If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer's Riveting True Story

by George Wilson

"If you survive your first day, I'll promote you."

So promised George Wilson's World War II commanding officer in the hedgerows of Normandy -- and it was to be a promise dramatically fulfilled. From July, 1944, to the closing days of the war, from the first penetration of the Siegfried Line to the Nazis' last desperate charge in the Battle of the Bulge, Wilson fought in the thickest of the action, helping take the small towns of northern France and Belgium building by building.

Of all the men and officers who started out in Company F of the 4th Infantry Division with him, Wilson was the only one who finished. In the end, he felt not like a conqueror or a victor, but an exhausted survivor, left with nothing but his life -- and his emotions.

If You Survive

One of the great first-person accounts of the making of a combat veteran, in the last, most violent months of World War II.


From the Paperback edition.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, World War II, Military History, Military Fiction, Memoir

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 1987

About the author

There is more than one author by this name on Goodreads.

George Wilson (1921–2005) was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War II. He wrote about that experience in his book If You Survive, which is now required reading at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
This was a difficult book for me to rate. On one hand I would give it 5 stars because of the glimpse you get into what it's like to be a soldier on the western front in WWII. The horrible atrocities these men endure is one not always told because it's difficult for them to relive the trauma. So for that I'm grateful to George Wilson for sharing his story.

On the other hand the arrogance and lack of feeling toward his comrades made it difficult for me to read, which made me want to give it two stars. In the end I gave it 3.5 stars because arrogance and lack of feeling may have been Mr. Wilson's way of dealing with the horrors he endured.

If you like WWII or war books in general this is a must read.

[Margaret Elder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great, quick read. I was drawn to it because my father fought in the 22nd Infantry Regiment of the Fourth Infantry Division from D Day through V-E Day, and so the author's accounts of the battles had to be like those that my father endured. What brave men! My Dad once told me that his group had 350% casualties, and I certainly can understand how that happened now. I now know so much better what fighting was like in the Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge for these men. The author's personal account made it so meaningful, and some of his insights, particularly about infantry soldiers, were exactly what my father used to say. As I was reading, I thought that this would make a great account for CEO's to read also. I know that sounds odd, but the author's emphasis on the knowledge and common sense of the first line battle veterans could be applied to any large group. The author was very straightforward as well -- not sugarcoating anything, including the bad behavior of some GIs or the less than courageous behavior of some either. The writing style was as straightforward as the author's opinions. For me, anyway, the style suited the work.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb read!
I just could not put this book down,it grabbed hold of me from the
very first page and never let me go(hence,it only took me a few days to read it).

A riveting and totally engrossing read that will stay in your thoughts for a very
long time.

I am going to read it again straight away. Thats how good this book is.
Will write a proper review after I have read it for a second time.

[happy · Rating 4 out of 5]

good look at what a jr officer's experiences during WWII

[Mike Harbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Wilson's book is one of the best first person accounts of the war in Northwest Europe that I have ever read. As a young infantry lieutenant in the US Army, Wilson is sent to war as a replacement officer only a few days after the Normandy landings. His regimental commander tells the group of replacement lieutenants that if they survive their first battle he will promote them. Thus begins Wilson's combat journey, which is too intense and diverse to summarize here. Wilson's account is gripping, gritty, and disturbing - and is so good (and important) that it is one of the accounts of combat that historian and author Stephen Ambrose (Band of Brothers) was accused of plagiarizing in his works.

I think that George Wilson's book should be required reading for all NCOs and company grade officers in every service - or required reading at the service academies. It deserves to be on the shelf beside E.B. Sledge's "With the Old Breed" and Charles MacDonald's "Company Commander".

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could rate this book 6 stars I would. It was one of if not the best book I have ever read. I am obsessed with history and war. The most interesting aspect of war to me is how a normal person could witness so much horror and danger and still be able to execute their mission. This book is a perfect example of how many people simply couldn't handle that and also how the author Lt George Wilson could. This book is written by a true leader who never sent men to do what he wouldn't but instead stood with them and led them into some of the most intense fighting in the European theater of WWII. Pick this book up today!

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilson served with F Company of the 22nd Infantry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division, joining about a month after D-Day. His book is an excellent depiction of the Americans at war in the ETO. Wilson was present for the liberation of Paris. He was also on the front lines as a platoon commander for many historic encounters: St. Lo, the Siegfried Line, Hurtgen Forest, and the Battle of the Bulge.

