#stephen e. ambrose

[yourspeirs]

Quoting Ambrose, "Nixon was a genius in addition to being a brave, common-sense soldier."

[pastlivesandpurplepuppets]

Slim, fairly tall, dark hair, stern, ruggedly handsome, he cultivated the look of a leader, and acted like it.

~ Stephen E. Ambrose

[deadpresidents]

Could you recommend a biography of Eisenhower please?

There are so many great books of Eisenhower that I'm going to recommend a few of them:

•Eisenhower by Geoffrey Perret (BOOK | KINDLE) Published in 1999, this is one of the best single-volume biographies of Eisenhower, in my opinion.

•Eisenhower in War and Peace by Jean Edward Smith (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) This book is a vast, extensively researched look at all aspects of Eisenhower's fascinating life. It's about as complete of a biography of someone like Eisenhower that could possibly fit in one volume and was published relatively recently (2012).

•Eisenhower, Volume I: Soldier, General of the Army, President-Elect, 1890-1952 by Stephen E. Ambrose (BOOK | KINDLE) •Eisenhower, Volume II: The President by Stephen E. Ambrose (BOOK | KINDLE) This two-volume biography of Eisenhower by legendary historian Stephen E. Ambrose is probably the best-known study of Eisenhower's life. If you're not looking to invest the time that it takes to get through these two big volumes, there is an abridged, single-volume edition of Ambrose's book: Eisenhower: Soldier and President: The Renowned One-Volume Life (BOOK | KINDLE).

•Eisenhower: The White House Years by Jim Newton (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) This is probably the best book focusing solely on Eisenhower's eight years as President. Anyone who wants to know Eisenhower's story almost certainly wants one of the full-fledged biographies covering his military career, but this is a good read for anyone who wants a deep dive on his Presidency.

•Going Home to Glory: A Memoir of Life With Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961-1969 by David Eisenhower with Julie Nixon Eisenhower (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) Again, this is not a full-fledged biography covering Eisenhower's entire life, but it is a tremendously interesting, intimate, and deeply personal focus on Eisenhower's last years, from the time he left the White House until his death in 1969. What really makes this book different is that it's written by Eisenhower's grandson, David, who spent a lot of time with the former President when he left office and retired to his farm in Gettysburg. David Eisenhower (who is the namesake of Camp David, the Presidential retreat in Maryland) is able to give readers a unique look at this giant of the 20th Century, the former Supreme Allied Commander who helped defeat the Nazis and win World War II before becoming President and is all of those remarkable things but also a grandpa. The book is also notable because it's written with David Eisenhower's wife, who just happens to be the daughter of Eisenhower's Vice President and a future President in his own right, Richard Nixon.

[duckielover151]

Of all the Band of Brothers reactions I've watched, nearly every single one has the reactors freaking out at some point because they recognize one of the actors from something more recent.

I don't watch a lot of live action media. I don't know a lot of actors. The only "Oh my god, he looks so young!!!" moment I had was for Smokey Gordon. (Played by Ben Caplan, who I know as Sergeant Noakes in the first few seasons of Call the Midwife.)

Not one of the most recognizable characters. He doesn't get a ton of focus. (Although his all-around good-naturedness is really sticking out to me upon this rewatch.) You probably remember him from one of two scenes: The Night of the Bayonet poem. Or, he's the guy who gets paralyzed in Bastogne.

I just reached that section of Ambrose's book. Here's how his recovery is described:

"Gordon was flown to England and on to a hospital in Wales. He was placed in a plaster cast from his waist to the top of his head. But the cast prevented treatment of the wounds made by the bullet entering and exiting his back, so it was removed and replaced by a device known as the Crutchfield tongs. The apparatus was applied by boring two holes in the crown of his head, then inserting steel tongs into the holes and clamping them into place. A line attached through pulleys provided traction while preventing any movement without the need for a cast. He stayed in that position, flat on his back, gazing up at the ceiling, for six weeks.

Gordon considered himself to be, "fortunate, very fortunate. A million dollar wound."

I've heard that "million dollar wound" phrase used before. But you typically only hear it for injuries that are bad enough to get someone off the frontlines but not serious enough to cause any long-lasting damage or suffering.

To describe his injuries that way... If anything makes you appreciate just how bad Bastogne was, it's this. (But he actually did make almost a full recovery! He struggled with back pain for the rest of his life, but the paralysis healed!)

[stephtuckerauthor]

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Mary Elaine LeBey : Sign of the Day... June 6th is eternally D-Day... and this beautiful tribute "sign" was created and shared today in 2015, right there on the beach at Normandy... and I love it ... Dunno who took it, but it was shared by the US Embassy in France.

* * * *

“You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.” ― Dwight D. Eisenhower

+

“Lieutenant Welsh remembered walking around among the sleeping men, and thinking to himself that 'they had looked at and smelled death all around them all day but never even dreamed of applying the term to themselves. They hadn't come here to fear. They hadn't come to die. They had come to win.” ― Stephen E. Ambrose, Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest

+

“The road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph. They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war. For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home. Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt

[veryslowreader]

Crazy Horse and Custer by Stephen E. Ambrose

Sex and the City: "La Douleur Exquise!"

