World War Two: Crucible of the Contemporary World - Commentary and Readings

This anthology contains 16 readings by English-language scholars that deal with military, political, diplomatic, and social aspects of World War II and its consequences for the contemporary world. The readings are grouped around seven major topics and each topic is prefaced with a substantial commentary by Professor Lee that places it in historical context. The readings consist of complete articles or integral chapters rather than abridged selections so that each author's argument can be read in its original form. The authors are: Gerhard L. Weinberg, Akira Ireye, Jan Thomasz Gross, Betram M. Gordon, Michael R. Marrus, Hugh Tinker, Roy Fraser Holland, Lloyd E. Eastman, Roberta Wohlstetter, Williamson Murray, Sheila Fitzpatrick, D'Ann Campbell, Robert M. Hathaway, Melvyn P. Leffler, A.J. Levine, and Lawrence Freedman.

Loyd E. Lee is professor of history with the State University of New York, the College at New Paltz. He is the author of The War Years: A Global History of the Second World War, published in 1989. Professor Lee’s research interests also include modem German and world history and the impact of military institutions on social life. He has taught a course on the history of the Second World War for two decades.