This analytical history offers a reinterpretation of the protagonists and events of World War 11. Overy uses the argument that the Allies turned out to be better at fighting, and benefitted more from "total war" than any of their totalitarian adversaries, or their ally, Stalin's Russia. Presenting more than a mere history of the war, Overy goes behind the main events to explain the deeper causes of the conflict, and takes an iconoclastic view of the causes of the Allies' victory, pointing out that an Allied victory was very far from being ordained. He explains the cultural, technical, military and psychological reasons for Western dominance of the post-war world, while showing how close-run the race really was. Richard Overy has also written "The Road to War", "The Air War" and "Goering: The Iron Man".
- ISBN10 0712674535
- ISBN13 9780712674539
- Publish Date 1 February 1996
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 10 August 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Vintage Publishing
- Imprint Pimlico
- Format Paperback (UK Trade)
- Pages 416
- Language English