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World War Two: A Short History
After the unprecedented destruction of the Great War, the world longed for a lasting peace. The victors, however, valued vengeance even more than stability and demanded a massive indemnity from Germany in order to keep it from rearming. The results, as eminent historian Norman Stone describes in this authoritative history, were disastrous.
In World War Two , Stone provides a remarkably concise account of the deadliest war of human history, showing how the conflict roared to life from the ashes of World War One. Adolf Hitler rode a tide of popular desperation and resentment to power in Germany, promptly making good on his promise to return the nation to its former economic and military strength. He bullied Europe into giving him his way, and in so doing backed the victors of the Great War into a corner. Following the invasion of Poland in 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany -- a decision that, Stone argues, was utterly irrational. Yet Hitler had driven the world mad, and the rekindling of European hostilities soon grew to a conflagration that spread across the globe, fanned by political and racial ideologies more poisonous -- and weaponry more destructive -- than the world had ever seen. With commanding expertise, Stone leads readers through the escalation, climax, and mournful denouement of this sprawling conflict.
World War Two is an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the twentieth century and its defining struggle.
In World War Two , Stone provides a remarkably concise account of the deadliest war of human history, showing how the conflict roared to life from the ashes of World War One. Adolf Hitler rode a tide of popular desperation and resentment to power in Germany, promptly making good on his promise to return the nation to its former economic and military strength. He bullied Europe into giving him his way, and in so doing backed the victors of the Great War into a corner. Following the invasion of Poland in 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany -- a decision that, Stone argues, was utterly irrational. Yet Hitler had driven the world mad, and the rekindling of European hostilities soon grew to a conflagration that spread across the globe, fanned by political and racial ideologies more poisonous -- and weaponry more destructive -- than the world had ever seen. With commanding expertise, Stone leads readers through the escalation, climax, and mournful denouement of this sprawling conflict.
World War Two is an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the twentieth century and its defining struggle.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2013
65 people are currently reading
982 people want to read
About the author
Norman Stone
55 books52 followersNorman Stone was a Scottish historian and author, who was a Professor in the Department of International Relations at Bilkent University, Ankara. He is a former Professor at the University of Oxford, Lecturer at the University of Cambridge, and adviser to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
July 28, 2013
World War Two: A Short History calls for a short review.
If you don't know world geography both before 1938 and after 1945, save yourself time and print out world maps to refer to in order to save time.
Some interesting information I had never read before
U. S. General Mark W. Clark "...decided his name should be in lights as the take of Rome, and he even arrested British officers who broke his ban on their also entering the city.
Jews remaining who had not been "pushed out" of western Europe and considered a "bad influence" faced "endless humiliations both petty and major, such as the prohibition if birdseed for pet birds or on parcels from abroad, but they could not exactly be murdered." Then, that is.
Churchill "...warned the world that if the Nazis won, there would be a great darkness of perverted science." "Orwell (George) made the same point when he said that the Hilterian vision of the future was just of 250,000,000 blond people reproducing themselves.
All in all, a great overall history of how every country in the world was affected by this "perfect storm" of a war; some, of course, more than others but the world afterward was a different place with major shifts in power.
Just know your world geography well, since it included only three maps and at least ten would have helped to make this an "afternoon read" as one reviewer stated.
If you don't know world geography both before 1938 and after 1945, save yourself time and print out world maps to refer to in order to save time.
Some interesting information I had never read before
U. S. General Mark W. Clark "...decided his name should be in lights as the take of Rome, and he even arrested British officers who broke his ban on their also entering the city.
Jews remaining who had not been "pushed out" of western Europe and considered a "bad influence" faced "endless humiliations both petty and major, such as the prohibition if birdseed for pet birds or on parcels from abroad, but they could not exactly be murdered." Then, that is.
Churchill "...warned the world that if the Nazis won, there would be a great darkness of perverted science." "Orwell (George) made the same point when he said that the Hilterian vision of the future was just of 250,000,000 blond people reproducing themselves.
All in all, a great overall history of how every country in the world was affected by this "perfect storm" of a war; some, of course, more than others but the world afterward was a different place with major shifts in power.
Just know your world geography well, since it included only three maps and at least ten would have helped to make this an "afternoon read" as one reviewer stated.
April 28, 2021
A pretty good overview of WWII & it's outgrowth from WWI. I found it necessary to look at some maps since my memory for the geography isn't as good as it could be. Vox has a good set here:
https://www.vox.com/2014/11/13/714885...
