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World War II: A Global History
Fully revised and restructured, the sixth edition of World War A Global History offers students a concise and yet thorough textbook that examines history's bloodiest conflict. The chapters alternate between chronological chapters on Europe and Asia-Pacific and thematic chapters on innovations, home fronts, brutal regimes, and logistics. This textbook includes the following A lively narrative of facts, events, people, and ideas that incorporates thoughtful analysis New material and restructured content on global factors that affected the causes, conduct, and consequences of World War II Balanced pace that does not bog readers down in too many details yet gives them sufficient depth and breadth for context Chapters, sections, and sidebars arranged in ways that can complement lectures and assignments Fifty new photographs that illustrate the human condition and weaponry during World War II.Global in focus, by blending both geographic and thematic chapters to ensure readers gain a comprehensive understanding of impact of the war worldwide, this is the perfect volume for all students of the biggest global conflict of the twentieth century.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 25, 2021
Excellent as a survey and textbook with a good collection of further readings. Balanced in its approach by covering both battle fronts and home fronts. It's a shame that the price makes it the book less accessible, but I'm not sure there is a better survey starting point out there regarding the Second World War.
December 10, 2024
good book on ww2 too bad the class i took it for SUCKED!
July 8, 2022
World War II: A Global History by Michael J. Lyons, David J Ulbrich. 6th edition. May 30th, 2021.
This history textbook covers a little of Pre-World War II, explains the leading causes of World War II, provides a good overview of the war, and a little after it. It gives an overall detailed summery of the different phases of the war, and what happened at the many battles and operations. But it doesn’t linger on topics like the concentration camps, or a deep dive into espionage, or stories of soldiers and civilians. For a college undergraduate, summer study; it gives good basic information to build on. It also has reading lists at the end of each chapter, working not only as a works cited, but as a guide to other books for a deeper, self-education. I do recommend this book for anyone interested in self-education. It has hardly any political leanings. It’s dry, and to the point. And it’s a World War II book, you will feel some of that war morbid melancholy.
As for condition, I got the standard student paperback, so it gets warn easily. And I kept it always at my desk and I still broke the spine. But it’s a decent standard book. However, if you want a deeper dive into more personal stories, or a deeper dive into topics like propaganda, I recommend something else. But if you are interested in only getting a detailed, 15 chaptered summery of the war as a whole; give it a try.
To map out the book, here is the table of contents, that goes from 1914 to a little past 1945. It covers a lot of ground fast, like the precursor and some things that lead or give context to both world wars. Chapter 4 covers equipment of war from ships, planes, tanks, U-Boats, ammunition, and some tactics which is a big thing throughout the book. And covers the battles leading to Germany’s defeat, and Japan’s defeat. And in the wrap up, its explanations the Korean war, and the Cold War.
The Great War and the Treaty of Versailles, 1914-1920
Restoring Normalcies and Rising Threats, 1920-1929
The Great Depression, the Asian War, and Nazi Germany, 1929-1939
Innovation and Stagnation of Technologies, 1919-1941
The Start of War the European War, 1939-1940
Fighting on the Periphery in Europe, 1939-1941
Brutal New Orders: Germany in Europe and Japan in Asia
America’s Path to War and Japan’s Tide of Victories, 1939-1942
Turning the Tide in Asia and the Pacific, 1942-1944
Turning the Tide in Europe, 1942-1944
Contesting Logistics in the Air and at Sea
Total Wars on the Home Fronts
Winning on Four Fronts in Europe, 1944-1945
Winning on Four Fronts in Asia and the Pacific, 1944-1945
From Hot War to Cold War
In the class my instructor referenced other pieces of media from films and books. I’ve kept the list and added to it along with others mentioning other stuff too. So, here is the complementary list:
*The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman
*All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (Film and book)
*Anne Frank by Melissa Muller
*The Book Thief by Zusak
*Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
*Hacksaw Ridge (film)
*Dunkirk (film)
*The Sound of Music (film)
*Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally (& film)
*Peral Harbor (film)
*Midway (film)
*The Fighting Sullivans (film)
*Saving Privet Ryan (film)
*The Thin Red Line (film)
*Enemy at the Gates (film)
*The Longest Day (film)
*Band of Brothers (film mini-series)
*The Bridge at Remagen by Ken Hechler (& film)
*Grave of the Fireflies by Akiyuki Nosaka (& film)
Personal Thoughts:
Some other thoughts I have are discussion points brought up along the way, or rather things I realized along the way. To name a few: the importance of propaganda, why did Germany hate or learn to hate the Jews so easily, it hasn’t been a hundred years yet, and impossible choices had to be made.
