Discover Legally Popular Titles Full Audiobooks in History, Military

Listen to this audiobook free with a 30-day trial. Go to http://hotaudiobook.com/free

Title: No End Save Victory

Subtitle: Perspectives on World War II, Volume 2

Author: W.A.B. Douglas, William H. Whyte, William Manchester, more

Narrator: Leo Murmester

Format: Abridged

Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-18-02

Publisher: HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

Includes:

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Combat Swimmer

Subtitle: Memoirs of a Navy Seal

Author: Captain Robert A. Gormly, USN (Ret.)

Narrator: Adams Morgan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-26-00

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 162 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

The SEALs created a legend that would grow throughout the war -- and earn an enemy bounty for anyone who could capture or kill a US Navy SEAL. But behind the myth and mystique was a remarkable fighting machine, a team of soldiers who knew their job and maintained their discipline in the face of firefighters, ambushes, and missions gone horribly wrong. In Gormly's vivid, gut-wrenching descriptions, the Mekong comes alive, as hours of careful stalking explode into incredible fusillades of violence -- including one in which Gormly's hand was nearly shot off. His unprecedented acts of heorism and daring brought Gormly recognition as well as numerous awards for both the success of his strikes and his ability to bring his men back alive.

In a career that included two tours of duty in Vietnam, as well as top-secret missions in the Persian Gulf, Gormly examines war from a strategic point of view as well as from his own personal experience. With insight and eloquence, he goes on to chronicle SEAL life after Vietnam, including what is perhaps the most graphic description ever of SEAL action in the chaotic invasion of Grenada.

Critic Reviews:

"Bob Gormly tells his story with remarkable wit, wisdom, drama, and grace. Combat Swimmer is a superb and fascinating story about the US Navy SEALs, from one of the best of the breed." (Hans Halberstadt, author of Inside the US Navy SEALs)

Members Reviews:

Combat Swimmer

This book provides a somewhat interesting insight into US Navy UDT and SEAL operations prior to and throughout the Vietnam War era. The author paints a self-portrait of a brave, physically and mentally hardened Navy SEAL Officer. He considers himself the best of the best and understandably so. However, his career and tactical abilities are relatively unimpressive. Throughout each chapter listeners anxiously await the moment of revelation and fulfillment but instead find themselves being strung along from one indecisive story to the next. The author did not seize the opportunity to provide a unique view of Navy SEAL operations and life in the Teams. And although the book is more than a footnote for the era, most readers will not find the "bang for the buck" they expect. This book is more suited to those specifically interested in the evolution of SEAL Teams and Special Warfare.

Overall, a good choice

This was the first audiobook I've ever purchased and not a bad introduction at all. I'm no stranger to the genre, however. Go into it expecting the memoir that it is, not an edge-of-your-seat thriller or a technical readout of SEAL equipment. It was an intelligently written story worth telling, especially to provide additional perspective on significant American military events of the late 20th century, such as our attack on Grenada.

I found the author's tone positive, humble, very respectful, and extremely professional-surely a credit to the field in which the author has spent a distinguished career. This was certainly admirable, given the material about Marcinko. Indeed a refreshing perspective for fans of the genre.

Contrary to another listener's perspective, I was satisfied with the amount of material devoted to the author's experience at BUD/S, as that can be found anywhere, and more graphically.

I gave it three out of five stars, for two reasons. First, as noted, the narration was truly disappointing.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Bridge at Dong Ha

Author: John Grider Miller

Narrator: Terence Aselford

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 12-16-99

Publisher: Naval Institute Press

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 45 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

On Easter morning, 1972, Marine captain John Ripley braved intense enemy fire to blow up a bridge during the North Vietnamese "Easter Offensive." Ripley became a legend within the Marine Corps for his daring act of heroism. His story is described here by fellow Marine John Grider Miller. Miller lays bare Ripley's innermost thoughts during the 3 hours it took to place and set the fuses while some 30,000 enemy troops and 200 tanks prepared to cross just yards away. Such a compelling act of raw courage and personal resolve is rarely encountered.

