Can There Be a True Hollywood War Strory

I love war movies. I love the action, the suspense, and the drama that has you on the edge of your seat in the battle scenes. "Band of Brothers" is a miniseries about World War II that has everything anyone could want in a war story and more. The way you grow a connection with the characters and become attached to them is really what makes this war story special. The series follows “Easy Company”, part of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st airborne division as they make their way from D Day to capturing Hitler’s Eagle Nest. I have seen every episode multiple times and I have always assumed they were extremely accurate because the series came from historical accounts of what happened during the war. The problem is, in Hollywood, true war stories are few and far between. According to O’Brian, true war stories often do not have a point, they have no heroes, and they are obscene to the point where you don’t want to hear them. This brings me to the question; can a Hollywood war story ever be true?

Reading “The Things They Carried” really made me think about what O’Brian would think of this series in terms of truth. The ones aspect of a true war story according to O’Brian that really stands out to me is a true war story never ends. Even when soldiers leave the battle field, the memories and sights of battle never leave them. The sub-freezing weather and thick blizzards combined with the lack of ammunition and winter clothing made holding the line extremely difficult. The men were constantly bombarded by air strikes and mortars and all they had was their fox hole and the man next to them. In an interview, a soldier that fought in the battle said “sometimes on a cold night, I tell my wife I am glad I am not in Bastogne.” For many of the soldiers, every time they are cold, the horrors of the battle of the Bulge come back and hit them and because of this, are scarred for life.

 In this war story, people you have come to love die, seemingly for no reason. People are not allowed to be heroes because that is exactly what will get you killed. This war story was blood and gore that you wouldn’t believe and the obstinacy of the blown off limbs are hard to bear. “Band of Brothers” is truly unique series because of the work that was put in to ensure that the facts came out. The men who actually fought in “Easy Company” were brought in regularly to ensure accuracy and the fact that they approved of each episode really shows how the series is one of a kind. There is no moral in these stories and no point that you finally understand at the end of the show, there is just the truth about what happened and I think O’Brian would agree.