Asia Audiobooks | History

The Boxer Rebellion: The History and Legacy of the Anti-Imperialist Uprising in China at the End of

"The 19th century saw the rise of one of the largest, most powerful empires of the modern era. The sun never set on the British Empire, whose holdings spanned the globe, in one form or another. Its naval supremacy linked the Commonwealth of Canada with the colonies in South Africa and India, and through them trade flowed east and west. An integral but underutilized part of this vast trade network included China, a reclusive Asian kingdom closed off from the Western world that desired none of its goods. Unfortunately for China, the British had the might of an empire and economic force, not to mention modern arms, on their side. Breaking into China’s lucrative trade markets nearly destroyed the nation, severely discredited the Chinese dynasty, wreaked havoc on its people, and further propelled Britain’s empire into a dominant economic and military position. The collision of these two empires took many years and caused much bloodshed. In fact, the troubles started well before the eventual hostilities, festering as frustration mounted until finally boiling over. Such was the state of relations between the British Empire and Qing Dynasty for the better part of the century, its footing upended from the very start of relations. For these reasons, as well as others, the Opium Wars marked a dramatic shift in Asian history, and they understandably caused frustration among the Chinese, both at the foreigners and their own rulers. Eventually, the ire of the Chinese populace against the Westerners boiled over into open rebellion, not against the state, but against the foreigners themselves. With the tacit approval of the Chinese government, the Boxer Rebellion rattled the Western nations, but it would have unintended consequences at home as well. "

Charles River Editors (Author), Bill Hare (Narrator)

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Japan and World War I: The History of the Japanese Empire’s Participation in the Great War

"In the Second World War, Japanese forces ranged over an immense portion of the globe, from Hawaii to Sri Lanka, but during World War I, Japanese naval forces spanned an even larger portion of the globe. Japanese warships escorted troopships carrying Australian and New Zealand Army Corps troops to the Middle East, Japanese cruisers hunted German commerce raiders in the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and all over the Pacific, and Japanese destroyers plowed Mediterranean waters as they escorted British convoys from Egypt to Gibraltar and searched for German and Austrian submarines. Japanese troops besieged the German citadel of Qingdao in China, forcing that German colonial city and naval base to surrender, and through it all, Japanese naval forces stood guard off Mexico, Hawaii and the American West Coast. All of this was accomplished with by far the fewest military losses of any of the major Allies. Japan lost perhaps 4,000 soldiers and sailors during the war, while the French and Germans lost several million. For comparison, tiny Montenegro had 20,000 World War 1 casualties, Portugal 33,000, and Bulgaria suffered 267,000. Indeed, the Japanese losses in World War I represented a small fraction of the losses incurred in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. Yet Japanese strategic gains were far greater that what was obtained in the previous war, as they took the German North Pacific islands, they had a relatively free hand to exploit China, and they gained an uneasy peace with the young Soviet Union. In short, World War 1 brought Japan recognition as one of the world’s primary military and economic powers. Japan and World War I: The History of the Japanese Empire’s Participation in the Great War analyzes the actions of the forgotten ally, and how Japan’s participation helped set the stage for its expansion across the Pacific. "

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Kalibangan: The History of the Indus Valley Civilization’s Provincial Capital in Ancient India

"When one thinks of the world’s first cities, Sumer, Memphis, and Babylon are some of the first to come to mind. If the focus then shifts to India, then Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro will undoubtedly come up, but after that, India’s other ancient cities are often overlooked. This is unfortunate since India’s oldest civilization, known as the Indus Valley Civilization or the Harappan Civilization, was contemporary with ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt and had extensive contacts with the former, which makes it one of the most important early world civilizations. Spread out along the rivers of the Indus River Valley, hundreds of settlements began forming around 3300 BCE, eventually coalescing into a society that had all of the hallmarks of a true civilization, including writing, well-developed cities, a complex social structure and long-distance trade. Archaeological work at Kalibangan has also shown that although it followed some of the patterns of larger Indus cities such as Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, it was also a unique city in many ways. Kalibangan was located on a different river from the other major Indus Valley Civilization cities, and its river suffered a fate that led to the end of the city. The city of Kalibangan also presented modern archaeologists with a treasure trove of findings because it was one of the best preserved Harappan sites, giving scholars a chance to see not only how the people of Kalibangan lived, but possibly how the city died. "