©1989 (P)1997 by the United States Naval Institute

Critic Reviews:

"This story of men doing the extraordinary can make for a well-spent evening." AudioFile

Members Reviews:

Bad Audio

The book itself is good, but it sounds like the narration was recorded on a cheap handheld pointed in the general direction of a conference call. Disappointing.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: D-Day

Author: Stephen E. Ambrose

Narrator: Stephen E. Ambrose

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-16-99

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 256 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

When Hitler declared war on the United States, he bet that the young men brought up in the Hitler Youth would outfight the youngsters brought up in the Boy Scouts. Now, in this magnificent retelling of the war's most climactic battle, acclaimed Eisenhower biographer and World War II historian Stephen E. Ambrose tells how wrong Hitler was. Drawing on hundreds of oral histories as well as never-before-available information from around the world, Ambrose tells the true story of how the Allies broke through Hitler's Atlantic Wall, revealing that the intricate plan for the invasion had to be abandoned before the first shot was fired. Focusing on the 24 hours of June 6, 1944 - D-Day brings to life the stories of the men and women who made history - from top Allied and Axis strategic commanders to the citizen soldiers whose heroic initiative saved the day.

Members Reviews:

Great Lead into Band of Brothers

If you plan to listen to Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose, then i recommend listening to D-Day first. The reason for this is because D-Day is a good overview of the build up and execution of Overlord from a leadership perspective (on both the American and German sides, but mostly American). After listening to this book, you will have a good feel for what the plan is and how it was executed. Then, when listening to one story about a specific group of men, as with Band of Brothers, it will be easier to follow having already listened to D-Day. At least, it was for me. Also, I like Ambrose's 'GI accent', it adds to the atmosphere of the book.

AWESOME

Stephen Ambrose is the man! Nobody can tell a story like he does. The author does a great job bringing these events to life in a way that makes you feel as if you were there. I'm still amazed at the heroics our boys had in Normandy!

Funny & Educational

Ambrose informs the listerner about the complecties of D-Day and its preperation while inserting real facts that make you laugh. A great listen for a deselite drive in the contry, realy makes your think about your sourndings.

I recomend to all!!

An absolute MUST for Ambrose Fans

Ambrose classic, huge bonus to have him reading his own work. Ambrose's great storytelling, combined with his extensive interviews of the GI's make this an amazing audio book. This is the only book that he actually reads himself, I personally love his singular voice, and for all Ambrose fans this is a must have. Like so many others I have read the book before, but highly recommend getting the audio anyway no matter how many times you have read the text, it just fun to hear him read this nicely edited excerpt. I know I'll listen to this over the years multiple times.

What an Incredible Story

I couldn't stop listening to this account of an extraordinary day. I found myself sitting in my car in the driveway waiting for the next break in the action.

This is the story of ordinary men who found themselves in an extraordinary situation. The author focuses both on men who did not survive, as well as men who did and some who rose to the challenge and displayed the great American character that has defined our country.

I learned a great deal I did not know about the landing. The story was told in a very un-biased, non-politicized way. The reading is superb.

Escuche este audio libro completo gratis en https://hotaudiobook.com

Título: El libro de los cinco anillos (The Book of Five Rings)

Autor: Miyamoto Musashi

Narrador: Joaquin Rodrigo Madrigal

Formato: Unabridged

Duración: 1 hr and 50 mins

Idioma: Español

Fecha de publicación: 09-26-14

Editor: Alberich Ediciones Mexico

Calificaciones: 4 de 5 de 4 votos

Categorías: History, Military

Resumen del editor:

Este Audiolibro es mucho más que un "código samurai", mucho es más que un texto sobre las condiciones culturales del Japón de los guerreros, mucho más que una serie de retratos sobre la vida de un ronin o un conjunto de saberes relacionados con la ciencia de las artes marciales. Es un tratado sobre el manejo de los sables, escrito en su madurez y con completo conocimiento de las artes marciales. El libro de los cinco anillos es una profunda reflexión sobre la estrategia como modo de aprehender la vida en todos sus sentidos. Conocer a nuestros enemigos y a nuestros aliados, pero sobre todo conocer nuestras propias fortalezas y debilidades, a través del tiempo, procesos de lucha y maestría en todos los campos de lavida, mateniéndose así como lectura obligada para grandes líderes y grandes estrategas.

Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish.

Opiniones de los miembros:

Highly recommended.

One of the most important classical texts of martial arts. Highly recommended.

Five Stars

Japanese philosophy. The way of the sword applies for everyday activity.

so I guess it was all good since I had no complains

I got it, it was for a present, so I guess it was all good since I had no complains. Thanks a lot.

Donde está el libro?

El libro solo es el prólogo a lo que debería ser el libro en sí. Mucha propaganda sin entrar en materia. La única edición en español es un fraude.

Incomplete!

I have just downloaded the kindle version and it is incomplete. It only contains one of the five books (fire).

