小妮子胡言亂語

諾曼第Preview4~Stephen E. Ambrose

好的電影一定來自於好的劇本，好的故事，這是無庸置疑更是不可或缺的，即使是史實，也是需要有人將其蒐集成冊及編纂成吸引人的歷史故事，諾曼第就是這樣的故事，由作者史帝芬安布洛斯歷經數年時間，訪問二次大戰E連的故事而成，也得以讓大家藉由真實人物的經歷體驗真實的歷史。

At a military reunion in New Orleans in that year, Ambrose taped interviews with members of Easy Company, focusing on the D-Day experience. A transcript of Ambrose's interviews was circulated to company veterans, including Richard Winters, the company's commanding officer. Winters found discrepancies and suggested meeting Ambrose to set the record straight.

（1988年在鈕奧良的E連聚會，安布洛斯得此機會與E連的退役軍人會面，討論D-DAY空降日的實際情況，此次會面主要係因為E連指揮官溫特斯希望可以和安布洛斯會面並校正安布洛斯所紀錄的空降日的相關史實。）

At Ambrose's home, Richard Winters, Walter Gordon, Forrest Guth and Carwood Lipton spent hours discussing their memories of D-Day, which was an educational experience for Ambrose. During dinner that night, talk turned to the company's adventures in the days and months following D-Day, a conversation that convinced Ambrose to put their story on paper. Ambrose recalls telling Winters, "What you guys have done, and the way in which the company holds together so tightly, I have to write this up…this is just too good!"

（在安布洛斯的住所，溫斯特、高登、葛斯、李皮頓花了幾個小時討論他們對空降日的記憶，也對安布洛斯帶來很大的意義。在晚餐的時候，談話內容從空降日延伸到空降日後的幾個月，也讓安布洛斯轉而想要將其故事紀錄下來。安布洛斯這樣對溫特斯說："E連弟兄們所作的，你們之間如此緊密的感情聯繫，我必須要紀錄下來"）

Over the next year, Ambrose conducted interviews with about three dozen Easy Company veterans, some in person, some by telephone. He spent nearly a week with Winters and also saw his neighbour Gordon on a regular basis researching various stories. The result is a narrative that describes the experiences of members of an elite company from their start as raw recruits to battle-hardened soldiers, and tells it from a very personal point of view.

（一年後，安布洛斯已經和大部分的E連士兵會面過，有些是當面會談，有些透過電話，他花了大約一個星期的時間和溫特斯及他的鄰居高登討論及蒐集故事，結果最後轉變成，從個人的經驗來紀錄一群E連士兵如何從毫無經驗的新兵變成二戰的精英部隊。）

When asked what it was about these men that allowed them to rise above their peers, to be such outstanding soldiers, Ambrose observed "I don't think they would ever say that of themselves. What I would say is this – they weren't all that much better than other paratroopers, or the Rangers, or the Marines. They were one of many elite units in the war. But what made them special even among those who were already self-selected special, was their leadership, and how well it held together. And it got tested severely on several occasions. Not all elite units had such luck in their leaders, and that's the difference."

（當被問及這些E連士兵如何從一群士兵變成精英部隊，安布洛斯認為：”他們並不認為自己是精英，我認為，他們其實不見得比其他的傘兵，突擊隊員或海軍陸戰隊更好，他們只是當時許多精英之一而已。讓他們得以成為精英中的精英，是因為他們有一個可以將他們團結一致的領導者，他們在很多次的突擊中遭受嚴厲的考驗，但不是每一個精英部隊都能有如此好的領導者，這才是他們特別之處”）

Noting the recent revival of interest in World War II - books, films and television projects, Ambrose attributes the phenomenon to two factors: the veterans themselves, and America's changing attitude about its history. In the case of the veterans, he notes, "many are realising that they don't have much time left and many, for the first time, are willing to talk about their experiences. As young men just back from fighting, they didn't want to think about the war. But now, they realise their grandchildren are interested in hearing their stories, and if they don't tell them, these experiences will go to the grave with them."

（藉由紀錄二戰的書、電影及電視劇，安布洛斯帶入了兩個象徵性的事實，退役軍人本身及美國對歷史態度的改變。很多退役軍人了解到，他們已經沒有很多時間，也是第一次願意談論他們的經驗。曾經這些年輕的士兵們從戰爭回家，他們不願意再回想任何有關戰爭的事情，但是現在，他們了解到他們的孫子想要知道他們的故事，如果他們不說，他們的經驗將被埋葬）

As for Band of Brothers, Ambrose would like Easy Company's story to inspire in the audience "a commitment to democracy. An understanding that freedom doesn't come for free. As for young people, I would like them to come away saying, 'I want to be like Carwood Lipton' or 'I want to be like Dick Winters' – and go do it! Not necessarily as soldiers, but as that kind of leader, that kind of man, with basic honesty and virtue and an understanding of the difference between right and wrong."

（至於諾片，安布洛斯希望E連的故事可以帶給觀眾一些啟示。”對民主的承諾，我們必須了解到，自由是要付出代價的。我希望年輕的一輩會說，我想要成為李皮頓，或者我想要成為溫特斯，然後就去做。他們不見得要成為軍人，但可以成為像溫特斯他們一樣的領導者，成為像他們一樣誠實有美德而且可以判斷是非的人”）

以上文字引用自 http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bandofbrothers/features/stephen_ambrose.shtml

中文為筆者粗略翻譯

待續~~

Lynn  2006/07/20