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Shanghai 1937
- Stalingrad on the Yangtze
- Narrated by: George Backman
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
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Publisher's summary
This deeply researched book describes one of the great forgotten battles of the 20th century. At its height it involved nearly a million Chinese and Japanese soldiers, while sucking in three million civilians as unwilling spectators and, often, victims. It turned what had been a Japanese adventure in China into a general war between the two oldest and proudest civilizations of the Far East. Ultimately, it led to Pearl Harbor and to seven decades of tumultuous history in Asia. The Battle of Shanghai was a pivotal event that helped define and shape the modern world.
In its sheer scale, the struggle for China’s largest city was a sinister forewarning of what was in store for the rest of mankind only a few years hence, in theaters around the world. It demonstrated how technology had given rise to new forms of warfare, or had made old forms even more lethal. Amphibious landings, tank assaults, aerial dogfights and most importantly, urban combat, all happened in Shanghai in 1937. It was a dress rehearsal for World War II - or perhaps more correctly it was the inaugural act in the war - the first major battle in the global conflict.
Actors from a variety of nations were present in Shanghai during the three fateful autumn months when the battle raged. The rich cast included China's ascetic Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and his Japanese adversary, General Matsui Iwane, who wanted Asia to rise from disunity, but ultimately pushed the continent toward its deadliest conflict ever. Claire Chennault, later of “Flying Tiger” fame, was among the figures emerging in the course of the campaign, as was First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. In an ironic twist, Alexander von Falkenhausen, a stern German veteran of the Great War, abandoned his role as a mere advisor to the Chinese army and led it into battle against the Japanese invaders.
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Dünkirchen 1940 is the first major history on what went wrong for the Germans at Dunkirk. As supreme military commander, Hitler had seemingly achieved a miracle after the swift capitulation of Holland and Belgium, but with just seven kilometres before the panzers captured Dunkirk – the only port through which the trapped British Expeditionary force might escape – they came to a shuddering stop. Only a detailed interpretation of the German perspective – historically lacking to date – can provide answers as to why.
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Finally, Dunkirk makes sense!
- By MortonC on 06-15-24
By: Robert Kershaw
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The Darkest Summer
- Pusan and Inchon 1950: The Battles That Saved South Korea---and the Marines---from Extinction
- By: Bill Sloan
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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The outcome of the Korean War was decided in the first three months. The Darkest Summer is the hour-by-hour, casualty-by-casualty story of those months---a period that saw American and UN forces almost driven into the sea by the North Korean invaders, then stage an incredible turn-around that reversed the entire course of the war.
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Great intro to Korea
- By I Ate Your Pug For Lunch and It was Tasty on 01-14-11
By: Bill Sloan
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Forty-Seven Days
- How Pershing's Warriors Came of Age to Defeat the German Army in World War I
- By: Mitchell Yockelson
- Narrated by: Napoleon Ryan
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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The Battle of the Meuse-Argonne stands as the deadliest clash in American history: More than a million untested American soldiers went up against a better-trained and more experienced German army, costing more than 26,000 deaths and leaving nearly 100,000 wounded. Yet, in 47 days of intense combat, those Americans pushed back the enemy and forced the Germans to surrender, bringing the First World War to an end - a feat the British and the French had not achieved after more than three years of fighting.
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Comprehensive history of The First Army in WWI
- By Bruce Miller on 03-08-18
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A Frozen Hell
- The Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940
- By: William R. Trotter
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1939, tiny Finland waged war - the kind of war that spawns legends - against the mighty Soviet Union, and yet, their epic struggle has been largely ignored. Guerrillas on skis, heroic single-handed attacks on tanks, unfathomable endurance, and the charismatic leadership of one of this century's true military geniuses - these are the elements of both the Finnish victory and a gripping tale of war.
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Causes and consequences of ruso-finish 1939 war
- By William R. Todd-Mancillas (Name includes hyphen and capitalized M). on 04-06-18
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Betrayal at Little Gibraltar
- A German Fortress, a Treacherous American General, and the Battle to End World War I
- By: William Walker
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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The year is 1918. German engineers have fortified Montfaucon, a rocky butte in Northern France, with bunkers, tunnels, trenches, and a top-secret observatory capable of directing artillery shells across the battlefield. Following a number of unsuccessful attacks, the French deem Montfaucon impregnable and dub it the Little Gibraltar of the Western Front. Capturing it is a key to success for AEF commander in chief John J. Pershing's 1.2 million troops.
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Compelling narrative, meticulous research
- By JKW on 07-18-16
By: William Walker
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The Unknowns
- The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Soldier and WWI’s Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home
- By: Patrick K. O'Donnell
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
- Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Brilliantly researched and vividly told, The Unknowns is a timeless tale of heeding the calls of duty and brotherhood and humanizes the most consequential event of the 20th century, which still casts a shadow a century later. Celebrated military historian and best-selling author Patrick O'Donnell illuminates the saga behind the creation of The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and recreates the moving ceremony during which it was consecrated.
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The Unknowns
- By Logophile on 05-09-19
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Inside the Nazi War Machine
- How Three Generals Unleashed Hitler's Blitzkrieg Upon the World
- By: Bevin Alexander
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Under orders of the Fuhrer, the German General Staff reluctantly drew up a lackluster plan of invasion for France. Yet it was the audacious scheme of three of Hitler’s top generals that brought down France’s military force, Rather than simply move troops to engage the enemy, for the first time they would unleash the tank and drive straight into the heart of their foe.
