A Concise History Of The Second World War Its Origin Battles And Consequences

Merriam Press World War 2 History Series. In the history of human existence, no conflict has cratered the earth, its people and their ways of living like World War II. The battles that blazed across the globe from the late 1930s until 1945 caused more than sixty million deaths. This writing aspires to present the tale of World War II in a concise yet digestible fashion, and to stimulate the reader to delve further into its history. In addition to the "What, Where and When" of war, it is appropriate to consider what forces and flaws contributed to the war's emergence. This book begins with a review of the events and circumstances that gave birth to the conflict. Then comes a discussion of the war's action in every significant theater of combat. The book closes with the human and economic costs of the conflict, an evaluation of the intended and unintended consequences of World War II, and ethical questions the war has brought to the surface. 19 photos, 16 maps, sources.

Merriam Press World War 2 History No. 24 First Edition 2016 In the history of human existence, no conflict has cratered the earth, its people and their ways of living like World War II. The battles that blazed across the globe from the late 1930s until 1945 caused more than sixty million deaths. Almost every corner of society heard gunfire. Nations were destroyed, others founded, and some reconfigured. Philosophies of government were tested and frequently found lacking. Reputations were won and lost. Tyranny was commonplace. Some, but not all tyrants were toppled. For many decades now, civilization has shuddered at the brutal impact of this war. This writing aspires to present the tale of World War II in a concise yet digestible fashion, and to stimulate the reader to delve further into its history. Consider questions such as these: When, where and how did the combatants face the challenges of this brutal conflict? Who sided with whom, why, and what help did each participant furnish? Who evidenced courage and when did cowardice prevail? Where were the military successes and blunders? Were the techniques of war ethically appropriate? How, why and when did the fighting end? What were the intended and unintended consequences of World War II? Where did the loss of life strike hardest? What were the economic and social tolls and achievements? What of lasting value has civilization gleaned from the conflict? In addition to the "What, Where and When" of war, it is appropriate to consider what forces and flaws contributed to the war's emergence. The following may be found in almost any war, but all were abundant in World War II: Ambition for increased food supplies and natural resources. Hunger for territorial gains. Retribution for perceived wrongs. Expressions of nationalism. Critical alliances and failed compacts. Troubled economies. Expanding and contracting political power. Isolationism A contest between theories of government, e.g., Communism versus capitalism. Efforts to eradicate ethnic groups. Totalitarian regimes. This book begins with a review of the events and circumstances that gave birth to the conflict. Then comes a discussion of the war's action in every significant theater of combat - North Africa, Europe, the Soviet Union, Southeast Asia, the Pacific islands and Japan. The history is presented not in conventional prose, but in nuggets of information designed to provide substance without extended length. In any book on World War II, the author faces a challenge. Should all events be presented in pure chronological order, or is the material more comprehensible if divided in some logical way? I have elected to separate the events of the war into two parts - the European/North African battlegrounds and the conflicts in the Pacific theater. While this approach has the disadvantage of bifurcating the time line of events, hopefully it offers the advantage of an improved understanding of action in each major war locale. The writing closes with a discussion of the human and economic costs of the conflict, an evaluation of the intended and unintended consequences of World War II, and ethical questions the war has brought to the surface. 19 photos, 16 maps, sources.

Highly regarded for its concise clarification of the complexities of World War II, this book illuminates the origins, course, and long-range effects of the war. It provides a balanced account that analyzes both the European and Pacific theaters of operations and the connections between them. The Fifth Edition incorporates new material based on the latest scholarship, offering updated conclusions on key topics and expanded coverage throughout.

World War II was the largest and most violent armed conflict in the history of mankind. However, the half century that now separates us from that conflict has exacted its toll on our collective knowledge. While World War II continues to absorb the interest of military scholars and historians, as well as its veterans, a generation of Americans has grown to maturity largely unaware of the political, social, and military implications of a war that, more than any other, united us as people with a common purpose.

A masterful and comprehensive chronicle of World War II, by internationally bestselling historian Antony Beevor. Over the past two decades, Antony Beevor has established himself as one of the world's premier historians of WWII. His multi-award winning books have included Stalingrad and The Fall of Berlin 1945. Now, in his newest and most ambitious book, he turns his focus to one of the bloodiest and most tragic events of the twentieth century, the Second World War. In this searing narrative that takes us from Hitler's invasion of Poland on September 1st, 1939 to V-J day on August 14, 1945 and the war's aftermath, Beevor describes the conflict and its global reach -- one that included every major power. The result is a dramatic and breathtaking single-volume history that provides a remarkably intimate account of the war that, more than any other, still commands attention and an audience. Thrillingly written and brilliantly researched, Beevor's grand and provocative account is destined to become the definitive work on this complex, tragic, and endlessly fascinating period in world history, and confirms once more that he is a military historian of the first rank.

"On War" by Carl von Clausewitz (translated by J. J. Graham). Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

A definitive account of World War II by America's preeminent military historian. World War II was the most lethal conflict in human history. Never before had a war been fought on so many diverse landscapes and in so many different ways, from rocket attacks in London to jungle fighting in Burma to armor strikes in Libya. The Second World Wars examines how combat unfolded in the air, at sea, and on land to show how distinct conflicts among disparate combatants coalesced into one interconnected global war. Drawing on 3,000 years of military history, bestselling author Victor Davis Hanson argues that despite its novel industrial barbarity, neither the war's origins nor its geography were unusual. Nor was its ultimate outcome surprising. The Axis powers were well prepared to win limited border conflicts, but once they blundered into global war, they had no hope of victory. An authoritative new history of astonishing breadth, The Second World Wars offers a stunning reinterpretation of history's deadliest conflict.