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The World at War: The Landmark Oral History
The World at War is the definitive television work on the Second World War. It told the story of the war through the testimony of key participants—from civilians to ordinary soldiers, from statesmen to generals. First broadcast in 1973, the result was a unique and irreplaceable record since many of the eyewitnesses captured on film did not have long to live. The program’s producers committed hundreds of interview-hours to tape in its creation, but only a fraction of that recorded material made it to the final cut. For more than 30 years the interviews have never been allowed to be published—until now. The well-known names interviewed for the series include Albert Speer, Karl Wolff (Himmler’s adjutant), Traudl Junge (Hitler’s secretary), James Stewart (USAAF bomber pilot and Hollywood star), Anthony Eden, John Colville (Parliamentary Private Secretary to Winston Churchill), Averell Harriman (US Ambassador to Russia), and Arthur "Bomber" Harris (Head of RAF Bomber Command). Richard Holmes has skillfully woven this valuable original material into a compelling narrative, creating a truly phenomenal oral history of the Second World War.
672 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2007
13 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Richard Holmes
116 books95 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
See this thread for more information.
Edward Richard Holmes was Professor of Military and Security Studies at Cranfield University and the Royal Military College of Science. He was educated at Cambridge, Northern Illinois, and Reading Universities, and carried out his doctoral research on the French army of the Second Empire. For many years he taught military history at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
A celebrated military historian, Holmes is the author of the best-selling and widely acclaimed Tommy and Redcoat: The British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket. His dozen other books include Dusty Warriors, Sahib, The Western Front, The Little Field Marshal: Sir John French, The Road to Sedan, Firing Line, The Second World War in Photographs and Fatal Avenue: A Traveller’s History of Northern France and Flanders (also published by Pimlico).
He was general editor of The Oxford Companion to Military History and has presented eight BBC TV series, including ‘War Walks’, ‘The Western Front’ and ‘Battlefields’, and is famous for his hugely successful series ‘Wellington: The Iron Duke’ and ‘Rebels and Redcoats’.
See this thread for more information.
Edward Richard Holmes was Professor of Military and Security Studies at Cranfield University and the Royal Military College of Science. He was educated at Cambridge, Northern Illinois, and Reading Universities, and carried out his doctoral research on the French army of the Second Empire. For many years he taught military history at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
A celebrated military historian, Holmes is the author of the best-selling and widely acclaimed Tommy and Redcoat: The British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket. His dozen other books include Dusty Warriors, Sahib, The Western Front, The Little Field Marshal: Sir John French, The Road to Sedan, Firing Line, The Second World War in Photographs and Fatal Avenue: A Traveller’s History of Northern France and Flanders (also published by Pimlico).
He was general editor of The Oxford Companion to Military History and has presented eight BBC TV series, including ‘War Walks’, ‘The Western Front’ and ‘Battlefields’, and is famous for his hugely successful series ‘Wellington: The Iron Duke’ and ‘Rebels and Redcoats’.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 20, 2014
-Testimonios personales dentro del gran conflicto.-
Género. Historia.
Lo que nos cuenta. Revisión de la Segunda Guerra Mundial desde ópticas singulares y aisladas realizada a partir de cientos horas de entrevistas personales grabadas para la exitosa serie de televisión “El mundo en guerra” pero que nunca habían visto finalmente la luz.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Historia.
Lo que nos cuenta. Revisión de la Segunda Guerra Mundial desde ópticas singulares y aisladas realizada a partir de cientos horas de entrevistas personales grabadas para la exitosa serie de televisión “El mundo en guerra” pero que nunca habían visto finalmente la luz.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
July 2, 2017
When Sir Jeremy Isaacs made the documentary series "World at War", the world wasn't terribly interested in old men harping on about their experiences in World War Two. A quarter of a century had gone by and the United States' involvement in Vietnam had made war a non-subject.
It is, therefore, so special that such a series was made. The general outline was well planned and the editorial discipline with regards ensuring footage used was truly genuine made sure it would stand the test of time.
