World War II : A Short History

by Lyons, Michael J.

ISBN13:

9780130954770

ISBN10:

0130954772

Format:

Paperback

Pub. Date:

6/1/1998

Publisher(s):

Prentice Hall

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Summary

KEY BENEFIT: This book is designed for courses on World War II, Military History, and 20th Century Europe. Highly regarded for its clarification of the complexities of World War II, the book illuminates the origins, course, and long-range effects of the war and provides a balanced account that analyzes both the European and Pacific Theaters of operations and the connections between them. The Third Edition incorporates new material from the latest literature, offering modified conclusions on key topics and expanding coverage throughout.

Preface

xiii

THE ORIGINS OF WORLD WAR II

(65)

1. World War I: The Great Turning Point

(12)

The Social, Political, and Economic Climate in Europe Prior to World War I

(1)

The Growth of Rivalry among European Nations

(1)

The Seeds of Conflict in Europe

(1)

The War Spreads

(1)

Miscalculations and Illusions

(1)

A Long and Bloody Deadlock

(2)

The Resort to Total War

(1)

The Territorial Imperative

(1)

Revolution in Russia

(1)

The U.S. Role

(1)

An End to the Nightmare

(2)

2. The Legacy of World War I

(16)

The Peace of Paris

(6)

Other Treaties and Territorial Changes

(2)

Reactions to the New Arrangements

(2)

Economic Repercussions

(1)

Political Realignments

(1)

The Rise of the Land of the Rising Sun

(2)

Seeking Balance between East and West

(1)

A Fragile Optimism

(1)

3. The Rise of the Dictators

(20)

The Emergence of Totalitarianism

(1)

Lenin and the Bolsheviks

(3)

The Stalinist Era in the Soviet Union

(1)

Fascism in Italy

(4)

Hitler and the Nazis in Germany

(3)

The Weimar Republic in Crisis

(2)

The Third Reich Takes Form

(2)

The Fuhrer at the Helm

(1)

The Transformation of Japan

(3)

4. The Road to War

(17)

Japanese Aggression on the Asian Mainland

(3)

Hitler's Plans for Europe

(2)

Reactions of Neighboring Nations

(1)

Ploys and Counterploys

(2)

Civil War in Spain

(1)

Germany on the Offensive

(2)

The Dilemma of Czechoslovakia

(2)

A Change of Policy in the West

(1)

Crisis over Poland

(3)

GERMANY'S MARCH OF CONQUEST

(48)

5. Blitzkrieg in the East, Sitzkrieg in the West

(11)

Differing Approaches to War

(4)

A Patchwork of Strengths and Weaknesses

(1)

The First Blitzkrieg: Germany's Invasion of Poland

(3)

A Phony War of Real Danger

(3)

6. Complications in the North: Finland, Denmark, Norway

(8)

The Russo-Finnish War

(2)

Focus on Scandinavia

(2)

The Conquest of Denmark and Norway

(4)

7. The Fall of France

(10)

Comparative Military Strength

(1)

The Politics of Military Leadership

(1)

Sweep through the Low Countries

(4)

The Conquest of France

(4)

8. Britain Is Still an Island

(9)

What to Do about Britain?

(1)

Planning the Attack

(1)

Defending against the Luftwaffe

(2)

The Battle of Britain

(5)

9. The Plot Thickens: The Mediterranean and the Balkans

104

(10)

Extending the War Southward

104

(2)

North Africa: The Desert War

106

(3)

The Balkan Campaigns

109

(3)

The Quick Conquest of Crete

112

(1)

The Germans in Control

112

(2)

THE WAR BECOMES GLOBAL

114

(47)

10. Operation Barbarossa: Dream of Lebensraum

114

(11)

The Decision to Invade the USSR

114

(1)

Military Strengths and Weaknesses

115

(1)

Objectives and Strategy

116

(1)

The Spectacular Invasion Begins

117

(5)

Weather and the Soviets Turn the Tide

122

(3)

11. Hitler's New Order in Europe

125

(13)

The Greater German Empire

125

(1)

The "Jewish Question"

126

(3)

German Treatment of Other Non-Aryans

129

(3)

Occupation Policies in the Soviet Union

132

(2)

Nazi Policy toward Other Europeans

134

(2)

Resistance Movements

136

(1)

Horror as State Policy

136

(2)

12. America Enters the War

138

(12)

Franklin Roosevelt

138

(1)

A Cautious Approach

139

(1)

Growing U.S. Support for Britain

140

(1)

Deterioration of U.S.-Japanese Relations

141

(1)

Japanese Intentions in Asia

142

(2)

American Diplomatic Reactions

144

(1)

Preparations for War in the Pacific

145

(2)

The Attack on Pearl Harbor

147

(2)

The United States at War

149

(1)

13. Japan Triumphant, December 1941-May 1942

150

(11)

Japanese Military Strength

150

(1)

War in Southeast Asia and the Pacific

151

(2)

The Philippine Debacle

153

(3)

The Conquest of Malaya

156

(3)

The East Indies: Dutch No More

159

(1)

The Allies Take a Beating in Burma

159

(2)

THE TIDE TURNS

161

(83)

14. The Tide Turns in the Pacific

161

(11)

Japanese Strategy

161

(1)

American Operations

162

(1)

Battle of the Coral Sea

163

(1)

Battle of Midway

164

(2)

Small Victories, Big Defeats

166

(1)

Battles for the Solomon Islands

166

(5)

American Attitudes toward the Japanese

171

(1)

15. The Tide Turns in Europe: Stalingrad and El Alamein

172

(12)

New German Goals in the USSR

172

(3)

The Long Struggle for Stalingrad

175

(2)

The "Sideshow" in North Africa

177

(2)

Rommel Drives into Egypt

179

(5)

16. Problems of a Marriage of Convenience: The Second Front Question

184

(11)

Two's Company, Three's a Coalition

184

(1)

Allied Differences on Strategy

185

(3)

The Allied Invasion of French North Africa

188

(2)

The Tunisian Campaign

190

(2)

The Final Push in Tunisia

192

(3)

17. Probing the Underbelly: Sicily and Italy

195

(9)

The Allied Invasion of Sicily

195

(3)

Consequences of Allied Success in Sicily

198

(1)

Onto the Mainland

198

(3)

Changes in Allied Command and Strategy

201

(3)

18. War in the Atlantic

204

(12)

The Balance of Power at Sea

204

(1)

The U-Boat: Key to Victory?

205

(2)

Combating German Undersea Power

207

(1)

The Struggle for the Mediterranean

208

(2)

The Battle of the Atlantic Continues

210

(1)

Bismarck's First and Last Voyage

211

(1)

Crisis and Resolution in the North Atlantic

212

(2)

War in the Arctic Ocean

214

(1)

No Guaranteed Victory

215

(1)

19. Target Germany: The Allied Bombing Offensive

216

(11)

Strategic Bombing

216

(2)

Britain Takes the Offensive

218

(1)

The Americans Join In

219

(1)

The Destruction of Hamburg

220

(1)

The Allies Regain the Upper Hand

221

(4)

Was It All Worthwhile?

225

(2)

20. Total War and the Home Fronts

227

(17)

Germany: From Limited Liability to Total War

227

(3)

Britain: Toward Total Mobilization

230

(3)

The American Giant Awakens

233

(5)

The Soviets Rebound from Disaster

238

(3)

Japan: Conflict of Interest

241

(3)

THE TRIUMPH OF THE ALLIES

244

(73)

21. Russia Moves West, 1943-44

244

(9)

The Germans on the Defensive

244

(1)

Operation Citadel

245

(2)

The Germans Begin to Crumble

247

(1)

The Soviets Roll On

248

(1)

The Warsaw Uprising

249

(1)

Soviet Successes in the Baltic States and the Balkans

250

(3)

22. Cross-Channel Invasion at Last: D Day to the German Border

253

(12)

Teheran and Allied Strategy

254

(1)

Preparing for the Invasion

254

(2)

The Invasion Begins

256

(3)

An Attempt on Hitler's Life

259

(1)

The Allies Break Out

259

(1)

The Southern Invasion: Anvil-Dragoon

260

(1)

The Allies' Swift Advance

261

(2)

The Push to Cross the Rhine

263

(2)

23. The End of the Thousand-Year Reich

265

(14)

The Battle of the Bulge

265

(3)

The Struggle for the Colmar Pocket

268

(1)

The Soviet Assault on Poland and Beyond

268

(3)

The Yalta Conference

271

(1)

The Allied Drive to the Rhine

271

(2)

Crushing the Axis in Italy

273

(1)

The Allies Overrun the Reich

274

(3)

The Bitter End

277

(2)

24. Island Hopping in the Pacific

279

(13)

Questions of Strategy and Leadership

279

(3)

American Moves in the North Pacific

282

(1)

Action in the Southwest Theater

282

(2)

Pushing along New Guinea's Coast

284

(1)

A Chain around Rabaul

285

(1)

The Central Pacific Offensive

286

(1)

The Taking of Tarawa and Makin

286

(1)

The Leap to Kwajalein

287

(1)

The Neutralization of Truk

288

(1)

Assault on the Marianas

289

(3)

25. War on the Periphery: China, Burma, India

292

(8)

The Chinese Situation

292

(2)

British Raids on Burma

294

(1)

India's Internal Instability

295

(2)

Allied Sequabbles over Strategy

297

(1)

The Campaign to Retake Burma

297

(2)

A Change of Plans for China

299

(1)

26. The Collapse of Japan

300

(17)

The Return to the Philippines

300

(1)

The Battle of Leyte Gulf

301

(3)

Progress on Land

304

(1)

The Agonizing Fight for Iwo Jima

305

(2)

The Costly Struggle for Okinawa

307

(3)

The Pacific Submarine War

310

(1)

Fire from the Sky

311

(1)

Both Sides Woo the Soviets

312

(1)

Advent of a New Age: The Atomic Bomb

312

(2)

Forcing Japan's Surrender

314

(1)

Postmortem: Was Atomic Force Necessary?

315

(2)

Aftermath

317

(15)

The Physical Costs of World War II

317

(1)

Prosecuting War Criminals

318

(1)

Political Repercussions

319

(1)

Soviet Influence in Eastern Europe

320

(2)

U.S. Aid to Western Europe

322

(1)

The Cold War

323

(2)

The Spread of Democracy

325

(1)

Civil War in China

326

(1)

Events in Korea Lead to War

327

(1)

Withdrawal from Empire

328

(1)

The End of the Cold War and the Soviet Union

328

(4)

Additional Reading

332

(19)

General

332

(1)

Chapter 1

333

(1)

Chapter 2

333

(1)

Chapter 3

334

(1)

Chapter 4

335

(1)

Chapter 5

336

(1)

Chapter 6

337

(1)

Chapter 7

337

(1)

Chapter 8

338

(1)

Chapter 9

338

(1)

Chapter 10

339

(1)

Chapter 11

339

(1)

Chapter 12

340

(1)

Chapter 13

341

(1)

Chapter 14

341

(1)

Chapter 15

342

(1)

Chapter 16

342

(1)

Chapter 17

343

(1)

Chapter 18

343

(1)

Chapter 19

344

(1)

Chapter 20

344

(1)

Chapter 21

345

(1)

Chapter 22

346

(1)

Chapter 23

346

(1)

Chapter 24

347

(1)

Chapter 25

347

(1)

Chapter 26

348

(1)

Aftermath

348

(3)

Index

351

World War II : A Short History

9780130954770

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Summary

Table of Contents