Legacy of the Second World War - Softcover

Lukacs, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0300171382 ISBN 13: 9780300171389

Publisher: Yale University Press, 2011

Synopsis

The master historian John Lukacs explores lasting questions and enigmas about World War II, its consequences, and its persistent legacy

Sixty-five years after the conclusion of World War II, its consequences are still with us. In this probing book, the acclaimed historian John Lukacs raises perplexing questions about World War II that have yet to be explored. In a work that brilliantly argues for World War II’s central place in the history of the twentieth century, Lukacs applies his singular expertise toward addressing the war’s most persistent enigmas.

The Second World War was Hitler’s war. Yet questions about Hitler’s thoughts and his decisions still remain. How did the divisions of Europe—and, consequently, the Cold War—come about? What were the true reasons for Werner Heisenberg’s mission to Niels Bohr in Copenhagen in September 1941? What led to “Rainbow Five,” the American decision to make the war against Germany an American priority even in the event of a two-ocean world war? Was the Cold War unavoidable? In this work, which offers both an accessible primer for students and challenging new theses for scholars, Lukacs addresses these and other riddles, revealing the ways in which the war and its legacy still touch our lives today.

About this title

About the Author:

John Lukacs is the author of some thirty books of history, including the acclaimed Five Days in London and Last Rites.

From Booklist:

For readers devoted to WW II histories, esteemed historian Lukacs (Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat, 2008) presents several interpretive essays about the origin, course, and ramifications of the conflict. WWII was inconceivable without instigation by Hitler; nevertheless, there are still open questions about Hitler that Lukacs pursues, such as the scale of the war he wanted (not a global conflagration runs the author’s argument). Lukacs also differentiates between the fanatic and the statesman, granting a kind of rationale to the dictator’s insistence on continuing the war until the bitter end, hoping for a split between the Allies—which did occur but too late for the Nazis. In addition to the cold war, another inheritance of WWII, the atomic bomb elicits Lukacs’ thoughts about the historically controversial 1941 meeting between Germany’s nuclear research chief, Werner Heisenberg, and his mentor, Niels Bohr. Including a chapter about American prewar strategic plans, Lukacs reminds readers that when it comes to WWII history, sections remain to be written, and what has been written departs from historical truth in certain ways. --Gilbert Taylor

About this edition

• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0300171382
• ISBN 13: 9780300171389
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208