Band of Brothers

1) Why is does this book carry this particular title? How did the men of Easy Company come to consider themselves a “band of brothers”? What happens during training and during combat to bind them closer together? What issues and events resulted in tension or splits within this brotherhood? How did those who had trained together and climbed the mountain at Currahee treat the replacements? How was this ideal of brotherhood tested at Bastogne? How was it maintained after the war was over and the men returned to postwar life? 2) Evaluate the role of leadership in the success of Easy Company. What did Ambrose consider to be essential qualities of leadership? What was the difference in leadership style between Captain Sobel and Lieutenant Winters? How were the officers expected to behave towards the enlisted men? Who did the men consider successful leaders? What role did leadership play in Easy Company’s experiences during D-Day and during Bastogne? 3) Discuss some of the different ways the men of Easy Company dealt with the stress of combat. What characteristics seemed to define an effective soldier? What motivated these men to continue to fight despite the horrific conditions all around them? How did Bastogne threaten the cohesiveness of their unit? Which men and officers were viewed as effective in combat and why? Why did some of these men have a rough adjustment back to civilian life?