Citizen Soldiers : The U.S. Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany -- June 7, 1944-May 7, 1945

Editorial Review:

Citizen Soldiers opens on June 7, 1944, on the Normandy beaches, and ends on May 7, 1945. From the high command (including Eisenhower, Bradley, and Patton) on down to the enlisted men, Stephen E. Ambrose draws on hundreds of interviews and oral histories from men on both sides who were there. He recreates the experiences of the individuals who fought the battles, the women who served, and the Germans who fought against us.

Ambrose reveals the learning process of a great army -- how to cross rivers, how to fight in snow or hedgerows, how to fight in cities, how to coordinate air and ground campaigns, how to fight in winter and on the defensive, how citizens become soldiers in the best army in the world -- all from the point of view of the men.

A masterful biography of the U.S. Army in the European Theater Of Operations, Citizen Soldiers provides a compelling account of the extraordinary stories of ordinary men in their fight for democracy.

Stephen E. Ambrose combines history and journalism to describe how American GIs battled their way to the Rhineland. He focuses on the combat experiences of ordinary soldiers, as opposed to the generals who led them, and offers a series of compelling vignettes that read like an enterprising reporter's dispatches from the front lines. The book presents just enough contextual material to help readers understand the big picture, and includes memorable accounts of the Battle of the Bulge and other events as seen through the weary eyes of the men who fought in the foxholes. Highly recommended for fans of Ambrose, as well as all readers interested in understanding the life of a 1940s army grunt. A sort of sequel to Ambrose's bestselling 1994 book D-Day, Citizen Soldiers is more than capable of standing on its own.

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

JUST READ IT!!!:

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ IN MY LIFE, BAR NONE!! IF WAR/HISTORY/PERSONAL ACCOUNTS ARE YOUR CUP OF TEA. Trust Me on this one!!

A MUST Book of WW2:

I bought this book to understand my father better.
Having an 87-year old father (Ray Koenig) who experienced D-Day (he was in the glider Pathfinders of the 82nd Airborne), the fighting through the hedgerows of France, the terrible winter in The Ardennes, and the final push to Berlin, I wanted to understand exactly what he went through so that I could understand him better.
This book skillfully weaves a narrative of personal first-hand stories from the soldiers who fought the war with the... more info

Biased love letter:

Band of Brothers was very appropriate for Ambrose...a true story about the shared experience of a company of soldiers..great book, great mini series and very powerful.
Ambrose falls on his face when he writes about the War more generally and his naked pandering always shines through.
I think one could read every Ambrose book and never even realize that a German, or maybe two, was in fact killed by the Soviet Red Army.
Nearly 80% of German casualties during WWII was inflicted by the Red Army.... more info

good narrative:

I enjoyed this book. I felt it was repeating alittle,but that would be the nature of this type of book. It read well, and left me in awe several time. I enjoyed the immense amount of details.My grandfather landed at Normandy on D-Day + 2. I read that part and felt a deep connection, like I knew more now, and maybe understood my grandfather a little more.
Ambrose has his critics, but any historian would. The usually critism made is that they don't write their material, which maybe.
All I can say is... more info

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