Charles River Editors (Author), Scott Clem (Narrator)

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North Korea: What Everyone Needs to Know

"In this book, former North Korea lead foreign service officer at the U.S. embassy in Seoul, Patrick McEachern, unpacks the contentious and tangled relationship between the Koreas in an approachable question-and-answer format. While North Korea is famous for its militarism and nuclear program, South Korea is best known for its economic miracle, familiar to consumers as the producer of Samsung smartphones, Hyundai cars, and even K-pop music and K-beauty. Why have the two Koreas developed politically and economically in such radically different ways? What are the origins of a divided Korean Peninsula? Who rules the two Koreas? How have three generations of the authoritarian Kim dictatorship shaped North Korea? What is the history of North-South relations? Why does the North Korean government develop nuclear weapons? How do powers such as Japan, China, and Russia fit into the mix? What is it like to live in North and South Korea? This book tackles these broad topics and many more to explain what everyone needs to know about South and North Korea."

Patrick Mceachern (Author), Paul Heitsch (Narrator)

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Dragon's Jaw: An Epic Story of Courage and Tenacity in Vietnam

"A riveting Vietnam War story--and one of the most dramatic in aviation history--told by a New York Times bestselling author and a prominent aviation historian Every war has its 'bridge'--Old North Bridge at Concord, Burnside's Bridge at Antietam, the railway bridge over Burma's River Kwai, the bridge over Germany's Rhine River at Remagen, and the bridges over Korea's Toko Ri. In Vietnam it was the bridge at Thanh Hoa, called Dragon's Jaw. For seven long years hundreds of young US airmen flew sortie after sortie against North Vietnam's formidable and strategically important bridge, dodging a heavy concentration of anti-aircraft fire and enemy MiG planes. Many American airmen were shot down, killed, or captured and taken to the infamous 'Hanoi Hilton' POW camp. But after each air attack, when the smoke cleared and the debris settled, the bridge stubbornly remained standing. For the North Vietnamese it became a symbol of their invincibility; for US war planners an obsession; for US airmen a testament to American mettle and valor. Using after-action reports, official records, and interviews with surviving pilots, as well as untapped Vietnamese sources, Dragon's Jaw chronicles American efforts to destroy the bridge, strike by bloody strike, putting readers into the cockpits, under fire. The story of the Dragon's Jaw is a story rich in bravery, courage, audacity, and sometimes luck, sometimes tragedy. The 'bridge' story of Vietnam is an epic tale of war against a determined foe."

Barrett Tillman, Stephen Coonts (Author), Dan Woren (Narrator)

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Prompt and Utter Destruction: Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs against Japan, Third Edition

"In this concise account of why America used atomic bombs against Japan in 1945, J. Samuel Walker analyzes the reasons behind President Truman's most controversial decision. Delineating what was known and not known by American leaders at the time, Walker evaluates the options available for ending the war with Japan. In this new edition, Walker incorporates a decade of new research—mostly from Japanese archives only recently made available—that provides fresh insight on the strategic considerations that led to dropping the bomb. From the debate about whether to invade or continue the conventional bombing of Japan to Tokyo's agonizing deliberations over surrender and the effects of both low- and high-level radiation exposure, Walker continues to shed light on one of the most earthshaking moments in history. Rising above an often polemical debate, the third edition presents an accessible synthesis of previous work and new research to help make sense of the events that ushered in the atomic age."

J. Samuel Walker (Author), Eric Jason Martin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Explore North Korea

"Baekdu spa, hyongje falls, pegae hill, and the chiangbbai mountain range, are world class attractions that lures in millions of tourists, historians, and explorers to visit North Korea year after year. The number of historically famous destinations, museums, parks and the recreational facilities available in North Korea can only astound the audience all in all. With flamboyant historical feats achieved by the natives, there is immense to know about the people of the past and the present here in North Korea, today."

