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.
Background Information
On D-Day, June 5, 1944, the Allies invaded France on the beaches of Normandy and surprised the Germans who had expected their attack at Calais. George Patton was known as a brilliant but demanding general during World War II, whose insensitivity to public opinion may have kept him from commanding the Normandy invasion.
