The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War - Hardcover

Roberts, Andrew

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0061228591 ISBN 13: 9780061228599

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2011

Synopsis

Analyzing the factors that affected the war's outcome and presenting stories of many little-known individuals whose experiences are the epitome of remarkable courage and self-sacrifice, the New York Times best-selling author of Masters and Commanders tells the story of World War II like never before. 40,000 first printing.

About this title

Review:

'Andrew Roberts's latest offering is a sparkling addition to the groaning shelves. Roberts offers refreshing judgements' --Robert Service, Observer

'what might be his best book yet' --Nigel Jones, Sunday Telegraph

'His mastery of the huge variety of subjects is truly impressive and his ability to marshal these subjects into a single compelling narrative stunning' --Keith Lowe, Daily Telegraph

'he presents stylish penmanship, gritty research and lucid reasoning, coupled with poignant and haunting detours into private lives ruined and shortened' --The Economist

'tightly written, every page packed with terse comment, well-organised facts and, often, telling details. Engrossing to read'
--Paul Johnson, Spectator

From the Back Cover:

From "Britain's finest military historian" (The Economist) comes a magisterial new history of World War II and the flawed axis strategy that led to their defeat.

The Second World War lasted for 2,174 days, cost $1.5 trillion, and claimed the lives of more than 50 million people. What were the factors that affected the war's outcome? Why did the Axis lose? And could they, with a different strategy, have won? Andrew Roberts's acclaimed new history has been hailed as the finest single-volume account of this epic con?ict. From the western front to North Africa, from the Baltic to the Far East, he tells the story of the war—the grand strategy and the individual experience, the cruelty and the heroism—as never before.

In researching this magnificently vivid history, Roberts walked many of the key battlefields and wartime sites in Russia, France, Italy, Germany, and the Far East, and drew on a number of never-before-published documents, such as a letter from Hitler's director of military operations explaining the reasoning behind the Führer's order to halt the Panzers outside Dunkirk—a delay that enabled British forces to evacuate. Roberts illuminates the principal actors on both sides and analyzes how they reached critical decisions. He also presents the tales of many little-known individuals whose experiences form a panoply of the extraordinary courage and self-sacrifice, as well as the terrible depravity and cruelty, of the Second World War.

Meticulously researched and masterfully written, The Storm of War gives a dramatic account of this momentous event and shows in remarkable detail why the war took the course it did.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0061228591
• ISBN 13: 9780061228599
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 712