From the blitzkrieg of 1939-40 to the final campaigns of 1945, this illustrated history covers each of the four major theatres of the Second World War in the West: Russia, Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa. Charles Messenger, respected historian and former officer in the Royal Tank Regiment, illuminates the totality of war in Europe both in terms of physical destruction and the mobilization of populations. He captures clearly the various strands of this major conflict in its inexorable progression into north-west Europe and the Middle East, and concludes with the campaigns of 1945 that resulted in the final defeat of Nazism in Europe.

  Acknowledgements

  Map list

  Chronology

1 THE ROAD TO WAR 1919--39

2 THE TRIUMPH OF BLITZKRIEG 1939--40

3 MUSSOLINI'S DREAM:

  THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATRE 1940-41

4 HITLER TURNS EAST: RUSSIA 1941-3

5 SECOND FRONT:

  WESTERN EUROPE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN: 1942--3

6 THE LIBERATION OF RUSSIA 1943-4

7 NORTH-WEST EUROPE AND ITALY 1944

8 THE FINAL CAMPAIGN 1945

IN RETROSPECT

  Some leading commanders

  Index

  Picture credits