Rating: 
Summary: Want to really get interested in World War II ?
Review: "The Complete Idiot's Guide to World War II" is definately an "easy-read"...but it is a fascinating one as well. For instance, did you know that "Nazi" was originally a term of derision? Or why Hitler's Germany was called the "Third Reich"? (What were the first two "Reichs"?) The book is filled with scattered bits of information like that. You'll find much information in easy-to-read little boxes under such titles as: "GI Jargon", "War Lore", and "Ask the General". Each chapter also has several divisions with titles which make one want to read more: "Hindenburg Without the Air", "Stalin's D-Day", "War is Easy as ABC", "War Without Rules", "Hungry for Hungary", "What's Different About the Jews", "Bataan Death March". Every chapter ends with a section titled: "The Least You Need To Know", which is a summary/review of what you just read. If I were to find fault with this book, the only shortcoming would be the fact that the War in the Pacific receives short change. The author of this book seemed much more interested in the War in Europe.
Rating:
Summary: This is by far the BEST book on World War II!!!!
Review: An easy read from the begining. IT details events that shaped the pathway to World War II and the rise and fall of the Third Reich and how they managed to defeat themselves. It also proves a EXTREMLY important point as to the reason why we SHOULD get invloved in foreign affairs and not let them escalate.
It discusses how Hitler wanted to shape Europe into his empire and how backstabbing the Russians were and so forth. It is detailed in a lot of places but I would have preffered more pictures and a little more details in some aspects.
I recommend this book to anyone either just getting into the events of World War II or need some more facts about it.
Rating:
Summary: Highly useful, with rarely seen tidbits to keep you going
Review: As a high school teacher of college-level material, I will not prepare a class lecture on World War II without this book. It is easy to read, explains things very well, and has so many interesting details that no one can read through it without learning something new on each page. This coming from someone whose favorite reading subject IS WW2. This book will help anyone understand World War II, and is a lifesaver to those of us who need fast reference in clear English.
Rating:
Summary: Highly useful, with rarely seen tidbits to keep you going
Review: As a high school teacher of college-level material, I will not prepare a class lecture on World War II without this book. It is easy to read, explains things very well, and has so many interesting details that no one can read through it without learning something new on each page. This coming from someone whose favorite reading subject IS WW2. This book will help anyone understand World War II, and is a lifesaver to those of us who need fast reference in clear English.
Rating:
Summary: World War II honestly presented
Review: As the generation that lived it fades from view, the memories must not pass as well. The events that led to the only true worldwide war are almost unknown among the younger generation. While they do cover the events of the war in their classes, the incremental incidents that paved the way are often ignored. It took several years of piecemeal surrender and manipulation before the war became a truly hot one. Most of the history of the last half century cannot be understood without this knowledge. Nearly one fourth of the book is devoted to this topic, with many significant events highlighted. The most telling quote is one from Adolf Hitler immediately after the surrender at Munich, "I saw my enemies at Munich and they are worms."
As one who is fascinated by the events that led to this conflagration, the most impressive parts of this book are the honesty of the presentation. Some may argue that the war in the Pacific is cast in a secondary light, which is true and that this is a flaw in the book, which is wrong. Despite the importance of the Pacific theater, Germany in conjunction with her allies of Austria, Italy, Finland, Hungary, Rumania, and Bulgaria was by far the stronger foe. In reality, the war was won on the snow swept plains of Western Russia. It was there that the overwhelming majority of battle casualties occurred and the mighty German army was reduced to a shell. If it were not for this, the allies could not have successfully invaded North Africa, much less Western Europe.
Events such as the "success" of the evacuation at Dunkirk are also placed in their true context. A rout led to the evacuation and nearly all of their equipment and ammunition was abandoned, only to be used by the Germans against their other foes. Furthermore, had the order to halt not been given to the Germans, few of the British troops would have been retrieved.
Another point where the author stays on task is in the section on the use of atomic bombs against Japan. After over fifty years, it is easy to argue that the bombs should not have been used. This point is not addressed from either perspective, as the author sticks to the facts which led to the decision.
Although it took many years and events to make it happen, the six years where the second world war was global were the most significant of this century. Lessons concerning international relations and nuclear politics were learned then and still shape how nations interact with each other. However, it is more important that we all remember what happened in those years and this book will teach you all the basics in a clear and concise way.
Rating: 
Summary: Informative and an Easy Read...
Review: Definitely not the typical book of war history here. Instead of focusing on only one point of the war (i.e. the diplomacy or strategy) this book gives a very informative overview of the events leading up to the war as well as the important happenings during the great conflict. The book also provides interesting side-bar facts that help tie today's world to the world of that time. An excellent account, and a great addition to anyone's history library.
Rating:
Summary: An Informative Book!
Review: Excellent overview of one of the most written-about subjects in our lifetime. Bard gives us many familiar facts, but also includes information not found in many books, such as about Berga, the POW camp for Jewish soldiers. Easy to read, well-organized, and with an extensive bibliography. A book not just for beginners in history, but a informative book for everyone. Highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: This is a history book?
Review: This book is fun to read, entertaining and light hearted. Unfortunately the authors, to entertain, look for off beat sources that are funny but simply false. For example, the portion on the 1940-41 campaign in the Balkans is based exclusively on the works of an aide de camp to the thoroughly incompetent British General who lost the campaign. This unworthy chooses to blame Britain's ally -- Greece -- for a disaster that he largely caused. This episode is typical of the book. Do not waste money on it.
Rating:
Summary: This is a history book?
Review: This book is fun to read, entertaining and light hearted. Unfortunately the authors, to entertain, look for off beat sources that are funny but simply false. For example, the portion on the 1940-41 campaign in the Balkans is based exclusively on the works of an aide de camp to the thoroughly incompetent British General who lost the campaign. This unworthy chooses to blame Britain's ally -- Greece -- for a disaster that he largely caused. This episode is typical of the book. Do not waste money on it.
Rating: 
Summary: Nicely written overview of WWII, but lousy maps and photos
Review: This is a nicely written overview of World War II, that I learned alot from. I read this "Idiot's Guide" book to get a better understanding of the war, and I am satisfied with this book as being a good introduction to the major events of WWII. It's not as lighthearted or fun as most "Idiot's Guides" are, I suppose because of the subject matter. They writing is not too complicated, nor simpleminded; a good balance. But, they should have put more effort into the graphics that do appear in the book. I just feel like this book could have been made much better, with a little more effort. More photos would have been nice! They seem to only have about one photo per chapter, and not a very interesting one, at that. The half dozen lousy maps are the most irritating aspect of the book. They did not make new maps for this book, but rather, they used copies of old maps, from various sources, all of which are uniformative and of substandard appearance, (one even looks like a photo negative). The maps are usually placed many pages past the text where the locations on them are first discussed in the text. So you are not even aware that there is a map, until you start reading about a different locale, then there's the map that showed what was happening many pages earlier. What is shown on the maps is usually too small of a geographical area (so you can't picture the location on the European continent), and/or the locations are poorly labelled. It would have helped immensely to have a fresh, simple map, every few pages or so, showing the general borders of the territories and troop movements described in the text. Overall, I'm glad that I read this book, and textwise I got what I was expecting. But now that I know more, I wonder if there is a better overview book available to the newly curious?
| 
