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mulveyr's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not a huge fan of Ambrose as a historian, but he did a decent job of communicating the privation and hardships encountered by the front line U.S. troops between the invasion of Normandy and V-E Day.
The book is primarily a collection of anecdotes and memoirs from the soldiers. When done poorly this method of organization can result in what appears to be a mish-mash of disconnected vignettes. Ambrose does a credible job of tying them together into a mostly coherent whole by using side commentary to place the stories into context within the other events happening within the European Theatre.
The biggest problem is the author clearly favors certain leaders and dislikes others. This led me to wonder how reliable his interpretation of some of the events might be. For the most part his opinions correspond with current thinking, but more than a few of his comments went way over the top.
I'd recommend the book for the individual stories alone - the vivid, harrowing accounts are worth reading if you have an interest in the subject matter. Just take the author's interjections with a grain of salt.
The book is primarily a collection of anecdotes and memoirs from the soldiers. When done poorly this method of organization can result in what appears to be a mish-mash of disconnected vignettes. Ambrose does a credible job of tying them together into a mostly coherent whole by using side commentary to place the stories into context within the other events happening within the European Theatre.
The biggest problem is the author clearly favors certain leaders and dislikes others. This led me to wonder how reliable his interpretation of some of the events might be. For the most part his opinions correspond with current thinking, but more than a few of his comments went way over the top.
I'd recommend the book for the individual stories alone - the vivid, harrowing accounts are worth reading if you have an interest in the subject matter. Just take the author's interjections with a grain of salt.
steviec's review against another edition
4.0
One of the best books I've read. Ambrose is his usual stunning self, putting our boots on the ground and letting us really experience the Second World War. The picture he paints of those historic vets gives me a whole new appreciation for them.
venkyloquist's review against another edition
4.0
Just one powerful word comes to mind after reading this epic from Stephen Ambrose - 'PERSPECTIVE'. The next time I clamour for trivial comforts or bemoan a petty deprivation, I will instinctively and unflinchingly think of all the young, hopeful and aspiring GIs who made the supreme sacrifice with the singularly noble objective of making this world a better and beautiful place to be in. This book blasts home the miraculous truth that even amidst the brutality surrounding a war and the futility enveloping the embrace of arms, there are lessons of life to be imbibed - lessons that are fundamental, fascinating and fulfilling!
svarnyp's review against another edition
3.0
Výtečná kombinace historického popisu postupu americké armády Evropou a osobních svědectví z jednotlivých bojišť. Osobní úroveň umožňuje lépe si uvědomit detaily války a vidět, co znamenal konflikt ve své době a ne dnešním prizmatem vzdálené a z části již dogmaticky vyprávěné historie.
mynameisnemo's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed Citizen Soldier. In some ways I liked it more than Band of Brothers. The history at the beginning, while being a bit repetitive, really gives an idea of what it was like to march through the Hedgerows. The description of the battles and the battle plans is easy to grasp without a lot of outside knowledge and I liked the way the book was divided up by topic and period during the war.
Probably my favourite chapter was the medic chapter, as I have a personal weakness for that field anyway.
I enjoyed, again, the descriptiveness during each scene, the vividness of the scene setting. It was easy to see the events playing out in my head as I read. This book has also made me resolve to go to the Normandy area and see if there is anything left of the old country side to see.
All in all a good book, educational and easy to grasp.
Probably my favourite chapter was the medic chapter, as I have a personal weakness for that field anyway.
I enjoyed, again, the descriptiveness during each scene, the vividness of the scene setting. It was easy to see the events playing out in my head as I read. This book has also made me resolve to go to the Normandy area and see if there is anything left of the old country side to see.
All in all a good book, educational and easy to grasp.
ericwelch's review against another edition
4.0
Ambrose, an incredibly prolific and readable historian, focuses in this book on the soldiers who made up the ETO (European Theater of Operations). It’s at first somewhat difficult to categorize. His analysis of the men who made up the army could almost be called cheer-leading of the most nauseating kind. But after he settles in, the reality becomes more apparent. They weren’t all great guys and upstanding citizens. He points out that some thirty percent of supplies coming into ports after the invasion of Europe were stolen for resale on the black market. The picture of Milo in Catch-22 is not the grossest exaggeration. Racial problems were endemic at all levels, but Ambrose reserves his harshest judgment for the upper echelon commanders who remained clean, dry, and well-fed in the rear while front-line troops were asked to take objectives that often made little sense at great cost. Thousands of GI’s were lost to trench foot and frostbite during the winter because the boots they were issued were inadequate. Those in the rear got the good rubber-covered boots. The response of the brass was to insist that soldiers change their socks regularly, and threatened to court-martial anyone diagnosed with trench foot. The replacement system designed by Eisenhower’s staff sent inadequately trained men to the front where they often died needlessly. Had they been trained as units, with experienced sergeants and sent into battle as units fewer would have died, suggests Ambrose. British general Montgomery was clearly more interested in self-promotion than in becoming part of the team,, and Ambrose cites one example where Montgomery’s demands for more overall command had to be personally put down by Eisenhower. George Patton was obsessed with spit-and-polish. In one instance some officers just coming from the muddy front had been ordered to Third Army headquarters to get some badly needed maps. They were held up at the entrance to Third Army territory because Patton had issued orders to his MP’s that anyone entering had to maintain proper uniform standards of cleanliness, etc. It took the officers hours to get cleared and cleaned-up before they could get what they needed, holding up the offensive.