Propaganda is a vary underestimated tool, and Hitler utilized it like never before. And he used it on a Germany that was suffering pressured guilt from World War I, an economic crisis in paying France back for war damage, and the Great Depression that hit everyone. Germany was suffering, and he offered a dream and promise for the suffering people. But Japan, Britain, America, the Soviet Union also came up with propaganda saying that they were the heroes too. That’s the key to propaganda; a pressure, a promise, and a truth twisted to a lie.
One thing I may have missed, or the book hardly talked about, was why the Jews where so easily hated to a wide German country. Or even beyond for that matter. I read only a little of Anne Frank, but I thought it mentioned Jews being good at finances and businesses. With the debacle of the Armistice from World War I. Perhaps the feel of betrayal and hatred came from that. I need to do more digging there, but I remember from other early modern European books, that as far back as pre- and post-Reformation; Jews were persecuted even back then. The Jews have a long painful history.
When I said that impossible choices had to be made, I’m mostly talking about the hard press to finish the war with Japan by dropping the atomic bombs. Truman’s decision to drop the atom was done in hope to stop more death. As paradoxical as it sounds; V-E Day came a year before, and the men were suffering fighting fatigue: from the far-of-gaze, screams, many other forms of PDSD. The war would have kept going if Japan didn’t fully and completely surrender (Truman and the other leaders believed that). And by the old Bushido code the Japanese held and practiced through the war, they would have kept going to the last man, woman, and child.
That hard choice to drop the atom bombs had to be made. War is hell no matter what side you’re on. And all through the book I remembered an old, World War I poem about the old lie:
“Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - it is sweet and right to die for your country.”
https://www.warpoetry.uk/dulce-et-dec....
This history textbook covers a little of Pre-World War II, explains the leading causes of World War II, provides a good overview of the war, and a little after it. It gives an overall detailed summery of the different phases of the war, and what happened at the many battles and operations. But it doesn’t linger on topics like the concentration camps, or a deep dive into espionage, or stories of soldiers and civilians. For a college undergraduate, summer study; it gives good basic information to build on. It also has reading lists at the end of each chapter, working not only as a works cited, but as a guide to other books for a deeper, self-education. I do recommend this book for anyone interested in self-education. It has hardly any political leanings. It’s dry, and to the point. And it’s a World War II book, you will feel some of that war morbid melancholy.
As for condition, I got the standard student paperback, so it gets warn easily. And I kept it always at my desk and I still broke the spine. But it’s a decent standard book. However, if you want a deeper dive into more personal stories, or a deeper dive into topics like propaganda, I recommend something else. But if you are interested in only getting a detailed, 15 chaptered summery of the war as a whole; give it a try.
To map out the book, here is the table of contents, that goes from 1914 to a little past 1945. It covers a lot of ground fast, like the precursor and some things that lead or give context to both world wars. Chapter 4 covers equipment of war from ships, planes, tanks, U-Boats, ammunition, and some tactics which is a big thing throughout the book. And covers the battles leading to Germany’s defeat, and Japan’s defeat. And in the wrap up, its explanations the Korean war, and the Cold War.
The Great War and the Treaty of Versailles, 1914-1920
Restoring Normalcies and Rising Threats, 1920-1929
The Great Depression, the Asian War, and Nazi Germany, 1929-1939
Innovation and Stagnation of Technologies, 1919-1941
The Start of War the European War, 1939-1940
Fighting on the Periphery in Europe, 1939-1941
Brutal New Orders: Germany in Europe and Japan in Asia
America’s Path to War and Japan’s Tide of Victories, 1939-1942
Turning the Tide in Asia and the Pacific, 1942-1944
Turning the Tide in Europe, 1942-1944
Contesting Logistics in the Air and at Sea
Total Wars on the Home Fronts
Winning on Four Fronts in Europe, 1944-1945
Winning on Four Fronts in Asia and the Pacific, 1944-1945
From Hot War to Cold War
In the class my instructor referenced other pieces of media from films and books. I’ve kept the list and added to it along with others mentioning other stuff too. So, here is the complementary list:
*The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman
*All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (Film and book)
*Anne Frank by Melissa Muller
*The Book Thief by Zusak
*Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
*Hacksaw Ridge (film)
*Dunkirk (film)
*The Sound of Music (film)
*Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally (& film)
*Peral Harbor (film)
*Midway (film)
*The Fighting Sullivans (film)
*Saving Privet Ryan (film)
*The Thin Red Line (film)
*Enemy at the Gates (film)
*The Longest Day (film)
*Band of Brothers (film mini-series)
*The Bridge at Remagen by Ken Hechler (& film)
*Grave of the Fireflies by Akiyuki Nosaka (& film)
Personal Thoughts:
Some other thoughts I have are discussion points brought up along the way, or rather things I realized along the way. To name a few: the importance of propaganda, why did Germany hate or learn to hate the Jews so easily, it hasn’t been a hundred years yet, and impossible choices had to be made.
