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Band of Brothers
S1.E9
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IMDbPro

Why We Fight

  • Episode aired Oct 28, 2001
  • TV-MA
  • 55m
IMDb RATING
9.5/10
13K
YOUR RATING
Dexter Fletcher, Rick Gomez, Tom Hardy, Ross McCall, Michael Fassbender, and Matt Hickey in Band of Brothers (2001)
ActionDramaHistoryWar

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 m... Read allAs 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.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.

  • Director
    • David Frankel
  • Writers
    • Stephen Ambrose
    • John Orloff
  • Stars
    • Doug Allen
    • Nicholas Aaron
    • Eion Bailey
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    9.5/10
    13K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • David Frankel
    • Writers
      • Stephen Ambrose
      • John Orloff
    • Stars
      • Doug Allen
      • Nicholas Aaron
      • Eion Bailey
    • 26User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos42

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    Top cast59

    Edit
    Doug Allen
    Doug Allen
    • Alton M. More
    Nicholas Aaron
    Nicholas Aaron
    • Robert E. (Popeye) Wynn
    Eion Bailey
    Eion Bailey
    • David Kenyon Webster
    Jamie Bamber
    Jamie Bamber
    • Jack E. Foley
    Philip Barantini
    Philip Barantini
    • Wayne A. (Skinny) Sisk
    Paul Bentley
    Paul Bentley
    • Old German in Landsberg
    Dean Blanke
    • German Grandson
    Kristina Brändén Whitaker
    • German Girl with Egg
    • (as Kristina Branden)
    George Calil
    • James H. (Mo) Alley Jr.
    Michael Cudlitz
    Michael Cudlitz
    • Denver (Bull) Randleman
    Dale Dye
    Dale Dye
    • Col. Robert F. Sink
    Michael Fassbender
    Michael Fassbender
    • Burton P. (Pat) Christenson
    Dexter Fletcher
    Dexter Fletcher
    • John W. Martin
    David Forest
    • Prisoner Saying 'Danke'
    Rick Gomez
    Rick Gomez
    • George Luz
    Scott Grimes
    Scott Grimes
    • Donald G. Malarkey
    Tom Hardy
    Tom Hardy
    • John A. Janovec
    Ben Hecker
    • German Man in Flat
    • Director
      • David Frankel
    • Writers
      • Stephen Ambrose
      • John Orloff
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews26

    9.512.7K
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    Featured reviews

    10Abdus94

    Best episode in the whole series

    This episode is one of the best, that shows the harsh reality. That'll fill your heart with full of emotions like sadness,rage,happiness all at the same time.
    9konstantinmikhalevich

    The best episode in series for me

    This episode is very different to others. It's not about action scenes like bloody combats, hard training or relationship between solders. The beginning of "Why we fight" is very peaceful, soft (including opening talk). Eventually expectation of something extremely terrifying appears... What comes next? You'd better see it on your own.
    10TheLastDon81

    Best episode of the series... one of the best on TV

    Man what an episode. We see the war and carnage all season but rarely do we see the aftermath. The civilians. The regular people. This was a tough watch but we all need to see this. Get your tissues ready.
    10boltjets

    One of the best episodes of television ever.

    This is the best episode in the series and that's no easy task. Everything about this series is payed off in this episode. Private Webster and Caption Nixon both have some of the most honest and realistic moments in the whole series and the conversations the characters have are an authentic and an insightful look into the minds of war-torn soldiers. "Why We Fight" is the perfect name for this episode, so impactful and powerful in every way. This episode is why we create and everyone involved in this masterpiece should be proud to have shared such a phenomenal part of the story.
    10and_mikkelsen

    This will never leave your memory!

    Wow... after all the previous episodes, the tone completely skiftede in this episode, deciding to focus on, perhaps, the most grusome and dark side of WWII!

    This is filmmaking at its most powerfull! I was left in shock.. not feeling quite like myself after this, like something was missing! I felt like the characters, who could barrly believe or comprehense what they saw.. to think humans were responsible for this! This is humanity at its most dark!

    After all the other episodes, this episode still manages to knock them out, with its brutaly honest depiction! The violin-score, gave off the same vibes as Schindlers List!

    This episode shows why WWII is one of the darkest times in human history, and why this show is a MUST WATCH!!

    Related interests

    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Liam Neeson in Schindler's List (1993)
    History
    Band of Brothers (2001)
    War

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Many of the extras playing concentration camp inmates were actually cancer patients undergoing treatment, hence their emaciated look.
    • Goofs
      At the beginning of "Why We Fight", the date states April 11, 1945 Thalheim, Germany and the scene is with Capt. Nixon addressing a couple of the men on a balcony watching musicians play a Beethoven piece. Then it flashbacks to a month earlier. At the end, it flashes forward to the original scene and Capt. Nixon states Hitler shot himself. Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945.
    • Quotes

      Cpt. Nixon: Hitler's dead.

      Joseph Liebgott: Holy shit.

      Cpt. Nixon: Shot himself in Berlin.

      Sgt. Denver 'Bull' Randleman: Is the war over, sir?

      Cpt. Nixon: No. We have orders to Berghtesgaden. We're gonna move out in one hour.

      David Webster: Why? The man's not home. Should've killed himself three years ago, saved us a lot of trouble.

      Cpt. Nixon: Yeah, he should've. But he didn't.

    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojo: 20 TV Show Moments That Left Us Traumatized (2024)
    • Soundtracks
      String Quartet in C# minor, op. 131, 6. movement
      (uncredited)

      Written by Ludwig van Beethoven

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    FAQ1

    • At around 39:20 mark, a prisoner in concentration camp is speaking to the soldiers, while carrying a barely-alive man. What is he saying?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 28, 2001 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
      • Polish
      • French
      • Spanish
    • Filming locations
      • Former British Aerospace factory, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, UK(street scenes)
    • Production companies
      • Home Box Office (HBO)
      • DreamWorks Television
      • Playtone
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 55m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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