Total War: Causes and Courses of The Second World War

by Peter Calvocoressi, Guy Wint, R. John Pritchard

Offers a detailed study of the sources of war in Europe and Asia, the impact of Nazism and the events that shaped the course of World War II in Europe and the Pacific

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, War, Military History, Military Fiction, American History

1315 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Mark Singer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have to read only one comprehensive history of the Second World War, this is it! The book is divided into two separate parts; the first is on the war in Europe and the second on the war in Asia.
I enjoyed the full book, especially the second half as it put the Pacific War into perspective as a continuation of the Japan-China conflict which started in the late 19th century. Let's put it this way: there are 300 pages on the Sino-Japanese conflict before the attack on Pearl Harbor!
Currently in print as "The Penguin History of the Second World War".

[Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The division into two parts, each with different authors, covering the European/Atlantic and Far Eastern/Pacific wars works well I think. It allows for different perspectives within the one volume and for a high level of expertise to be maintained over a very wide field - too wide for a single author.

I'm about half way through the Japanese section at the moment and its helpful to see how separate the origins and development of the Pacific war were. In retrospect it seems to be only the equal involvement of the United States in both theatres that makes us think of it as a single World War. Guy Wint, the author of the second part, leans a little deliberately to the Japanese viewpoint sometimes and I felt the deep darkness of pre-1945 Japan's behaviour at places like Nanking and Manila didn't come through clearly enough.

[Christopher Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece of nonfiction. Erudite, but enormously readable, with a high quality of writing from start to finish. It never dragged at all across its enormous 1300 pages, and often had the feel of a particularly literary thriller.

[Peter Goggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and utterly comprehensive account of the Second World War, usefully divided into two separate accountings - war in Europe, and war in the pacific. This particular structure helped to reduce some of the opacity other authors fall into when they attempt to switch back and forth between theaters chronologically.

Entire individual chapters were devoted to areas of the conflict that are generally overlooked elsewhere - the war and politics in India and Burma for example. Many details were included on the German economic extraction in Europe and Japanese politics at the time.

The book does not simply recite the chronology of battles and events - entire campaigns are often just stated to have occurred with simple markers of losses etc - but instead does a fantastic job of explaining the consequences of, and reasoning for, these events.

The author did neglect to describe much of the effects of the allied bombing campaign in redirecting resources from the eastern front, and totally neglects the American submarine blockade of Japan, serious oversights that should have had at least a chapter section dedicated to each, especially the former. This can likely be attributed to the fact that this is an older book and does not benefit from some recent scholarship on the topic after the USSR fell.

Eminently readable, even for such a huge book.

[bkwurm · Rating 2 out of 5]

While clearly well researched, the book suffers from its organization into discrete topics. While this is probably very useful for someone who wishes to find out more about a specific topic like, say, the Resistance to Nazi occupation, and can just read the chapter devoted to that topic, it makes it hard to read the book as a book as there is no coherent timeline. Each chapter starts at its own beginning and ends with the conclusion of the war or that particular topic so that with every new chapter, your timeline gets reset and events already discussed are repeated from the viewpoint of the new chapter’s topic. Also, the bulk of the book concerns the political, economic and societal effects of the war and the war itself features only as a backdrop.

Not easy reading but an excellent resource.

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every world citizen should read this book. It will tell you the whole story of WWII in reasonable detail, and also indirectly tell you how to help the world avoid war! That last point is the important one!

[David Alonso vargas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uno de los libros más minuciosos y más rigurosos sobre la Segunda Guerra Mundial que he leído. Para mi ya es un clásico sin el que no se puede pasar para conocer a fondo la contienda.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the most thorough book on the Second World War I have ever read. An excellent source for readers who want both an overview of the event and many details about the war. It explains how and why it began, how it ended, and everything in between.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The background/lead up to WWII is extensively covered with its many facets interwoven in a thorough and readable manner.

[Khairul Hezry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chronicles WWII in one massive tome and not just the European side of the war which is what most WWII books cover but the the Pacific theater as well. Is this book a suitable start for someone who wants to learn about the war? Probably not. Because it had to cover the entirety of the war, the book doesn't go too much into details. This is more suitable for someone who already knows the general history of the conflict but needs a refresher course.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published under the title 'Total War', this book is a 1000 page plus, thoroughly exhaustive account of WWII. While going into great detail, it reads more like a text book than a non-fiction text and lacks the 'human' element. Personally, I prefer the works of writers such as Stephen E. Ambrose and Antony Beevor, who write more from the soldiers perspective. Recommended for diehards only.

[Peter Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful single volume summary, although inevitably this means the treatment is very brief in places. I enjoyed the European section more than the Asian - and I suspect that a geographical division rather than thematic or chronological may have been a mistake. Still, an enjoyable read.

[David Alonso vargas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una obra magnifica que te analiza de forma pormenorizada los entresijos políticos y las operaciones del mayor conflicto de la historia. Altamente recomendable

[Yarahashimoto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complete and accurate documentary of the causes and progression of the world's most deadly conflict. Probably the best single volume account of WWII

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for the faint hearted.