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The Ultimate Battle
- Okinawa 1945: The Last Epic Struggle of World War II
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: History, Americas
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Publisher's Summary
Using the same grunt's-eye-view narrative style of Sloan's acclaimed Brotherhood of Heroes, The Ultimate Battle is the full story of the largest land-sea-air battle ever waged by the United States, a battle whose staggering casualties and take-no-prisoners ferocity led Truman to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. From April through June 1945, more than 250,000 American and Japanese lives were lost, including those of nearly 150,000 civilians who either committed suicide or were caught in the crossfire. This book tells a gripping story of heroism, sacrifice, and death.
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What listeners say about The Ultimate Battle
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Ron
- 02-02-08
Takes you into the mud and death
The Ultimate battle is the story of the invasion of Okinawa, the last major battle of the second world war, also the costliest in terms of casualties. The author gives the overall story of both the American offensive strategy as well as the Japanese defense. Yet he still brings in the individual stories of the Marines, Sailors and Soldiers who did the actual fighting. Overlying the tales of heroism is the fear that this was only to be a prelude to an even deadlier battle to come - the invasion of the Japanese home islands. The battle for Okinawa was like no other battle in the war; "The Ultimate Battle" brings that home in a gripping and telling manner that deserves to be heard.
11 people found this helpful
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- theinglebaby23
- 07-03-13
Really enjoyed this book (but one hang up)
Any additional comments?
Overall the book was great: well written, covers every aspect of an important historical battle. Only downside was the author's source use. Out of two Marine divisions that fought on the ground, the author only uses a couple sources from K/3/5, 1 Mar Div (the guys from 'The Pacific' TV series that have numerous books written. Not even sure the material was from interviews he conducted personally...), really would like to get more and previously unheard perspectives, rather than those that have already been written.
7 people found this helpful
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Overall
- T. Graham
- 04-11-17
Among the very best about war in the Pacific!
Had an uncle and two first cousins (both old enough to have been my parent) who faught in the Pacific; all wounded in battles. Another uncle was MIA in North Africa. I very much appreciate books such as this one that do an exemplary job of documenting the horrors of war and honoring the sacrifices of "The Greatest Generation."
5 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-16-17
Wow.
A review on audible requires at least 15 words, but all I can say is, wow.
5 people found this helpful
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- Bobby Townsend
- 03-13-17
Okinawa
As former Marine, who spent several days on Okinawa during the Vietnam War. I now have a better understanding of the true heroes who died there. I visited the Marine Corps monuments on the beaches and found the numbers of Marines who died there very hard to imagine. I now have a much broader understanding of their struggle to survive that horrible place, and their place in American history.
5 people found this helpful
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- Charles
- 11-18-12
The Ultimate Battle.
A very precise detail of Battle in the Pacific. I love it and would recommend this Book to others.
4 people found this helpful
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- Robert
- 05-01-15
Excellent book and narration. Hi
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The narration was excellent. Highly recommend this audiobook for history buffs. This is a very good account of an all but forgotten battle.
2 people found this helpful
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- CrazyBird
- 09-03-21
Up front and personal.
This narration is perfect. A glimpse into one of America's most important and heroic sagas. First hand accounts told from rain filled fox holes, from inside a Sherman tank, on board a Navy destroyer watching as a swarm of kamikazes head directly at you and from astride a ' borrowed ' horse, this story of the fight to take Okinawa from the entrenched and fanatical Japanese is a must listen. It will leave you proud, sad, grieving, loving America and our brave fighting men, in awe and wondering why the hell real history and love of country is not taught in our schools.
1 person found this helpful
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- Salvatore J. Coniglio Jr.
- 08-23-18
Excellent account of Last Battle of WWII
Superb combination of historical narrative and individual oral histories of many of the battle's surviving participants. The narrator is also very good and provides a very lively reading.
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 05-16-22
Must listen! Well told story!
Thank you for this book. I will say it was sometimes hard to keep listening because of the emotions it might stir. Sometimes I could stop listen also. Thank to everyone that served!