This is short & written by a Scottish historian, so I found his take somewhat refreshing. He didn't seem inclined toward the US or British the way so many are. An annoyance from books on WWI was not enough information on communications & that was pretty much ignored here. They were fairly modern by this point so far flung units could keep in touch with HQ. Still, there were a lot of issues, but I guess that was beyond the scope of this book. I'll be listening to a lecture on this war shortly, so that should pick up the slack.
It was really interesting for the comparisons with WWI. Definitely a good way to get an introduction.
https://www.vox.com/2014/11/13/714885...
This is short & written by a Scottish historian, so I found his take somewhat refreshing. He didn't seem inclined toward the US or British the way so many are. An annoyance from books on WWI was not enough information on communications & that was pretty much ignored here. They were fairly modern by this point so far flung units could keep in touch with HQ. Still, there were a lot of issues, but I guess that was beyond the scope of this book. I'll be listening to a lecture on this war shortly, so that should pick up the slack.
It was really interesting for the comparisons with WWI. Definitely a good way to get an introduction.
April 29, 2013
If you want a short, easy to read summary of World War II, this is a good book to start with. About 150 pages of text and you feel like you are reading a Reader's Digest condensed version but it moves so fast that you get a good picture of the world wide extent of the war. This is because the different theaters of conflict are covered in relatively short chapters and with broader coverage than is often the case with accounts of the war. The extent of the war and the preludes to the war (basically sort of finishing WWI) are fascinating to see in brief yet informative accounts. One's (old) memory is not held to such demands when you have read about the different phases just a few days or minutes earlier. Personal quirks of generals, presidents, prime ministers are connected to the various activities in a way that I had not read before. The interconnection of the Soviets, Germany, Italy, our allies are discussed fairly thoroughly, at least as far as I can tell. Reading this book a time or two more would probably do more for my understanding of the war than reading other, longer books.
January 17, 2013
Normna Stone has written a fine "short history" of World War Two. He covers the strategic decisions that influenced when, where, why and how the Allies made decisions to defeat the Axis. A fine short survey, Stone's book is enjoyable, well written and provides the reader with a clear understanding of causes, effects and outcomes that still are being felt today in our relations and global environment.
October 11, 2020
¿Vale la pena, me pregunto, insistir en la lectura de determinado tema, sobre el que se tienen varios volúmenes leídos? Por supuesto que sí, más aún si se trata de tu tema preferido.
Cada autor ofrece una nueva perspectiva, un enfoque que lo diferencia de otros y en el caso de Norman Stone, un estilo narrativo que presenta los hechos con tal claridad, que estimula la curiosidad y el interés del lector.
Asimismo, Stone incorpora aspectos que no es común encontrar en otros autores. Un claro ejemplo son, las constantes referencias que realiza respecto al desciframiento de códigos secretos. La “captura” y posterior desciframiento de la “Maquina Enigma” y de otros sistemas de códigos, permitieron a los aliados adelantarse al accionar de las potencias del eje y cambiar así, el curso de la guerra.
El volumen se complementa con varios mapas, una extensa bibliografía y un exhaustivo índice analítico, y como decía, esta “Breve Historia” no solo está claramente indicada para neófitos del tema, sino que es un gran aporte para aquellos que poseen ya, ciertos conocimientos.
Cada autor ofrece una nueva perspectiva, un enfoque que lo diferencia de otros y en el caso de Norman Stone, un estilo narrativo que presenta los hechos con tal claridad, que estimula la curiosidad y el interés del lector.
Asimismo, Stone incorpora aspectos que no es común encontrar en otros autores. Un claro ejemplo son, las constantes referencias que realiza respecto al desciframiento de códigos secretos. La “captura” y posterior desciframiento de la “Maquina Enigma” y de otros sistemas de códigos, permitieron a los aliados adelantarse al accionar de las potencias del eje y cambiar así, el curso de la guerra.
El volumen se complementa con varios mapas, una extensa bibliografía y un exhaustivo índice analítico, y como decía, esta “Breve Historia” no solo está claramente indicada para neófitos del tema, sino que es un gran aporte para aquellos que poseen ya, ciertos conocimientos.
Read
April 5, 2018it was good
March 31, 2019
This was a really good comprehensive introduction to WWII, as advertised. It gave a broad overview of the main events and players as well as a brief commentary of the causes and effects of the war in a well-articulated way and made for a really nice read. I would have liked a bit more detail on the Pacific board but I suppose that it wasn't really relevant from a British point of view. I would thoroughly recommend this book if you're interested in WWII and don't really know where to begin. Just one piece of advice, though: search for some really good maps of the Western and Eastern front to accompany your reading.
