About the Author

n former regular officer in the Royal Marines, Ian Dear has written a number of books on maritime and military subjects, the latest being a history of Ten Commando, 1942-1945 (1987). He is also the editor of Oxford English: A Guide to the Language (1986) and the A-Z of Sailing Terms (1987). Michael Foot is an historian and former wartime intelligence officer. He was Professor of Modern History at the University of Manchester (1967-73), and editor of the first four volumes of the Gladstone Diaries. His other works include SOE in France, Resistance, and Holland at War against Hitler.

Reviews

"There are plenty of emotionally-charged books on the Second World War and National Socialism. The matter-of-fact approach this [The Oxford Companion to the Second World War] sound 1300 page lexical work takes is therefore very welcome. Under the direction of the General Editor, Dear, an international group of more than 140 authors has produced almost 1800 contributions. The World has been divided geographically into five sections, each with its own advisory editor. Prof Wilhelm Dienst form the Freiburg University is responsible for Germany and Austria. This carefully compiled work is, despite its size, easy to handle. The cross-referencing is also very precise."--Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, December 1995"These two superb volumes from Oxford University Press ... The Companion is quite an extraordinary achievement ... it provides an indispensable guide ... But the range and intellectual energy of the latter will make it an invaluable work of reference for undergraduate and researchers. Together, these two books provide as valuable a commemoration of the war as any."--Mark Mazower, History Today"impressive testimony to the state of scholarship about the war fifty years after its end ... The Companion is quite an extraordinary achievement. In its range, depth and quality of contributions, its comprehensiveness and perhaps above all its numerous and admirably clear maps, charts and tables, it provides an indispensable guide to the conflict."--Mark Mazower, History Today