Undefeated

America's Heroic Fight for Bataan and Corregidor

By: Bill Sloan

Narrated by: Michael Prichard

Called “a master of the combat narrative” (The Dallas Morning News), author Bill Sloan captures the valor, fortitude, and suffering of the American defenders of the Philippines as no other author has.

Abandoned by their government, the men and women of the American garrison struggled against impossible military odds, rampant disease, and slow starvation to delay inevitable surrender by the largest American military force ever. Rather than picturing these defenders as little more than helpless victims of an overwhelmingly powerful and sadistic enemy-as most previous books about the Philippines campaign have done-Undefeated credits American troops with the unexcelled heroism and indomitable spirit they displayed under the worst imaginable conditions.

Interwoven throughout this panoramic narrative are the harrowing personal experiences of dozens of American soldiers, airmen, and Marines. Sloan also provides intimate, in-depth profiles of General Douglas MacArthur, who evacuated to Australia as the situation on Bataan worsened, and of General Jonathan Wainwright, who succeeded him as top U.S. commander in the Philippines and himself became a prisoner of the Japanese.

©2012 Bill Sloan (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Sloan demonstrates that if captivity is a state of being, defeat is only a state of mind." ( Publishers Weekly)

Incredible book

An amazing story about the struggle for survival beyond modern day comprehension told by an incredible narrator who exceeded my expectations. If you want to go on a vivid adventure from the perspective of these incredible people get this book right away.

My favorite part was the Army Ranger prison breakout of the remaining Bataan POWs behind enemy lines after MacArthurs return. Get this book you will love it.

A great level of detail

I really enjoyed the level of detail of this book. Both tactical and strategic level storytelling makes it enjoyable for all.

Mesmerizing

There's nothing I can add other than this should be required reading. There are no adjectives to describe the ordeals these men endured. I'll just say that we are fortunate to have men like Sloan to thoroughly and eloquently enlighten and educate us on the subject. He's become my favorite author on military history. The narrator also did a terrific job.

Amazing story of true warriors

A wonderful overview of horrid events that took place in the Philippines during World War II. Many additional biographies are referenced for those who would like to confide to the study of this often left out section of the fight in the Pacific.
This is an amazing story of true warriors that should not forgotten.

Jay from Ohio

What a well written book! The Narration was excellently performed. A truly amazing real life story. The Greatest Generation for sure.

Most thorough account of World War 2 Philippines

This is a must listen account of World War 2 in the Philippines. It is the most thorough I have found. Thank you to the author for all the work and research involved in writing this.

Bill Sloan is underrated

He is at his best focusing on the individual's experience in the Pacific. He knows how to write and use quotes to slap you the hardest without being over dramatic or forcing the emotion. The reader gets just about as good a feel for what it was like as is possible, I think. There are many memoirs and remembrances about Bataan so he has plenty of first hand accounts but that's not all that he has to offer here, because you cannot separate MacArthur and Wainwright from the story of the Philippines, along with the late war events affecting the POWs as well as the escape attempts during the war. Sloan is great at covering it all with a strong focus on the emotional aspect and while he's clearly an American writing for Americans, he's never a flag waiving intrusion driven author. He's professional and lets the story itself instruct you.

Both this and Given Up For Dead are fantastic windows into the Pacific War and deserve wider readership.

Undefeated.

Alot of what you might have already watched on TV. That being said I would still recommend this to other people.