Soldiers soon learned that war was not all they expected. As others, like Paul Fussell and Gerald Lindeman (who explored the role of the American fighting man) have noted, war has been seriously overglamorized. Soldiers were psychologically unprepared for battle and the stress broke many of them down. Often they refused to take prisoners, shooting all Germans in the way whether under white flag or not. The war fundamentally altered the lives of those who survived the front lines. Americans, having never been bombed, cannot appreciate the horror of interminable artillery shelling and constant fear and deprivation.
Ambrose clearly admires what these soldiers for what they endured. In the end, the reason for fighting the war is exemplified by the tragic comments of a severely wounded German lieutenant who desperately needed a blood transfusion. Just as it was to be administered, the German insisted the medic certify there was no Jewish blood mixed in with the blood he was about to receive. The medic obviously could not, but pointed out that without the plasma he would die. The German died refusing to be transfused. They should have given it to him anyway.
Soldiers soon learned that war was not all they expected. As others, like Paul Fussell and Gerald Lindeman (who explored the role of the American fighting man) have noted, war has been seriously overglamorized. Soldiers were psychologically unprepared for battle and the stress broke many of them down. Often they refused to take prisoners, shooting all Germans in the way whether under white flag or not. The war fundamentally altered the lives of those who survived the front lines. Americans, having never been bombed, cannot appreciate the horror of interminable artillery shelling and constant fear and deprivation.
Ambrose clearly admires what these soldiers for what they endured. In the end, the reason for fighting the war is exemplified by the tragic comments of a severely wounded German lieutenant who desperately needed a blood transfusion. Just as it was to be administered, the German insisted the medic certify there was no Jewish blood mixed in with the blood he was about to receive. The medic obviously could not, but pointed out that without the plasma he would die. The German died refusing to be transfused. They should have given it to him anyway.
brien_k's review against another edition
3.0
This book took me forever to read...almost a month! It's not that it's very long (just under 500 pages), but that it's dense. It probably wasn't the best choice for a 'summer read' - but it was still a pretty good book.
Ambrose (who wrote the awesome book "Band of Brothers") is a military historian for military historians. If you're out of the look (like I am), some of the details in his book can get heavy and difficult to handle. Once I decided to read this book as a collection of thousands of short stories about WWII in Europe post D-Day, it became a lot easier to read. If you're gonna try to keep track of all the divisions, corps, companies, sergeants, captains, lieutenants and privates that he writes about...good luck!
I've always been a bit of a history buff, and WWII has had special interest for me. Ambrose does a great job of exploring post D-Day Europe from the perspective of the junior officers and NCOs on the front line. And in traditional Ambrose style, he lets most of the men and women talk for themselves by heavily quoting from memoirs (mostly unpublished), oral histories, interviews, letters, etc.
Don't expect a plot...there isn't one. In fact, the chronological time line can get convoluted and shaky at times. But if you're interested in interesting and new tidbits of information about the war, I think this is a great place to start.
Ambrose (who wrote the awesome book "Band of Brothers") is a military historian for military historians. If you're out of the look (like I am), some of the details in his book can get heavy and difficult to handle. Once I decided to read this book as a collection of thousands of short stories about WWII in Europe post D-Day, it became a lot easier to read. If you're gonna try to keep track of all the divisions, corps, companies, sergeants, captains, lieutenants and privates that he writes about...good luck!
I've always been a bit of a history buff, and WWII has had special interest for me. Ambrose does a great job of exploring post D-Day Europe from the perspective of the junior officers and NCOs on the front line. And in traditional Ambrose style, he lets most of the men and women talk for themselves by heavily quoting from memoirs (mostly unpublished), oral histories, interviews, letters, etc.
Don't expect a plot...there isn't one. In fact, the chronological time line can get convoluted and shaky at times. But if you're interested in interesting and new tidbits of information about the war, I think this is a great place to start.
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