Wilson's account doesn't sugar-coat anything. As you can expect from this sort of memoir, there's heroics in spades. But there's also cowardice, stupidity, greed, and rebelliousness. Common wisdom holds those characteristics better described the US Army of the Vietnam era. But no, it's all there on the page. Not everyone was a hero, and Wilson doesn't hide it. He recounts his own actions as matter-of-fact, and as nothing that others didn't or wouldn't do in the same situations. But I think he was brave man.

So you might have read enough WW2 memoirs to think you can skip this one. But you really should read this book, for its honesty and its perspective on the battles of the times.

I have one niggling complaint about the book: the cover. The typewriter print looks cheap, and the two figures look like they're fleeing. If you take anything from this book, it will be that Wilson and his platoon were always advancing! A book that deals largely in bravery should have a more heroic cover. It's a small point, but it has bothered me.

[Gediminas Kulikauskas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geras kovinukas - asmeniniai kariniai amerikiečių leitenanto, vadovavusio 4 pėst. divizijos kuopai, atsiminimai. Iš savo kuopos, kuri 1944 liepą išsilaipino Normandijoje iki 1945 m. vasario, kai ir jį "susirado" skeveldra, buvo likęs paskutiniu.
Daugybė kurioziškų situacijų, kaip pvz., leitenanto kelionė į bataliono štabą, kai
"Prieš vieną iš pastatų stoviniavo keli vyrai. Jie nepasivargino paklausti slaptažodžio. Toks apsileidimas mane suerzino. Prisiartinau pasiruošęs juos aprėkti ir staiga supratau, jog tai - vokiečiai. Staigi nukreipiau šautuvą į juos ir sušukau pakelti rankas. Jie nedelsdami pakluso, taip pat nustebę, kaip ir aš. Vėliau sužinojau, kad jie patruliavo, pasiklydo tamsoje ir buvo per daug užsiėmę, kad mus atpažintų. paėmėme juos į nelaisvę.
Tada nuotaiką dar labiau sugadino sargybinis prie bataliono štabo vos už penkiasdešimties metrų. Jis irgi nepareikalavo slaptažodžio. Paniurnėjau apie tai pulkininkui Kenanui. Jį tai stipriai paveikė, nes beveik bet kas galėjo paimti jo štabą į nelaisvę.
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Kruvinų mūšių epizodų
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Viena patranka šaudė į mus tiesioginiu taikymu. Sviediniai buvo tokie dideli ir skrido taip žemai, kad kai kuriuos net skrendančius galėjau matyti. Tai daugeliui suteikė sekundės dalį sureaguoti ir nerti į šoną.
Deja, vienam iš vyrų sviedinys pataikė tiesiai į krūtinę. Visa viršutinė jo kūno dalis pranyko, tačiau kažkokio keisto refleksinio variklio varomos kojos dar pabėgo kelis žingsnius. Pasidarė baisiai bloga. Mačiau tą skriejantį sviedinį, sušukau vaikinui, tačiau per triukšmą jis manęs neišgirdo.
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Vertimas, panašu, toks gan vidutiniškas.
P.S. Yra ir lietuvių (-io) paminėjimas - jau pokariu, kai kuopa buvo dislokuota Vokietijoje. Savotiškas toks paminėjimas:
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Palaikyti ryšius su civiliais mums neleista. Kariuomenė griežtai draudė broliautis ir tai pabrėžė komendanto valanda, prasidedančia devintą vakaro. Tai atrodė saugiausia, galvojant apie nesuvaldomus ramybės drumstėjus mūsų gretose ir dar tik vos prasidėjusią taiką.
Vienas iš mano vyrų netrukus parodė šios taisyklės vertę. Po komendanto valandos išviliojo iš motorizuotosios technikos parko visureigį su vairuotoju ir, dosniai padedamas pabėgėlio iš Lietuvos, surado svetingą vietelę, kur galima nusipirkti vietinio kontrabandinio spirito. Netrukus gerokai pasilinksminęs, nugrūdo vairuotoją į keleivio sėdynę ir pats sėdo už vairo. Greitai lėkdamas žvyrkeliu, neįveikė posūkio, visiškai sumaaitojo visureigį, o taip pat pasiuntė vairuotoją į ligoninę su nugaros sužeidimais ir užmušė pabėgėlį. Visiškai atsipalaidavęs, pats įvykio kaltininkas išsisuko vos su keliomis mėlynėmis ir sumušimais.
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Lietuviai, kontrabanda, spiritas - raktiniai poros šimtmečių žodžiai.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving this five stars for the impact it had on me personally. Even without that, it's a solid four-star book. The writing was matter-of-fact; interesting and conversational without wasting my time. The inevitable death, both the senseless and heroic casualties, was handled with due emotion. Unlike Catch 22 and Slaughter-house Five which handled the topic with a kind of numb cynicism, the attitude in this book toward the atrocities of war was 100% real. That being said, the gore-factor was kept to a minimum, and it was a genuinely inspiring read.
This was by far the most powerful, informative, and moving book I've ever read about WWII.