November 7, 2020
Buen recordatorio.
Y además reconocí momentos históricos que muchas veces se toman superficialmente
Y además reconocí momentos históricos que muchas veces se toman superficialmente
March 19, 2023
Encontré gran parte de lo que estaba buscando. No es un libro que lleve consigo una gran narrativa, pero me proporcionó información que quería tener.
June 14, 2021
Scatterbrained, unexplained, disorganized, and poorly written.
January 25, 2023
This book is a brilliant historical novel covering all the important events which occurred during World War II, in a concise 200 pages. Norman Stone takes the reader through Hitler's rise to power, the Nazi's overwhelming takeover, and British resistance. Even though this novel is very condensed, Norman was still able to present events of significance thoroughly, in a way very easy to understand, without leaving out many details at all, which is quite a feat. With short chapters and the fast-paced theme of this book, I found it was quite a page-turner. The book touches on world leaders/generals' personalities and quirks which allows a newfound understanding of certain rulers. In addition, despite Norman's Scottish background, he offers a perspective of life outside the Western countries.
If I were to use an adjective to describe this book, I would say that it was captivating. The book was undeniably thrilling and had me transfixed to the pages. The fast-moving pace, as well as the immense amount of information shown, held my attention till the very end of the book. I would also describe the book as staggering, given the composition of the novel. Because the book is only 200 pages long and attempts to capture the significant events that took place over 6 years, I found myself overwhelmed with information, and I would have to take brief breaks from reading.
I learned so many new things from this novel, specifically very interesting facts and moments of history that I had never heard of before. For example, Stone mentions how when the British cracked Enigma but kept it a secret, Hitler was so troubled by the leaking of classified information, he refused to talk to anybody for days, and ate alone with his valet. I also learned more about the United State's entry into the war, and how it was relatively involuntary, contrary to what I believed before reading this book.
I loved how Norman Stone pointed out where the leaders/generals made errors and the results of said errors, as it's fascinating to think about what may have happened, had the circumstances been different. For example, when Hitler devised his Schlieffen Plan, an officer was carrying the plan when his plane crashed and landed in Belgium, where the Belgians recovered the plan and handed it over to the Allies. One thing I didn't like about this book, as stated by other reviews, was the lack of geographical context within the writing. I found it difficult to follow some parts due to this reason. One other grievance I have with Norman Stone lies within this quote from his book. "Hitler expected to shut down the entire Soviet show," writes Stone, "and gave orders for all commissars and Jews to be executed on sight." The Guardian, a popular news publication writes "There was no order to execute all Jews on sight, though Jews were indeed killed in large numbers. There is a vast and sophisticated literature on just this topic which Stone might well be advised to consider."
I believe that this book, as well as any other content regarding WWII, is further proof that when greedy leaders are given power, devastation occurs, as we are seeing right now, in Ukraine.
This book is perfect for anybody looking to further their knowledge on WWII without wanting to read complex, long books, as it offers a concise, easy-to-follow, informative piece, which is all you need to gain a comprehensive understanding of our history.
If I were to use an adjective to describe this book, I would say that it was captivating. The book was undeniably thrilling and had me transfixed to the pages. The fast-moving pace, as well as the immense amount of information shown, held my attention till the very end of the book. I would also describe the book as staggering, given the composition of the novel. Because the book is only 200 pages long and attempts to capture the significant events that took place over 6 years, I found myself overwhelmed with information, and I would have to take brief breaks from reading.
I learned so many new things from this novel, specifically very interesting facts and moments of history that I had never heard of before. For example, Stone mentions how when the British cracked Enigma but kept it a secret, Hitler was so troubled by the leaking of classified information, he refused to talk to anybody for days, and ate alone with his valet. I also learned more about the United State's entry into the war, and how it was relatively involuntary, contrary to what I believed before reading this book.
I loved how Norman Stone pointed out where the leaders/generals made errors and the results of said errors, as it's fascinating to think about what may have happened, had the circumstances been different. For example, when Hitler devised his Schlieffen Plan, an officer was carrying the plan when his plane crashed and landed in Belgium, where the Belgians recovered the plan and handed it over to the Allies. One thing I didn't like about this book, as stated by other reviews, was the lack of geographical context within the writing. I found it difficult to follow some parts due to this reason. One other grievance I have with Norman Stone lies within this quote from his book. "Hitler expected to shut down the entire Soviet show," writes Stone, "and gave orders for all commissars and Jews to be executed on sight." The Guardian, a popular news publication writes "There was no order to execute all Jews on sight, though Jews were indeed killed in large numbers. There is a vast and sophisticated literature on just this topic which Stone might well be advised to consider."
