Brothers in Arms: One Legendary Tank Regiment's Bloody War from D-Day to VE-Day

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If you could choose which two limbs got blown off, what would you go for?’ Danny said. ‘Your arms or your legs?’ An inspirational, moving account of courage and comradeship on the part of exceptional men.”— Military History I just finished ‘The Infantry’s Armor’ by Yeide and I hoped this would bring me from the general to the specific. Yeide lays out the actions of all the independent tanks battalions including the 761st. Tom Marcus, bestselling author of Soldier Spy and Capture or Kill At times darkly funny, at times tragic, this is a powerful and honest book about the British soldier, about the reality of conflict and the struggles some face when they come home. Abdul-Jabar does not pull any punches in this book. His words are vivid and work efficiently in sharing the facts with the audience in addition to creating a narrative with melodic flow. Entrenched in the nonsensical racism of their day, the 761st experienced their hardest battles at home, in the US. Seeing the contrast in their treatment abroad versus their treatment in the US, and by White US soldiers, gives the reader a true sense of how these men redefined what it means to be patriotic. These men fought for a country they loved despite the complexities of such a love—despite being hated, treated poorly, and viewed as less than human due to the color of their skin. This is the American history we need to be more present in our educational system and media, because overall, this is a story of human achievement and empathy.

Brothers in Arms Series by Mary Connealy - Goodreads Brothers in Arms Series by Mary Connealy - Goodreads

As they fight furiously, are pushed to their limits, hemmed in by IEDs and hampered by the chain of command, Gez starts to wonder what is the point of it all. The bombs they uncover on patrol, on their stomachs brushing the sand away, are replaced the next day. Firefights are a momentary victory in a war they can see is unwinnable. Gez is a warrior – he wants more than this. But then death and injury start to take their toll on The Firm, leaving Gez with PTSD and a new battle just beginning. A touching profile of men who fought overt and subtle racism for the chance to prove their mettle, and a poignant reminder of the unreasonable prejudices of that era that almost kept them on the sidelines.”— Sacramento Bee This former professional player current serves as assistant coach. Typically referred to as Lew Alcindor in his younger days, he changed his name when he converted to Islam. A slam dunk . . . Well written, well researched and an excellent read . . . Abdul-Jabbar does an incredible job of weaving [the personal stories] into the context of the war as it unfolded.”— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette I heard Kareem speak last week in Beverly Hills and he talked about this , saying that most white people had never heard of the 761st. Well I had to admit to being a white person who had not, so I read his book. The thing of course, that sets the 761st apart from other brave troops who saw vicious combat and were killed and maimed is the despicable and unfathomable way they were treated by both civilians and white fellow troops at all points at all times. It's so frustrating and sad and I got teary on several occasions. So anything to do with that subject was very effective. What keeps me from giving it a higher rating is sentences like these:The men experienced painful memories of innate hostility from the civilian population during Basic Training at camps in Louisiana and Texas. In addition, there was something amiss about parity and respect from their white peers and commanding officers. The exceptions were Lieutenant Paul L. Bates and Captain David Williams who developed a close and harmonious relationship with the men. Villagers and townspeople in Europe greeted the Tank Battalion with warmth and respect. I learned a lot from this book. The story of this tank battalion and the difficulty they faced in combat and at home is an important part of American history. I am trying to be more concise in reviewing this book. There is so much history to absorb, but, at times, I found it difficult and painful to read.

Brothers in Arms by Geraint Jones - Pan Macmillan Brothers in Arms by Geraint Jones - Pan Macmillan

For a history like this, it helps to provide some broader context of what is going on around the unit. Here, the book suffers. The commentary on the Sherman tank and the broader war is sometimes accurate, but all too often veers into questionable, controversial, or flat out incorrect areas. As one example, the authors at times confuse the term panzer (shorthand name generally for German tanks) with Panther (the Panzer Mark V German tank.) But Kareem and Walton needed to do a better job of researching what I will call the technical aspects of armored combat during World War II. Calling a German tank a "panzer tank" is like calling a horse a "horse animal." Also, there was no such thing as a "Mark IV Panther." The Mark III and Mark IV were the mainstay of the German armed forces for most of the war. The much more powerful Mark V was the Panther, and its design was inspired by the excellent Soviet T-34. The famous and even more powerful Tiger was the Mark VI. Jones writes of his brothers and their Afghan experience, from its adrenalin-filled highs to the many lows, with passion and candour.' – Major Adam Jowett, bestselling author of No Way Out I expected ‘Brothers in Arms’ to provide details but the opening was marred by some simple inaccuracies that any WWII novice historian would catch. It made it hard to keep reading. A brilliant and moving narrative that through its imagery helps the reader appreciate the hardness of battle.”— Charlotte Observer

Brothers in Arms" also retells an important part of military history. The flawed and bloody campaign for the Saar, a low point in Patton's career, has been almost completely overshadowed by the Battle of the Bulge and the final drive through Germany (in both of which the 761stalso fought) and receives deserved attention here. From the bestselling author of Normandy '44 and Sicily '43, a brilliant new history of the last days of the war.