Book Review
"Band of Brothers" by Stephen Ambrose
By Jack Mulvey, J-Lab 3 writer
March 21, 2023
The dark curtain of fascism has fallen over Europe and a new breed of warrior is needed to liberate the oppressed and ensure democracy. This new type of soldier will strike from the sky and from the night and be the finest soldier in the entire allied army. They will be unparalleled in skill and equipment and trained in the worse conditions imagined to ensure their tenacity and strength in battle. Most importantly they will be a unit of men bound by blood and battle. Baptized in fire and war. They were to be a Band of Brothers.
This is what the readers of Stephen Ambrose's famous war novel “Band of Brothers” should expect. It is the story of Easy Company of the 506th Airborne of the US Army. But more importantly, it is a story of an elite fighting force bound by extraordinary circumstances and their unwavering loyalty to one another and their nation.
This novel is an excellent example of the sometimes fantastical true stories of the real fighting men who were on the battlefield and the overarching grand conflict these men found themselves in.
Ambrose expertly uses his expertise as a historian who has interacted with and interviewed not only the common fighting men of Easy, but also larger figures like Eisenhower and Macarthur. Ambrose's prior knowledge of the second world war to further expand upon the story of the 506th and not only humanizes these heroic men but gives them their chance to tell their story. And it is through these stories that Ambrose shows his true talent as a writer. From their days of hard training in Toccoa Georgia to their unplanned nighttime scattering over Normandy during Operation Overlord the men of Easy company share their experiences of their time in the Airborne.
From tense assaults and firefights with the enemy, to descriptions of their fighting conditions, to their thoughts on British army food, we truly live beside these characters. It is also through their stories we learn of these soldiers' unwavering heroism.
From the ever-calm and collected head of Major Richard Winters who led the unit through its darkest and brightest days. To the Silent bravery of Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Spiers who inspired both admirations and sometimes fear amongst the unit and would later take up the mantle of easy company commander after the war. It's these kinds of men that made up this elite unit and would define it not just during the bloody struggle in Europe but even today the lessons taught by the tactics, victories, and even defeats of the 501st are still being taught today.
Stephen Ambrose has crafted a beautiful story of brotherhood in times of war and how extraordinary men can rise above and beyond the call of duty and become true heroes. He not only tells the story of these heroes but also of the war at large and this group of men's places in the war as a whole.
It is a well-earned 10/10 it is a must-read.