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Good listen ..... however...
- By Alan on 06-10-13
By: Bevin Alexander
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Thirteen Soldiers
- A Personal History of Americans at War
- By: John McCain, Mark Salter
- Narrated by: John McCain
- Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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John McCain’s evocative history of Americans at war, told through the personal accounts of 13 remarkable soldiers who fought in major military conflicts, from the Revolutionary War of 1776 to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Fascinating and Insightful
- By Majorie on 11-21-14
By: John McCain, and others
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A Storm in Flanders
- The Ypres Salient, 1914-1918: Tragedy and Triumph on the Western Front
- By: Winston Groom
- Narrated by: David Baker
- Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Novelist and prizewinning historian Winston Groom's gripping history of the four-year battle for Ypres in Belgian Flanders, the pivotal engagement of World War I that would forever change the way the world fought - and thought about - war. This is Groom's account of what would become the most dreaded place on Earth.
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I love, love, love this book!
- By Amazon Customer on 08-16-16
By: Winston Groom
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Brothers in Arms
- The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes
- By: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Anthony Walton
- Narrated by: Richard Allen
- Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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A powerful wartime saga in the best-selling tradition of Flags of Our Fathers, Brothers in Arms recounts the extraordinary story of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first all-Black armored unit to see combat in World War II.
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MAKES ME PROUD TO BE A (BLACK) AMERICAN!!!
- By The Louligan on 04-20-14
By: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and others
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On to Victory
- The Canadian Liberation of the Netherlands, March 23 - May 5, 1945
- By: Mark Zuehlke
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 16 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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It is remembered in the Netherlands as "the sweetest of springs," the one that saw the country's liberation from German occupation. But for the soldiers of First Canadian army, who fought their way across the Rhine River and then through Holland and northwest Germany, that spring of 1945 was bittersweet. While the Dutch were being liberated from the grinding boot heel of the Nazis, their freedom was being paid for in Canadian lives lost.
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Confusing at times, narrator impossible
- By Charlotte Ward on 10-05-13
By: Mark Zuehlke
What listeners say about Shanghai 1937
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- C. G. Telcontar
- 07-05-21
A good intro to the CBI theater
The CBI is one theater I still am rather hazy about after all these decades of studying WW2 and this book is a good introduction to the material, beginning with the beginning and walking us through the first battle of what would ultimately become WW2. Sure, you could pick a more traditional date like Nomohan in '39 or of course Poland in Sep. '39 or America's entry, but if you want to talk about two or more field armies clashing for control of a nation through force of arms leading to a wider conflict, I'd say Shanghai in the summer of '37 qualifies just fine. This book is really a survey of the situation in Shanghai in the early going, dialing in to primarily military events as the Japanese pour in division after division when they realize the Chinese army is better led and trained than they had supposed. You've got a wide cast of characters here, from German officers acting as trainers and advisers to the Chinese army, Chiang Kai Shek and his wife, Claire Chennault for the Americans, the obligatory missionaries, the international concessions and their military contingents, etc. etc. I feel like it could have gone deeper into some topics without bogging down, especially regarding the diplomatic world scene and some of the atrocities could have benefited from greater detail and perspective for what was to come later in the war both in China, the rest of Asia as well as Europe. Overall, though, it's good for what it is, a snapshot of a city at war and is a good gateway book for more study of the war in China.
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- Michael
- 03-01-16
The Curtain to World War Two
Much isn't known about the Jappo Sino war of 1937. The Japanese don't talk much about it and China has been in Communist naughty boys club. The Eastern Front of WWII was known for it lack of clarity but this theatre took the prize. I am trying to work out why the Japanese military was so evil to POWs and civilian of occupied territory and I think the story really starts in Shanghai. George Backman is a little dry to listen to and the Chinese names a little hard to separate from each other but the book does show how Shanghai was very much like the Stalingrad on the Yangtze. A good book but not a great book.
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- Anonymous User
- 06-24-20
Underrated Gem
An excellent read for those who are interested in the Second Sino Japanese War. This book is filled with first hand accounts as well as detailed accounts of what was going on in Shanghai on an almost daily basis. This book also does a superb job of capturing the atmosphere of a truly peculiar setting. I'm of course referring to the neutral west and their experience as immune spectators.
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- karim m.
- 02-08-23
Historical accurate
Comprehensive and detail Shanghai war of 1937 and very descriptive, and very good description of the historical timeline
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- Mr Peabody
- 01-26-17
Excellent in every way
Well researched and written, a great feat by the author to combine the two skills. The narration is top notch. Note: This is a factual account that includes occasional descriptions of wartime atrocities against combatants and civilians. It is not for the squeamish or easily traumatized.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Jon Joel
- 01-29-19
Extremely Informative
Hard to follow at times, but makes a great introduction to the Battle of Shanghai. This event is often overlooked in the west, but should be considered foundational in terms of geopolitics affecting military strategy. The enormous human costs of the event are also worth the read. The book does feel very 'textbookish' but is will worth a listen.
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- Gunnerman423
- 01-17-19
Stalingrad?
Verdin? Stalingrad? Not even close!!!
Interesting and different but not that bloody or important in comparison.
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-03-22
I was pleasantly surprised.
I was pleasantly surprised by the degree of knowledge of a well balanced account.
Thought his sympathy goes with China, the author does not hide the cruelty , incompetence and disregard for human life of the Chinese side.
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