Propaganda is a vary underestimated tool, and Hitler utilized it like never before. And he used it on a Germany that was suffering pressured guilt from World War I, an economic crisis in paying France back for war damage, and the Great Depression that hit everyone. Germany was suffering, and he offered a dream and promise for the suffering people. But Japan, Britain, America, the Soviet Union also came up with propaganda saying that they were the heroes too. That’s the key to propaganda; a pressure, a promise, and a truth twisted to a lie.
One thing I may have missed, or the book hardly talked about, was why the Jews where so easily hated to a wide German country. Or even beyond for that matter. I read only a little of Anne Frank, but I thought it mentioned Jews being good at finances and businesses. With the debacle of the Armistice from World War I. Perhaps the feel of betrayal and hatred came from that. I need to do more digging there, but I remember from other early modern European books, that as far back as pre- and post-Reformation; Jews were persecuted even back then. The Jews have a long painful history.
When I said that impossible choices had to be made, I’m mostly talking about the hard press to finish the war with Japan by dropping the atomic bombs. Truman’s decision to drop the atom was done in hope to stop more death. As paradoxical as it sounds; V-E Day came a year before, and the men were suffering fighting fatigue: from the far-of-gaze, screams, many other forms of PDSD. The war would have kept going if Japan didn’t fully and completely surrender (Truman and the other leaders believed that). And by the old Bushido code the Japanese held and practiced through the war, they would have kept going to the last man, woman, and child.
That hard choice to drop the atom bombs had to be made. War is hell no matter what side you’re on. And all through the book I remembered an old, World War I poem about the old lie:
“Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - it is sweet and right to die for your country.”
https://www.warpoetry.uk/dulce-et-dec....
June 2, 2019
Read this for a history course. Very informative, I actually enjoyed my reading assignments.
November 26, 2020
This is a very thorough text that covers WWII. I reviewed many things I already knew and learned some new facts that I may dive into deeper at some point.
April 23, 2024
MOSTLY unbiased
June 6, 2011
I found this a helpful overview of World War II, with a good introduction which discussed some of the stresses leading to World War I and then World War II. Helpful, brief commentary on some major personalities. Commented on some of the controversial decisions by generals, political leaders, etc. This is under 300 pages so obviously not complete, but I think that with this behind me, I can better read the more detailed, more complete histories--as well as books dealing mainly with one particular aspect of the war (e.g. Japan, or China, Stalingrad, etc.). Do wish it had had more maps. But overall a solid intro I think--apparently used a great deal as a college textbook.
(will add that while short, it is fairly pithy)
(will add that while short, it is fairly pithy)
October 20, 2013
This book contained a lot of great information about before, during, and shortly after WWII. However, the traditional columns made it hard to read--future editions should make the book more into a novel-sized book for easier reading per page (one column, lots of white space, larger text). Also, some of the words were spelled wrong: "commitment" being spelled with two t's is the most popular that I noticed. The writing style was easy to follow and a joy to read.
December 19, 2014
Eminently readable, reliably historical, and surprisingly-detailed for an "introductory" work. While I believe it's probably not a grad-level work (although it was used by a professor for the graduate level course I took), it has a very strong compendium of endnote sources that would easily allow the novice student of World War II to research the subject further. Very balanced in tonality.
March 17, 2012
This book was required for a history class I took. I liked that it was concise and easy to carry around, yet thorough enough to provide a decent basis of the war, influential factors, and effects. There is limited focus on the cultural and socio-political aspects.
October 9, 2025
Was recommended this book as the textbook for my WW2 course in university. The book provides one of the most comprehensive and accessible coverage of WW2 and it’s easy to read and understand on one’s own outside of a university course too.
September 21, 2010
A solid introduction to World War II.
April 21, 2013
Good solid review of WWII. Upper division course. Too light for graduate level.
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May 10, 2011amazing book! it captures all the details of this time of heart break
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews