The Second World War A Short History

by Parker, R. A. C.

• ISBN13: 9780192802071
• ISBN10: 0192802070
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-03-21
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

From the rise of the Nazi party, through the bombing of Pearl Harbor, to the ultimate defeat of the Axis nations and the first chills of the Cold War, The Second World War: A Short History offers a completely comprehensive overview of the Second World War in one readable, compact volume. Alastair Parker deftly explores the causes of the war and why it lasted so long, how it was won and lost, and its consequences for humanity. The author traces the key events in both the European and Far Eastern theaters, outlining the strategies of the participants and the strengths and weaknesses of their fighting forces. Parker conveys a vivid picture of the features that distinguished the Second World War from any war that preceded it, including mobile warfare, widespread forced migration, the Holocaust, and strategic and nuclear bombing. Unlike many other histories of the war, this short history places the British and European involvement squarely in an international perspective, never shying away from raising difficult and fundamental questions about this monumental conflict. The Second World War presents an unprecedented short history, offering a sweeping survey of events that omits none of the drama that filled the years between 1939 and 1945. With intriguing photographs and a number of helpful maps, it is a fascinating and objective look at the central struggle of our times.

Author Biography

R. A. C. Parker is a Fellow of Queen's College, Oxford.

Table of Contents

List of plates	ix
List of maps	xi
Hitler, Germany, and the origins of the European war	1	(20)
German conquest of Poland, Norway, the Low Countries, and France	21	(23)
Britain alone	44	(16)
Operation Barbarossa: the German attack on the Soviet Union	60	(12)
The United States enters the war: the origins of the Japanese attack	72	(14)
Japanese victories and disappointments: December 1941 to August 1942	86	(9)
The end of German expansion: the Atlantic, North Africa, and Russia 1942-1943	95	(20)
Anglo-American strategies for victory	115	(16)
Economies at war	131	(20)
Strategic bombing	151	(22)
Morale	173	(4)
Driving back the Germans: North Africa, Italy, and Russia	177	(18)
D-Day and victory in Europe	195	(29)
The defeat of Japan and the atom bomb	224	(19)
From war to peace: Anglo-American relations	243	(7)
From alliance to Cold War: the Soviet Union and the West	250	(14)
The impact of war: the murder of the European Jews	264	(17)
The impact of war: casualties, crisis, and change	281	(24)
Note on quotations	305	(1)
Book list	306	(9)
Index	315