Acclaimed newsman Walter Cronkite hosts PBS's 2003 documentary Heroes of World War II, a look at the many American military officers who won the second great war through dedication, sacrifice, and bravery. In this scene Cronkite describes the battle Americans and Germans fought over territory near Bastogne, France.

"The U.S. forces in Bastogne were now surrounded by the Germans," Cronkite says in voiceover narration. "But they held on."

Various archival war scenes are shown, but there is nothing bloody or objectionable. Many shots are close-ups of American soldiers.

Major Richard Winters, 101st Airborne, U.S. Army, comments: "We were seeing men break down due to mental strain and frostbite. Roughly 30 percent of the casualties at Bastogne were frostbite."

Cronkite continues to narrate as more scenes of soldiers are shown: "The 101st defended Bastogne with dogged determination, even while supplies dwindled, munitions ran low, and morale began to slip."

Major Winters takes over the narration from Cronkite: "The Germans were just a few miles from their home territory, so they had plenty of ammunition. And they're shelling the heck out of you. And this is going on and on. So you're not sure how long you'll be around. But you're not leaving until it's done!"

More scenes are shown of warfare as Cronkite says: "On December 23, the skies cleared enough to supply badly needed supplies and ammunition to battered U.S. troops."

Footage is shown of military airplanes dropping parachuted supplies.

Major Winters continues: "A man who is in a unit like—we'll say Company E—they take a lot of pride in [sticking close to each other]. They do not want to let their friends down. They want to do their part. And that's beautiful. That bonding, that friendship—you have to see it, you have to live through it to appreciate the strength of it."

Various scenes of soldiers helping wounded soldiers are shown. Again, nothing bloody or objectionable is shown.

"And that's what we had," Winters continues. "That's where we got the strength to go through it again and again. You're not going to drop out because your friends are there. You're going to stay there. Cold? Well, if you can take it, I can take it!"

Soldiers marching through a winter storm in a forest are shown.

"It's the bonding of men. It keeps them together," Winter says.

As the images of soldiers linger, Cronkite concludes: "And it was this bonding of brothers in combat that gave the men the strength to continue."