[Rick Lee]

Excellent read from a front line infantry officer

A no hold honest story of an infantry officer who experienced an all expenses paid trip through bell. From Normandy through France and the Hurtgen Forrest it was a good read and hard to put down. If you like first hand accounts from soldiers who were there and saw the "elephant" then this book is for you. Being an infantry platoon leader is one of the biggest responsibility and it is given to the greenest and no amount of training can prepare someone for this.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a gripping account of a Lieutenant infantryman in Europe during World War II. He relates his experiences of fighting and leading men to war through several major European campaigns including the Battle of the Bulge. This one will make you feel war in the pit of your stomach

[Nooilforpacifists · Rating 3 out of 5]

Innocents abroad; get drafted, take France via Saint-Lo, Hurtgen and Bulge, but never make Captain. Good detail.

[Phoebe Hinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
After reading this, I have nothing but the highest respect and appreciation for the men and women who have fought for our country throughout its history. I don't care what the liberal freaks in the media or the colleges say. These soldiers are worthy of our highest honor.

I picked this up for research, because I'm working on a novel about a soldier in the 4th Infantry. It was a good read and helpful for me . . . but it's war, so it WAS intense. There was some language that needed marked out (it's a common problem with war memoirs); and while it's not gory, there are some bits that more sensitive readers might want to skip over.

The author got his HEA - yay! - but the ending paragraphs made me sad. He talks about what a terrible tragedy war is - all true - and how we must mature intellectually to prevent future wars. I wish that would happen, but it won't. Mankind is born evil, and wars won't stop until Christ's return.

This is not a pleasure read, but it leaves you (or at least it should) with a deep appreciation for our military. An appropriate book for the 80th anniversary of D-Day! Overall very well written, and as the first memoir I've read I was pretty satisfied with it.
Again, my heartfelt thanks to George Wilson and all those brave soldiers of the Greatest Generation.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent memoir. George Wilson was a 90-Day Wonder, an infantry officer cranked out by OCS during the uncertain days of 1943. When he finally arrived in Europe it was just in time to join a company of the 22nd Combat Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division just before the breakout from Normandy in July 1944.

From there Wilson would spend eight months almost continuously on the front lines, through grueling pasture-by-pasture combat in the Norman bocage to the breakout in Operation Cobra, the race across northern France and the liberation of Paris, the assault on the Siegfried Line and eighteen days in the Hürtgen Forest in which his company took 167% casualties, and finally the Battle of the Bulge, which broke out only days after he had arrived in that “quiet” sector for R&R. Wilson narrates all this straightforwardly, with neither sentimentality nor exaggerated horror.

While not quite as nightmarish as Sledge’s With the Old Breed, as intense as Jünger’s Storm of Steel, or as literary as Fraser’s Quartered Safe Out Here, this one has an understated, unembellished, reportorial quality that makes the harrowing combat Wilson describes that much more powerful.

Highly recommended.