I believe that this book, as well as any other content regarding WWII, is further proof that when greedy leaders are given power, devastation occurs, as we are seeing right now, in Ukraine.
This book is perfect for anybody looking to further their knowledge on WWII without wanting to read complex, long books, as it offers a concise, easy-to-follow, informative piece, which is all you need to gain a comprehensive understanding of our history.
July 2, 2023
A readable short history. Sometimes unclear what nation Norman is talking about, when he quickly switches between countries but uses relative references to talk about equipment losses and such like. A good handle on eastern European geography, or willingness to spend a lot of time on Google Maps, is required.
Several claims presented as uncontroversial fact are in fact controversial and unlikely or otherwise uncorroborated, such as British involvement in the 'Lucy' spy ring, Stalin's involvement in calling off Communist groups in France and Italy, and German PoWs defecating themselves during the 'parade of the vanquished' in Moscow.
Overall, given Norman Stone's track record in Armenian genocide denial, I'm inclined to assume there are more inaccuracies in this book than I became aware of while attempting to find sources for certain claims. Norman even has a strange and opinionated obsession with the British RAF bombing campaign, going so far as to state, inexplicably, that it actually caused German surrender to be prolonged. The style however is pleasing for a high-level first pass of the subject, and I might seek out the same author's short history on the Great War.
Several claims presented as uncontroversial fact are in fact controversial and unlikely or otherwise uncorroborated, such as British involvement in the 'Lucy' spy ring, Stalin's involvement in calling off Communist groups in France and Italy, and German PoWs defecating themselves during the 'parade of the vanquished' in Moscow.
Overall, given Norman Stone's track record in Armenian genocide denial, I'm inclined to assume there are more inaccuracies in this book than I became aware of while attempting to find sources for certain claims. Norman even has a strange and opinionated obsession with the British RAF bombing campaign, going so far as to state, inexplicably, that it actually caused German surrender to be prolonged. The style however is pleasing for a high-level first pass of the subject, and I might seek out the same author's short history on the Great War.
September 24, 2017
I thought this book was a hell of an accomplishment, actually. It is exactly what it says it is, a short history of WWII, no easily achieved goal, I'm sure. It gives a wide overview of the war, the major players and touches on all of the theatres, which made me very happy. I studied the war in university and wanted to jar my memory and this was perfect. Now it doesn't go into detail about much, because it can't and remain a short history, so if you're looking for an in depth examination of anything, this is not the book for you. However, if you're like me and just want a refresher, it's perfect. There is also an excellent and well organized list of follow up resources at the end for anyone who wants to look into a particular subject further.
April 8, 2018
A short (just under 200 pages) overview of WW2. Very readable and informative, and given the scope it necessarily gallops along.
Although the book roughly tracks from 1939 to 1945, because each chapter covers a particular theatre, there's some back and forth on the timeline, and at times I found myself losing track of what year was being referred to, as often it just refers to months, so I'd have to back-track to re-align.
It would greatly benefit from mini-maps in most chapters, the chapter that includes Stalingrad was the least clear, and it would also be improved by brief synopses both in every chapter, and at the end of the book.
I learned a lot, and would definitely recommend it if you want to better understand how things played out, at the big picture level.
Although the book roughly tracks from 1939 to 1945, because each chapter covers a particular theatre, there's some back and forth on the timeline, and at times I found myself losing track of what year was being referred to, as often it just refers to months, so I'd have to back-track to re-align.
It would greatly benefit from mini-maps in most chapters, the chapter that includes Stalingrad was the least clear, and it would also be improved by brief synopses both in every chapter, and at the end of the book.
I learned a lot, and would definitely recommend it if you want to better understand how things played out, at the big picture level.
September 19, 2025
Am apreciat stilul eficient de a scrie al autorului, puține cuvinte care prezintă concis evenimentele și starea de spirit a perioadei sau a oamenilor săi marcanți.
Am conștientizat cât de puțin știam despre ce s-a întâmplat în afara spațiului european.
