Synopses & Reviews
John Keeganandrsquo;s landmark military history of World War II
Praised as andldquo;the best military historian of our generationandrdquo; by Tom Clancy, John Keegan here reconsiders his masterful study of World War II, The Second World War, with a new foreword. Keegan examines each theater of the war, focusing on five crucial battles and offering new insights into the distinctive methods and motivations of modern warfare. In eloquent, perceptive analyses of the airborne battle of Crete, the carrier battle of Midway, the tank battle of Falaise, the city battle of Berlin, and the amphibious battle of Okinawa, Keegan illuminates the strategic dilemmas faced by the leaders and the consequences of their decisions on the fighting men and the course of the war as a whole.
andldquo;Truly magnificentandhellip; the best military historian of our generation.andrdquo; andndash;Tom Clancy
and#160;
andldquo;Analytical, concise, and coherentandhellip;if you want to know how it happened, read Keeganandrsquo;s thoughtful and elegant prose.andrdquo; andndash;Los Angeles Times Book Review
and#160;
andldquo;The Second World War merits the acceptance as the standard work that it will surely receiveandhellip; features the eloquence we have come to expect of John Keegan.andrdquo; andndash;The Washington Post Book World
and#160;
andldquo;To write history is to choose, and Mr. Keeganandrsquo;s choices and preferences are as interesting and stimulating as any I have seenandhellip; Boldly written and fair-minded.andrdquo; andndash;The New York Times Book Review
Review
Boldly written and fair-minded. (The New York Times Book Review) Analytical, concise, and coherent ... If you want to know how it happened, read Keegans thoughtful and elegant prose. (Los Angeles Times Book Review)
Synopsis
Praised as “the best military historian of our generation” by Tom Clancy, John Keegan here reconsiders his masterful study of World War II, The Second World War, with a new foreword. Keegan examines each theater of the war, focusing on five crucial battles and offering new insights into the distinctive methods and motivations of modern warfare. In eloquent, perceptive analyses of the airborne battle of Crete, the carrier battle of Midway, the tank battle of Falaise, the city battle of Berlin, and the amphibious battle of Okinawa, Keegan illuminates the strategic dilemmas faced by the leaders and the consequences of their decisions on the fighting men and the course of the war as a whole.
Synopsis
John Keegan’s landmark military history of World War II
Praised as “the best military historian of our generation” by Tom Clancy, John Keegan here reconsiders his masterful study of World War II, The Second World War, with a new foreword. Keegan examines each theater of the war, focusing on five crucial battles and offering new insights into the distinctive methods and motivations of modern warfare. In eloquent, perceptive analyses of the airborne battle of Crete, the carrier battle of Midway, the tank battle of Falaise, the city battle of Berlin, and the amphibious battle of Okinawa, Keegan illuminates the strategic dilemmas faced by the leaders and the consequences of their decisions on the fighting men and the course of the war as a whole.
“Truly magnificent… the best military historian of our generation.” –Tom Clancy
“Analytical, concise, and coherent…if you want to know how it happened, read Keegan’s thoughtful and elegant prose.” –Los Angeles Times Book Review
“The Second World War merits the acceptance as the standard work that it will surely receive… features the eloquence we have come to expect of John Keegan.” –The Washington Post Book World
“To write history is to choose, and Mr. Keegan’s choices and preferences are as interesting and stimulating as any I have seen… Boldly written and fair-minded.” –The New York Times Book Review
About the Author
Sir John Desmond Patrick Keegan (1934–2012), was one of the most distinguished contemporary military historians and was for many years the senior lecturer at Sandhurst (the British Royal Military Academy) and the defense editor of the Daily Telegraph (London). Keegan was the author of numerous books including The Face of Battle, The Mask of Command, The Price of Admiralty, Six Armies in Normandy, and The Second World War, and was a fellow at the Royal Society of Literature.
Table of Contents
The Second World War
Prologue 1. Every man a soldier
2. Fomenting world war
Part I: The War in the West 1940-1943
3. The Triumph of Blitzkrieg
4. Air battle: the Battle of Britain
5. War Supply and the Battle of the Atlantic
Part II: The War in the East 1941-1943
6. Hitler's strategic dilemma
7. Securing the eastern springboard
8. Airborne battle: Crete
9. Barbarossa
10. War production
11. Crimean summer, Stalingrad winter
Part III: The War in the Pacific 1941-1943
12. Tojo's strategic dilemma
13. From Pearl Harbor to Midway
14. Carrier battle: Midway
15. Occupation and repression
16. The war for the islands
Part IV: The War in the West 1943-1945
17. Churchill's strategic dilemma
18. Three wars in Africa
19. Italy and the Balkans
20. Overlord
21. Tank battle: Falaise
22. Strategic bombing
23. The Ardennes and the Rhine
Part V: The War in the East 1943-1945
24. Stalin's strategic dilemma
25. Kursk and the recapture of western Russia
26. Resistance and espionage
27. The Vistula and the Danube
28. City battle: the seige of Berlin
Part VI: The War in the Pacific 1943-1945
29. Roosevelt's strategic dillemma
30. Japan's defeat in the south
31. Amphibious battle: Okinawa
32. Super-weapons and the defeat of Japan
33. The legacy of the Second World War
Bibliography and Index