watching the ten parts of hbo’s band of brothers was definitely well worth the couch-warming. the stories, the personalities, the milestones… it opens a window to the lives of young men who, in england, france, holland, belgium, germany, and austria, form bonds that even a film-maker like steven spielberg can only hope to capture accurately.

i’m itching to talk with war veterans, but i don’t think they would want to discuss the war with me. i’ve talked to my grandparents about their experience in the war during the japanese occupation of china and the philippines, but i can tell they really don’t want to go into great detail. i understand, though.

i’ve realized this year what a war-monger i am — not in the sense that i support or advocate war. i just like learning about war, especially the second world war. i like getting my hands on any text, documentary, or film that depicts the war in the european and pacific theatres. i like witnessing the re-enactment of scared, brave, and innocent men fighting so we wouldn’t have to. i like trying to learn something from their sacrifices because the rest of the world obviously has not.

band of brothers shows how horrible the battles can get, how jaded soldiers can become, and how the reasons for their efforts can become distorted and muddled.