A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II - Softcover

Weinberg, Gerhard L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521558794 ISBN 13: 9780521558792

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1995

Synopsis

This is the first general history of World War II to be based both on the existing literature and on extensive work in British, American and German archives. It covers all the theaters of war, the weaponry used, and developments on the home front. Taking a global perspective, the work deals with all belligerents and relates events in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific to each other. The role of diplomacy and strategy, of intelligence and espionage, and the impact of war upon society are all dealt with, often on the basis of hitherto unknown material. New light is shed on the actions of great and small powers and on topics ranging from the beginning of the war to the dropping of the atomic bombs; the titanic battles on the Eastern Front are fitted into the war as a whole; the killing of six million Jews and millions of others is placed into context; and the fighting at sea and in the air is included in a coherent view of the great conflict.

About this title

Review:

This comprehensive examination of the Second World War looks at grand strategy and diplomacy, as opposed to the gritty details of the combat experience. A World at Arms is written in a matter-of-fact tone, so don't expect a poetic narrative. Despite this, no other historian has presented such a sweeping overview. Weinberg performs the important task of reminding his readers in the West that much of the fighting--and perhaps the most decisive parts--was done in the East, between the Germans and the Russians. American readers, for their part, may appreciate Weinberg's treatment of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who is portrayed as a courageous wartime leader. This book is an essential part of any library on the Second World War.

Book Description:

This is the first general history of World War II to be based both on the existing literature and on extensive work in British, American and German archives. It covers all the theatres of war, the weaponry used, and developments on the home front. Unlike other books on the war which rely heavily on dubious memoirs, treat different theaters as is they were appended to one another, or concentrate on the country of the author, this one is based on research in the archives and looks at the war as the global catastrophe it was.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0521558794
• ISBN 13: 9780521558792
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 1198