Band of Brothers Chapter 4 Summary & Analysis

Chapter 4. “Look Out, Hitler! Here We Come!”; Slapton Sands, Uppottery, April 1–June 5, 1944

Summary

The American plan of attack for the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, begins to take shape under General Omar Bradley, commander of the U.S. First Army. In the assault on German positions on the coast, Hitler’s so-called Atlantic Wall, 101st Airborne is to drop behind the enemy fortifications under a blanket of darkness and assume control of the big guns and artillery pieces before the Germans can react. To train for such a daring mission, in April the entire Seventh Corps participates in Exercise Tiger, a simulation of a coordinated invasion by sea and land on Slapton Sands in southwestern England. During the exercise, German torpedo boats slip in among the American fleet and sink two landing ships, and more than 900 men drown. As D-Day draws nearer, Easy Company spends their time cleaning weapons, sharpening knives, checking parachutes, readying ammunition, and doing these tasks over and over again.

In the second week of May, the 101st holds its dress rehearsal for D-Day, code-named Operation Eagle. Easy Company uses the same airfield they are to use on D-Day, Uppottery, and loads personnel and equipment onto the same type of craft. Everything they rehearse is as close to the letter as possible, even the time spent in flight. Apart from Easy Company, the operation does not go smoothly. One group of planes runs into a German air raid over London. Another group drops their company nine miles from the drop zone, and other planes drop their troops in such a way that nearly 500 men suffer broken bones, sprains, and other injuries. Twenty-eight planes return with all their paratroopers still on board.

In the last week of May, the company leaves Aldbourne. They make their way by truck to an open field, which will be their marshaling area, adjacent to the airstrip at Uppottery. Troops dressed in German uniforms and carrying German weapons roam the marshaling area to familiarize the soldiers with the enemy image. On June 2, former Easy Company officers Nixon and Lewis, who secretly scouted the layout of the area, give briefings to the company’s current officers, advising them they will be dropping near Ste. Marie-du-Mont to kill the German garrison and capture an exit causeway.

D-Day finally arrives. Late on June 5, the men enter their transports, where they receive leg bags filled with extra equipment needed on the battlefield. Around 11 p.m., the C-47s take to the sky. Two hours later, on June 6, clouds disrupt the planes’ formation and disorient the trailing pilots relying on maintaining visual contact with the lead plane. Antiaircraft fire opens on the planes. The transport carrying Lt. Meehan and Sgt. Evans crashes and explodes. Confused and bewildered, pilots signal for men to jump just because they knew they are over Normandy. Their parachutists steadfastly jump into the night sky, and 13,400 American troops who had trained two years for this moment now descend to battle the Germans for Normandy.

Analysis

The military term “D-Day” is a generic designation for any field operation set to start on a specific day. The term’s historical association with the 1944 enormous assault on German positions on the beaches of Normandy, France, has given the day an iconic name as the turning point of World War II. The combination of risk and significant purpose gives a sense of destiny to the soldiers who participate. That this operation serves as the first combat experience for Easy Company and the rest of the 101st Airborne division gives their experience special significance.

Knowing the men face imminent death, the leaders try to plan and train them for every contingency. While a few of the details are not yet ironed out, leaders believe they have a functioning, workable plan in place for what lies ahead on D-Day. Exercise Tiger is to familiarize them with the layout of Utah Beach, and Operation Eagle is to simulate the jump. Despite the best-laid plans, actual war intervenes during both simulations, and the soldiers are suddenly thrust into a real battle, relying on all of their training to survive. Although many soldiers lose their lives, things go smoothly for Easy Company, reflecting their superior training and solidifying their confidence and sense of purpose.

Bravery and resourcefulness are infectious in battle. For example, the information gleaned by Nixon and Lewis’s daring reconnaissance provides soldiers with detailed information concerning their assignments. The bravery needed to gather such information inspires other soldiers to ensure they give the plan their all, as failure would mean Nixon and Lewis faced danger for no reason. Together, superiors use what they know of battle to train and equip their men for success and also create a plan designed to reduce the chances of failure. All of the elements of battle, including training, preparing, gathering information, and moving into a battle-ready position, work together like a machine. Well-oiled machines are efficient and do what they are designed to do. Machines that are made of weak, missing, or damaged parts fail to perform their task. The best commanders recognize that soldiers are indeed human beings, but they must be fully equipped and trained and work together as a unit to ensure success.

D-Day exemplifies this concept. Before the battle, the men of Easy Company spend all of their free time practicing the skills they’ve learned. Focusing on the things they can control distracts the men from thinking of the unknown. They trained for twenty-two months so that they would not falter when the time to act came. And if something did go awry, their level of preparedness would take over. When things don’t go to plan, many pilots panic, a human reaction when caught off guard. In their fear and surprise, the pilots make maneuvers that they otherwise wouldn’t. These mistakes cost men their lives, and Easy Company loses three of its leaders. Despite the chaos, however, the young and inexperienced American forces bravely throw themselves into battle against Hitler’s juggernaut, reflecting their shared belief that theirs is a battle for good, a battle they’d give all to win.

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