recommendation for learning about WWII

derv

i hope this is the right place for this, mods please move if it isn't.

i have got very little knowledge on WWII (or WWI) , and would like to start doing some reading on it to educate myself

can someone recommend some good books to get started?
i am looking for a book that assumes the reader has zero knowledge of WWII (because I don't)

i'd like to read one that includes some personal stories from soldiers as well as being an educational read for people like myself with little or no clue...

all advice appreciated.
thanks

HavingCrack

While it isn't a book I always felt that the documentary 'The World at War' is an excellent starting point for anyone who is new to WWII. It has lot's of interviews with soldiers, generals and civilians if you're interested in the personal aspect of it.

Reading material wise The Dark Valley: a Panorama of the 1930's by Piers Brandon is a good introduction to the causes and buildup to the war.

For the overall history of the war John Keegan does an alright account in his book 'The Second World War'. I'm not overly keen myself though. His book '6 Armies in Normandy' is a good account of the Normandy landings and the advance on Paris.

Anything by Anthony Beevor is also very good with his books on Stalingrad, Leningrad and Berlin all worth a read.

Ian Kershaw's biographies on Hitler are also a good introduction. The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag de Montifore is good for Stalin.

Nemesis by Max Hastings is a good account of the Pacific theatre.

WW2 -Day by Day is also a fairly basic, potted history of the war, I can't remember who publishes it though.

Shirer's Rise and Fall of the 3rd Reich isn't the worst either.


I can't think of many books dealing with the war in Japan and Asia that are beginner friendly off the top of my head but I'll have a look and get back to you.

derv

thanks a lot for the info , that should get me started :-)

Tony EH

The best starting point I can recommend is Basil Liddel Hart's 'History of the Second World War'.

Jawgap

I'd recommend these -

Just published - All Hell Let Loose by Max Hastings

The Second World War by John Keegan

And if you are interested in the grand strategy of the Allies and looking at the conflict from that perspective - Masters and Commanders by Andrew Roberts

There's also Richard Overy's "Why the Allies Won" which is probably worth a read once you've read some of the other accounts then you can see if you agree with his analysis:)

BlaasForRafa

HavingCrack wrote: »

While it isn't a book I always felt that the documentary 'The World at War' is an excellent starting point for anyone who is new to WWII. It has lot's of interviews with soldiers, generals and civilians if you're interested in the personal aspect of it.

Actually it is a book as well lol, I just bought it today. It contains transcripts of all the interviews with the soldiers etc including ones that ended up on the cutting room floor.

I was surprised to see it on the shelves in the bookshop tbh, I hadn't heard that it existed before. Its collated by historian Richard Holmes who did the War Walks series for the BBC a few years ago.

derv

i got the DVD from Amazon, and started it the other day, it's very enjoyable.

i'm going to order one of the books mentioned above this week.

i'm learning slowly but surely

later12

World War Two is so diverse and its history is so extensive, that I personally find it rather daunting.

For some people, the war can be far more interesting for its human stories than for its appeal as a tactical sequence of operations.

If you find yourself being more drawn to the former category, focusing on the biographical aspects - first hand accounts,and so on - may be one which will enrich your understanding of the war.

If you have any relatives who served in WWII, or if there are any historical figures whose service or careers you find particularly intriguing, my advice would be to begin there.

promethius42

For my history class I learned about europe generally from after WW1 to 1991, includes ww2 from british, russian and german points of view, this gave me a very good understanding of how and why ww2 happened and how it ended and surprisingly the cold war is just as good with large amounts of political intrigue.

Border-Rat

I would suggest Hitlers War by David Irving. Go for the revised edition, as it includes the truth about Barbarossa.

WW2 is easily the most lied about era in all of the history of civilisation.

marcsignal

Did you see this thread OP ?

Posters have been contributing to it for a while now.
Some of the links are broken since google video made changes, but the vast majority are still working.


'The World at War' is still one of my favourites after all these years.

HavingCrack

Max Hastings new book is an excellent introduction actually OP, just finished myself. He is very critical of both the Allies and the Axis which is quite unusual but much fairer. The behaviour of Allied troops 'liberating' Europe is too often brushed over.

