Visions of Victory: The Hopes of Eight World War II Leaders

by Gerhard L. Weinberg

Visions of Victory explores the views of eight war leaders of the major powers of World War II - Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Chiang Kai-shek, Stalin, Churchill, de Gaulle, and Roosevelt - and compares their visions of the future assuming their side had emerged victorious. While the leaders primarily focused their attention on the strategy for fighting and winning the war, these very decisions were often shaped by their aspirations and hopes for the future. Weinberg assesses how subsequent events were impacted by these decisions and examines how these visions for the future changed and evolved throughout the war.

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

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 2005

About the author

Gerhard Ludwig Weinberg is a German-born American diplomatic and military historian noted for his studies in the history of World War II. Weinberg currently is the William Rand Kenan, Jr. Professor Emeritus of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has been a member of the history faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill since 1974

Reviews

[Mathieu Gaudreault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interested view of the war aims of the majors powers in WW2. Some were realistic like Chiag Kan Check who just wanted to stay in power. Other were a racist dystopia like Hitler and other were laufghable like Mussolini Mare Nostrun(wanted to tranform the Mediterean sea in an Italian Lake). There a chapter for each of the WW2 main participants from all the Allies and the Axis.

[Jim Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work may be considered a coda to Weinberg's massive survey history of World WarII, A World at Arms. As always Weinberg writes with an engaging voice. His copious references, which are useful for the student of the subject and lay reader alike, are kept at the end of the work.
Subjects referred to that the general reader might be unfamiliar with include the dispute between de Gaull and Truman over territorial gains for France at the expense of Germany and Italy; the goal of Mussolini, who many people associate with ineffectual buffoonery, to create a vast and brutal colonial empire in the Mediterranean basin and Africa; and Tojo's rather unfocused goals for Japan and its post-war empire. Weinberg present the case that while Stalin was the most successful in achieving his immediate goals it was Roosevelt who actually grasped the evolving geopolitical environment and by pushing for decolonization and the establishment of multinational institutions such as the UN has had the most long term impact on world history.
This is a good introduction to Weinberg's works.

[Neil Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

WW2 was such a massive and all-consuming enterprise that it is easy to forget that there in fact were flesh and blood leaders of all participating nations with post-WW2 dreams and aspirations for their countries and for the world, beyond just being victorious. Weinberg walks us through the aspirations and outcomes for the 8 most important participants (Germany, Italy, Britain, Russia, France, Japan, China and the US.) Their leaders' aspirations range from outrageous and horrifying (Germany/Hitler) to laughable (Italy/Mussolini.) This is a great read with tons of details that I was completely unaware of prior to reading the book. There are sections that were too historically/geographically complicated to follow (most of the Russia/Stalin stuff) but generally this is an easy and engrossing read. Spoiler alert. Weinberg is a big fan of Roosevelt and gives him a lot of credit for helping to win the war and for having the greatest awareness of the lingering forces at work and preparing the US and the rest of the world for a post WW2 world. Highly recommended.

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book presents a unique perspective on WWII - I've never previously seen an examination of what the major leaders thought and hoped would result from their efforts, if successful.

The most space is given to Hitler, and it is frightening to see the extent of his vision. As the book points out, the man was a true idealogue, not just another opportunist pursuing power. On a micro level, I also found it chilling how he had plans to relocate the Trafalgar Square lions (which guard Nelson's column) to his victory square in Berlin (to be renamed Germania) to commemorate his triumph over Britain.

Mussolini comes across as the most ridiculous and pathetic of them all, with few clear goals other than trying to maintain his self-image as the first-in-power and therefore most venerable of the fascist leaders of the time.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally, this is an easily read book and is worth the time. Many of his claims were new to me and definitely interesting; I am a little cautious though, since some seem dubious given my previous readings. Still, he is regarded as a leading scholar in the field and he has extensive footnotes to primary sources.

[Sophie Nye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for my political science seminar. Definitely liked it more than some of the other books that we have had to read. Learned some new info on WW2 leaders.

[Homer H Blass]

The author, perhaps the outstanding living scholar on German policy and operations in World War 2,has put together a concise summary of the national objectives of each of the participating nations in World War 2. He does this with a biographical overview of each of the chief executives of the involved nations following them from the reasons they entered the war to looking at how their conduct of the war promoted the original policy options. I am using this as a text in my graduate history course in American diplomacy . The German War is better than the Pacific.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

well written, exceedingly well researched by respected scholar. Gerhard is always provocative, thoughtful, well argued. Valuable insights into the world views and hopes of the era's most powerful