Why division needs to be looked over...

such a sad state of events over in mumbai at the moment with the terrorists running amok.

i'm sure i'm not the only one who has been glued to the tv regarding this.

with so many dead and so much international outrage there's going to be an incredible fall out as a result of this in the south east asia area. most notably pakistan and how they react. at the moment they're playing ball with the chief of pakistan's secret service going over to assist. but how the long time ball game is played is another question.

whoever is responsible - most likely islamic kashmiri militants. things need to change. they should've changed when they bombed islamabad and their hotel. they know that the prestigious targets such as political figures are unreachable. so now they're going after the soft targets and those soft targets arent military or govermental. they're the innocents going by their lives doing their thing.

for india's sake i hope the thunder that is being asked for to reign upon such groups is quick and conclusive.

Band of Brothers...

I have to pay homage to this show

I simply love it!

The mini-series centers on the experiences of E Company ("Easy Company") of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, United States Army 101st Airborne Division from Easy's basic training at Toccoa, Georgia, through the American airborne landings in Normandy, Operation Market Garden, the Battle of Bastogne and on to the end of the war.



OK historically it may not be perfect but its as good as its gonna get.

the events are based on the writings of survivors and often do take some literary expression but it gels together to make a great show.

bankrolled by spielberg and tom hanks amongst others to the tune of $120m it was shot around the same time as Saving Private Ryan, another movie i love. the gritty shooting style and realism revolutionised all war movies since. not only were the movies changed but world war 2 games were made popular by this and have been ever since. the huge following these ww2 games have had are legendary. the call of duty series is a prime example.

its premier showing achieved viewing figures of 10m in the states and then sadly 9/11 happened and it was lost in oblivion. 7m for the 2nd episode still showed alot clout.

so i'm just gonna end this posting with a few pics and a few links about the real easy company.

Hooha!


The real Easy Company, the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, US 101st Airborne Division during World War II.











This squad from 2nd platoon was photographed in 1943 before E Co. sailed to England.















An actual shot of one of the 2- 88mm dual purpose guns captured in Eindhoven on 18 September, 1944. The kill rings on the barrel of the weapon represent Allied planes or vehicles destroyed by the gun and its crew. c/o Reeder, HQ/506th.






the German Army General bidding farewell to his veteran troops in Austria. These scenarios were actually played-out in numerous places in 1945. The photo above comes courtesy of Ferdinand Sperl, a prisoner interrogator in Patton's 3rd Army. It was taken in Czechoslovakia in May, 1945. German Army General Wendt von Wietersheim, C.O. of the 11th Panzer Division (with cane) is bidding farewell to NCOs of the famous 'Ghost Division' of the German Army.

The real Dick Winters as portrayed in Band Of Brothers.