was a German Captain, and the other was a British Major, but BEFORE he did that he also shot and killed 3 other allied soldiers at a different checkpoint, a Canadian Sergeant, an American Captain, and a German Lieutenant, he was found by Sergeants Malarkey and Randleman, when they found him he was raping a young Austrian girl, after Captain Spiers ordered them to turn him over to the MP's, he was transported back to Fort Leavenworth Kansas where he waited for his court martial in 1946, he was found guilty of 5 counts of murder, 2 of them premeditated, 1 count of aggravated rape, and 1 count of attempted murder, he was hanged in Fort Leavenworth in late 1946.

I would have like the audio at the end. :( good job though.

WHY YOU CUT THE SOUND

The drunk killed A german, an englishman, and shot Grant.

Well, yall fucked up the editing for this one didn't ya?

As a former Marine it saddens me to say the Pacific series isn't very good. It has its moments to be sure, but overall I can't recommend it.

Its always sad when it comes to an end. That said, I can't wait for ya'll to get into The Pacific.

Can’t wait for y’all to see the pacific

Next up is the Pacific I hope.

Personally I rank them like this 1 Band of Brothers 2 Masters of the Air 3 Generation Kill 4 The Pacific

lets go love u guys