I feel cheated

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Sun Tzu at Gettysburg

Subtitle: Ancient Military Wisdom in the Modern World

Author: Bevin Alexander

Narrator: Edoardo Ballerini

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 05-31-11

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 62 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

Ten major battles or campaigns that could have been won by using the principles of The Art of War.

Imagine the impact on world history if Robert E. Lee had listened to General Longstreet at Gettysburg and withdrawn to higher ground instead of sending Pickett uphill against the entrenched Union line. Or if Napolon, at Waterloo, had avoided mistakes he'd never made before. The advice that would have changed the outcome of these crucial battles is found in a book on strategy written centuries before Christ was born.

Lee, Napoleon, and Adolf Hitler never read Sun Tzu's The Art of War; the book only became widely available in the West in the mid-20th century. But as Bevin Alexander shows, Sun Tzu's maxims often boil down to common sense, in a particularly pure and clear form. The lessons of contemporary military practice, or their own experience, might have guided these commanders to success. It is stunning to see, however, the degree to which the precepts laid down 2,400 years ago apply to warfare of the modern era.

Editorial Reviews:

Military history audiobooks call for extra special attention: the bloody manoeuvres and counterattacks need to be followed step-by-step otherwise the thread of action is easily lost. Sun Tzu at Gettysburg comes with its own downloadable maps but thanks to Edoardo Ballerini's matchlessly clear reading they're barely necessary. It's an important point: in applying Sun Tzu's maxims to decisive battles of the past, author Bevin Alexander puts those battles under a microscope and Ballerini's measured delivery ensures the listener knows where he or she stands.

Sun Tzu at Gettysburg plays the "what if?" game of historical conjecture, and plays it well. Military wisdom that's over 2,000 years old is if nothing else a fresh angle on famous episodes in war, and if some of Alexander's findings seem to be more due to common sense that ancient Chinese wisdom, he has an un-showy persuasiveness that makes for an entertaining listen. Chapters range from the British defeat at the hands of American colonists through the Napoleonic and two World Wars to the North Korean War. Each chapter is peppered with references to what would Sun Tzu do ("The situation called for an intense application of a Sun Tzu axiom"). This approach also brings into relief other aspects, such as the difference between orthodox "cheng" and unorthodox "chi" strategies: according to Alexander, Stonewall Jackson used both in his manoeuvres against the Union.

Sometimes there's a hint of smugness to hindsight ("Rommel was wrong of course.") but Alexander's approach does highlight mistakes and how they happened. His chapter on the liberation of France in 1944 is especially illuminating, showing how Eisenhower, attempting to accommodate the interests of both the British and Americans, hobbled Patton in favour of Montgomery and led to disastrous consequences and arguments for years to come. "The allies," writes Alexander, "won the war in the wrong way." His clever application of Sun Tzu shows why that happened and, as Ballerini carefully adds up each word one after the other, the logic of his argument is self-evident.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Shadow Commander

Subtitle: The Epic Story of Donald D. Blackburn - Guerrilla Leader and Special Forces Hero

Author: Mike Guardia

Narrator: Jason Huggins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-29-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 14 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

The fires on Bataan burned on the evening of April 9, 1942 - illuminating the white flags of surrender against the nighttime sky. Woefully outnumbered, outgunned, and ill-equipped, battered remnants of the American-Philippine army surrendered to the forces of the Rising Sun. Yet amongst the chaos and devastation of the American defeat, Army Captain Donald D. Blackburn refused to lay down his arms.

After the war, Blackburn remained on active duty and played a key role in initiating Special Forces operations in Southeast Asia. In 1958, as commander of the 77th Special Forces Group, he spearheaded Operation White Star in Laos - the first major deployment of American Special Forces to a country with an active insurgency. Seven years later, Blackburn took command of the highly classified Studies and Observations Group (SOG), charged with performing secret missions now that main-force Communist incursions were on the rise.

In the wake of the CIA's disastrous Leaping Lena program, in 1964 Blackburn revitalized the Special Operations campaign in South Vietnam. Sending cross-border reconnaissance teams into Cambodia and North Vietnam, he discovered the clandestine networks and supply nodes of the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail. Taking this information directly to General Westmoreland, Blackburn received authorization to conduct full-scale operations against the NVA and Viet Cong operating in Laos and Cambodia. In combats large and small, the Communists realized they had met a master of insurgent tactics - and he was on the US side.

