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Strong Men Armed

The United States Marines Against Japan

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About this listen

Written by Robert Leckie, whose wartime exploits are featured in the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg HBO miniseries The Pacific, Strong Men Armed is the perennial bestselling classic account of the U.S. Marines' relentless drive through the Pacific during World War II.

As scout and machine-gunner for the First Marine Division, Leckie fought in all its engagements until his wounding at Peleliu. In Strong Men Armed, Leckie uses firsthand experience and impeccable research to re-create the nightmarish battles of the Pacific campaign---from Guadalcanal to Okinawa---as ships, men, and guns moved over vast distances to fight an enemy that was willing to defend to its last man. Here is the whole sweeping epic of the Marines who battled---and won---on the bloody beaches at Guadalcanal, the unforgiving reefs at Tarawa, the rain-soaked mud of New Britain, the dark gray soil and deadly caves of Mount Suribachi, and the muddy slopes of Shuri Castle on Okinawa. It is a masterful narrative by a writer the New York Times praised as possessing the "rare gift of capturing all that is human in the most inhuman of man's activities."

©1990 Robert Leckie (P)2010 Tantor Asia Japan Military World War Air Force Imperial Japan

Critic reviews

"Raw, heartbreaking, and superb." ( Christian Science Monitor)
All stars
Most relevant
Amazing story of the heroic exploites of the US Marines in the Pacific theatre in WW2

Powerful

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I thought the audible would mostly be about Robert Leckie war experience, but it was about everything happening with the war in the pacific, would I download it, I would say no, but that’s my choice

Interesting BUT

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Amazing true account, brilliantly written and well narrated. I want to find a book of our British forces as good as this.

Strong Men Armed

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Really insightful and detailed audiobook. Took me a while to adjust to the narration but it’s was for me, thoroughly enjoyable.

Loved it.

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I think I was expecting a different content as this was pretty much a narrative of the US marines in the pacific. Incredible stories but stuck within a fairly monotone statistical onslaught. Still worth the listen but be aware it is not based on Robert Leckie. This doesn’t diminish the heroism and unbelievable courage displayed in that theatre but it doesn’t pull you into a personal story.

More of a statistical run through

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