Band of Brothers Season 1 Episode 9
Play Now Band of Brothers Season 1 Episode 9 “Why We Fight”
As Nixon scrounges for his favored whisky, Vat 69, Easy Company enters Germany. Some of the men on patrol stumble across a concentration camp near Landsberg and free the surviving prisoners after realizing that the guards had abandoned the camp. The sight of the victims leaves the soldiers horrified and disgusted. The local German citizens at first deny the existence of the camp until they are forced by the occupying Americans to begin cleaning up the camp, including removing the bodies. The episode closes with Nixon grimly announcing that Hitler committed suicide.
As the Allies move into Germany and the war comes closer to an end, disillusionment and anger set in for Easy Company – until they stumble onto a concentration camp abandoned by the German military.
The men of Easy Company are now in Germany, aware that the Germans are surrendering by the thousands and that the war is winding down. With more time to reflect, some of the men are wondering if it was all worth it and begin to question whether the sacrifices they and their absent colleagues have made were worth it. That question is answered when they come across a concentration camp and they see first hand the atrocities committed by the Nazis. Captain Nixon has returned from a jump behind enemy lines that did not go well and resulted in many deaths. He’s drinking heavily and has been demoted from Regimental to Battalion intelligence officer. Soon after Hiltler’s death, they are ordered to Bertchesgarden, the Nazi leader’s mountain-top retreat.
Creators: Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg
Director: Phil Alden Robinson, Richard Loncraine, Mikael Salomon
Star Cast: Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Donnie Wahlberg, Scott Grimes, Kirk Acevedo, Michael Cudlitz, Dale Dye, Rick Gomez, Frank John Hughes, James Madio, Neal McDonough, Rene L. Moreno, Matthew Settle, Douglas Spain, Richard Speight Jr., Eion Bailey, Ross McCall, Rick Warden, Marc Warren, Dexter Fletcher, Colin Hanks, David Schwimmer, Shane Taylor
Producer (s): Gary Goetzman, Tony To, Erik Bork, Erik Jendresen, Stephen E. Ambrose, Mary Richards
Cinematographer: Remi Adefarasin, Joel J. Ransom
Music: Michael Kamen
Production House: Playtone, DreamWorks Television, HBO Entertainment,
Original network / Official Sites: HBO Enterprises, Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Release Year: 28 October 2001 (USA)
Runtime: 59 min
Genres: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: USA, UK
Language: English, Dutch, French, German, Lithuanian
The story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division, and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord, through V-J Day.