Burma '44 cover art

Burma '44

The Battle That Turned Britain's War in the East

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Burma '44

By: James Holland
Narrated by: Al Murray
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

This audio edition includes an exclusive Q&A between James Holland and Al Murray.

In February 1944, a rag-tag collection of clerks, drivers, doctors, muleteers and other base troops, stiffened by a few dogged Yorkshiremen and a handful of tank crews managed to hold out against some of the finest infantry in the Japanese Army and then defeat them in what was one of the most astonishing battles of the Second World War.

What became known as the Defence of the Admin Box, fought amongst the paddy fields and jungle of Northern Arakan over a 15-day period, turned the battle for Burma. Not only was it the first decisive victory for British troops against the Japanese, more significantly, it demonstrated how the Japanese could be defeated. The lessons learned in this tiny and otherwise insignificant corner of the Far East, set up the campaign in Burma that would follow, as General Slim’s Fourteenth Army finally turned defeat into victory.

Burma '44 is a tale of incredible drama. As gripping as the story of Rorke's drift, as momentous as the battle for the Ardennes, the Admin Box was a triumph of human grit and heroism and remains one of the most significant yet undervalued conflicts of World War Two.

©2020 James Holland (P)2020 Penguin Audio Asia Military Southeast Asia War

Critic Reviews

"A thrilling blow-by-blow account." (The Times)
All stars
Most relevant  
Great story about a forgotten paet of the war
The title is a little misleading it only about one part of Burma, not the whole campagin

that doesnt say its not worth it. plenty of deatil.
mainly from the alloes pov.

i would of liked to know what tje Japanese public where being told if anything at all.
this perhaps is another story entirely.

Took a few minutes to get use to the Naration.
as it lacked a little enthusiam, it felt at times more of a task to reach the end by the narator.


will not stop me purchasing from either of these people again. just my point of view.

Great Story about One Battle

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I just loved the story and the narrator's brilliant narration, good job to both of them

brilliant stir and narration

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Another great book from Holland. Easy to listen to and well narrated. Fascinating story about a pivotal campaign.

Great book about a little known campaign

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brilliant and riveting story that had me hooked from beginning to end, absolutely reccomend wholeheartedly

brilliant

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Love it. The series brilliantly brings out the authors themes of the allies starting out not ready but learning and developing as the war goes on etc we see how this all plays out ground. I was hesitant about the narrator’s English regional accents at first but they were fine, it actually all worked well being all set in Norway and he nails the krout characters!

Like a Warlord comic with more detail

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There was a good story, well researched underlying this audiobook. It’s more for a visual reader with a map laid out. The narration was too fast and the pronunciation of the Burmese areas stilted. The underlying story of heroism and fortitude under huge stress of impending death was worth it.

Too much detail without a visual map

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I’m not sure if it was the narration or the writing, but I didn’t find myself engaged in this book at all.
I couldn’t tell you anything about the war in Burma following listening to this book. Not a thing. No part of this reading or book went in. I know there is General Slim, that would be about it.

So-so

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