The Oxford Illustrated History of World War Two


Book Description

World War Two was the most devastating conflict in recorded human history. It was both global in extent and total in character. It has understandably left a long and dark shadow across the decades. Yet it is three generations since hostilities formally ended in 1945 and the conflict is now a lived memory for only a few. And this growing distance in time has allowed historians to think differently about how to describe it, how to explain its course, and what subjects to focus on when considering the wartime experience. For instance, as World War Two recedes ever further into the past, even a question as apparently basic as when it began and ended becomes less certain. Was it 1939, when the war in Europe began? Or the summer of 1941, with the beginning of Hitler's war against the Soviet Union? Or did it become truly global only when the Japanese brought the USA into the war at the end of 1941? And what of the long conflict in East Asia, beginning with the Japanese aggression in China in the early 1930s and only ending with the triumph of the Chinese Communists in 1949? In The Oxford Illustrated History of World War Two a team of leading historians re-assesses the conflict for a new generation, exploring the course of the war not just in terms of the Allied response but also from the viewpoint of the Axis aggressor states. Under Richard Overy's expert editorial guidance, the contributions take us from the genesis of war, through the action in the major theatres of conflict by land, sea, and air, to assessments of fighting power and military and technical innovation, the economics of total war, the culture and propaganda of war, and the experience of war (and genocide) for both combatants and civilians, concluding with an account of the transition from World War to Cold War in the late 1940s. Together, they provide a stimulating and thought-provoking new interpretation of one of the most terrible and fascinating episodes in world history.




The Complete Illustrated History Of World War II


Book Description

A readable history of the war, this text features expert commentary on the political and economic factors leading to the conflict, the key turning points during the war and the impact new technologies had on the fighting. Full colour maps and battle plans add to the analysis of major engagements.




The New Illustrated History of the Nazis


Book Description

This illustrated volume documents the history of the Nazis, from their roots in World War I and their rise to power in 1933, to the end of the Cold War era and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, using many previously unpublished images of Nazi Germany and World War II. An Illustrated History of the Nazis traces the roots of the movement from the early days of the Weimar Republic, through the rise to power of the charismatic Adolf Hitler, up to the dramatic downfall of Germany in 1945. Extra material follows the aftermath of the war through to the fall of the Berlin Wall at the end of the Cold War, and examines the consequences of the Wehrmacht. Paying particular attention to the holocaust, the policy of 'total war', the state of German society and the systematic use of propaganda and terror, this unique and fascinating book is an essential purchase for the history enthusiast.




The Illustrated History of World War II


Book Description

With the aid of 300 photographs, The Illustrated History of World War II tells the full story of the war and the individuals who led it. In addition, the book examines life beyond the frontline: the Holocaust, living under occupation, refugees, the Blitz and evacuations, the changing role for women, and food.




The Oxford Illustrated History of the First World War


Book Description

Originally published: 1998. New edition published in hardcover in 2014.




The Second World War


Book Description

Provides an overview of World War II from the invasion of Poland to V-J day, and covers major campaigns and battles.




France: Summer 1940


Book Description







Commando


Book Description

An eye-opening introduction to one of the most audacious special operations forces of World War Two, written by a man who led them into battle. An ideal book for people who enjoyed SAS: Rogue Heroes and Band of Brothers. In the aftermath of the disastrous Battle of France and evacuation from Dunkirk, Winston Churchill told his military chiefs of staff that "Enterprises must be prepared, with specially trained troops of the hunter class, who can develop a reign of terror down on these coasts, first of all on the 'butcher-and-bolt' policy... leaving a trail of German corpses behind them." By the end of the month the Commandos had been formed from volunteers and were already implementing their hit-and-run tactics that would make them famous. Only the best recruits were sent; they had to be young, absolutely fit, able to drive motor vehicles, and unable to be seasick. One of the conditions of service, clearly laid down, was that any many might voluntarily return to his unit after an operation. Few ever asked to do so. Peter Young, who volunteered shortly after returning from Dunkirk, rose to become commander of the 1st Commando Brigade by the end of the war. In Commando he charts the development of this unique fighting force from its emergence through the course of its major operations, including: Lofoten, Spitzbergen and Vaagso in Norway, the invasion of Italy, the St. Nazaire and Dieppe raids on the French coast, along with numerous other operations. 'it reads like an adventure story; for that is what the Commandos engaged in - a series of grim adventures from which a high number did not return. Their adventures not only raised the alarm along the occupied coast line - they raised the morale of the Allied sympathisers everywhere, progressively, as the scope and the range of their operations spread from Europe to the Mediterranean coastlines.' Brigadier Anthony Farrar-Hockley Peter Young's Commando should be essential reading for all looking to learn more about this intrepid Second World War fighting force.




An Illustrated History of the First World War


Book Description

Illustrates life on the home front, important battles, war from the perspective of generals and soldiers, the collapse of empires, and glimpses of World War II through photographs, paintings, cartoons, and posters.