The Second World War

John Keegan’s landmark military history of World War II

Praised as “the best military historian of our generation” by Tom Clancy, John Keegan here reconsiders his masterful study of World War II, The Second World War, with a new foreword. Keegan examines each theater of the war, focusing on five crucial battles and offering new insights into the distinctive methods and motivations of modern warfare. In eloquent, perceptive analyses of the airborne battle of Crete, the carrier battle of Midway, the tank battle of Falaise, the city battle of Berlin, and the amphibious battle of Okinawa, Keegan illuminates the strategic dilemmas faced by the leaders and the consequences of their decisions on the fighting men and the course of the war as a whole.

“Truly magnificent… the best military historian of our generation.” –Tom Clancy
 
“Analytical, concise, and coherent…if you want to know how it happened, read Keegan’s thoughtful and elegant prose.” –Los Angeles Times Book Review
 
“The Second World War merits the acceptance as the standard work that it will surely receive… features the eloquence we have come to expect of John Keegan.” –The Washington Post Book World
 
“To write history is to choose, and Mr. Keegan’s choices and preferences are as interesting and stimulating as any I have seen… Boldly written and fair-minded.” –The New York Times Book Review

Much more than a mere chronological narrative, the history of World War II is recounted both periodically and thematically. Keegan analyzes five crucial battles, each characteristic of a distinctive kind of warfare of the period.

Praised as “the best military historian of our generation” by Tom Clancy, John Keegan here reconsiders his masterful study of World War II, The Second World War, with a new foreword. Keegan examines each theater of the war, focusing on five crucial battles and offering new insights into the distinctive methods and motivations of modern warfare. In eloquent, perceptive analyses of the airborne battle of Crete, the carrier battle of Midway, the tank battle of Falaise, the city battle of Berlin, and the amphibious battle of Okinawa, Keegan illuminates the strategic dilemmas faced by the leaders and the consequences of their decisions on the fighting men and the course of the war as a whole.

Publishers Weekly

This account of WW II, though controversial, is rich in fresh perception, interpretation and opinion. In addition to penning a fast-paced campaign chronicle, Keegan makes a convincing case for the prime motivations of Allied and Axis leaders, pinpoints the practical results of Allied summit conferences and defines the war's geopolitical dimensions.

John Keegan, one of the most distinguished contemporary military historians, was a senior lecturer at Sandhurst, the British Royal Military Academy, and defense editor of the London Daily Telegraph. A fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, Keegan is the author of numerous books.