Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose - Book Report/Review Example

Band Of Brothers Introduction Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose is considered to be a master piece, since it represents the life of people in the military regimen. Military histories and stories are rare and this one from Stephen Ambrose is certainly a unique one, as the entire story is presented in such a way that it includes information about the soldiers, military officers, trainers and the military generals. Band of Brothers, is said to be a complete book which portrayed the life of a man in the military field. The book highlights every major point and it also focuses on the day to day happenings on the military camp. By doing this the author has given a complete outlook of how a country deals with its military operations and how well the people operate. American military system is different when compared to the other military systems in the world. Every aspect of their training involves vigorous challenges and tasks are generally tough. This is done to make sure that the people in the training camp get to know about the nuances of the military field. Though many other authors have come out with books on military experiences, Stephen Ambrose makes a mark by revealing even the minor issues faced by the people in the military camp and it focuses on the life of the army personnel and how they struggle in the personal as well as their professional life. The contrast between the other military systems and the American military system is drawn by describing the way in which the trainees are given the freedom and ability to learn more things and to have a control over a drastic situation. This book perfectly fits into the overall context of the American Military Experience, as it denotes the power of America and the control it had over its neighboring countries. The period after the First World War was not favorable for any country except Germany. Under the leadership of Hitler, Germany turned out to be the most powerful country which had the ability to acquire other small countries around Germany. This worsened the situation of other countries and due to this reason, America which was considered a super power even then, decided to set up military training camps and regimens to train people who could help the country during wars. As the idea of Second World War was certain, the people in America prepared themselves to face the other countries which made their presence felt during the First World War. Ambrose has written this book with an intension to examine the lives of the people in the American Military camp and to describe their day to day life, the problems they encounter, the mental strains, physical pressures and how they overcome all this to fight for the nation. The book gives a complete picture of how the people are trained and how well the officials help them to become the one who can tackle any sort of a situation. Thesis The striking difference between other books on military works and Band of Brothers is the ability of the author to provide a clear idea and description about the military troops. The author has carried out this in a much simpler yet detailed manner and this is the main reason why this book drew the attention of many. The author has written this work to explore the real incidents and the problems the military troops and the officials undergo. The major idea behind this book is to exhibit how well the American Military troop of EC 506th regiment tackles and defeat the well established and equipped military people of Germany, (Ambrose, 1992) which was then under the control of Adolf Hitler. The author’s aim of making the reader experience the real trauma and risk that a military officer undergoes has been paid off in this book. The book was a phenomenal success, as it covered almost all information that other military histories fails to include. Ambrose’s Approach to Military History The major idea behind this book is to examine the situation as to why the country sets up military camps at different places and it also intends to provide the readers with a new experience. This book not only highlights the life of the people in the military camp, instead the author has taken pains to get the details about the army officer’s personal life too. The final chapter of the book describes how each of those military officers spent their time in the military camp and what they did after the final war. In this way the book strikes a great difference when compared to the other books. The idea of conceiving the life of the military people was well received and the book received critical acclaims too. The author has made it in such a way that the readers get a glimpse of how the people get themselves trained and how they move from one war field to another and the preparations for the D-Day. (Ambrose, 1992). The outstanding feature of the book is the way in which Ambrose has penned down the desire of the people in the military camps. The people who are in their early twenties proved to be an asset for the nation, as they had the momentum and desire to help their country move forward in every possible way. The author raises issues like the last minute change in the plan during the campaign in Normandy, the idea of attacking Hitler in his place and training with pressure during the initial stages. Ambrose certainly manages to connect these issues with the American Military system and this proves to be great success, as each part of this book relates to the American Military practices. This book begins with the training in the military camp and focuses on the main idea of the American Military system, to target the Hitler’s reign. Significance of Band of Brothers The entire book covers a wide range of aspects, starting from the day to day affairs, to the end of war and it also includes the specific concepts using which the military troops acquire their enemies. The significance of this work is to establish a clear cut idea as to how the American government trained the military officers to fight their enemies and to overcome the prolonged problems. Band of Brothers describes the 506th Military Regiment which included the people from the East Company. They went through a series of events that were held continuously and the military officers had to train them in such a way that the troops were strong enough to face their enemies. Events like training up to the D-Day, Normandy campaign, Operation market garden, battle of the bulge and finally to the Hitler’s place in Austria. (Ambrose, 1992). To achieve an edge over the other military troops and to acquire the Hitler’s reign, the EC military troops were provided with continuous training. The work, Band of Brothers helps the readers to understand how a normal person’s life is transformed into that of a military soldier or an officer. They were given continuous training up to the D-Day and they were also informed about the risks they will face in the battlefield. The training continued for a period of nine and Ambrose has made it a point to include every part of the training process. This book also concentrates on the type of weapons that were used in this EC military training camp. It signifies the period of training and the way they shifted to Holland and the reason why they were assigned as the troop that occupies the front line during the battle. The entire book signifies the pain and agony the soldiers went through in their life. It also signifies their co-ordination and co-operation with the fellow members in the troop and their respect and group effort with the officers. At the end of the training period, their unity was the one that helped them to overcome all these hurdles and to fight for their nation. Due to their unity and co-ordination, they were considered as a single group, Band of Brothers. Conclusion Band of Brothers, one of the greatest works of Stephen Ambrose evokes one’s thought in terms of military people and their life. The book gives a complete insight into the problems that existed during the 1940’s and the places where the battalion travelled and their contribution to the American history. The major events being Battle of the Bulge, Operation Market-Garden and the final part of attacking the Hitler’s place have also been given due importance. All these events have been described to provide the readers with more detailed information. The pages that describe the attack on the Hitler’s place is considered as the most popular and interesting part of the book. The author has named Hitler’s place as the Eagle’s nest and this part grabs the attention of the readers. The gripping story comes to an end with the chapter that highlights the life of the soldiers who were a part of the EC military troop. Works Cited Ambrose, Stephen. Band of Brothers. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc., 1992. Read More