dmarker: The true issue over why Java (Strong typing) became popular over weakly typed languages was that it was the *only* way security would work for connected code over the Internet as it was 3-5 years ago.

dmarker: Java won because it was so familiar to the multitudes of C & C++ programmers. [...] The other languages [...] had no substantial backers

I wouldn't disagree with your second statement. Java was definitely a strongly marketed language[1]. And I wouldn't disagree that the perception that strong typing is necessary for secure mobile code had some (small) effect. However, I'm not sure that the first statement is accurate as stated, especially with the emphasis on the word "only".

Footnotes:
[1] I recently flipped through a first generation Java book on my bookshelf. I had forgotten how much of the book was just propaganda (and inaccurate at that!) without much technical content.