Introbooks Team (Author), Andrea Giordani (Narrator)

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History of India

"When it is about India, there is so much that one can look for as this is the country holding millions of those mysteries which shaped it into what it is today to everyone out there. And here you are going to learn about most of those mysteries which may untangle those knowledge bytes of yours related to India and its development till date."

Introbooks Team (Author), Andrea Giordani (Narrator)

Audiobook

History of Japan

"It is being said that if you wish to understand something about a particular place or culture then it is important to know every single detail about the same and that is what history helps people out in. Now, Japan is also been that major part of history having so many of those different occurrences which made it to become what it is today. "

Introbooks Team (Author), Andrea Giordani (Narrator)

Audiobook

History of Korea

"With a history so vast it is difficult to preserve the traditions and cultures from the olden times yet Korea seems to have maintained it despite the many invasions and situations that it went through. Nationalism and patriotism is reflected in all the Koreans. Every country has their own mythology and belief of how their people came to be and Koreans have their too. The Korean mythology speaks of a demigod Hwan Woong who came down on earth on Taebak Mountain which is now the Gangwon-do Province in South Korea. The demigod met a bear and tiger living in a cave who wished to become humans. The demigod asked them to eat 20 cloves of garlic and refrain from sunlight for 100 days if they wished to become man. The tiger failed the test as it couldn’t withstand the dark but after 21 days the bear became a woman. Since there was no one for the woman to procreate Hwan Woong turned himself into a man temporarily creating the Korean race. Maybe this is why the Koreans love garlic and use it extensively in their cooking. While the mythology seems too fun to hear the history of Korea speaks of something else. Korea happens to be one of the most culturally homogeneous countries across the globe. They show very few physical and cultural differences among them. Koreans have great respect for their ancestors and elders. Confucian culture dominates the area and it is seen in other factors of life as well where age and marital status of a person gives him or her certain seniority. The Koreans are simple people today with an extensive history of their ancestors."

Introbooks Team (Author), Andrea Giordani (Narrator)

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The Patient Assassin: A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge and the Raj

"WINNER OF THE PEN HESSELL-TILTMAN PRIZE 'Reads like something from a thriller…colourful, detailed and meticulously researched' Sunday Times 'Gripping from start to finish' Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads Hundreds of peaceful civilians were slaughtered in the Amritsar Massacre of 13 April 1919, after British troops opened fire without warning. According to legend, Udham Singh was among the injured that day, and he vowed to take revenge. More than twenty years later, in a Westminster hall, he fulfilled that promise when he gunned down in cold blood the man ultimately responsible, Sir Michael O'Dwyer. But what happened in the intervening years? In this sweeping narrative that takes the reader across four continents, Anita Anand separates reality from myth to reveal Singh's astonishing story. She brilliantly pieces together his movements, discovering surprising new links that take us from Jazz Age New York to the shady world of international spy rings. The Patient Assassin shines a devastating light on one of the Raj's most horrific events, but reads like a taut thriller. "

Anita Anand (Author), Anita Anand (Narrator)

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A Brief History of Indonesia: Sultans, Spices, and Tsunamis: The Incredible Story of Southeast Asia'

"Indonesia is by far the largest nation in Southeast Asia and has the fourth largest population in the world after the United States. Indonesian history and culture are especially relevant today as the Island nation is an emerging power in the region with a dynamic new leader. It is a land of incredible diversity and unending paradoxes that has a long and rich history stretching back a thousand years and more. Indonesia is the fabled 'Spice Islands' of every school child's dreams—one of the most colorful and fascinating countries in history. These are the islands that Europeans set out on countless voyages of discovery to find and later fought bitterly over in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. This was the land that Christopher Columbus sought, and Magellan actually reached and explored. One tiny Indonesian island was even exchanged for the island of Manhattan in 1667! This fascinating history book tells the story of Indonesia as a narrative of kings, traders, missionaries, soldiers, and revolutionaries, featuring stormy sea crossings, fiery volcanoes, and the occasional tiger."

Tim Hannigan (Author), Derek Perkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in History