World at War [Paperback]

Mark Arnold-Forster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2001

A revised and updated edition of Mark Arnold-Foster's account of why and how World War II happened. The book also explores the far-reaching consequences for the post-war generations.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: TV Books Inc (June 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575001535
• ISBN-13: 978-1575001531
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,115,352 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Short Book about WWII, May 3, 2003

By 

E.M. Singer (Central Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: World at War (Paperback)

(by E.M. Singer, author of "Mother Flies Hurricanes") This is the companion book to the 26-hour TV series, but it isn't a blow-by-blow account of the same. Even though the author claims that his book "fills in the gaps" of the video series, you could probably read it far less time than it would take to watch the series! "The World at War" is a terrific example of the KISS (Keep it simple, stupid!) principle of historical analysis: It's short, sweet, and to the point, and doesn't require you to slog through pages of details and minutia to get to the heart of things. The writing itself is concise, direct, and a wonder to behold. Even if you aren't interested in WWII (but you probably are, since you're reading this!) Mark Arnold-Forster's book is a must read! For more recommendations on books about WWII, visit the motherflieshurricanes.com website.

4.0 out of 5 stars both comprehensive and concise, July 13, 2011

By 

Gary Selikow (Great Kush) - See all my reviews

This review is from: World at War (Paperback)

This narrative makes for compelling reading both in it's combined sweep and attention to detail. The author covers World War II from a military and political point of view, from the rise of Hitler to the war's aftermath. This book was written to accompany the television series of the same name and i s a series of accounts of individual campaigns, rather than chronological series. The book covers interesting facts such as the mention of how the war nourished important technological and social developments- American technicians desperate to break Japanese codes developed the ancestors of today's computers. In 1942 the Japanese captured the world's only source of quinine and inadvertently helped the British to develop the cure for malaria.

In Chapter 1 we read of Neville Chamberlain's appeasement policy and that Chamberlain and his Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax actually planned to make a deal with Nazi Germany in 1940 after the war had started, whereby Britain would sue for peace. This was of course scuppered by the taking over of the helm of the intrepid Winston Churchill. In the chapter on the Greek and Yugoslav campaign Arnold-Foster points out that the Yugoslav revolt against Nazi occupation and the British landing in Yugoslavia in May, 1941pushed the date of the German invasion of the Soviet Union until June 22 1941 putting the Nazis at a considerable disadvantage, causing them to fight the Soviets in the dead of the Russian winter which had also been the undoing of course of Napoleon.
Hitler saw the Slavs as subhuman, only slightly less obnoxious than the Jews, and this is what motivated his sudden invasion of Russia. While most of the Russians were not ferevent Communists, they were all strong patriots and this is what rallied them together to fight the war under Stalin against the Nazi invasion. The Nazi invasion of rRussia cost 20 million Russian lives. Interesting accounts of the Battle of Britain, the North Africa Campaign, the war in Yugoslavia and Greece and the war of the allies against the Japanese in the Pacific. Hero's of the war we read about include Orde Wingate, weho rallied Ethiopain resistance units to fight the Italians in 1940 and later the Chindits in burma to fight the Japanese. Wingate had before the war helped Jewish fighters in pre-Israel protect themselves from Nazi-inspired Arab terrorists.

Across half the world thee battles were fought and the death toll mounted: 20 million Russians, nearly 6 million Jews, 405 000 Americans, and 375 000 British including 60 000 civilians killed during the Nazi blitz. Fascinating accounts of Dunkirk and the Burma Campaign among others. End with the author's analysis of past war international politics. A comprehensive but concise very readable account. Also highly recommended is The Second World War: A Complete History

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Synopsis of WWII, April 3, 2007

By 

T. Rock "Doc" (Ashland, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: World at War (Paperback)

From the British perspective, but with a clear and balanced presentation, this is a very readable, "just the facts Ma'am" history of WWII.