[Rodrigo Díaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro trata sobre un joven estadounidense que al alistarse en el ejército estadounidense, y pasar el curso básico de infantería, entra en un programa que tiene por objetivo formar oficiales de reemplazo en tan sólo 90 días. El autor muestra su experiencia como teniente desde julio del 44, un mes después del Día D, hasta el final de la guerra. El autor describe su evolución desde que llega a Francia como un oficial sin experiencia, el cual debe ganarse el respeto de sus subordinados, hasta que se convierte en un oficial con experiencia y determinación en el campo de batallas.
El libro no está escrito por quien dice un escritor, el cual te describiría con todo lujo de detalles prescindibles determinadas escenas. No, el autor simplemente muestra su experiencia desde su punto de vista personal sin explayarse. Hace mucho hincapié en tácticas utilizadas, la posición de cada unidad en el campo de batallas, etc.
Para aquellas personas que no están familiarizadas con la organización de un batallón o una compañía de infantería estadounidense en 1944, es recomendable indegar sobre el tema, ya que así se comprenderá mejor el libro.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

One night in the middle of reading this book I was tossing and turning in my sleep. It was in the middle of my coronavirus self-isolation so I know my restlessness was not a result of stress—not much of anything stressful was going on at the time. Upon thinking about it the next day, I figured out that just reading the Hurtgen Forest chapter of this book had given me a sort of second-hand PTSD. When I learned at the end of the book that the author/narrator was just 24 years old, it was hard to imagine how someone so young had already been through several lifetime’s worth of danger. It’s amazing anyone survived this war from D-Day to its end.

[Nicolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for a class, and though I am not much for this subject, I really enjoyed it. I gained several great insights from this story and a deeper understanding of the era, without the generalizations and dramatics. It made practical sense as to the context of the war as well as what made this one different, especially in the insights at the end. It helped that I ended up listening to the audiobook, since I would have gotten bogged down in some of the technical words and all the names. This was an extremely interesting experience, following the narrator's skill and strategy, but also his incredible luck and insights on his fellow men.

[Adam Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great firsthand account from an infantry Lieutenant in the 22nd Regiment in the 4th Infantry Division . The book was concise and to the point from a prospective of a man who was actually there. I highly recommend this read

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If you survive” is the true story of Lt George Wilson. It describes his activities in WW II Europe from July 1944 till the end of the war. The story is told from a firsthand perspective, rather then from an amalgamation of research from various sources. It is both a good read, and informative. I highly recommend this work of nonfiction.

[Beatriz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good read because it gives a first hand account from a soldier's point of view. It gives glimpse of combat conditions and what life was like. the problem i had with this book was that it had little in-depth discussion of who the people were, with little description was going on around his a well. This book lacks the detail needed to really understand and get emotionally involved with the characters who are in the story.

[Macarius · Rating 5 out of 5]

If You Survive

This was my second military memoir that I ever read, and I’d say it’s the better. It’s written like most memoirs - very plain, straight forward and engrossingly to the point of feeling quite present when the shells hit the trees and shower down upon you in all directions. And of all things, the actual safest maneuver was to stand up against a tree, not crouch (more of you to hit).

The author tells of his travels progressing east, giving chase to Hitler’s army all the way to the Battle of the Bulge. If memory serves rightly, he was on a southern corner of the final attack. He wasn’t quite in the thick like Easy Company, but that doesn’t stop his portion from being just as exciting (and tragic). You see plenty of the best and worst of humanity, told through the many anecdotes and strange occurrences during his experiences of the war. He stayed deployed longer than most. This is one of the real “last man of his platoon” stories so often embraced in military fiction and film.

An incredibly regular problem for Wilson was his way of always winding up on the receiving end of that thing called bad luck. Multiple times, a soldier will accidentally or purposefully do something dangerous, dumb, silly, or even petty and the results are ridiculous and tragic.

One part I’ll never forget is when he and his men go into a German occupied town at night, driving a very thin spear into their defenses, and when one of their tanks gets blown by a few Germans off the road, the other tanks basically say, “Well, peace, see ya,” and hit reverse, leaving the foot soldiers to their feet. Getting out of that was fascinating to see.

Wilson is also honest. He takes you through his train of thought and how he tackles all the different and bizarre situations he runs into. This is one of the things I love most about memoirs/journals - perspective. What someone does, why they did it, how - it’s all here and fascinating to see unfold.

This is another of the military memoirs that Call of Duty is trying to be and it’s one of the best out there. One of the progenitors to modern classics like “No Easy Day” or “American Sniper.” If you’re into the classic WW2 era and you want to go back to that time, this is one of the greats. Also, “Visions from a Foxhole.” That’s...it’s got CoD’s gore factor down in spades.

