Band of Brothers is a 2001 American[2] war drama miniseries based on historian Stephen E. Ambrose’s 1992 non-fiction book of the same name.[3] It was created by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, who also served as executive producers, and who had collaborated on the 1998 World War II film Saving Private Ryan.[4] Episodes first aired on HBO starting on September 9, 2001. Critically acclaimed, the series won the Emmy and Golden Globe awards for best miniseries.

The series dramatizes the history of “Easy” Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. It begins during Easy Company’s paratrooper training and follows its participation in the Western Front of World War II. The events are based on Ambrose’s research and recorded interviews with Easy Company veterans. The series took some literary license, adapting history for dramatic effect and series structure.[5][6] The characters portrayed are based on members of Easy Company. Each episode begins with excerpts from interviews with some of the survivors, who are identified by name only at the end of the finale.

Over the course of ten episodes, Band of Brothers depicts a dramatized account of Easy Company’s exploits during World War II.

Episodes include their training at Camp Toccoa, the American airborne landings in Normandy, Operation Market Garden, the Siege of Bastogne, the invasion of Germany, the liberation of the Kaufering concentration camp, the taking of the Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest) in Berchtesgaden, the occupation of Germany, and finally the war’s end.[4]

Richard Winters is the central character, shown working to accomplish the company’s missions and keep his men together and safe. While the series features a large ensemble cast, each episode generally focuses on a single character, following his action.[4]

As the series is based on historical events, the fates of the characters reflect those of the persons on which they are based. Many either die or sustain serious wounds which lead to their being sent home. Other soldiers recover after treatment in field hospitals and rejoin their units on the front line. Their experiences, and the moral, mental, and physical hurdles they must overcome, are central to the story’s narrative.

It follows the story from their initial training starting in 1942 to the end of World War II. They parachuted behind enemy lines in the early hours of D-Day in support of the landings at Utah beach, participated in the liberation of Carentan and again parachuted into action during Operation Market Garden. They also liberated a concentration camp and were the first to enter Hitler’s mountain retreat in Berchtesgaden.