Rethinking World War Two

History is both the past and our accounts of the past. In Rethinking World War Two, Jeremy Black explores the contesting accounts and interpretations of the war, critically examining the leading controversies surrounding the conflict, its aftermath and its ongoing significance in the modern world. The first half of the book considers controversies surrounding the course of the war, with chapters looking at the importance of military history, the causes of the war, politics and grand strategy and domestic politics. The second half goes on to consider the memory of the war and its echoes in political and military spheres, with chapters devoted to the memory of the war in Europe and in Asia. A detailed further reading section provides guidance on how to take study of various topics further. Rethinking World War Two is unique in offering a survey of both the events of the conflict and the various debates surrounding its memory. It will be an invaluable resource for any student of World War Two, particularly those seeking a better understanding of its continuing legacy in the postwar world. Jeremy Black brings his sharp analytic mind and his global perspective to this new treatment of the Second World War. Readers will find much to engage and debate in this insightful book. Michael S. Neiberg, author of The Blood of Free Men: The Liberation of Paris, 1944 Black has the ability to say more in sentence than most historians in a paragraph. Here he analyzes World War Two by discussing its events in the contexts of recollection and memorialization. He asks how the conflict's key aspects, causes, conduct and politics are addressed and understood in ongoing debates that make the war a recovered and living memory as well as a received one. Dennis Showalter, Professor of History, Colorado College, USA Jeremy Black is a truly brilliant historian who repeatedly challenges our perceptions of how we view the past. This is an utterly compelling and fascinating work that is full of thought-provoking wisdom, and which proves there is still much to learn about this most enduringly fascinating conflict. James Holland, author of The Battle of Britain and Dam Busters: The Race to Smash the German Dams At the beginning of the 21st century, a new perspective on World War Two is required. This is what the master historian Jeremy Black offers in the present volume. Rethinking World War Two will certainly force all of us to seriously rethink the causes, course and consequences of the last World War. Kaushik Roy, Guru Nanak Professor in History, Jadavpur University, India and Global Fellow of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, Norway Most countries of the world have seen their history, right down to the present day, deeply influenced by World War II. It's no exaggeration to say that the conflict has become part of the world's DNA and public history. Much of the commentary -- especially that wielded by politicians -- is bowdlerized and unreliable, and so Jeremy Black has written a brilliant guide to the controversies and word games. Appeasement is dealt with not as cowardly submission, but as a canny attempt to divide and weaken pressures from multiple powers. Styles of warfare, alliance, economics and domestic politics all contributed to victory or defeat, with lasting consequences. Ultimately, as Black points out, every combatant nation has labored to clean up its history in the war, most notably the Russians, Germans and Japanese. In this deep but succinct book, Black gives context and perspective to these ongoing debates. Geoffrey Wawro, Director of the Military History Center, University of North Texas, USAPreface 1. The Importance of Military History 2. Causes 3. Alliance Politics and Grand Strategy 4. Explanations of Victory 5. Domestic Politics 6. Recollection: The War in Europe 7. Recollection: The War in Asia 8. Political Echoes 9. Military Echoes 10. Conclusions Selected Further Reading Bibliography Index