BAND OF BROTHERS

CRITICAL VIEWING QUESTIONS, Worksheet 1 (WS1):

1.1. What kind of training did Easy Company experience under Lt. Sobel? What were the pros
and cons of his strict, unrelenting command? Do you get the sense that it prepared them well
for battle? Why or why not? What Learner Profile (LP) should he develop more fully to be an effective
leader?

1.2. How would you characterize the backgrounds the men of Easy Company? Was it a
homogenous group or a diverse one? What did the men have in common? What incidents
revealed divisions or differences among the men? What evidence is there of class differences
among the men?

1.3. One soldier calls Lt. Sobel a genius, while others clearly dislike him and come to distrust
him. What options were open to the Easy Company soldiers for dealing with this?

1.4. Why do you think Sobel tried to censure Winters? Why did Winters insist on a court martial?
What did this incident reveal about Winterss standing among the men of the company?

1.5. The title of this episode is Currahee, a Cherokee word meaning stands alone and a word
that became the cry of the 506th Paratroopers Regiment (which included Easy Company).
One reason this became a rallying cry for the paratroopers was that they trained at Currahee
Mountain when they were at Camp Toccoa. Beyond that, why might they have chosen a
motto of We stand alone, together. What do you think this meant to the men? Compare and contrast
Currahee and Be all you can be and Army Strong. Use a minimum of three LPs to make your point.

ADVANCED VIEWING (AV) QUESTIONS:

AV.1. Look at the ERA and W. Edwards Demings 14 Points (not the same points in Part 10). Why dont
we see more about these subjects in history books? What was their affect on the global markets? What
effect does it have on your parents retirements? What is happening in todays market? What major
manufacturing country is the impetus of todays current market condition?

AV.2. Band of Brothers adapts a book by the historian Stephen Ambrose, based on interviews and
scholarly research. How does it affect our understanding of the past to experience it through a
dramatic reenactment? Does it matter that the words spoken by the actors were written as
dramatic dialogue and do not come from the historical record? Whats the difference between
something that is historical and a work of history?
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CRITICAL VIEWING QUESTIONS, Worksheet 10 (WS10):

10.1. What was the meaning of the title of this final episode, Points (keep in mind, not Demings 14
Points)?

10.2. In the scene where the SS officer surrenders to Maj. Winters, he says, I wonder what will
happen to men like you and me when there are no more wars. What do you think he is
imagining? What 3 LPs are the best descriptors of his behavior, and why?

10.3. Why does Maj. Winters allow the German colonel to keep his weapon? What LP is he most likely
exhibiting and why?

10.4. When Darrell Shifty Powers goes to say goodbye to Maj. Winters, he says, Back home in
Virginia, I dont rightly know how Im going to explain all this. What is he referring to?
Why is it a problem for him? What do you think is meant by the adage, Old Soldiers never die, they just
fade away.?

10.5. The pent-up frustration of the war leads the soldiers into some reckless and, in some cases,
extralegal behavior. Which of the men appear to deal well with the situation and which
appear not to? Why is their situation so difficult at that point, especially given vastly
improved conditions they are in? What LP comes to mind? As a leader, how would you mitigate the
dominance of this LP?

10.6. What is the significance of the formal speech that the German officer makes to his soldiers?
How is meant to reflect on the war as a whole?

10.7. Why does Maj. Winters request an immediate transfer to the Pacific? Why is his request
denied? What LP is the American General most likely exhibiting during the interview? Explain your
choice.
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SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS (SQ) AND ISSUES TO REVIEW FOR TEST

TEST MATERIAL:

WS1 (Part 1)
WS2 (Part 10)
AV.1 Only
SQ.1-SQ.9 below:

SQ.1. Who was Hermann Goering? His house and wine cellar was raided in Part 10.

SQ.2. What is the German name for the Eagles Nest? What is the significance of the Eagles Nest?

SQ.3. What does V-E Day stand for?

SQ.4. What is the mountain range separating Berchtesgaden, Germany and Zell am See, Austria?

SQ.5. What does the acronym PIR stand for?

SQ.6. In what country did Major Winters fire his last shot? Although mentioned in Part 10, his last shot
fired is reenacted in Part 3 and is a significant emotional event for Major Winters (stay alert during the
discussion with the American General about Major Winters transfer to the Pacific)

SQ.7. There are almost no women in Band of Brothers. Women, however, were affected by
World War Two as much as men were. American women worked in the war industries in
the United States and hundreds of thousands served in the womens divisions of the U.S.
armed forces. What is the effect of focusing on the war as essentially a contest fought by
male military combatants? What aspects of the war does this leave out?

SQ.8. Why do World War Two stories enjoy such widespread popularityin books, movies,
public commemorations? What does this tell us about the war, and what does it tell us
about our own times?

SQ.9. What military school is headquartered in Saalfelden, Austrian due north of the 506 PIRs former
Headquarters at the Grand Hotel in Zell am See? What major event is happening the weekend of 28-30
August 2015 in Saalfelden, the same weekend as the IRONMAN World Championships?