Band of Brothers – Stephen Ambrose

E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne From Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest

After each chapter you read, journal in the space provided, reacting to what you have read. How did this chapter effect you? What was special about it? What amazed or surprised you about it? I may ask you a specific question to start you off, or leave it totally up to your reactions.

Chapter 1 – “We Wanted Those Wings”; Camp Toccao, July-December 1942

How would the feeling around membership in Easy Company be similar to membership in a group in your life? Could it? Be specific about Easy Company and your life.

Chapter 2 – “Stand Up and Hook Up”; Benning, Mackall, Bragg, shanks, December 1942-September 1943

Discuss the chapter and the motto, Currahee.

Chapter 3 – “Duties of the Latrine Orderly”; Aldbourne, September 1943-March 1944

How did the possibility of death begin to show up in the lives of the men?

Chapter 4 – “Look Out Hitler! Here We Come!”; Slapton Sands, Uppottery, April 1-June 5, 1944

Chapter 5 – “Follow Me”; Normandy, June 6, 1944

How does the description of the June 6th seem different from we have known about fighting a war?

Chapter 6 – “Move Out!”; Carentan, June 7-July 12, 1944

Discuss this chapter using the experience of Private Blithe at the batallian aid station as a discussion starter.

Chapter 7 – Healing Wounds and Scrubbed Missions; Aldbourne, July 13-September 16, 1944

Discuss the difference between the way they feel about death during battle and when they are off the line.

Use references from throughout the chapter to do so.

Chapter 8 – “Hell’s Highway”; Holland, September 17-October 1, 1944

Discuss how this failed campaign was an eye-opener for the allies.

Chapter 9 – The Island; Holland, October 2 – November 25, 1944

What does Glenn Gray mean by the “tyranny of the present? “ Why do soldiers collect souvenirs?

This is where the Easy Company first gained it’s legendary reputation. Discuss what they did.

Chapter 10 – Resting, Recovering, and Refitting; Mourmelon-le-Grand, November 26-December 18, 1944

How did December 16th change everything?

Chapter 11 – “They Got Us Surrounded – the Poor Bastards”; Bastogne, December 19-31, 1944

Bastogne, better known as the Battle of the Bulge, truly made the 101st a legend. Describe what made this battle so special in American war history.

Chapter 12 – The Breaking Point; Bastogne, January 1-13, 1945

What is the breaking point? Talk about how it applies here.

Chapter 13 – Attack; Noville, January 14-17, 1945

Discuss this statement by Major Winters concerning the Battle of the Bulge. “I’m not sure that anybody who lived through that one hasn’t carried with him, in some hidden ways, the scars. Perhaps that is the factor that helps keep Easy men so unusually close together. “

Chapter 14 – The Patrol; Haguenau, January 18-February 23, 1945

Discuss Glen Gray’s “three delights in war”. How did it impact Easy Company.

Chapter 15 – “The Best Feeling in the World”; Mourmelon, February 25-April 2, 1945

Chapter 16 – Getting to Know the Enemy; Germany, April 2-30, 1945

Discuss the way the soldiers reacted to Germany, the land and the people. How did it differ from other countries they fought in?

Chapter 17 – Drinking Hitler’s Champagne; Berchtesgaden, May 1-8, 1945

By this point, this book almost seems surreal. Are you surprised at all by what you are reading. Discuss.

Chapter 18 – The Soldier’s Dream Life; Austria, May 8-July 31, 1945

Chapter 19 – Postwar Careers; 1945-1991

Though the quality of the writing in this book is only average, I still found myself with tears in my eyes when I read the passages of these guys lives since the war and reflected on the sacrifices they gave for their country.

Tom Brokaw called this “The Greatest Generation.” Can you see why he does so? Can you talk about this a bit more?

Talk a little about Major Winters.