The Origins of the First and Second World Wars

by Frank McDonough, David Smith (Editor), Richard Brown (Editor)

An engaging range of period texts and theme books for AS and A Level history. This text analyses the origins of the First and Second World Wars in one single volume, drawing on a wide range of material, including original sources. In concise chapters, Frank McDonough surveys the key issues surrounding the causes of the First and Second World Wars, offers a critical survey of the conflict between historians and provides a lively selection of primary documents on major issues. The result is a unique perspective on the origins of the two most devastating military conflicts in world history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics

130 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 1997

About the author

Professor Frank McDonough is an internationally renowned expert on the Third Reich. He was born in Liverpool, studied history at Balliol College, Oxford and gained a PhD from Lancaster University.

He has written many critically acclaimed books on the Third Reich, including: The Gestapo: The Myth and Reality of Hitler’s Secret Police (2015). Hitler and the Rise of the Nazi Party (2012), Sophie Scholl: The Woman Who Defied Hitler (2009), The Holocaust (2008), Opposition and Resistance in Nazi Germany (2001), Hitler, Chamberlain and Appeasement (2002), and Hitler and Nazi Germany (1999). He has also published many other books, most notably, The Origins of the Second World War: An International Perspective (2011), The Conservative Party and Anglo-German Relations (2007), Chamberlain, Appeasement and the British Road to War (1998) and The Origins of the First and Second World Wars (1997).

Reviews

[Skylar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very concise but complete overview of the various factors leading up to global war. I'm not sure I would necessarily reccomend this as an introductory text, as sometimes I feel like the book assumed some knowledge of the events and key players it described, but it works well as a detailed summary of the major global factors that were at play between 1871 and 1945, and I definitely learned a lot. I also appreciated the chapters exploring the historical debate surrounding the origins of the two wars, which shows the different ways in which the events of the time can be interpreted and how this influences our views on what truly caused the wars. The excerpts from original sources from that time period were also an interesting addition!

[Mr. Twinkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a good introduction.

[Study Pony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am often very frustrated in my attempts to learn history because so many books make emphatic statements as if things are facts that are debated or simply unknown. This is by far my favorite history book! Instead of telling merely what he thinks happened, the author presents both sides of debated issues, presenting the historical documents themselves as evidence. This is not only an excellent history book, but it is also a great lesson on the topic of history itself. Being open about gaps in knowledge and proving the points he makes by presenting the evidence itself beautifully shows some of the challenges historians must face constantly while simultaneously breeding confidence in the facts because we read them ourselves as written by the men who were witnesses to the events.

Do not be deceived by the size of the book. The reading level is high. It is packed as full as can be. However, the organization is intuitive and easy to reference, which helps.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was invaluable to me when I was studying History for the IB Diploma. The essays are succinct and easy to follow. Most importantly, McDonough's work isn't as biased as many other sources on the market. I would recommend this introduction to the World Wars in the blink of an eye and would frankly be delighted to get my hands on a copy of my own.

[Lissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10

It was an interesting read. It was a very informative non-fiction novel.