The Wars And Band Of Brothers

The Wars and Band of Brothers

A war is a historical event that has the ability to change a person's life both positively and negatively. Ironically, during the months preceding both World War One and World War Two, for many men the opportunity of going overseas to prove themselves worthy as men was rarely refused. However, many of the soldiers who were involved in either the First or Second World Wars quickly realized that war was not only a brand new experience; it was a new lifestyle. In both novels, Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose and The Wars by Timothy Findley, the soldiers share a common bond with one another. Soldiers learn how to become one unit, fighting for the same cause. However, although they are one unit, not all soldiers have the mental and physical toughness to face the hardships that accompany war. In fact the gain and sequential loss of friends, the immense pressure to perform, and the need to become a real man are all factors that affect a soldier's performance both on and off the battlefield. These are the circumstances that define a soldiers experience of war and reveal that it takes more then than physical toughness to survive; mental stamina is also needed to cope with the surrounding environment.

During a soldier's tenure, countless relationships develop between himself and his fellow comrades, and many soldiers have a hard time letting go of these friendships. Only the strong willed soldiers have the ability to look the other way whenever a friend or comrade has been killed. Numerous friends and comrades of both Robert Ross (The Wars) and the men of Easy Company (Band of Brothers) were killed or wounded, but these characters almost always persevered with no regrets or second thoughts. However, not all relationships that were made by the men of Easy Company came easily. As quoted by Stephen Ambrose,

"They (the men of Easy Company) drank beer. Lots of beer. They sang soldier songs. Toward the end of the evening, invariably someone would insult someone else with a slurring reference to his mother, his sweetheart, his home town, or his religion. Then they would fight, as solider boys do, inflicting bloody noses and blackened eyes, before staggering back to their barracks, yelling war chants, supporting each other, becoming comrades .