Band Of Brothers Essay

Band of Brothers

For my report I read Band of Brothers E. Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest by Stephen E. Ambrose. Ambrose interviewed the men of Easy Company and used the information he received to show the bond between the men and recreate events from their past. The book has a very strong theme of brotherhood that can be seen throughout it. As you read Band of Brothers you see the incredible relationship the men of E. Company have. They go as far as disobeying orders just to remain with the company and with their brothers.

The book focuses on Easy Company which is a part of the elite 101st airborne division. E. Company is made up of volunteer soldiers from different parts of the country who

all have different backgrounds. While training for the war, E. Company is led by Captain Herbert Sobel. He trained the company harder than any other company but he as stated in the book “exuded arrogance” (Ambrose 23). All of the men in Easy Company hated Captain Sobel however it is this hatred that started the bond between them.
When the men get into combat they become closer than ever.

In December of 1944 the men of Easy Company and other military groups were set up in rings of defense against German troops in Bastogne Germany. The men had little supplies and where cut off from evacuating any one out because of the constant mortars and gun fire from the Germans. Even when suffering many casualties the men stayed strong and pulled through not for themselves but for each other.

Stephen Ambrose uses quotes from the men to show how much the men meant to each other. They fought as hard as they could because they wanted to protect one another. By using quotes directly from the men you end up feeling as if you really know them and understand the love the men have for their company. Ambrose writes “Within Easy Company they had made the best friends they had ever had, or would ever have” (Ambrose 61).

I think that brotherhood is the perfect theme for this book. The men of E. Company show an indescribable relationship. You can see this theme throughout the entire book whether you just started reading it or if you’re finishing reading about the men after the war. The bond these men created could never be broken not even in death. Ambrose ends the book with something that really stuck with me and showed me the massive amounts of respect the men of Easy Company had for each other. Mike Ranney, a staff sergeant in E. Company, replied when his grandson asked if he was a war hero with ‘“No,’ I answered, ‘but I served

in a company of heroes.’” (Ambrose 307).