Chapter 6: Metz and the Hurtgen Forest (November 1 - December 15, 1944)

1. Ambrose described them as the best and brightest. The rest is an opinion answer but I would lean towards enlistment being higher during war due to patriotism, anger at being attacked (enlistment increased post Pearl Harbor and 9/11), and in the case of World War II, preferable to being drafted. 2. The fact that American corps and battalion commanders were not visiting the front lines.  World War I had taught the British that first hand knowledge of the terrain and battleground prevented faulty plans being created at headquarters far from where combat would take place.  It caused unrealistic strategies and negative outcomes. 3. Examples range from apathy to fleeing positions to the men hung from crosses in the village of Schmidt. 4. Yes. They believed their training and specialized skills were wasted when attached to regular units.

Chapter 7: The Ardennes (December 16 - 19, 1944)

1. The lack of human intelligence, heavy reliance on signal intelligence (intercepted communication) and the disregard of the information that came the Allies’ way gave the German’s a much needed surprise factor. 2. In many ways, Hitler decided the major movements of his army. He was often at odds with his own generals. As Supreme Commander, Eisenhower made the broad strategic decisions for the Allied Forces in the ETO. Input from his generals was welcome but the final choice was his. FDR, Churchill or General George Marshall (Chief of Staff) did not need to be consulted. 3. The amassing of fresh troops and equipment were factors but the idea of ejecting the Allies from the fatherland was probably the most powerful cause of optimism. 4. Individual soldiers and lone platoons took initiative and ought as best they could with the equipment at hand. The ingenuity of junior officers can be credited for outnumbered units maintaining ground and thwarting advancing German troops.

Chapter 8: The Ardennes (December 20 - 23, 1944)

1. Its purpose was to cause confusion and if possible, infiltrate American units and gain information. 2. Skorzeny’s battalion was able to create confusion, spread rumors and instill a level of distrust among American GIs. 3. Bastogne was a major crossroads where the seven main roads of the Ardennes met. The Germans were prevented from using the roads. 4. It’s an opinion question but soldiers, regardless of country, generally share a sense loyalty to the men in their company. The Americans might have taken him prisoner had Kischkel answered differently. Chapter 9: The Holiday Season (December 24 - 31, 1944)

1. He had lived in America for quite a while. This was true of other soldiers in the German army. Some even grew up in the United States. Episode 2 (Day of Days) of the mini-series Band of Brothers has a scene depicting a paratrooper running into a German prisoner, also from Oregon. 2. It was believed that publicity might have damaged the sense of unity between the Allies.