History Series / BandOfBrothers

** Amusingly acknowledged InUniverse, when they get to Germany, and the citizens tell them that they're not members of the Nazi party. Perconte quipps that he can't believe they've been in Germany for weeks and haven't met a Nazi yet.
** This is actually TruthInTelevision, and yet another instance of AluminumChristmasTrees. At its peak, in 1945, Nazi party membership still only accounted for 10% of the German population. There were, of course, many, many collaborators within the German population who agreed with Nazi philosophy, or profited from the disenfranchisement of its victims, but never found it necessary to join the party proper -- which is part of what led to this trope's creation after the war, and why soldiers might not be inclined to make any distinction between civilians and their government.

* BandOfBrothers: Company E, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 101st Infantry Division.

* CompositeCharacter: Renee the nurse in episode 6. There actually was a Belgian nurse named [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9e_Lemaire Renée Lemaire]] who was working at the aid station in Bastogne during the battle, and died in the German bombing of December 24, 1944, as depicted in the episode. However there's no indication the historical Renée and Doc Roe were ever acquainted. WordOfGod is that she's a tribute to all the civilians that helped in the war effort.

** Strangely enough in the eighth episode, Webster insists on shouting in English at a German baker. In the next episode he speaks it fluently again, perhaps flying off the handle at the townspeople for claiming no knowledge of the nearby concentration camp. Behind the scenes, Webster speaking in English was that the writers felt the scene would have been much less effective with subtitles. In the scene he seems to understand what the man is saying, he just replies to him in English. The shopkeep in question, also, seems to have no trouble understanding what Webster is saying to him.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: The series invests a lot of effort in being very very accurate. But there are a few unbelievable but true events omitted or toned down to preserve suspension of disbelief. One is in episode 2, when Buck Compton kills a German by hitting him with a well-timed grenade that explodes on impact. This actually happened -- except Compton's grenade hit him in the ''head.''
** Prior to WWII, Compton was a star athlete at UCLA, in both baseball and football. As demonstrated in the above mentioned episode, his baseball training came in handy. His marksmanship in throwing grenades (including the one that killed the German) was a large feature in the successful assault on the German 4-gun battery -- the main battle featured in episode 2. Compton took out one of the guns by himself, for which he was awarded a Silver Star for bravery.
* During D-day, Malarkey meets a captured German P.O.W. and finds out that the P.O.W. is actually a German American who went back to Germany to fight ''for'' the Nazis, and that the P.O.W. even lived on the other side of the city as him. In real life, they lived on the opposite sides of the same ''street''.

--> '''Joe Toye''': Three day supply of K-rations, chocolate bars, Charms candy, [[MustHaveCaffeine powdered coffee]], sugar, matches, compass, bayonet, entrenching tool, ammunition, gas mask, musette bag with ammo, my weapon, my [[CoolGuns/{{Handguns}} .45]], canteen, [[SmokingIsCool two cartons of smokes]], [[BlowingStuffUp Hawkins mine, two grenades, smoke grenade, Gammon grenade, TNT]], [[NoodleImplements THIS bullshit]],[[note]]a let down rope[[/note]] [[BreadEggsMilkSquick and a pair of nasty skivvies]]!\\

'''Joe Toye''': This stuff weighs as much as I do! I still got my 'chute, my reserve 'chute, my Mae West, [[CoolGuns/BattleRifles my M1]].\\

->''"'I cherish the memories of a question my grandson asked me the other day when he said, Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' [I] said 'No... but I served in a company of heroes...'"''

** One cadence Winters leads the men in singing during a run up Currahee in the titular episode includes the words, "We're airborne infantry!" These particular lyrics date from well after World War II, as at the time, "airborne" could refer to either parachute or glider troops, who while part of the same division were notably distinct from one another.[[note]]Unlike paratroopers, glider infantry were typically not volunteers and were not authorized special insignia - nevermind extra pay - until very late in the war.[[/note]] Consequently, any self-respecting paratrooper of the era would refer to themselves as "parachute infantry." The mistake is likely due to the series' military advisors (i.e. Creator/DaleDye et al) being veterans of Vietnam and later conflicts.

** Averted in the first episode (Currahee); when Hoobler asks an English soldier dressed as a German to try out his Luger, the English soldier hands him the weapon. But not before dropping the magazine and clearing the chamber.

* NervesOfSteel: Fortunately, virtually every officer in the series has this. Taken [[UpToEleven up to eleven]] with Winters and Speirs, and [[DirtyCoward monumentally inverted with Dike]].

* FieldPromotion: Lots of them. Many of the original Toccoa men held leadership positions as senior NCOs or Officers by the end of the war.

* DirtyCoward: Lieutenant "Foxhole Norman" Dike. When they are shelled near Foy, he leaves everything up to Lip, while making an excuse that he [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere is "going to get help."]] And of course during the actual assault, he [[VillainousBSOD totally freaks out almost instantly]].

