After Allies established themselves on the beaches of the European Conti

Holding the line didn't mean just sitting in foxholes waiting for something to happen. It meant a continual battle against trench foot and mental depression, sweating out artillery barrages which the enemy habitually sent in at chow time and nights which were lighted with flares and flashes, fighting off enemy patrols...[but most of all] it meant hours and days of deadly boredom

The retreating American soldiers came to a place where they would no longer be allowed to fall back. Even after a difficult march the tired and weary soldiers had a heart felt determination to hold at the village of Elsenborn. Occupying a key position between Eifel and Antwerp the Germans need this previously neglected point. The determination the American soldiers held at Elsenborn would signal to German leadership the underestimation placed on the American warrior. This courage is best illustrated in Ambrose's highlighting of the surrounding of Bastogne and the 101st . Along with elements of the 10th Armored, combat engineers, anti-aircraft units the 101st was surrounded by a German Division. These soldiers held off the Germans time after time. At one point the German Co would ask for the "honorable surrender" of those with in the encircled town. The reply to this request was a simple and defying "Nuts". These units received further supplies and continued to hold off the Germans until the dramatic rescue by the forces of General Patton. The weather had prevented the Allied use of Air power yet as the weather improved and missions were flown, the German advance truly came to crippling halt.

The work of medical personnel is often overlooked to the success of the military. From the front line medic to the psychiatrist in the rear they each had an essential role in returning men to the lines. As the fighting raged field medics often faced dangerous situations motivated only by their desire to help. Many medics, as Ambrose points out, were respected on both sides for their efforts and skills. Medics were often the one individual infantry elements were driven to protect. The destruction war can cause on the human body so effected those who dealt with it that it was interesting to read how many seemed to never want anything to do with the profession again. In one case a medic stated if given the opportunity to do it again he would chose to do a mechanical form of maintenance. Wartime nurses gave injured soldiers reasons to smile and take their minds of the war. Nurses also had to deal with societies angst of women in combat. Many of these courageous women suffered alienation from friends and family members. Combined with the efforts of the medics and doctors this component of the American war machine succeeded in returning the majority of casualties' back to duty. In one astonishing statistic of medical service is the rate of success for Air evacuation. Of 1,176,048 transported worldwide only forty-six lost their lives en route. In addition to the technical advancements within the medical field of the time it seems far more conclusive that the internal drive and motivations of these individuals made the difference in lives saved.

The lessons gained from this book were both insightful and encouraging. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading others by this author. The ease of which he presented this material made this history understandable and allowed for a personal connection to those who lived it.

Some common words found in the essay are:
ETO Front, Air War, Hurtgen Forest, Black Americans, Robert Weiss, American Intelligence, American Army, Slowly American, Germans Chapter, Antwerp Germans, front line, american soldiers, hurtgen forest, 2nd battalion, hill 317, combined efforts, front line soldiers, german force, lt wray, similar ground, air war,
Approximate Word count = 3353
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)