Citizen Soldiers
From the Normandy Beaches to the Surrender of Germany
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Narrated by:
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Cotter Smith
About this listen
A masterful biography of the U.S. Army in the European Theater of Operations, Citizen Soldiers provides a compelling account of the extraordinary stories of ordinary men in their fight for democracy. The story opens on June 7, 1944, on the beaches of Normandy and ends at the end of the war on May 7, 1945.
Along the way, Ambrose draws on hundreds of interviews and oral histories to recreate the experience of the individuals who fought in the battle, from the high command - Eisenhower, Bradley, and Patton - on down to the enlisted men. Plus, the author reveals the learning process of a great army, from how to cross rivers, fight in snow, hedgerows, and cities, and coordinate air and ground campaigns, to the intricacies of fighting in winter and on the defensive. But most incredibly, Ambrose tells the story of how ordinary citizens became soldiers in the greatest army in the world.
Download the accompanying reference guide.©1997 Stephen E. Ambrose, All Rights Reserved (P)1997 Simon & Schuster Audio, All Rights Reserved, AUDIOWORKS is an Imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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It is said that the right man in the right place at the right time can mean the difference between victory and defeat. This is the dramatic story of 68 soldiers in the US Army's Second Ranger Battalion, Company D - "Dog Company" - who made that difference, time and again. America had many heroes in World War II; however, few can say that, but for them, the course of the war would have been very different. The right men, the right place, the right time - Dog Company.
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On par with the best; Band of Brothers, etc
- By Addicted to Amazon on 04-30-14
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All the Way to Berlin
- A Paratrooper at War in Europe
- By: James Megellas
- Narrated by: Richard M. Davidson
- Length: 2 hrs and 34 mins
- Abridged
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In mid-1943 James Megellas, known as "Maggie" to his fellow paratroopers, joined the 82nd Airborne Division, his new "home" for the duration. His first taste of combat was in the rugged mountains outside Naples.
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Incredible book - narrator was terrible
- By joseph metz on 01-06-22
By: James Megellas
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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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The Liberator
- One World War II Soldier's 500-Day Odyssey from the Beaches of Sicily to the Gates of Dachau
- By: Alex Kershaw
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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From July 10, 1943, the date of the Allied landing in Sicily, to May 8, 1945, when victory in Europe was declared - the entire time it took to liberate Europe - no regiment saw more action, and no single platoon, company, or battalion endured worse, than the ones commanded by Felix Sparks, who had entered the war as a greenhorn second lieutenant of the 157th "Eager for Duty" Infantry Regiment of the 45th "Thunderbird" Division. Sparks and his fellow Thunderbirds fought longest and hardest to defeat Hitler.
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Now I Know What a Hero Really Is
- By Steven on 11-27-12
By: Alex Kershaw
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Those Who Hold Bastogne
- The True Story of the Soldiers and Civilians Who Fought in the Biggest Battle of the Bulge
- By: Peter Schrijvers
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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In this dramatic account of the 1944-45 winter of war in Bastogne, historian Peter Schrijvers offers the first full story of the German assault on the strategically located town. From the December stampede of American and Panzer divisions racing to reach Bastogne first, through the bloody eight-day siege from land and air, and through three more weeks of unrelenting fighting even after the siege was broken, events at Bastogne hastened the long-awaited end of WWII.
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How Did Anyone Survive?
- By Sher from Provo on 09-26-15
By: Peter Schrijvers
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The Ultimate Battle
- Okinawa 1945: The Last Epic Struggle of World War II
- By: Bill Sloan
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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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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Takes you into the mud and death
- By Ron on 02-02-08
By: Bill Sloan
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D-Day
- The Battle for Normandy
- By: Antony Beevor
- Narrated by: Cameron Stewart
- Length: 19 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Renowned historian Antony Beevor, the man who "single-handedly transformed the reputation of military history" (The Guardian) presents the first major account in more than 20 years of the Normandy invasion and the liberation of Paris. This is the first book to describe not only the experiences of the American, British, Canadian, and German soldiers, but also the terrible suffering of the French caught up in the fighting.