Despre acesta, inedite au fost episoadele din Franța și Italia în care comuniștii, bine văzuți în aceste țări, erau pregătiți și ar fi preluat puterea dacă Stalin ar fi zis "da" (el le-a spus un "nu" hotărât întrucât alta fusese înțelegerea lui cu, daca am reținut bine, britanicii și americanii cu ceva timp înainte).
O bibliografie bogată la finalul cărții.
De reluat, eventual cu hărțile în față.
Am conștientizat cât de puțin știam despre ce s-a întâmplat în afara spațiului european.
Despre acesta, inedite au fost episoadele din Franța și Italia în care comuniștii, bine văzuți în aceste țări, erau pregătiți și ar fi preluat puterea dacă Stalin ar fi zis "da" (el le-a spus un "nu" hotărât întrucât alta fusese înțelegerea lui cu, daca am reținut bine, britanicii și americanii cu ceva timp înainte).
O bibliografie bogată la finalul cărții.
De reluat, eventual cu hărțile în față.
June 6, 2022
I bought this book in order to get a not-too-dry or overwhelming overview of World War 2. Whilst I got that, I feel with hindsight perhaps more detail is needed to properly grasp the subject. At times the book felt rushed and sections which I thought would have more description, did not.
But that is what the book promises: a short history. It delivers on what it promises but I feel it could have given me more.
But that is what the book promises: a short history. It delivers on what it promises but I feel it could have given me more.
December 30, 2022
A solid overview of the major phases of the Second World War which rarely overlaps or jumps back and forth. That is no easy task.
The political and social aspects of the war seem to get lost a bit at times, but then again, something would have to give in a "short history." I always do wish for footnotes/endnotes in works such as this, but alas. Stone does include a decent but limited (only five pages!) synopsis of sources at the end.
The political and social aspects of the war seem to get lost a bit at times, but then again, something would have to give in a "short history." I always do wish for footnotes/endnotes in works such as this, but alas. Stone does include a decent but limited (only five pages!) synopsis of sources at the end.
January 4, 2019
After a trip to Berlin I decided to read / listen to this book through Audible and Kindle. I like to consider myself as reasonable knowledgeable about history - clearly I am not.
This book provides a useful reference point and statistical view of the war and an aide to discovery of those specific elements you may wish to drill into. Frightening that humans can do this to others.
This book provides a useful reference point and statistical view of the war and an aide to discovery of those specific elements you may wish to drill into. Frightening that humans can do this to others.
October 28, 2024
Contains a myth passed on as truth! It is fairly certain that the code breakers never deliberately sacrificed Allied lives to maintain secrecy, but instead would find another way they could have plausibly received the information, such as by sending a plane to scout the flagged area. The British failed to defend Crete because of complete misreading and misunderstanding of the situation.
June 5, 2017
I guess this is the last time I am reading any history book. I could not even finish it. I do not know why history books do not have maps illustrating the events they speak of! Watching documentary films is much more fun and easy to follow up than reading history books.
April 2, 2020
An engaging and light read about one of the infamous events in our history. But with 188 pages (not including the maps), don't expect detailed information.
Best to read this if you already have a good background or basic knowledge of the WW2 already.
Best to read this if you already have a good background or basic knowledge of the WW2 already.
June 3, 2020
This book is basic and covers the basic detail about World War Two. It does this well. It does not include the detail that some may look for in a longer history of the war. Despite this, Stone’s style is easily readable and it is a good addition to the topic.
May 9, 2023
This book has the same pitfalls as the Word War One did. Its scope is broad; its length is short. I enjoyed the parts that I already had some background information for. But there are several new names, battles, and places on every page, and it's impossible to keep track of them all.
September 22, 2024
Buen resumen de la 2da guerra mundial
Este libro es un buen resumen de la 2da guerra mundial. Ideal para quienes no somos expertos en el tema y necesitamos una visión panorámica del conflicto.
Este libro es un buen resumen de la 2da guerra mundial. Ideal para quienes no somos expertos en el tema y necesitamos una visión panorámica del conflicto.
February 2, 2018
Clear, concise and a perfect handbook should one have the interest of researching more...
April 2, 2018
A concise yet wide-reaching account of the Second World War.
October 25, 2019
This was a very interesting book because it explained a very big concept inside a book which has been really helpful to me because it explained many misunderstandings.
January 14, 2020
Information dense, provides a lot of background into the Eastern Front.
October 5, 2021
Excellent short account of WW2. It’s a good introduction to anyone wanting to know about this horrific part of 20th century world history.
December 5, 2022
Read this for school
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews