Citizen Soldiers

Citizen Soldiers: The U.S. Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany is a non-fiction book about World War II written by Stephen E. Ambrose and published in 1997. It deals with Allied soldiers moving in from the Normandy beaches, and through Europe (between June 7, 1944 and May 7, 1945). In addition to telling short stories of countless soldiers experiencing the war, the author also explains the events before telling the stories. He interviewed dozens of soldiers in the making of the book.

The book picks up where his previous book describing the preparations and execution of the Normandy Landings, D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II, left off.

Praise
The book was well received and became a The New York Times best seller. Notable figures such as Colin Powell have praised the book. The Wall Street Journal has also credited the book.

Criticism
The book has also been criticized for overemphasizing the U.S. role in the liberation of Western Europe and limiting the role that British forces played in the course of the war.

List of chapters

 * 1) Expanding the Beachhead, June 7-June 30, 1944
 * 2) Hedgerow Fighting, July 1-July 24, 1944
 * 3) Breakout and Encirclement, July 28-August 25, 1944
 * 4) To the Siegfried Line, August 26-September 30, 1944
 * 5) The Siegfried Line, October 1944
 * 6) Metz and the Hurtgen Forest, November 1-December 15, 1944
 * 7) The Ardennes, December 16-December 19, 1944
 * 8) The Ardennes, December 20-December 23, 1944
 * 9) The Holiday Season, December 24-December 31, 1944
 * 10) Night on the Line
 * 11) Replacements and Reinforcements, Fall 1944
 * 12) The Air War
 * 13) Medics, Nurses, and Doctors
 * 14) Jerks, Sad Sacks, Profiteers, and Jim Crow
 * 15) Prisoners of War
 * 16) Winter War, January 1945
 * 17) Closing to the Rhine, February 1-March 6, 1945
 * 18) Crossing the Rhine, March 7-March 31, 1945
 * 19) Victory, April 1-May 7, 1945