[Ido · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book overall in that he describes his experiences from Normandy through the Battle of the Bulge in great detail. He definitely brings his story to life and provides a glimpse of the infantry soldier in the American army in World War II that you don't normally see. Typically, the general perspective I've heard is that the average U.S. infantryman was not as effective a fighter as the German infantryman but that was made up through the use of technology and air power (of which the U.S. had plenty). He definitely dispels that myth and shows the U.S. infantryman to be as good a fighter as any in World War II even though the bulk of the army was not made up of professionals as the German army was.

I highly recommend this book.

[Davina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done narrative. I'm struck by a point made in another book, which would be that Lt Wilson was probably quite lucky to join the hedgerow fighting AFTER progress had been made in solving the problem of breaking in to the hedgerows. The author seems to be a true professional with all that entails, including a good deal of modesty. He covers a lot of important ground from the Normandy hedgerows through the Battle of the Bulge.

[Jill Ortner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right to the point

This book reads almost like a field report. There is no unnecessary embellishment, just dramatic reporting of the battle action, tactics and movement of the military units. The unmatched determination of the soldiers in some of the most dramatic battles of the last year of combat in the European theater speaks for itself. The author keeps the reader completely captivated with a deft touch.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well told war memoir. Worth reading, though did not stand out against the others in this class.

[Joaquin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If You Survive, by George Wilson, is a memoir about a World War Two army commissioned officer and his journey through the European front. He details his every encounter from the smallest of engagements to the largest of battles, all in tremendous detail.
I came across this book when researching the best memoirs that are set in World War Two. There were a gluttony of titles to choose from, but this one stranded me. Firstly, it was about an officer's perspective, rather than an enlisted man or NCO, which filled up the majority of the books available. This unique outlook provides a different way of viewing the action, rather than long travels and intense firefights, which there is no lack of, it focused on the aspects of maintaining a well coordinated effort to break through an incredibly defensive and well thought out enemy. This shows us how officer’s do far more work behind the scenes than many other works show, as they don't have an insider's look on their day to day operations.
I found this book very easy to read. Each paragraph was short, and to the point, but didn’t lack the details that many history fans look for. If I wasn’t a big fan of this era of history, I would still find this book very easy to understand, because he describes each machine, or object in focus, with enough details for the reader to get a solid picture of what is happening. The book was quite short, only 260 pages long, with about 3-4 paragraphs per page. The book includes 16 complete chapters, starting from boot camp of 1942, all the way to the evacuation after the complete defeat of the axis powers. The book was filled with an optimistic, and light hearted energy to it, but had a grim and dark edge surrounding it. This personally helped me read through the text, as it provided me with a way of emotionally connecting with the author, and helped me create the setting in my head. Wilson had a tendency to add lots of small details that were usually forgotten by the next page, which can quickly fill you head with relatively useless knowledge in the grand scheme of the memoir, but didn’t subtract too much from the experience.
The book makes it very clear the true horrors of warfare, especially with the medical technology of the day. Crude surgery’s, dirty equipment, and unsanitary environments had a mental strain on him throughout the conflict. Not to mention the true cost of fighting an unforgiving enemy. Traps that lead to countless deaths, and a harsh environment with no visible end in sight. Wilson makes it very clear by the end of the book his distaste for war, and strongly argues for peace, and how the next era of warfare will end in complete, and total destruction on both sides, via nuclear warfare. He says that this was the last war that implemented the art of warfare, using strategy, tactics, action, and reaction, as nuclear weapons were a blunt tool, and had one outcome, complete and total destruction of the enemy. He makes it clear that war is a costly thing, to both sides, and the only way we can grow as a race is if we put our petty differences beside us and work towards a future of peace, love, and kindness.
In conclusion, “If You Survive,” is a well written, interesting, and complex story about an officer's journey through the largest conflict in human history. It brings an interesting view to a very large genre of World War Two non-fiction. It is very accessible to history fans, and newcomers alike, with easy to understand text. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the European Front of World War Two. I also recommend this if you're looking for a good memoir about wartime tactics and conflicts, as there aren't very many memoirs about officers during this war. Overall, I enjoyed my time with it, and will definitely read again in the future.

