The Wars and the Band of Brothers A war is a historical event that has the ability to change a person's life both positively and negatively. Ironically, during the months preceding both the First and Second World Wars, for many men the opportunity to go abroad to prove themselves worthy as men was rarely turned down. However, many of the soldiers involved in World War I or World War II quickly realized that war was not only a completely new experience; it was a new lifestyle. In both novels, Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose and The Wars by Timothy Findley, the soldiers share a common bond with each other. Soldiers learn how to become one unit, fighting for the same cause. However, although they constitute a single unit, not all soldiers have the mental and physical strength necessary to face the difficulties that accompany war. Indeed, the acquisition and subsequent loss of friends, the enormous pressure to perform, and the need to become a real man are all factors that influence a soldier's performance both on and off the battlefield. These are the circumstances that define a soldier's war experience and reveal that it takes more than just physical endurance to survive; mental toughness is also needed to cope with the surrounding environment. During a soldier's tenure, countless relationships develop between him and his bunkmates, and many soldiers have difficulty letting go of these friendships. Only strong-willed soldiers have the ability to look the other way whenever a friend or comrade is killed. Numerous friends and comrades of both Robert Ross (The Wars) and the men of Easy Company (Band of Brothers) were killed or wounded, but these characters almost always persevered without regret or second thoughts. However, not all relationships established by the men of Easy Company were easy. As quoted by Stephen Ambrose, "They (the men of Easy Company) drank beer. Lots of beer. They sang soldier songs. Toward the end of the evening, invariably someone insulted someone else with a slurred reference to his mother, his sweetheart. , his hometown, or his religion. Then they fought, as soldiers do, inflicting bloody noses and blackened eyes, before staggering back to their barracks, shouting war songs, supporting each other, becoming comrades.. .