Border-Rat wrote: »

I would suggest Hitlers War by David Irving. Go for the revised edition, as it includes the truth about Barbarossa.

WW2 is easily the most lied about era in all of the history of civilisation.

Seriously, David Irving is one of the most discredited 'historians' out there. He has no formal history qualifications and the vast majority of historians have heavily criticised him. Admitedly Hitlers War is one of his better works with people like Keegan being positive about it but it certainly isn't a book for beginners to WW2.

It's a book that needs to be approached after a wider knowledge of all viewpoints has been built up due to its pro-axis slant.

Border-Rat

HavingCrack wrote: »

Max Hastings new book is an excellent introduction actually OP, just finished myself. He is very critical of both the Allies and the Axis which is quite unusual but much fairer. The behaviour of Allied troops 'liberating' Europe is too often brushed over.



Seriously, David Irving is one of the most discredited 'historians' out there. He has no formal history qualifications and the vast majority of historians have heavily criticised him. Admitedly Hitlers War is one of his better works with people like Keegan being positive about it but it certainly isn't a book for beginners to WW2.

It's a book that needs to be approached after a wider knowledge of all viewpoints has been built up due to its pro-axis slant.

Many Western historians are biased. Polarised back-slapping? No thanks.

marcsignal

Border-Rat wrote: »

Many Western historians are biased. Polarised back-slapping? No thanks.

Have to agree with this. Acedemic laziness is a big problem in this area.

Belfast

WWII
A Low Dishonest Decade: The Great Powers, Eastern Europe, and the Economic Origins of World War II, 1930-1941 by Paul N. Hehn

The Luftwaffe : Strategy for Defeat by Williamson Murray

The Last Year of the Luftwaffe, May1944 to May 1945, by Alfred Price

This Is Berlin: Radio Broadcasts from Nazi Germany by "William Shirer"

Hitler's Greatest Defeat: The Collapse of Army Group Centre, June 1944 By Paul Adair

Hitler's Espionage Machine: The True Story Behind One of the World's Most Ruthless Spy Networks by Christer Jorgensen

HavingCrack

Border-Rat wrote: »

Many Western historians are biased. Polarised back-slapping? No thanks.

I'm not going to attempt to defend every Western historian as being fair or impartial, as you say many are not. However it is also important not to swing too far to the other extreme and begin to engage in revisionism merely for the sake of it, even where it is not deserved.

As far as I'm concerned Irving is too close to his subject matter to retain any sort of objectivity whatsoever. His pro-German leanings are just as blatant and biased as any of the USA RULES OK or John Bullesque western historians.

As a result I do not consider him a particularly good introduction to WW2 for anyone.

Tony EH

Actually, one could do a lot worse than to read his 'The Trail of the Fox', which in my opinion is required reading on the subject and goes to great lengths to break down the myths built up around Rommel. Hardly "Pro-German" is any way, shape or form.

Ditto, his 'The Rise and Fall of the Luftwaffe'.

Belfast

HavingCrack wrote: »

I'm not going to attempt to defend every Western historian as being fair or impartial, as you say many are not. However it is also important not to swing too far to the other extreme and begin to engage in revisionism merely for the sake of it, even where it is not deserved.

As far as I'm concerned Irving is too close to his subject matter to retain any sort of objectivity whatsoever. His pro-German leanings are just as blatant and biased as any of the USA RULES OK or John Bullesque western historians.

As a result I do not consider him a particularly good introduction to WW2 for anyone.

I think Irvine is more pro British Empire.
He seem to be saying that Britain going to war on Germany destroyed the British empire and allowed America to replace the British empire as a world power.

He is close to the subject matter in that he speak German and read the original German docs and interviewed many of the people on the German side in German.

Yes he has his point of view as do all historians.

A completely neutral view of history? not sure if it is possible.
It best to lay out the evidence and and state you point of view.

if you were only read Irvine this would be a bad idea. As long as you understand an author bias read it not not a problem as long as you read for many point of view.

enricoh

for a soldiers view of the war - the forgotten soldier by guy sajer. hes german fighting in russia, east prussia etc. brilliant book n i didnt complain about the daily grind for a month after reading what they had to endure!