Following his return to the United States, Blackburn was appointed "Special Assistant for Counterinsurgency and Special Activities," where he was the architect of the infamous Son Tay Prison Raid. Officially termed Operation Ivory Coast, the Son Tay raid was the largest POW rescue mission - and indeed, the largest Special Forces operation - of the Vietnam War.

During a period when United States troops in Southeast Asia faced guerrilla armies on every side, it has been little recognized today that America had a superb covert commander of its own, his guerrilla skills honed in resistance against Japan. This book follows Donald D. Blackburn through both his youthful days of desperate combat against an Empire, and through his days as a commander, imparting his lessons to the newly-realized ranks of America's own Special Forces.

Members Reviews:

A great tale of an unsung American hero and Special Forces legend.

This remarkable biography of Brigadier General Donald Blackburn was meticulously researched and aided by his thorough diary entries mad throughout his time in the Philippines during WWII.

It goes on to detail his extensive contributions to Special Forces training and operations during the Vietnam War, to included his involvement in Operation White Star in Laos and his tenure commanding MACV-SOG. His remarkable career ended with his planning of the Son Tay prison raid in 1971.

The narrator for this audiobook has a wonderful voice and does a wonderful job of narrating this story. The only fault I can find is with the mispronunciations of so many names of people, places, and things. This I blame on the production and editing team, for they should have had the foresight to have acquainted the narrator with the pronunciations beforehand. Failing that, they should have caught and corrected these errors.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Cursed Victory

Subtitle: Israel and the Occupied Territories; A History

Author: Ahron Bregman

Narrator: Derek Perkins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-15-15

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

In a move that would forever alter the map of the Middle East, Israel captured the West Bank, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, and Sinai Peninsula in 1967's brief but pivotal Six Day War. Cursed Victory is the first complete history of the war's troubled aftermath - a military occupation of the Palestinian territories that is now well into its fifth decade.

Drawing on unprecedented access to high-level sources, top-secret memos, and never-before-published letters, the audiobook provides a gripping and unvarnished chronicle of how what Israel promised would be an "enlightened occupation" quickly turned sour and the anguished diplomatic attempts to bring it to an end. Bregman sheds fresh light on critical moments in the peace process, taking us behind the scenes as decisions about the fate of the territories were made and, more often, as crucial opportunities to resolve the conflict were missed.

As the narrative moves from Jerusalem to New York, Oslo to Beirut, and from the late 1960s to the present day, Cursed Victory provides vivid portraits of the key players in this unfolding drama, including Moshe Dayan, King Hussein of Jordan, Bill Clinton, and Yasser Arafat. Yet Bregman always reminds us how diplomatic and backroom negotiations affected the daily lives of millions of Arabs and how the Palestinian resistance, especially during the first and second intifadas, in turn shaped political developments. As Bregman concludes, the occupation has become a dark stain on Israel's history and an era when international opinion of the country shifted decisively.

Cursed Victory is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand the origins of the ongoing conflict in the region.

Members Reviews:

Largely just the diplomatic history

'Cursed Victory' is primarily centered around the diplomacy and negotiations between Israel, various Palestinian political entities, and Syria, from the time of the 19767 war, until the present day. Written by a former Israeli artillery officer, the book relates the long and convoluted history of attempts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through both official diplomatic efforts, as well as secret and unofficial attempts.

The book does a good job of describing the key players on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides, as well as providing much insight into efforts by American Presidents, including Ford, Carter, Clinton, and George W. Bush, to try to come up with a viable peace plan. In the narrative, we get only a glancing and incomplete view into the lives of the populace over whom the power brokers were negotiating, which is why I can only give this book three stars. Based on a great deal of reading of other sources, my feeling is that the conflict can only be poorly explained, without an understanding of the personal toll taken on the pawns in the conflict: the ordinary people.

Derek Perkins' narration is crisp, with a sophisticated British accent, but the net effect is to provide a rather dry delivery, devoid of the emotional impact that the events described in the book should convey.

Since most books on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict end up getting either 5 star or 1 star reviews, reflecting the polarization of thought on this topic, allow me to add that the book is NOT heavy-handed with one particular bias, as some reviewers suggest.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Airborne

Subtitle: The Combat Story of Ed Shames of Easy Company

Author: Ian Gardner

Narrator: P.J. Ochlan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-21-15

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

Some men are born to be warriors, and Ed Shames is one of these men. His incredible combat record includes service at D-Day, Operation Market Garden, and Bastogne and finally in Germany itself.