--> '''Joe Toye''': Three day supply of K-rations, chocolate bars, Charms candy, [[MustHaveCaffeine powdered coffee]], sugar, matches, compass, bayonet, entrenching tool, ammunition, gas mask, musette bag with ammo, my weapon, my [[CoolGuns/{{Handguns}} .45]], canteen, [[SmokingIsCool two cartons of smokes]], [[BlowingStuffUp Hawkins mine, two grenades, smoke grenade, Gammon grenade, TNT]], [[NoodleImplements THIS bullshit]], [[BreadEggsMilkSquick and a pair of nasty skivvies]]!\\

** When he's introduced in episode 2, Buck Compton is a charismatic, amiable star athlete from UCLA who quickly earns the men's friendship and respect. After he's injured in the Netherlands, the other guys remark on how different he is. His true breaking point comes a couple of episodes later when he sees [[spoiler: Joe Toye and Bill Guarnere]] severely wounded. His mental health deteriorated so badly at that point that he was taken off the line.

* WarIsGlorious: This series is full of Depression-era[=/=]World War II men on the battlefield at their best as soldiers and men of honor, especially the likes of Winters, Randleman, Lipton, Roe, and Speirs. And consider, this is ''just one company'' in an [[AmericaSavesTheDay army full of guys]] just like the men of Easy.

* WarIsHell: For every act of badassery, there are about a dozen more showing how [[KilledOffForReal heartbreaking, senseless, and destructive war is]].

* WarIsGlorious: The series has elements of this, despite the trope below. Depression-era[=/=]World War II men on the battlefield at their best as soldiers and men of honor, especially the likes of Winters, Randleman, Lipton, Roe, and Speirs. And consider, this is ''just one company'' in an [[AmericaSavesTheDay army full of guys]] just like the men of Easy.

* WarIsHell: Partially. Of course, [[DoNotDoThisCoolThing it's sensationalized as well]]. For every act of badassery, there are about a dozen more showing how [[KilledOffForReal heartbreaking, senseless, and destructive war is]].

* WarIsGlorious: The series has elements of this, despite the above trope. Depression-era[=/=]World War II men on the battlefield at their best as soldiers and men of honor, especially the likes of Winters, Randleman, Lipton, Roe, and Speirs. And consider, this is ''just one company'' in an [[AmericaSavesTheDay army full of guys just like]] the men of Easy. However, the series does go to great lengths to point out that for every badass in the army, there are countless other men [[KilledOffForReal who weren't so lucky]].

* WarIsHell: Partially. Of course, [[DoNotDoThisCoolThing it's sensationalized as well]]. For every act of badassery, there are about a dozen more showing how heartbreaking, senseless, and destructive war is.

* WarIsHell: Partially. Of course, [[DoNotDoThisCoolThing it's sensationalized as well]]. The series sensationalizes soldiers and showing the grim reality of fighting a war. It's not until the ninth part, when the soldiers find the concentration camp, that they, and in turn the viewers, realize/remember exactly what the point of all the death and heroism was.

** When he's introduced in episode 2, Buck Compton is a charismatic, friendly, generally likable star athlete from UCLA who turns out to be a competent officer. After he's injured in the Netherlands, even the other guys remark on how different he is. His true breaking point comes a couple of episodes later when he sees [[spoiler: Joe Toye and Bill Guarnere]] severely wounded. His mental health deteriorated so badly that he was taken off the line at that point.

* BreakTheCutie: It's a shorter list to say who ''doesn't'' fit this trope. Nearly all of them enlisted as relatively naive young men in their late teens and early/mid-twenties (Liebgott was one of the oldest members of the company when he joined at ''27''). By the end, they're all battle-hardened, angry, cynical, and haunted to some extent.
** Malarkey starts out good-natured and playful, but after so much combat and seeing most of his closest friends die, he's noticeably quieter and angrier by episode 8. He starts to recover by episode 10, but the real Malarkey admitted that he had "problems in later life" thanks to what he witnessed.

* BreakTheCutie: It's a shorter list to say who ''doesn't'' fit this trope. Nearly all of them start the series as relatively naive young men in their late teens and early/mid-twenties (Liebgott was one of the oldest members of the company when he joined at ''27''). By the end, they're all battle-hardened, angry, and cynical to some extent.

** When he's introduced in episode 2, Buck Compton is a charismatic, friendly, generally likable star athelete from UCLA who turns out to be a competent officer. After he's injured in the Netherlands, even the other guys remark on how different he is. His true breaking point comes a couple of episodes later when he sees [[spoiler: Joe Toye and Bill Guarnere]] severely wounded. His mental health deteriorated so badly that he was taken off the line at that point.

** When he's introduced in episode 2, Buck Compton is a charismatic, friendly, generally likable guy who also happens to be a competent officer. After he's injured in the Netherlands, even the other guys remark on how different he is. His true breaking point comes a couple episodes later when he sees [[spoiler: Joe Toye and Bill Guarnere]] severely wounded. His mental health deteriorated so badly that he was taken off the line at that point.

