A Higher Call
An incredible true story of combat and chivalry in the war torn sky's of World War II
Lit Analysis:
This book begins with the story of a man. Abandoned, cold, terrified. His friends, companions, neighbors, and fellow citizens all turned against him. Franz Stigler lives in a city in ruins from the bombs that fell from the "four motors". Everyone believed he was to blame for the fall of Germany. This nightmare that he is living in. It all started as a child. Flying gliders with his brother and father, pursuing his dream of becoming a pilot. As time went on, Franz became a pilot for the German airline Lufthansa, and began accumulating time in the cockpit. Everything was going well until duty called. Franz, although very much opposed to the National Socialist Party, otherwise know as the Nazi's, had to go and fight. He was sent to join the Afrika Korps and began racking up kills. Franz leaned about chivalry in war through his mentors and leaders. Once the Nazi's retreated from Northern Africa, Franz was sent to Europe.
On December 21st 1943 at RAF Kimbolton, countless B-17F's fired up their engines ready for a bombing mission in Bremen Germany. As they begin their approach into Bremen, one of the pilots spots incoming Luftwaffe fighters. That pilot is 2nd Lt. Charlie Brown. The Bombers begin to be engaged from all over. Bullets filled the cabins and gunners were hit and bleeding out in the belly of the bomber. Lead was flying across the sky as gunners engaged the fighters. After Charlies bomber had been torn apart by the bullets, one single ME-109 fighter flew up on him. All of his gunners were either dead or out of ammo. They could only pray that they would survive. That one fighter was Franz. And what he did shocked everyone and changed their lives forever.
A reoccurring theme I saw in the book is human nature and how human nature can differentiate. While In the Luftwaffe, Franz was never an actual member of the Nazi Party, nor were most of the pilots in the Luftwaffe. While war mongering generals in Berlin sought to start a war and fight until the very end. The reason most Luftwaffe pilots were fighting was because they had to. They had to protect their families living in cities from bombers and raids. They had to now save their country because of the higher ups. Morals were different for everyone. The Nazi ϟϟ was the special forces of the Nazi's. They on the other hand were die-hard Nazi's and would do anything for the party, Everyone had a different outlook on the war. How the felt about killing, destroying, conquering. Throughout the book with the Luftwaffe we can see many cases of chivalry. The pilots are instructed to not shoot at pilots that have bailed out of their aircraft or they themselves will be shot down by their own men. Or when Franz takes down a P-38 Lightning, known to the Germans as the "Forked Tailed Devil", Franz makes sure that the pilot gets rescued by flying over him multiple times so that allied aircraft see him and can send a rescue team. Their is different beliefs in all of us. There is no such thing as "Human Nature" when it comes to personality and beliefs because we are all different.
On December 21st 1943 at RAF Kimbolton, countless B-17F's fired up their engines ready for a bombing mission in Bremen Germany. As they begin their approach into Bremen, one of the pilots spots incoming Luftwaffe fighters. That pilot is 2nd Lt. Charlie Brown. The Bombers begin to be engaged from all over. Bullets filled the cabins and gunners were hit and bleeding out in the belly of the bomber. Lead was flying across the sky as gunners engaged the fighters. After Charlies bomber had been torn apart by the bullets, one single ME-109 fighter flew up on him. All of his gunners were either dead or out of ammo. They could only pray that they would survive. That one fighter was Franz. And what he did shocked everyone and changed their lives forever.
A reoccurring theme I saw in the book is human nature and how human nature can differentiate. While In the Luftwaffe, Franz was never an actual member of the Nazi Party, nor were most of the pilots in the Luftwaffe. While war mongering generals in Berlin sought to start a war and fight until the very end. The reason most Luftwaffe pilots were fighting was because they had to. They had to protect their families living in cities from bombers and raids. They had to now save their country because of the higher ups. Morals were different for everyone. The Nazi ϟϟ was the special forces of the Nazi's. They on the other hand were die-hard Nazi's and would do anything for the party, Everyone had a different outlook on the war. How the felt about killing, destroying, conquering. Throughout the book with the Luftwaffe we can see many cases of chivalry. The pilots are instructed to not shoot at pilots that have bailed out of their aircraft or they themselves will be shot down by their own men. Or when Franz takes down a P-38 Lightning, known to the Germans as the "Forked Tailed Devil", Franz makes sure that the pilot gets rescued by flying over him multiple times so that allied aircraft see him and can send a rescue team. Their is different beliefs in all of us. There is no such thing as "Human Nature" when it comes to personality and beliefs because we are all different.
Authors Purpose:
The author of this novel is Adam Makos. Adam is a Journalist, historian, and military enthusiast. Adam Makos has a background in military journalism and a few years of combat in Iraq following and reporting on the 101st airborne going after Al Qaeda. Adam also has a passion in learning from the past and hearing vets stories. From WWII to Korea, Vietnam, and to today with our troops in the middle east. Adam's two grandfathers served in World War Two. One, a Boeing B-17 bomber pilot. The other a Marine. This could have been an inspiration to Adam to seek out what his grandfather went through in the war. In return, interviewing many B-17 pilots and finding their stories, Adam found one of the greatest stories of the war. A story of honor, chivalry, bravery, and brotherhood. (Adam Makos bio)
Adam Makos and the main two characters are very alike. One of our two main characters, Franz Stigler grew up around aviation. He lived in a small house with his younger brother, father, and mother. During the weekends he and his family would go and fly gliders. Franz's father was a pilot in World War One for the Second Reich. Franz followed in his fathers footsteps becoming a commercial pilot for Lufthansa and then being drafted for the war effort in the Luftwaffe. This is very similar to our author, Adam Makos. Adam fell in love with aviation at a young age inspired by his grandfather who fought in World War Two as a B-17 pilot. Adam did not become an actual pilot for the armed forces but still followed his dreams and flew a B-17 just as his grandfather did. Also flew in a United States Air Force T-38 "Talon" Fighter. This comparison it seems allowed Adam to connect to the book and franz himself.
Readers Journal:
We are taught through history that any country that goes against us are naturally evil and inhumane. This book opened my eyes to how the axis saw the war. For once I could envision it through their perspective. Yes, the Nazi's did do many cruel and inhumane things during the war. Yet, not all of Germany and the Third Reich were part of the Nazi Party. Many were forced to join and voted against the party. No person is born evil. Everyone is born with inherent good in them but over time how they are raised and grow up, evil succumbs them. Every country that fought in the war; USSR, United States, Nazi Germany, Italy, France, Poland, etc. The one thing all the allies and axis had in common was that we are all human. The men showed this to each other in subtle ways. Though they were out to kill each other they still had a common respect. Though the history books tell us to look down upon the axis, the common soldier is just a person like you and I. No matter the country or nationality, we are all the same when it comes down to it.
Images:
Above from left to right: B-17F, ME-109, P-38
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