R.A.C. Parker's marvelous history of the Second World War has already been published in Britain to wide acclaim. Kenneth O. Morgan, writing in the New Statesman and Society, hailed it as "a magnificent achievement, a tour de force....As a one-volume survey, it is unlikely to be surpassed." And the Independent praised it as "a miracle of compression." Based on a matchless knowledge of the documentary evidence, Struggle for Survival provides an authoritative treatment of the military, diplomatic, and economic aspects of the war, written with great force and insight.
Parker deftly explores every major campaign, clearly explaining the background for each (Hitler's reasons for attacking Russia, for example, or the Japanese decision to attack Pearl Harbor). He examines the decisive importance of major factors (the central role, for instance, of the Soviet defeat of the German invasion) and seemingly minor ones (how the shortage of landing craft dictated Anglo-American strategy). Along the way he reveals mistakes made by both sides--such as General Mark Clark's failure to cut off the German retreat in Italy because he wanted the glory of capturing Rome--and sheds light on major personalities, depicting Stalin as an increasingly flexible commander while Hitler grew ever more unreasonable.
Struggle for Survival explores critical themes of the war in depth, with chapters devoted to strategic bombing, morale, the wartime economies, and the Holocaust, weaving them into a coherent narrative of the course of events. Parker also provides a clear summary of the aftermath, examining the rise of the Cold War from before the fall of Berlin to the start of the Korean War, and revealing the far-reaching effects of the incredible destruction and post-war migrations.
Struggle for Survival presents an unprecedented one volume history of the Second World War, offering a sweeping survey of events that omits none of the drama that filled the years between 1939 and 1945. With 24 intriguing photos and a number of helpful maps, it is a fascinating and objective look at the central struggle of our times.