He was the first man in the Dachau concentration camp and captured Hitler's infamous Eagle's Nest. Shames appeared in Band of Brothers, but now, with the comprehensive support of the man himself, the full story of his life and experiences can be told. Written by the author of Tonight We Die as Men, this is a searing account of the combat career of a remarkable young lieutenant serving at the sharp end of World War II.

His insistence on high standards together with a perfection of tactics and techniques did not always win him friends, but that was never the intention. His aim was to win each encounter, each battle, and ultimately the war itself with a minimum loss of life among his men. He was once told by one of his subordinates, "Shames, you are the meanest, roughest son of a bitch I've ever had to deal with. But you brought us home."

Members Reviews:

Read it

This is a great addition to the 101st trove of knowledge. A different view and adds details and context outside of the BOB lens. Really so good and seems quite honest. Try it!

The Story of Ed Shames WWII Hero

This book is a first hand account by Ed Shames of his WWII exploits from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle Nest. From winning the U.S. Military's 19th Battlefield Commission during the Normandy Invasion to an amazing number of accomplishments during the War, Ed Shames was involved in a wide range of heroic actions and became one of the 101st best military leaders. This is a great read of one of the original members of the the 101st Band of Brothers.

WWII History

If you have followed the ETO history for World War II and 101st airborne,then this is a must read or must listen to account...very informative on items left out of the HBO mini series BOB's & S.E.Ambrose book of the 506th PIR.

Most enlightening

This book is a good companion to the band of brothers, as I for one know that everybody in a combat situation will come away with a different version of the same story. Very good read.

Let down

Very dry. I love war stories especially WW2 and the Airborne. This was very hard to focus on

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Sacrifice on the Steppe

Subtitle: The Italian Alpine Corps in the Stalingrad Campaign, 1942-1943

Author: Hope Hamilton

Narrator: James Langton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-29-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

When Germanys Sixth Army advanced to Stalingrad in 1942, its long-extended flanks were mainly held by its allied armies - the Romanians, Hungarians, and Italians. But as history tells us, these flanks quickly caved in before the massive Soviet counter-offensive which commenced that November, dooming the Germans to their first catastrophe of the war. However, the historical record also makes clear that one allied unit held out to the very end, fighting to stem the tide - the Italian Alpine Corps.

As a result of Mussolinis disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany, by the fall of 1942, 227,000 soldiers of the Italian Eighth Army were deployed on a 270km front along the Don River to protect the left flank of German troops intent on capturing Stalingrad. Sixty thousand of these were alpini, elite Italian mountain troops. When the Don front collapsed under Soviet hammerblows, it was the Alpine Corps that continued to hold out until it was completely isolated, and which then tried to fight its way out through both Russian encirclement and General Winter, to rejoin the rest of the Axis front. Only one of the three alpine divisions was able to emerge from the Russian encirclement with survivors. In the all-sides battle across the snowy steppe, thousands were killed and wounded, and even more were captured. By the summer of 1946, 10,000 survivors returned to Italy from Russian POW camps. This tragic story is complex and unsettling, but most of all it is a human story. Mussolini sent thousands of poorly equipped soldiers to a country far from their homeland, on a mission to wage war with an unclear mandate against a people who were not their enemies. Raw courage and endurance blend with human suffering, desperation and altruism in the epic saga of this withdrawal from the Don lines, including the demise of thousands and survival of the few.

Hope Hamilton, fluent in Italian and having spent many years in Italy, has drawn on many interviews with survivors, as well as massive research, in order to provide this first full English-language account of one of World War IIs legendary stands against great odds.

Members Reviews:

Tens of thousands of my countrymen dead.

I am a history buff & know a great deal about WWII. The story of the betrayal of the Italian Alpine troops by the Germans is an old story in my Italian family. I have no doubt that Ms. Hamilton's research & scholarship have replaced the largely apocryphal stories I've always heard.

Having said that, I feel very skeptical about the information presented here. Hamilton is talking about elite Italian mountain infantry - I'd love to believe that my countrymen were plaster saints who always loathed the Germans, but it doesn't ring true. These men were sad to leave home, but going-ho about going to Russia with their allies. They admired the German soldiers of the Wehrmacht. Hamilton notes chastely that when Italian troops "misbehaved" they were disciplined severely. Again, it doesn't ring true. I simply don't believe that the Italians didn't "misbehave" right alongside their German allies in the Wehrmacht & Einsatzgruppen.

Finally, I just couldn't finish it. I got about 3/4 through with it, but the continuing portrayal of Italian troops as saintly helpers of suffering people finally saccharined me right out of the book.