[Louis Barbier · Rating 5 out of 5]

If You Survive is one of the best first-person accounts of making of a combat veteran. The writer participated in almost every campaign his unit was involved during the assault on fortress Europe, which in the end brought down Hitler and his dream of conquering the world. If you decide to read this true account, which is very well research you will experience the horrors of war. The author states that of all the men and officers who started out in Company F of the 4th Infantry Division with him, Wilson was the only one who finished. He spent eight months in continued combat and as it was said, on the line. Toward the end of the war he was wounded and was sent back to various aid stations and finally a hospital. When the people asked him how long he was in combat and he replied eight months; they could not believe that this was possible. Wilson fought through the thick hedgerows in Normandy and was also involved in Nazis' last desperate charge in the Battle of the Bulge. Many firefights in the small towns of northern France and Belgium were building by building. When it was all over in Europe he states that he did not feel like a conquer or victor but like a very exhausted survivor who with the grace of God was left with nothing but his life, his emotions, and hospitalized for a time to recover from a wound received in combat. What an intense and reverting story, I strongly recommend it to all who want to read about as it is often said the greatest generation and answer the question; "What did you do Grandpa in the war?"

[John McNair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read quite a few of these personal war memories written from the perspective of a very tactical, small unit level. I invariably enjoy them all. This one was as genuine as any (oddly, I've mostly read stories from a German point-of-view) and although there may be a gap or two in history, or absence of the "bigger picture" I have to keep in mind all this man knew what was going on to his front, and likely the two sub-units to his flanks. George D Wilson has been gone now for nearly 15 years, as are most Second World War vets, but thank goodness he took the time to write down his war story. For it is quite a story. Very revealing to read, both directly and between the lines, the American weaknesses in training, replacements, poor morale and overall lack of soldierly skills. Contrast this with the experience of Canadian and British army units which had the Regimental system to fall back on. But the Americans got the job done, mostly through brute force and a lot of firepower. I also appreciated his very frank view of nationals, such as the French, who were initially overjoyed to be liberated (in Paris) to months later when the atmosphere was much more frosty and they were out to get as much as they could from the Allies.

This book is an easy read. I read it on a Kindle and unfortunately the maps do not render well there, so I had an atlas at hand to follow the 4th Infantry Division's progress. Highly recommended.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book If You Survive, is a well written first hand account of George Wilson's experiences during WWII.This book covers shortly after D Day to close to the end of the war and includes the Saint Lo breakthrough, the battle for the Siegfried Line (massive defensive protection front in Germany) which was fought and retaken twice, the Battle of Hürtgen Forest and finally the Battle of the Bulge. The recount of continual deaths and maiming near the author, and also the horrid conditions of living outdoors in the elements while fighting this war. You are able to read what it is like to be in an artillery barrage and just reading descriptions of foxholes and the complexities to make them better. “The destructive power of those thousands of five hundred-pound bombs overwhelmed the senses. The dead from both sides lay twisted and torn, some half buried by overturned earth. Bloated cows with stiff legs thrust skyward in death lay everywhere, as did burned-out vehicles and blasted equipment. I’ve never been able to erase it from my mind.” The detailed writing paints a vivid image of the brutality of war and being right in the middle of it. The cost of battles were huge. In one battle, he went in with 165+ and came out with 12 survivors. These are horrible losses. At the end of his book, Wilson lets us know that the cost of battle is just too high for politicians to decide if America goes to war. He feels war should only be made if our national sovereignty is jeopardized.

[Mariano · Rating 5 out of 5]

If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer's Riveting True Story is a book that fascinated me. It is not the best book I have ever read about being a captain or explaining specific events of WW2 during somebody’s perspective, but it is good enough to read for a good reads project. The writing was powerful because it explained how soldiers of WW2 died and survived through their eyes. The strengths of the book was the overall experience of William, but it weaknesses was explaining to the reader about the codes and coordination's of certain planned attacks made and planned by the commanding center. One personal experience I can remember was when the two new soldiers joined William’s squadron, one of the soldiers were so afraid. William had to tell him to be strong just like he was in every game of football he played because the soldier was a football captain before he joined the war. This part hit me because when I play soccer I am the captain, and I know that being the captain means to have good communication with your team. The audience would appreciate the book. However, if this book were to become a series, it would probably get a lot more attention. If it was a movie it would’ve received a bunch of negative reviews. In my opinion, read the book if you want to learn what it means to be a captain of a squadron or team.