* DyingSmirk: An incredibly dark version. When Easy Company manages to ambush a German battalion, the last thing Winters sees before they open fire is a young German soldier staring at them, then smiling mockingly and shrugging before he's gunned down. It haunts Winters for the rest of the episode as he's put on leave. However, it's revealed when it's shown in Winters' flashbacks that the boy's expression changed to one of terror in the split second before he was shot.

--> '''Lipton:''' Some say Buck changed after he was shot in Holland. Maybe. I know something happened to him when he saw [[spoiler: Toye and Guarnere]] on the ground. On the report, it said Compton was being taken off the line because of trench foot. Didn't say anything about him losing his friends....No one ever thought any less of him for it.

* CustomUniform: The NewMeat are desperate to earn the right to wear jump wings. Later, replacement troopers are desperate to earn jump stars.

** Becomes a minor plot point in "Replacements" when Cobb catches one of the NewMeat wearing a Unit Citation ribbon, even though he wasn't yet part of the unit during the battle it was awarded for.[[note]] As pointed out by another of the veterans, this doesn't matter. Any soldier assigned to a unit may wear the citations that unit has been awarded, even if they happened before that soldier was a member of the unit, but may not wear it anymore after they leave the unit. A Soldier who was a member of the unit at the time of the action for which the award was given may permanently wear it, even after leaving the unit.[[/note]] The titular replacements all immediately remove the ribbon. Ironically, the soldier doing the complaining technically didn't fight in the battle either.[[note]]He was wounded while still in the airplane, and was flown back to England instead of jumping.[[/note]] Bull, who did take part in the battle, quickly points this out.

--> '''Babe Heffron:''' Crazy Joe McCloskey.\\
'''Bill Guarnere:''' What?\\
'''Babe Heffron:''' This guy used to hang at the front of Delancey's and just...you know, just stare at people.\\
'''Bill Guarnere:''' Yeah, I know who Crazy Joe McCloskey is. What the hell's that got to do with anything?\\
'''Babe Heffron:''' Buck kind of reminds me of him now.\\
'''Bill Guarnere:''' What?\\
'''Babe Heffron:''' Ever since he got shot in Holland...\\
'''Bill Guarnere:''' Wait. What, are you saying he's nuts? 'Cause Crazy Joe McCloskey was fucking nuts, Babe, that's why they called him Crazy Joe.

** Amusingly acknowledged InUniverse, when they get to Germany, and the citizens tell them that they're not members of the Nazi party. This leads to Perconte quipping that he can't believe they've been in Germany for weeks and haven't met a Nazi yet.

* Malarkey starts out good-natured and playful, but after so much combat and seeing most of his closest friends die, he's noticeably quieter and angrier by episode 8. He starts to recover by episode 10, but the real Malarkey admitted that he had "problems in later life" thanks to what he witnessed.
* When he's introduced in episode 2, Buck Compton is a charismatic, friendly, generally likable guy who also happens to be a competent officer. After he's injured in the Netherlands, even the other guys remark on how different he is. His true breaking point comes a couple episodes later when he sees [[spoiler: Joe Toye and Bill Guarnere]] severely wounded. His mental health deteriorated so badly that he was taken off the line at that point.
* Despite all the action and horror he's seen, Webster still stays patient, articulate, and compassionate throughout... until the end of the war. When a German baker won't shut his trap, it all catches up with him and he becomes extremely angry and cynical towards the Germans. He later rants at a column of surrendering Germans.
* O'Keefe, the overtly eager NaiveNewcomer when he sees the concentration camp.

* BreakTheCutie: In a sense, with Webster. Despite all the action and horror he's seen, Webster still stays patient, articulate, and compassionate throughout... until the end of the war. When a German baker won't shut his trap, it all catches up with him and he becomes extremely angry and cynical towards the Germans. He later rants at a column of surrendering Germans.
** O'Keefe, the overtly eager NaiveNewcomer when he sees the concentration camp.

* During D-day, Malarky meets a captured German P.O.W. and finds out that the P.O.W. is actually a German American who went back to Germany to fight for the Nazis, and that the P.O.W. even lived on the other side of the city as him. In real life, they lived on the opposite sides of the same street.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: The series invests a lot of effort in being very very accurate. But there are a few unbelievable but true events omitted or toned down to preserve suspension of disbelief. One is in episode 2, when Buck Compton kills a German by hitting him with a well-timed grenade that explodes on impact. This actually happened -- except Compton's grenade hit him in the ''head.'' Another is when during D-day one of the soldiers meets a captured German P.O.W. and finds out that the P.O.W. is actually a German American who went back to Germany and was drafted into the war, and that the P.O.W. even lived on the other side of the city as him. In real life, they lived on the opposite sides of the same street.