Europe of the Dictators, 1919-45

Fontana History of Europe

by Elizabeth Wiskemann

Unread but complete with no missing, loose or damaged pages. Original binding is tight and undamaged.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, European History

288 pages, Paperback

First published August 27, 1966

Reviews

[George Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best account of Europe's slide into and through war I've ever read. Wiskemann - an eye-witness to events in Central Europe both before and during the War - is able to sum up the geographic, economic, ethnic, military, political, and cultural hazards of the period in pungent generalizations that ring true. In particular, this makes it obvious that modern TV documentaries that only focus on the events that could be filmed exaggerate the importance of modern media in events and minimize the huge importance of the boring factors (fortunately no longer boring in Wiskemann's pithy words).
It seems that of all the circumstances leading to war in Europe in the 1930s, only the culture war hazards listed in the final chapter are still - highly - reminiscent of modern tensions. But there have been such huge shifts in their material underpinnings that the Nazi analogy is no longer helpful, if it ever was post-1945.

[Fadillah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty dry reading for me. Elizabeth Wiskemann did try her best to make it interesting. It does not have a textbook tone but reading about war, war and war doesnt get easier. From Hitler , Stalin, Churchill or Mussolini, its always the same thing. Propagating their own agenda on the expense of people lives. Thousands died just so they could satisfy whatever bullshit they think its good for their country. The book also covered yugoslavia, serbia and croatia and the journey to establish their own country during this period. War crimes and massacres ensued just for greed, ideology and misguided nationalism. I will not elaborate much about this book since i didnt enjoy reading it.

[Gareth Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this when I was doing my A Levels but never read it cover to cover until now - very many years later! A good overview of the period but inevitably lacking any input from more recent scholarship. readable, accessible, informative history of the period that takes a balanced view.

[Alec · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poor explanation of events

[Joostr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uit de bibliotheek van Maurice.
Een niet zo goed geschreven verzameling avant la lettre wikipedia-artikelen over de geschiedenis van Europa van 1918 tot 1945. Teleurstellend.