Rating: 
Summary: The battle for Bastogne
Review: "Seven Roads to Hell" refers to the seven key roads coming out of Bastogne, Belgium. This confluence of roads was a pivotal logistic point as armies could then move men and materials about the area. Understanding this, and seeing its declining position in the war, the Nazis were determined to take the road. Having difficulty holding in the onrush, the US Army sends the 101st Airborne to hold the area. This narrative discusses the Screaming Eagles part in the Battle of the Bulge.As mentioned before, this is a narrative. Donald Burgett was a private with the 101st during World War II and wrote his memories down soon after the war. Since this is not a diary, he establishes a flow and understanding of what is going on in the area. The narrative is very engaging. Having been to visit the battle site as well as read other books and seen movies about the battle, I always wondered why the American soldiers were not properly outfitted to fight a prolonged engagement in the snow. From this narrative, I learned that although they were short of some gear, the soldiers did have winter gear but were told to leave it behind because it would only slow them down. The soldier's perspective makes for a very good reading of the battle and its conditions. I would recommend this to any fan of military history.
Rating:
Summary: The battle for Bastogne
Review: "Seven Roads to Hell" refers to the seven key roads coming out of Bastogne, Belgium. This confluence of roads was a pivotal logistic point as armies could then move men and materials about the area. Understanding this, and seeing its declining position in the war, the Nazis were determined to take the road. Having difficulty holding in the onrush, the US Army sends the 101st Airborne to hold the area. This narrative discusses the Screaming Eagles part in the Battle of the Bulge. As mentioned before, this is a narrative. Donald Burgett was a private with the 101st during World War II and wrote his memories down soon after the war. Since this is not a diary, he establishes a flow and understanding of what is going on in the area. The narrative is very engaging. Having been to visit the battle site as well as read other books and seen movies about the battle, I always wondered why the American soldiers were not properly outfitted to fight a prolonged engagement in the snow. From this narrative, I learned that although they were short of some gear, the soldiers did have winter gear but were told to leave it behind because it would only slow them down. The soldier's perspective makes for a very good reading of the battle and its conditions. I would recommend this to any fan of military history.
Rating: 
Summary: Gripping
Review: A must read for anyone interested in actual combat conditions during WWII. The writer weaves a very personal tale that does not get bogged down in "the big picture" of The Bulge. The courage and fortitude of the writer and the many men who fought at Bastogne are vividly retold and this book will ensure that their sacrifices will never be forgotten.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books on the Battle of the Buldge Around.
Review: By far one of the best books written on the Battle of the Buldge and the seige at Bastogne. Burgett gives excellent eyewitness testimony to the horror and slaughter that was the Battle of the Buldge. The reader sees the battle through the eyes that faught it. Burgett brilliantly takes the reader into the heat of the battle and makes the reader understand what it was like to be in the 101st Airborne during World Wae II. I could not put this book down until it was finished and it made me want to read as much as i could about the Battle of the Buldge.Donald Burgett is truly an American Hero. I highly recommend this book to everyone young and old.
Rating:
Summary: Heres to the 101st Screamin Eagles
Review: For those who call WWII, the last "good war", this is a wake up. This war was just as full of horror and nightmare as any conflict, and the men treated as poortly. We get a view of the daily misery of the troops between the episodes of their bravery driven by the urge to kill or be killed. The author was a member of the Screaming Eagles 101st division, who was rushed to the participate in the Normandy invasion in order to hold Bastogne, where 7 roads converged. He who held Bastogne controlled the speed of access to the country and Bastogne was critical to the Battle of the Bulge. The division had not been able to receive the usual rest and resupply that comes after the big battle they had just returned from, when they were rushed into this fight and left there alone and outnumbered. They had little blankets, cold weather clothing, weapons, ammunition, heavy mechanized armour, medicical support, air support, or anything else they needed in order to do their job. This was not only due to poor planning, incompetence by commanders, confusing and conflicting orders, but even due to theft by other units of their precious goods. It is a miracle that they held out. They won and lost their positions many times, as the US troops frantically held onto the positions that would help keep other troops alive. This book is the most graphic (I do not mean bloody) descritpion of a WWII battle I have read and left a deep impression. But it is a great read, and I could not put it down. The authors style, language and pacing are very good, top notch!
Rating:
Summary: Real hero's in unthinkable circumstances-AWESOME!!!
Review: I am 41 years old and was riveted by Donald Burgetts account of the Battle of the Bulge, defense of Bastogne. History will show these men are the pinacle of bravery, honor and guts. After a 72 day battle in Holland, these young men were put into the heart of Beligum to fight against Germany's last ditch effort to salvage WWII. Tempatures at 10 below zero, snow up their wastes, no food, no water, little ammo. How did these men stand it? This should be required reading for all youth. The sacrafice and price paid by these men for freedom is lost today.Who today would have the fortitiude to endure this type unspeakable conditions. They were outnumbered and still found a way to win. True patriots who Americans can NEVER thank enough for courage under fire. Seven Roads to Hell brings this time and these men to real life. Nerve racking accounts of battles, strategies and brotherhood displayed by 19 and 20 year old men. I loved this book and so did my 12 year old son. It would make a great movie!!!
Rating:
Summary: Evocative Story-Telling That Grounds Bastogne Nicely!
Review: I've been a student of World War Two oral histories for a few years now. This is a very excellent and "keep you to the edge of your seat" (or toilet, where ever you prefer to read!)until the 101st roll out of town! Mr. Burgett is a trained writer, with the ability to both give you the view from the foxhole as well as the overall structure and emergence of the larger battle scene. I learned a lot, not only of Mr. Burgett's experiences and reactions, but those of his buddies and leaders--and, importantly, the reactions and humanity of the german troops as well. This is a very compelling and convincing oral history. Well worth the read!
Rating:
Summary: Withstanding the storm
Review: Mr. Burgett was a 19 year old paratrooper in the 101st airborne who had the luck (good or bad) to witness some of the fiercest fighting that took place during the second world war. This book provides you with the feel from the trenches of those terrible dark days when it looked like the Wehrmacht and Hitler's Germany were striking forward again. The terrible cold, fear, and the brutality of the combat spring to life in this well written account. This text is an easy and quick read, I finished it on one 3 hour plane flight.
Mr. Burgett participated in multiple attacks and defenses and his writing of them is extremely detailed as I suppose those memories linger quite clearly. This is not a book of strategy or an overview of the Battle of Bastogne, but simply how one man experienced the combat and the losses. No quarter was given or asked for. Prisoners were given no solace as there was no food, medicine or even men to guard them. This was combat in its rawest form. A good reminder to all of what war really is in its basic form - young men killing other young men. Mr. Burgett experienced this at arms length and is kind enough to share his experiences. Read this and be thankful for the freedom from fascism that we share!
Rating:
Summary: "What was it like?"
Review: Nobody but a combat soldier can answer the question: "What was it like?" For those of us who have never experienced battle we can only try to imagine it. Mr. Burgett urges us to hunker down into his foxhole as the carnage of noman's land drops onto our laps like a screaming mortar shell. His unbelievable experiences make for a series of WWII memoirs unsurpassed in their vivid telling. I have read all four of his books-in chronological order-and I cannot imagine a more genuine and descriptive account of a trooper's brutal experiences in the European theater of WWII. I wish I could meet the man to shake his hand. His dedication and sense of honor and sacrifice make me proud to be an American, and very grateful indeed for having known of such combat men as Donald R. Burgett.
Rating:
Summary: "What was it like?"
Review: Nobody but a combat soldier can answer the question: "What was it like?" For those of us who have never experienced battle we can only try to imagine it. Mr. Burgett urges us to hunker down into his foxhole as the carnage of noman's land drops onto our laps like a screaming mortar shell. His unbelievable experiences make for a series of WWII memoirs unsurpassed in their vivid telling. I have read all four of his books-in chronological order-and I cannot imagine a more genuine and descriptive account of a trooper's brutal experiences in the European theater of WWII. I wish I could meet the man to shake his hand. His dedication and sense of honor and sacrifice make me proud to be an American, and very grateful indeed for having known of such combat men as Donald R. Burgett.
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