‘Band of Brothers’ Recap – ‘Part Nine: Why We Fight’

1/14/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Ron Livingston as Captain Lewis Nixon in Episode 109 of ‘Band of Brothers’ – ‘Part Nine: Why We Fight’. (Photo Courtesy of HBO.)

If there is one particular question that we ask in this day and age regarding war, it would be… why are we fighting said war? Because collectively, we do understand what war entails. That it will require money we don’t have, and resources will be used and need to be replenished and above all… people are going to die. Young people, barely adults, they will be asked to the fight this war, to put their lives on the line and ultimately sacrifice if needed in the name of the cause. So, the cause has to be right, and for a long time… the cause has not. For the Vietnam War was a political pissing match in the name of long-gone red scares, and the United States had no qualms invading a nation in the name of revenge, kicking off damn near two decades of losses with minimal results regarding the ultimate goal of the War on Terror… which was to eliminate terror from the globe.

If anything, it is safe to say, when we ask that question… we can no longer find a good answer, and we scramble for the right one. But in reality… there are noble reasons why we fight. Reasons that we ask our soldiers to risk life and limb, we’ve simply forgotten what those reasons are and what we stand for and well… sometimes to properly refocus such matters, we need do nothing more than look to the past, and the last great noble war to understand why the United States has such an elite fighting force and it just so happens, that the next episode of Band of Brothers, spells that out in quite the incredible manner. For ‘Chapter Nine: Why We Fight’ caught up with Easy Company at a very unique and special time in the war effort… in that… they were heading into the heart of Nazi Germany for one reason and one reason alone: the Allies were winning the war.

In fact, hundreds of thousands of Nazi troops were ready to surrender, and for the first time ever, even Easy Company wasn’t quite sure what the point was of carrying weapons around. Because the end was in sight, soon the Allies would be in Berlin and the end would arrive. And that lack of understanding as to why the Americans had to come across the world to beat the shit out of a subpar force in their eyes, only added to frustrations. But it didn’t take long, for those questions to be answered. Because eventually, as the Allies pushed into occupied territory, a discovery was made. One that was shocking, horrific, disgusting and every other word that describes stunned emotions that can come to mind. For Easy Company discovered Hitler’s dirty little secret. Specifically… they were called to what would come to be known as a Concentration Camp.

The Men of Easy Company Discover the Horrors of a Concentration Camp in Episode 109 of ‘Band of Brothers’ – ‘Part Nine: Why We Fight’. (Photo Courtesy of HBO.)

A true atrocity that to this day remains one of the worst to ever exist, and well… it has incredible gravity in this particular tale. Because this show is a retelling of real events, and while there is dramatization in all things television, it is likely safe to say, this was played a bit more straightforward and that the horrible things that we saw in that discovery sequence… were ripped from the memories of Easy Company. Because how does one forget seeing innocent people be treated as though their lives don’t matter? All of which made for a sobering sequence of history come to life, one that rightfully leaves you uncomfortable since you are reminded of the fact that Adolf Hitler and his disgusting and inhuman cronies chose to do this, to everyday people minding their business, because of their small-minded bullshit and insecurities.

Of course, this show needs to be commended for showcasing this reality in a raw and powerful manner, and hopefully this is an episode shown often in history classes now to really make the atrocities of the Third Reich apparent. But more importantly, this sequence… and that discovery, is precisely what made clear… why we fight wars. Why the United States is often seen as a beacon of hope, perhaps not as much in this moment, but for a long time… it was. Because our boys… put their lives on the line so that no one else that was deemed ‘imperfect’ or ‘different’ in the eyes of small men like Hitler, would ever face that kind of horror again. For this was an armed services that fought for the little guy. Because we are there to protect those who cannot protect themselves and put an end to those who would do them harm… at least… we used to be.

As to how we get back to that is hard to say, since political theater and rhetoric and this stupid notion of red vs blue has all but sullied what America ideals stand for. But perhaps, rewatching stories such as this, and really pondering upon the human impact of our ignorance toward one another as a whole… can help to refocus us. Because we can be noble again, we can be the beacon of hope, if we only choose to be better all around, and be what the world hopes for us to be. Saviors, heroes, good people that will never let a man like Hitler rise to power again and harm people in this manner and well… that lesson and the horrors on display here, led to one stunning episode. One that moves you, breaks you, and truly reminds you of why we fight and why it falls to us to play the hero when no one else will. Until next time.

To learn more about the Holocaust the atrocities committed by the Nazi Regime, please visit the website for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and for the Auschwitz Memorial.

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