[linusjf]

Stephen Ambrose: Looking out for number one

Stephen E. Ambrose (Photo credit: Wikipedia) “It does you no good to see the number two or number three man in the corporation-you have to get through to number one. ” —Stephen Ambrose.

[greendomine]

looks like its time to enjoy some... *[holds up my copy of Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose]* light reading 💁🏽

[ronsenthal]

"Slim, fairly tall, dark hair, stern, ruggedly handsome"

[charlottebartlett]

Wait, whut? I totally missed that Michael Fassbender was in Band of Brothers.

[yourspeirs]

Speirs was an officer with a reputation. Slim, fairly tall, dark hair, stern, ruggedly handsome, he cultivated the look of a leader, and acted it.

[pastlivesandpurplepuppets]

Webster was a man of books and libraries, a reader and a writer, thrown into an intimate and life-dependent relationship with ill-educated hillbillies, southern farmers, coal miners, lumbermen, fishermen, and other typical paratrooper enlisted men—in short, with a group of men with whom he had nothing in common. He would not have particularly liked or disliked them in civilian life—he just would not have known them. Yet it was among this unlikely group of men that Webster found his closest friendships and enjoyed most thoroughly the sense of identification with others. He was wounded in Holland, in October, 1944. He rejoined his squad in January, 1945, and later he recalled his feelings: “It was good to be back with fellows I knew and could trust. Listening to the chatter, I felt warm and relaxed inside, like a lost child who has returned to a bright home full of love after wandering in a cold black forest.” He went on: “You felt like part of a big family. You are closer to these men than you will ever be to any civilians.”

~ Stephen E. Ambrose

[runaeveena]

i give you the band of brothers character iceberg inspired by [x]

full detailing under the cut

Tier 1, signified by a stock image photo of an old man sitting on a bench with the words "Why don't you watch some TV with your ol' peepaw?" next to him.

- Winters, Nixon, Speirs, Compton, Luz, Lipton, Sobel, Roe

- this is the most basic tier. these are the characters your stepdad in the military remembers from watching the show after his tour or what your high school history teacher knows. hell this is what jimmy fallon remembers from the show.

Tier 2, signified by a screenshot of two 10+ old youtube videos entitled "Band of Brothers Funniest Moments"

- Guarnere, Webster, Malarkey, Liegbott, Toye, Randleman, Heffron, Blithe, Perconte

- this tier shows youve seen the show more than once, also best characterized by my college friend who would show me these videos as soon as i mentioned i liked bob despite the fact that he didnt actually know anything about world war two

Tier 3, signified by a tweet found here that basically makes fun of the current 101st Airborne

- Muck, Talbert, Dike, Grant, Sisk, Wynn, Sink, Powers, Hoobler, Welsh, Spina, Garcia, Penkala, Hall

- this is entering true fandom territory. youve seen the show more than five times or interact with enough bob content to pick up other characters. or youre an obsessed military official who uses bob as propaganda to stir up the current airborne infantry

Tier 4, signified by a screenshot of the Band of Brothers reddit tag

- O'Keefe, Tipper, Meehan, Cobb, More, Heyliger, Janovec, Gordon, Evans, Strayer, Christenson, Peacock, Miller, Hashey

- you are actually genuinely unfortunately a deep fan of this show and you are forever marked

Tier 5, signified by the tumblr tag #hbo war

- Ramirez, Alley, Vest, McClung, Shames, Dukeman, Van Klinken, Julian, Lorraine, Plesha, Petty

- hi girlies ;)

Tier 6 and 7, signified by the front page of the Band of Brothers fandom wiki page

- Smith Jr., Zielinski, Lesniewksi

- Boyle, Rodgers, Mellet

- as stated in my little notes, if you're an admin for the bob fandom wikia you have more power than anyone in the world like the level of imdb searching this requires is more harrowing than actual war

Tier 8, signified by a screenshot of the Stephen E. Ambrose Austria tours with Band of Brothers casts, a screenshot of Matthew Leitch's reunion youtube with other actors, and the Dead Eyes Podcast cover

- the other Zielinski

- you know way to much to be a weird fan

Tier 9, signified by a stock image of a pile of books

- Burr Smith

- you are a scholar

[aviationgeek71]

“The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function: without mercy, without compassion, without remorse. All war depends upon it.”

— Ronald Speirs, "Band of Brothers" 2001 miniseries, based on historian Stephen E. Ambrose's 1992 non-fiction book of the same name. 

Image is actor Matthew Settle, as Ronald Speirs.

[freddiegene]

Let’s take a look at Steve Roger’s TBR 📚

Books recommend:

Red, White, & Blue by Casey McQuiston

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Maus by Art Spiegelman

Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose