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The Second World War: A Short History Revised Edition
Author(s): R. A. C. Parker (Author)
- Publisher: Oxford University Press
- Publication Date: October 23, 1997
- Edition: Revised
- Language: English
- Print length: 342 pages
- ISBN-10: 0192892851
- ISBN-13: 9780192892850
Book Description
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 Revised Edition 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.
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.
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Based on a matchless knowledge of the documents, he provides an authoritative treatment of military, diplomatic, and economic aspects, written with great force and insight. As a one-volume survey, it is unlikely to be surpassed...a magnificent achievement, a tour de force."--Kenneth O. Morgan, New Statesman and Soceity
"A miracle of compression compared with the rest of the horde of general histories."--Guardian
"Parker alights unerringly on the salient campaigns and issues, and considers them with consistent style and insight."--Times Educational Supplement
"The most balanced view of the causes and courses of the Second World War."--Field Marshal Lord Carver, Times Literary Supplement
"Written in clear and elegant English...a masterful account of the Second World War in all its different spheres. It is scrupulously fair, illuminated by an engaging sense of humour...and gives an entirely balanced view of the varying contributions of the different powers engaged."--Richard Cobb, The Spectator
About the Author
About the Author:
Alastair Parker is Fellow, Tutor, and Praelector in Modern History at Queen's College, Oxford. He is the author of Europe 1919-1945 and Chamberlain and Appeasement: British Policy and the Coming of the Second World War.
Alastair Parker is Fellow, Tutor, and Praelector in Modern History at Queen's College, Oxford. He is the author of Europe 1919-1945 and Chamberlain and Appeasement: British Policy and the Coming of the Second World War.
