Sunday, March 27, 2011

Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose

The book Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose follows Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne division of the US army from their brutal training to taking Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest and the German town of Berchtesgaden, the SS’s last haven, during World War II. The book starts out in Camp Toccoa, Georgia, a training camp for the US military, in the summer of 1942. Here the members of Easy were trained by the dreaded Captain Sobel, Easy’s Commanding Officer. This conditioning, which included training as a parachutist, was considered the hardest a military group had ever been put through at the time. The men in Easy felt, if they were being sent to war, it would be better to be with the best of the best rather than doing the bare minimum. After months of training, Easy was sent to Uppottery, England where they prepared for D-Day. When the day came to invade Normandy, Easy jumped behind enemy lines, secured the area and fought their way back to their allies on the beaches. Almost immediately after D-Day, Easy was sent into Holland and then into Bastogne, entering a battle known as the Battle of the Bulge. During this battle, Easy was surrounded by German forces for days without sufficient food, ammo or clothing in the coldest part of a northern European winter. After being liberated, Easy fought its way into Germany and became one of the first companies to find a German concentration camp. Then they were tasked with taking Berchtsgaden and Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. The book ends with the men that are still alive in Easy slowly being shipped back to the States, ready to finally resume their lives and with thoughts of their lost brothers still floating in their minds.

1) The men in Easy chose harder training to be with the best of the best in the war, but had the hardest missions as a result. Would you rather have harder training and more dangerous missions, but have the peace of mind that knowing you're with the best of the best and that they have your back, or would you choose easier training and more safe missions but have to rely on allies that might not have your back?
2) How would you feel about being taken out of your normal life to fight in WWII? Would you see it as your duty as an American and serve without question, or would you feel that you were unjustly ripped out of your previous life to fight a meaningless war?

5 comments:

Nathan S. 7-8 said...

1) I would choose the harder training. The only way the war would end in our favor is if every soldier is as good as they could possibly be.
2) I think I would be resentful about having to put my life on the line, but I would focus that anger towards the Germans or Japanese.

Adam B. 7-8 said...

1) I would choose the harder training because if I were in war I would want to be better trained and bettered equiped for battle during war. I agree with Nathan that the only the war would be won is if all soldiers were as good as they could be.

Mrs. Sherwood said...

Thread graded

AnaleeL7-8 said...

1) I would want the harder training because if I was with soldiers that I thought might not have my back i wuold be constantly thinking about that and not be able to focus on the battle or mission.

Megan M 1-2 said...

2. Even though I think WWII was horrible and so many innocent people died it was still people's duties to fight for their country. Most people would not want to leave their ids, family, friends or daily lives to the chance of being killed but if everyone had the choice then there would be no one to fight and we need an army to support our country.