Strong Men Armed cover art

Strong Men Armed

The United States Marines Against Japan

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Strong Men Armed

By: Robert Leckie
Narrated by: Johnny Heller
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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

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Critic reviews

"Raw, heartbreaking, and superb." ( Christian Science Monitor)
All stars
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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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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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This book was a chronological true story of the fight in the Pacific against the Japanese in WWII. Very graphic throughout and very sad, it lacked the personable touch. It would have been nice to hear about Roberts own experience and the men he fought with. Instead he gives accounts of numerous battles, of which some I don't think he was in. Lots of information about divisions, battalions, units etc which means nothing to the layman. It's like he wants to get down on paper exactly what happened in those awful years so he doesn't forget, but he forgets the reader.
I enjoyed it but it lacked heart and was too long.

very long

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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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