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Rating: 
Summary: Churchill's "Case"
Review: He said of this work, "This is not history, this is my case." That is, it's his viewpoint on events, and to some degree, his justification for the actions he took during the war. He was too modest. This is also great history from the pen of a man who was not only a great statesman and war leader, but a gifted writer. To read it is a pleasure--and a bit sad since it underlines the decline in letters since Churchill's generation. Only his speeches are more inspiring. For the few remaining purists among us, I would recommend the full six volume set, but much is captured in this condensed version. Get it and learn not only history, but the proper use of English.
Rating:
Summary: If You Think You Know WWII History, Read This Book!!!
Review: Nearly 1100 pages in length, this abridged (yes, you read that correctly!) version of Winston Churchill's Nobel Prize winning, six volume set on the history of World War II will leave many would-be scholars stunned by it's revelations. If (like me) you learned history primarily from high school and college courses and your own self-study, this volume shows how woefully inadequate your understanding of this pivotal event may be. Most surprising are the pre-war revelations of how Hitler could have been contained as early as the 1920's; if the politicians of the day were not so interested in unilateral disarmament and taken Hitler's more outrageous promises with a grain of salt, he could have been stopped several times by both Britain and France before he could have built up his armaments. In particular, British Prime Ministers Stanley Baldwin and Ramsay Macdonald are to be blamed, for their inaction allowed Germany to rearm and begin their conquests almost unchecked; by the time of Neville Chamberlain's famous Appeasment at Munich, it was already too late to prevent war. The other major revelation that will surprise many readers is detailed in the chapter entitled October in Moscow, where Churchill and Russian premier Joseph Stalin literally decide postwar, Cold War politics with the stroke of a pen. (For his part, Churchill insists he believed that Stalin understood that such an arrangement was temporary.) Through it all, Churchill spins the fascinating tale of a man who thoroughly understands both military movements and the big picture when it comes to the theatres of war. Of course, the heroic generals and leaders of the nations involved, from Roosevelt to Truman, Montgomery to Ike, are detailed, mostly with compassion for their integrity and valor. This volume is recommended for the novice and true student of history alike (if one wants more military facts and figures, especially numbers of troop movements and battle details, it is suggested he purchase the complete six-volume set.) In short, if you wish to enjoy the history of WWII, particularly from a pont of view not often taught in the United States, purchase Memoirs of the Second World War today. The surprising revelations within will give you a new perspective both of WWII and how our current political situation was determined by events that happened some sixty-plus years ago.
Rating: 
Summary: A Unique Perspective of WWII
Review: Oftentimes in recorded history a leader emerges as literally the "right man at the right time", a godsend for a country desperately in need of leadership after being led to the brink of disaster. Churchill was such a leader, and Britain desperately needed him in 1939 as Hitler's armies blitzed into Poland while Chamberlain stood by powerless to stop him.This abridged memoir of the conflict by Churchill, one of the most dynamic personalities of the last century, is a fascinating profile of leadership, offering a unique glimpse into the problems faced by the Allies as the war destroyed the shaky peace of Versailles. Here is Churchill in all his bravado, bemoaning Britain's woefull lack of preparation, and discussing in shocking detail the problems faced by the Allies as Britain joined the conflict and tried without success to keep the Nazis out of France. You are there as Churchill finds out, to his amazement, that the French have no reserves after the Maginot Line is pierced and the Germans head, unopposed, toward Paris. You understand the tremendous burden faced by Britain as Churchill explains the efficiency of the german war machine, churning out tanks and u-boats on a daily basis at the outbreak of the war while pacifist Britain's military industry had literally ground to a halt. This is not a battle by battle narrative of every major conflict, and the Pacific theater is in particular given short attention as Britain played a relatively minor role there. Readers interested in the specifics of troop movements, maps, etc. should look elsewhere. However Churchill provides fascinating glimpses into the leaders of the Allied powers, recounting Stalin's relentless demand that Britain and the U.S. open a second front to divert attention away from Hitler's armies. And every American's heart will swell as Churchill expresses the pride and confidence he felt as the Americans entered the war: "Hitler's fate was sealed. Mussolini's fate was sealed. As for the Japanese, they would be ground to powder. All the rest was merely the proper application of overwhelming force." Churchill's words here, and the exerpts of his speeches to Parliament, are as stirring now as they were 58 years ago when he pumped courage into the British as they endured countless bombing raids. The book has its lapses. It seems like Churchill at times seems a little too interested in presenting his arguments for or against certain operations, (and of course as the author he is usually right), and the abridgement here seems to devote more attention to relatively minor battles like Tobruk than to the Normandy invasion and the liberation of France. However any history buff will want to consider this book required reading for a fuller understanding of WWII.
Rating:
Summary: A Unique Perspective of WWII
Review: Oftentimes in recorded history a leader emerges as literally the "right man at the right time", a godsend for a country desperately in need of leadership after being led to the brink of disaster. Churchill was such a leader, and Britain desperately needed him in 1939 as Hitler's armies blitzed into Poland while Chamberlain stood by powerless to stop him. This abridged memoir of the conflict by Churchill, one of the most dynamic personalities of the last century, is a fascinating profile of leadership, offering a unique glimpse into the problems faced by the Allies as the war destroyed the shaky peace of Versailles. Here is Churchill in all his bravado, bemoaning Britain's woefull lack of preparation, and discussing in shocking detail the problems faced by the Allies as Britain joined the conflict and tried without success to keep the Nazis out of France. You are there as Churchill finds out, to his amazement, that the French have no reserves after the Maginot Line is pierced and the Germans head, unopposed, toward Paris. You understand the tremendous burden faced by Britain as Churchill explains the efficiency of the german war machine, churning out tanks and u-boats on a daily basis at the outbreak of the war while pacifist Britain's military industry had literally ground to a halt. This is not a battle by battle narrative of every major conflict, and the Pacific theater is in particular given short attention as Britain played a relatively minor role there. Readers interested in the specifics of troop movements, maps, etc. should look elsewhere. However Churchill provides fascinating glimpses into the leaders of the Allied powers, recounting Stalin's relentless demand that Britain and the U.S. open a second front to divert attention away from Hitler's armies. And every American's heart will swell as Churchill expresses the pride and confidence he felt as the Americans entered the war: "Hitler's fate was sealed. Mussolini's fate was sealed. As for the Japanese, they would be ground to powder. All the rest was merely the proper application of overwhelming force." Churchill's words here, and the exerpts of his speeches to Parliament, are as stirring now as they were 58 years ago when he pumped courage into the British as they endured countless bombing raids. The book has its lapses. It seems like Churchill at times seems a little too interested in presenting his arguments for or against certain operations, (and of course as the author he is usually right), and the abridgement here seems to devote more attention to relatively minor battles like Tobruk than to the Normandy invasion and the liberation of France. However any history buff will want to consider this book required reading for a fuller understanding of WWII.
Rating: 
Summary: TOO MUCH DETAIL OMITTED
Review: Readers seeking an objective, bullet-by-bullet history of the Second World War will find Churchill's seminal work wanting. For in his six-volume masterwork, nicely abridged here for the more faint of heart, Mr Churchill recounts the major political and military currents of the war from the perspective of this century's most unabashed imperialist, one often at odds with allies and opponents alike. The author is not at all reticent about emphasizing his central role in the conduct of the war, even as the rising tide of American power came to dominate the Atlantic alliance.
But no matter. Using copies of his official wartime correspondence and papers as the skeleton of the work, Mr. Churchill fleshes out the carcass with an insider's account of events and personalities, tying the whole opus together into a seamless chronology of the conflict that ended forever American isolationism and European colonialism.
Highly recommended for anyone wanting to know more about the Second World War or about one of the most fascinating statesmen of this or any century.
Rating:
Summary: Must Reading For World War Two Buffs
Review: Winston Churchill's 'Memoirs of the Second World War,' is one of the most illuminating works on the subject ever written. Churchill tells the story of the war from the massive rearmament of Germany in the thirties to the final victory over the forces of fascism. As a general history of the war it is understandably one-sided, but as a wartime memoir it succeeds on many levels. The feelings of the British Prime Minister on the strategies, soldiers, enemies, and allies of the war are brought to the foreground with an amazing command of language. Churchill justifies many of the more controversial decsions of the war including his stand on British rearmament before the war, the terror bombing of German cities, the 'unconditional surrender' policy of the allies, and the use of the Atomic bomb. This is a finely crafted work that is a tribute to a man who could make history as well as write it.
Rating:
Summary: Must Reading For World War Two Buffs
Review: Winston Churchill's 'Memoirs of the Second World War,' is one of the most illuminating works on the subject ever written. Churchill tells the story of the war from the massive rearmament of Germany in the thirties to the final victory over the forces of fascism. As a general history of the war it is understandably one-sided, but as a wartime memoir it succeeds on many levels. The feelings of the British Prime Minister on the strategies, soldiers, enemies, and allies of the war are brought to the foreground with an amazing command of language. Churchill justifies many of the more controversial decsions of the war including his stand on British rearmament before the war, the terror bombing of German cities, the 'unconditional surrender' policy of the allies, and the use of the Atomic bomb. This is a finely crafted work that is a tribute to a man who could make history as well as write it.
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