Everyone knows the legendary television series “Band of Brothers” which was directed by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. But as so often they got their mustard from a strong book. That was the book “Band of Brothers” by Stephen E. Ambrose.
The story
The story begins with a brief introduction to the topic. It tells who it is all about and the story is also situated in terms of time and space. Everything revolves around the paratroopers of Easy Company, the 506th regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. They were a very young group of volunteers (all of them born after World War I), from all parts of the United States and social classes. They were farmers, miners, or college students who had all joined the military for the thrills, the honor, and the monthly allowances. The story follows these civilian soldiers from the grueling training to the dissolution of the company. They turned from simple guys into highly trained, tactical and emotional fighting machines.
Their training began in 1942, lasted about two years, and took place under the direction of the much-hated Commander Sobel. Despite being an absolute zero tactically, he trained his company to become the best elite unit in the world. Under the motto ?? Currahee! ?? which meant as much as ?? we are the best ?? and what was also the name of the mountain on which training was carried out, the Easy Company played an important role in the liberation of Europe. The orders took them from the coasts of Normandy, to Eindhoven and Bavaria, to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in Berchtesgaden. With an experience they would never forget throughout their lives, the remaining Easy Company soldiers returned to their families.
The psychology behind the story
The soldiers came from all walks of life and were all different. They were all volunteers, which was an extra motivation for them. They knew they could rely on the men next to them because they were not in the army against their will. This made them very passionate about their task. They did not see each other as friends or partners, but as brothers. Everyone knew everything about each other and could only recognize the others by their silhouette by their clothing, way of armor or wearing their helmet. They arrived as simple boys and underwent a complete metamorphosis both physically and mentally. They had no fear of dying, quite the contrary. It was an honor for them to be allowed to fight together with such well-trained elite soldiers and they wanted for their “brothers in arms”. to die.
A purple heart, a medal for soldiers wounded in battle, was considered a common emblem and not a tribute. The men who were not injured were considered either bad soldiers or unbelievably lucky.
The Germans were nicknamed ?? Krauts ?? which didn’t have such great significance, but the American soldiers knew well enough that most of the German soldiers were just like them. They were boys of the same age, with the same social differences and with the same interests. Under other circumstances, they might have been good friends, as one of the soldiers had noted. But there was just too much at stake. Just like the Americans, the Germans had to obey orders to survive, although in doing so they faced death.
As the Easy Company was considered the best company in the world, they also received the toughest assignments. Throughout the war they always had to lead the way, with the forests in Bastogne as a dramatic low. This only strengthened the group, allowing them to trust each other blindly. Nobody even thought about giving up, even after seeing nearly all their comrades die or be maimed for life.
Nobody liked to be at the front, but it was their duty and their job to support and help each other. The camaraderie among the soldiers provided unprecedented motivation and adrenaline. They were all emotional men who were also deeply affected by the losses, but during the war they turned into fighting machines. They knew they had to function in the heat of battle without mercy, pity, or regret. According to Lieutenant Speirs, they only had a chance to function in this way if they accepted the fact that they were already dead anyway.
It is now impossible to understand what these men went through and what traces this left on them both emotionally and physically. What is certain is that these men deserve everyone’s unconditional respect. They have defended European freedom with their lives and are therefore all memorable heroes.
Finally, I would like to end with a quote from Private Mike Ranney that perfectly sums up what went on in the Easy Company’s mind: As for that time in Easy Company, I cherish the comment I once made to one of my grandsons. made. He asked me, Grandpa, were you a hero in the war ??? “No,” I answered, “but I was in a company full of heroes.”
- Title: Band of Brothers
- Author: Stephen E. Ambrose
- Publisher: Roularta Books
- 312 p.
