‘Band of Brothers’ Recap – ‘Part Five: Crossroads’

1/11/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Damian Lewis as Captain Richard ‘Dick’ Winters in Episode 105 of ‘Band of Brothers’ – ‘Part Five: Crossroads’. (Photo Courtesy of HBO.)

It really is rare for a war story to dig into every single detail of the operation of war. Simply because the prevailing belief is that the audience is here to enjoy the action and horror of war, to be moved by the combat as it stands and of course… to find inspiration and strength from the soldiers that fight for such a noble cause. So that’s what they focus on and leave out the stuff that someone thinks isn’t important and will bore an audience, but that all changed when Band of Brothers hit the airwaves decades ago. For this particular series left no stone unturned when it came to what Easy Company experienced in the Second World War.

After all, we were privy to exactly what boot camp looked like for these brave souls. Right down to their meals, their bunk time, and the constant running they endured to Currahee, and well… the show took the time to explore the mundane of war, further in its next episode. For ‘Part Five: Crossroads’ saw Captain Dick Winters at a crossroads in his career. For he successfully led Easy Company on a harrowing mission. One that saw him and Easy engage in a major fight with a bevy of SS soldiers and saw Easy Company victorious in a brutal manner and that... brought about a promotion for Winters. One that took him off of the front lines as Easy’s Commanding Officer and put him, behind a desk at Battalion HQ.

Which allowed for us to come to discover, what the officer’s life looked during the war, and how hard it was for soldiers promoted through the ranks, to deal with… the mundane. Because in between major offenses and the combat that entailed, Captains and above spent a lot of time planning, and planning to plan. Not to mention, there was an incredible amount of paperwork required to create the kinds of records that allow for stories about wars to be told. But it was part of the duty, and part of the responsibility that came with Winters’ new bars, and it was in fact, fascinating to see. Since it offered… reflection, really. Since Dick had to really ponder upon his actions in the field.

Damian Lewis and Ross Donnelly as Captain Richard ‘Dick’ Winters and a German Soldier in Episode 105 of ‘Band of Brothers’ – ‘Part Five: Crossroads’. (Photo Courtesy of HBO.)

A reality that helped to remind us… that no soldier is or ever will be, or ever was, immune from doubt regarding their decisions. Which for Winters, involved his concerns over what happened during one key moment in that battle with that SS regiment. Because at one point, in the heat of the battle, Winters fired upon an unarmed man. Something that he didn’t even ponder upon until downtime arrived. But it bothered him deeply and sent him into a tough place and understandably so. For Dick was a man of honor through and through and wanted the decorum of war to come into play. But he was also a man, and men make hard calls when fear and adrenaline are flowing, and he seemed to find the peace he needed to by spending time away and by embracing his new role.

But alas, while it was fascinating to see Dick learn the officer’s life, there was still history to be explored in this tale. For the ending of this story, brought us to the precipice of a big moment Because Easy Company was pulled from their down time and sent immediately to the frontlines of Bastogne. Where the German Army was building up for a massive counteroffensive, one that required Easy Company’s help since the initial soldiers on that line, were broken by the attack they faced. But there were problems to accompany this fast deployment. For there wasn’t a good resupply of ammo on the way, nor was there enough winter gear or food to go around, meaning that Easy Company was plunging headlong into the Battle of the Bulge with scraps really.

In the end however, this was just an intimate and fascinating tale. One that proved that the mundane in war can be compelling and fascinating if presented in the right manner. Because despite watching Dick Winters write a report on combat, we were indeed entranced and curious to see how Dick handled the transition. All before digging into an ominous ending for certain. For the Battle of the Bulge was one of the most brutal and devastating conflicts of the Second World War. One that cost many lives and broke psyches and that likely means, we are about to witness some ugly moments, the kind that will really demonstrate the toughness of Easy Company and more… of the utter horrors of war. Until next time.

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