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A commendable book
- By Michael on 01-19-10
By: Antony Beevor
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A Foot Soldier for Patton
- The Story of a "Red Diamond" Infantryman with the US Third Army
- By: Michael C. Bilder, James Bilder
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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A rarely frank account of the US infantry experience in northern Europe, A Foot Soldier for Patton takes the listener from the beaches of Normandy through the giddy drive across France to the brutal battles on the Westwall, in the Ardennes, and finally to the conquest of Germany itself. Patton's army is best known for dashing armored attacks; its commander combining the firepower of tanks with their historic lineage as cavalry. But when the Germans stood firm, the greatest fighting was done by Patton's long undersung infantry.
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Wonderful book
- By Dr. Z on 09-16-21
By: Michael C. Bilder, and others
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The Story of World War II
- By: Donald L. Miller, Henry Steele Commager
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 24 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Drawing on previously unpublished eyewitness accounts, prizewinning historian Donald L. Miller has written what critics are calling one of the most powerful accounts of warfare ever published. Here are the horror and heroism of World War II in the words of the men who fought it, the journalists who covered it, and the civilians who were caught in its fury. Miller gives us an up-close, deeply personal view of a war that was more savagely fought - and whose outcome was in greater doubt - than one might imagine. This is the war that Americans on the home front would have read about had they had access to previously censored testimony.
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INCREDIBLE! WELL-RESEARCHED, COMPLETE & UNBIASED!
- By The Louligan on 07-15-14
By: Donald L. Miller, and others
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No Better Place to Die
- Ste-Mere Eglise, June 1944 - The Battle for la Fiere Bridge
- By: Robert Murphy
- Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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As part of the massive Allied invasion of Normandy, three airborne divisions were dropped behind enemy lines to sow confusion in the German rear and prevent panzer reinforcements from reaching the beaches. In the dark early hours of D-Day, this confusion was achieved well enough, as nearly every airborne unit missed its drop zone, creating a kaleidoscope of small-unit combat.
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Eeh, I'm luke warm about it.
- By Matthew on 11-07-14
By: Robert Murphy
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I Will Hold
- The Story of USMC Legend Clifton B. Cates from Belleau Wood to Victory in the Great War
- By: James Carl Nelson
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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The incredible true story of Clifton B. "Lucky" Cates, whose service in World War I and beyond made him a legend in the annals of the Marine Corps. Cates knew that he and his small band of marines were in a desperate spot. Before handing the note over to a runner, he added three words that would resound through Marine Corps history: I WILL HOLD.
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I Cannot Hold!
- By Matthew on 10-22-16
What listeners say about Citizen Soldiers
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Brooke P. Anderson
- 07-28-04
Top-notch
This is every bit as good as Band of Brothers. My only regret on this one is that it is abridged. This is one of my favorite books on war -- very well written and very well narrated, with fascinating stories to tell.
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- Perry
- 01-12-21
Citizen soldier
This is such a vivid description of what war was like in World War II. I’ve listen to several military books over the years and I can’t express enough how important the narrator is. Cotter Smith it brings you into each scene with his perfect delivery.
Stephen Ambrose is truly one of the great authors of our generation. I wish you were still here to tell us more stories of the greatest generation
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-06-23
Eye opening
An in depth view of the European Theater from the level of the common soldier. It really helps you to appreciate what was done.
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- AFru
- 11-26-11
A rare look at WWII Europe from the soldier's view
I'm not a WWII military authority, but this is one book I could not drop. The audible was great, getting the right French and German pronounciations; having to hear ALL the story, and not just the part I didn't skim. Its personal nature - specific stories of soldiers - makes one feel apart of the fears, horrors, and hardships they lived with and died with. Its a long audible - about 6 hours - but worth it!! If your into reading WWI and WWII history and related stories this book is a must!!
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Overall
- Joseph
- 01-20-08
Citizen Soldiers
The book was ok. Not like other ambrose books I have read. It seamed to be choppy and bounced around like Flags of our Fathers. Not bad but not his best.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Wolfpacker
- 07-21-08
Wait For the Unabridged Version
This book suffers quite a bit because of the abridgement. You move from a battle scene in the forest to a street fight in the town with no transition or explanation. I was able to follow some of it, but my wife was constantly stopping the book to ask what was being discussed. My daughter has read the unabridged book, and she says it is very good.
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1 person found this helpful