Stephen Ambrose

I realize the ficition in "Saving Private Ryan" but just because it's hollywood doesnt make it somewhat correct. I haven't seen it in a while but I do remember D-Day having quite a few good points about it. i might be wrong though. in my opinion, Saving Private Ryan is a masterpiece compared to something like the recent "Pearl Harbor." that movie wasn't a real disappointment only because nobody expected anything out of it. thanks for the facts on the true "Ryan" story. that sounds like it would make a great book.

 

Extract from Fr. Sampson’s book dealing with Niland:

When the regiment was bivouacked near Utah Beach waiting for the boats to take us back to England, a young soldier by the name of Fritz Niland came to see me. He was very troubled in mind. The company commander of his brother, who was with the 508th Regiment, told Fritz that his brother had been killed and was buried in the Sainte-Mere-Eglise cemetery. "We jumped in my jeep and drove the twenty miles back to that town. In checking the cemetery roster I couldn't find the boys name.

"There's no William Niland listed here Fritz," I said encouragingly, "though there is a Roland Niland listed."

"Father... that's my brother too. He was a lieutenant in the 90th Division." The unhappy boy tried to choke back the tears. After saying a few prayers at the grave, we went to another cemetery just a few blocks away where we found the grave we were looking for originally. A third brother had just been killed in the Pacific.

As we were driving back to the bivouac area, Fritz kept saying over and over again, more to himself than to me, "What will poor Butch do now? What will poor Butch do now?"

"Who is Butch, son?" I asked.

"Butch? Oh, she's my mother." I looked at him and wondered if he were suffering from combat exhaustion and the terrible shock of this afternoon's discovery. He must have read my thoughts, for he explained, "We four boys always called Mom "Butch" these last few years. That's because, when we wanted to listen to swing orchestras and jive bands on the radio, mom would always turn on "Gangbusters" or some other program about gangsters...she liked those. Now I'm the only son left." Mrs. Niland had received three tragic wires within a week, however, we managed to get Fritz sent back to the states, so Butch still had one son to comfort her.

No.9

 

Hey Ik I definetly agree with you about Saving Private Ryan. Amazing masterpiece that has just revolutionizing the war industry in Hollywood. It was just brilliant and so amazingly done. Although not accurate, while watching that I just get lost in the brilliance of the movie and forget about it. I'm going with you on this one. I have a list of D-Day books which I don't have with me right now but I'll get it today and post it before I go out tonight. It's actually the list that is from the past on the forum because as I said before I was right where you are and I read all I could and most of the suggestions given on the forum, but I definetly have them written down so I'll be getting them to you.

 

onthefield,
thank you!! I would really appreciate the list of d-day books. yes, saving private ryan is a revolutionary movie...I need to pick that up from blockbuster sometime... what's your opinion on the "Thin Red Line" or have you not seen that...

 

Ike, please get away from hollywood. If you want to read Ambrose, go ahead but if you want to learn about the 101st at D-Day, read Rendezvous with Destiny ISBN 1568523762; Parachute Infantry ISBN 0385336497 (first person account) or better, As Eagles Screamed ISBN 0553126571.

An excellent D-Day book is Carlo D'Este's Decision in Normandy 0060924950

A good D-Day book is Hasting's Overlord ISBN 0671460293 or 0671460292(ppbk)

A poorer D-Day book is Keegans Six Armies in Normandy.

My personal favourite this year is Mansoor's The GI Offensive in Europe 070060958x

That list should keep you in good reading until Christmas; after which time you should have a pretty good idea of what actually happened from the Allied perspective.

 

I appreciate your concern for my well-being, major...but I assure you I am away from it. To tell you the truth, the only reason I started reading Ambrose in the first place is because I was bored on the trip home from New York. Thanks for the list! I'll look into those books when I have the time.

 

I forgot to mention Pattons War as I Knew It and of course, you have read Eisenhower's Crusade in Europe.

Good reading!

 

haha...thanks again.

 

If you're going to read 'War As I Knew It' by Patton ( essential if you're interested in the General ) then I'd really recommend getting hold of a copy of Martin Blumenson's 'The Patton Papers 1940-1945 ' ( Da Capo Press ).

Many of Patton's comments were 'tidied up' in 'WAIKI', whereas in the 'Papers' you can read what he really thought !

 

not really interested in patton at the moment...but thanks anyway.

 

Stefan,

I read Pegasus Bridge, what in your opinion was wrong with it? I only know of the battle from the book and am keen to hear if there are any holes in the book.

I disagree with anyone who says Ambrose is pro-american, he is though, clearly FOCUSED and doesn't tend to stray from the subject at hand, I have found other books on similar subjects exhausting to read because I have to keep tabs on so many people from so many units and commanders.

Ambrose makes it clear in band of brothers and in Pegasus that he is focusing on one unit and their exploits on D-day. If he was a British Author, then certainly similar criticism would be levelled at him for Pegasus Bridge being too “British”, come on guys we must put this all in context.

Big up to him anyhow, I got a new found respect for the British Paras now that I have read the book and now know that the British contribution to d-day was significant, isn’t that what all “good” authors should aim to achieve?

Doesn't that make him not just American-focused?

 

Uh oh...Bratwurst, I agree with you, but I have come to find out that Ambrose is not the most accurate story-teller, even though he uses his interviews as well as others to keep the stories conected. I'm almost done with his "D-day" book and even though I am impressed with his story-telling abilities, I found the 2nd-grade length sentences annoying after a while. "He did this. Then he did this. Then he did that." Look what this forum has done to me. Anyway, I hope we won't have to bring this thread up again...

 

Maybe we should have a "sticky" for ambrose as he is a oft-mentioned person in these forums

 

§ let's not ok ? §

~E~

 

Hahaha

 

I'm not laughing.........I'm serious

~E

 

I know you are, it was just the response to that was funny along with the question. *ahem*

 

*bump*

As there's maybe some more to be added on this subject......