The Second World War: A Narrative History

The subtitle nicely captures the flavor of this work, explicitly aimed at generations with no personal experience of WWII. Ray, an author and history teacher in a British secondary school, describes the war concisely, comprehensively and quite readably. His expositions and overviews, especially concerning the Eastern and African fronts and the Far Eastern theater, are satisfying to a degree rarely found in more detailed, specialized or intimate accounts. The introduction reflects his approach, serviceably defining "Second World War" in terms of "several conflicts, some linked, others separate, fought by nation states over a period of six years from 1939" in "two main theatres" and "on and under every ocean." Another attractive feature is the attention invested in suggesting causes and consequences, thereby illuminating motives and follies. For the most part, the story-telling mode is captivating and somewhat reminiscent of Samuel Eliot Morison, marred only by rare sections with noticeably flawed syntax. This book will serve youth well, and even veterans of the voluminous war literature will find some new information and novel perspectives here. B&w photographs. (June)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In this general historical survey, Ray attempts to explain to contemporary readers why his generation fought WWII. After comparing each nations military, economic, and political circumstances during the inter-war years, Ray argues that a general mood of appeasement in France and Britain enabled Hitler to make escalating demands for territorial concessions. War followed after Hitler went too far by invading Poland. Moving from the European theater to the Middle East and the Pacific, Ray shows how each nation became involved in the conflict. Extensive treatments of combined arms tactics, strategic bombing campaigns, as well as submarine, air, and tank warfare demonstrate the specific considerations that shaped leaders decisions about the war. Ray uses the postwar settlements to foreshadow the growing antagonism between the Soviet Union and the US. One must wonder, however, if Rays survey explains why people fought the war. Because he focuses on the actions of war leaders, it is difficult to understand why ordinary people participated in the conflict. Furthermore, the racial motivations of the antagonists are hardly mentioned. Hitler is rightly treated as an anti-Semitic warmonger, but the motivations of the millions of Germans who pursued the Third Reichs goals are never investigated. The Holocaust is relegated to two pages in an appendix, as if it had little to do with German war aims, and important issues (such as Americans racial hatred of the Japanese or the Russian abhorrence of the German enemy) are not mentioned. Ray justifies the release of atomic weapons over Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the chestnut: War is no party. Moreover, the firebombing of Dresden is rationalized with the pronouncement that international conflict is no picnic. These exclusions and simplistic explanations leave the impression that the Axis powers were the only ones with their hands dirty, that the war was about, as Ray puts it, men fighting for basic good against basic evil. Best for readers who yearn for Saving Private Ryanlike morality plays. Anyone seeking a comprehensive treatment of the course and consequences WWII should look elsewhere. -- Copyright ©2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

As the title suggests, this is a straight chronological history of World War II, emphasizing who, what, when, and where, rather than why. Ray, a secondary-school teacher in Britain, writes in a clear, unadorned prose that is easily digested, particularly by those without a strong background in twentieth-century history. This is a well-organized survey that covers all of the major military campaigns. Although the author generally avoids sustained analyses regarding the causes of the war, his limited efforts usually convey traditional views. He also seems too willing to accept the occasional Allied outrages, such as the fire bombings of Dresden, as dictated by military necessity. For the general reader who needs a primer in this seminal conflict, Ray has provided a valuable resource. Jay Freeman