The greatest asset Isaacs had was that his film was made at a time when some of the key decision makers were available to interview. Karl Wolff, Traudl Junge, Mark Clark, Lord Mountbatten, General Antonov and Ira Eaker to name just a few.
This book is a transcript of those interviews, some of which remained on the cutting room floor. The unheard interviews give a greater idea of the political side of the conflict. The editing and chapter introductions are by the late, great Richard Holmes, who gives a modern (2007) perspective to the subjects and interviewees themselves. For instance, the fact that we now have proof that Alger Hiss was a Soviet spy and that Goronwy Rees also briefly worked for the Soviets.
For those that enjoy WW2 history, the series is a must have, and this book is an added bonus.
It is, therefore, so special that such a series was made. The general outline was well planned and the editorial discipline with regards ensuring footage used was truly genuine made sure it would stand the test of time.
The greatest asset Isaacs had was that his film was made at a time when some of the key decision makers were available to interview. Karl Wolff, Traudl Junge, Mark Clark, Lord Mountbatten, General Antonov and Ira Eaker to name just a few.
This book is a transcript of those interviews, some of which remained on the cutting room floor. The unheard interviews give a greater idea of the political side of the conflict. The editing and chapter introductions are by the late, great Richard Holmes, who gives a modern (2007) perspective to the subjects and interviewees themselves. For instance, the fact that we now have proof that Alger Hiss was a Soviet spy and that Goronwy Rees also briefly worked for the Soviets.
For those that enjoy WW2 history, the series is a must have, and this book is an added bonus.
March 12, 2013
I very much enjoyed the television series "World At War" and also "War Walks" presented by Richard Holmes, so bought the book without looking too closely at the discription, expecting a well written companion to the series. It turned out to be much more.
The chapters do not follow precisely with the episodes of the television series, but the overall structure is the same. Also the naration of Sir Laurence Olivier is not included.
Each chapter starts with a short introduction by Richard Holmes setting the scene and explaining the background, and sometimes consequences, of the events being discussed. The remainder of the chapter is wholely transcripts of interviews, some of which were included in the television shows, but many more that were ommitted, assembled to tell the story without any further comment.
Not only does this add substantially to, and compliment the television series, there are some very helpful cooments from Richard Holmes which throw a new light on some of the events covered.
I read this book on it's own and very much enjoyed it. At some time in the future I will read it again, this time watching the television shows simultaneously.
The chapters do not follow precisely with the episodes of the television series, but the overall structure is the same. Also the naration of Sir Laurence Olivier is not included.
Each chapter starts with a short introduction by Richard Holmes setting the scene and explaining the background, and sometimes consequences, of the events being discussed. The remainder of the chapter is wholely transcripts of interviews, some of which were included in the television shows, but many more that were ommitted, assembled to tell the story without any further comment.
Not only does this add substantially to, and compliment the television series, there are some very helpful cooments from Richard Holmes which throw a new light on some of the events covered.
I read this book on it's own and very much enjoyed it. At some time in the future I will read it again, this time watching the television shows simultaneously.
September 28, 2025
Excellent as was the Series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2015
I’ve watched the ‘World at War’ tv series several times, and read the book accompanying the series written by Mark Arnold-Forster, so I was intrigued by this book. The book draws on the numerous interviews made for the series, and points out that not only were there many more interviews than were used in the series, but also that they were donated to the IWM as they represented historic documents in their own right. I was really impressed by the interviews in the series, so a lengthy book of the interviews, including many of those not used in the series, was right up my street. It met my expectations. Richard Holmes does point out that some of the interviews contain inconsistencies, and I certainly spotted some, but by and large they are priceless. A few very good photographs are included, but really the book stands up on its text.
February 20, 2012
It's a wonderfully insightful companion to the classic tv series bringing home the barbarousness of the war. Perhaps it would be an advantage to have some prior knowledge of the political and social arena as well as the types of warfare in operation. The interviewees tend to go into a significant amount of technical details at times.
September 11, 2010
Good read but only for total WWII officianados. Loved the original BBC series. This can get quite tedious.
October 9, 2012
Este libro lo tengo en su edición en español.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews