Ep 9. Why We Fight

In the ninth episode of the critically acclaimed HBO series Band of Brothers titled "Why We Fight," audiences are taken on a journey through the eyes of the 101st Airborne Division as they continue their fight against Nazi Germany. The episode begins with Easy Company entering the town of Landsberg, Germany, where they stumble upon a concentration camp that has been abandoned by the Germans. What they find inside the camp is horrifying – malnourished inmates, piles of dead bodies, and evidence of unspeakable atrocities committed by the German soldiers.

The first half of the episode is dedicated to showing the audience the horrific conditions of the concentration camp. The camera pans across the faces of the soldiers of Easy Company as they witness the horrors that had been taking place under their noses. They are visibly shaken, and their reactions are emotional and harrowing. The cinematography in this part of the episode is dark and bleak, adding to the overall gravity of the situation.

Through the soldiers' conversations, the audience learns that this isn't the first concentration camp that they have come across. However, the sheer scale of this particular camp and the atrocities committed within its walls is shocking even for battle-hardened soldiers. The episode does a brilliant job of showing the audience how this discovery changes each of the soldiers and encourages them to reflect on their past experiences in the war.

Once they have liberated the camp, Lieutenant Speirs asks a German officer who is under arrest for war crimes about why he committed such inhumane acts. He responds that he was just following orders and that he had no choice but to obey. This conversation causes the audience to reflect on the theme of the entire series – that of the individual soldier's responsibility in war.

The second half of the episode is dedicated to the soldiers of Easy Company continuing their advance into Germany. They are met with heavy German resistance, and the fighting is some of the most intense and visceral of the entire series. The focus on the soldiers' relationships is ever-present. The camaraderie between soldiers is expertly depicted, and the audience feels a genuine sense of camaraderie among them.

The final scenes of the episode are a touching reflection back on the soldiers' lives before they entered the war. It's a reminder to the audience that these men are not just soldiers – they are sons, brothers, husbands, and friends. The episode ends with the soldiers reflecting on what they have seen and their role in the war. They are exhausted and traumatized, and the audience is left with an acute sense of the toll that war takes on these young soldiers.

Overall, "Why We Fight" is a powerful and emotional episode that deals with complex themes in a nuanced and mature way. The episode is expertly crafted, with the filmmakers balancing the intense action and emotional drama effectively. It's not an easy watch, but it's an important one that serves as a stark reminder of the horrors of war and the incredible bravery of those who fight in it.