"A War to be Won", confined within a single volume, is a remarkable
achievement deserving of the many plaudits it has received. It has
a narrative deftness that will attract the general reader,
operational analysis incisive and original enough to engage the
specialist, technical evaluation and tactical appraisal of military
effectiveness in abundance, though not without controversial, even
acerbic comment where appropriate.--John Erickson "Times Higher
Education Supplement "
[Murray and Millett] are military historians but take an
extraordinarily broad view of the conflict [of World War II]--its
political and economic origins, its diplomatic maneuvering, its
strategic designs and its human toll, but above all its combat. In
600-plus pages, they zero in on the troops who did the fighting and
the commanders who led--and sometimes misled--them...The writing is
brisk and lively, the revelations sometimes startling, and the
selection of photographs generous and revealing. This is as
masterful and readable a one-volume history of the Second World War
as anyone is likely to write.--Herbert Kupferberg"Parade Magazine"
(02/18/2001)
An outstanding single-volume history of [a] central moment...[The
authors] write in a brisk, confident and knowledgeable style, often
sprinkling their analyses with pithy irony, sardonic wit and sharp
insights...Murray and Millett have produced a magnificent volume,
one that will fascinate and enlighten both expert and layman alike.
A War to Be Won now takes its place as the core volume in any
library on the history of the Second World War, and it will likely
remain so for years to come.--Calvin L. Christman"Dallas Morning
News" (09/24/2000)
In "A War To Be Won: Fighting the Second World War", Williamson
Murray and Allan Millett have...eschewed grand strategy for what
they describe as operational history. They have plugged a large
gap...They combine firm and fresh judgments with common humanity;
and they achieve balance not only between the theaters of war but
also between themselves. Murray knows about Germany, Britain and
air power, Millett about the United States and its armed forces. If
they divided their subject matter accordingly, the seams are never
evident. This is an outstanding history of the war.--Hew
Strachan"Times Literary Supplement" (12/01/2000)
It is the most complete, balanced, and well-informed history of
military operations now available.--James J. Sheehan "Political
Science Quarterly "
Military historians Williamson Murray and Allan R. Millett dissect
tactics and operations of the war's major players in "A War To Be
Won"...Unlike other volumes on WWII, many of which examine the
soldiers' day-to-day life in the trenches, "A War To Be Won"
focuses on the overall picture, the strategic successes and
failures of the warring nations.--Dick Kreck"Denver Post"
(11/26/2000)
Most recent single-volume histories of the Second World War have
been disappointing. It is a Herculean task to cover such a vast
canvas of time and space. Authors wilt visibly under the strain.
Here, however, is a work of exceptional quality from two
distinguished American military historians...This book makes an
important contribution to understanding both the military context
and the nature of this vast global conflict.--Max Hastings"Evening
Standard" (11/19/2001)
The best synthesis of all of [the] new scholarship on WWII is, in
my opinion, Williamson Murray and Allan Millett's superb
comprehensive history of the war...There are a number of rather
surprising assessments of individual commanders in the war...Anyone
interested in this deadliest of all wars should consult this
marvelous book.--Louis Ray Sadler"Albuquerque Journal"
(11/12/2000)
The West's eventual triumph is the subject of "A War to Be Won", a
comprehensive and highly readable history by two eminent and
prolific military historians. Williamson Murray and Allan Millet
focus on operations but range far and wide into politics, strategy,
military doctrines (why armies fight the way they do), weapons,
science and tactics, from the bumbling politics of the 30's to the
Cold War...This is edgy, though expert, history. The ordeal of the
Soviet war against Germany is dramatically and vividly told, as is
the pillage and rape that Red Army soldiers inflicted on prisoners
and civilians within reach.--Robert Killebrew "Washington Post
"
Two highly accomplished historians...collaborated to produce this
magnificent one-volume history of World War II. While they do not
neglect political or economic factors, what truly sets this work
apart is their focus on 'the conduct of operations by the military
organizations that waged the war.'...this is a riveting book that
stimulates as much as it informs--and is a must read for any
student of World War II or military professional.--Richard B. Frank
"Naval History "
While...several volumes present admirably comprehensive panoramas
of the second world war, the very nature of this approach precludes
close operational analysis as opposed to general operational
narrative. This is the gap that "A War To Be Won" fills--an
operational history of the 1939-1945 war focusing on military
operations, with dispassionate discussion of military effectiveness
whether involving the Allies or the Axis..."A War To Be Won",
confined within a single volume, is a remarkable achievement
deserving of the many plaudits it has received. It has a narrative
deftness that will attract the general reader, operational analysis
incisive and original enough to engage the specialist, technical
evaluation and tactical appraisal of military effectiveness in
abundance, though not without controversial, even acerbic comment
where appropriate.--John Erickson"Times Higher Education
Supplement" (12/15/2000)
World War II is fast slipping from memory. So it takes a book, such
as "A War To Be Won"...to make one realize the horror of that
conflict...In this comprehensive history of the military aspect of
World War II...[the authors] provide a broad view of the
two-hemisphere tragedy.--Fred Slater "St. Joseph News-Press "
about the United States and its armed forces. If they divided their
subject matter accordingly, the seams are never evident. This is an
outstanding history of the war.
focus on 'the conduct of operations by the military organizations
that waged the war.'...this is a riveting book that stimulates as
much as it informs--and is a must read for any student of World War
II or military professional.
individual commanders in the war...Anyone interested in this
deadliest of all wars should consult this marvelous book.
issues, but are nevertheless remarkably successful at avoiding the
armchair debunking that mars so many histories of the period.
military aspect of World War II...[the authors] provide a broad
view of the two-hemisphere tragedy.
the selection of photographs generous and revealing. This is as
masterful and readable a one-volume history of the Second World War
as anyone is likely to write.
the stern clarity of senior historians, this is a spellbinding
history: the reader will hear the whine of the bombers and see the
guttering lights of Europe, and find this rich assemblage of horror
and destiny hard to set down.
though expert, history. The ordeal of the Soviet war against
Germany is dramatically and vividly told, as is the pillage and
rape that Red Army soldiers inflicted on prisoners and civilians
within reach.
which examine the soldiers' day-to-day life in the trenches, "A War
To Be Won" focuses on the overall picture, the strategic successes
and failures of the warring nations.
work of exceptional quality from two distinguished American
military historians...This book makes an important contribution to
understanding both the military context and the nature of this vast
global conflict.
World War, and it will likely remain so for years to come.
"A War to be Won," confined within a single volume, is a remarkable
achievement deserving of the many plaudits it has received. It has
a narrative deftness that will attract the general reader,
operational analysis incisive and original enough to engage the
specialist, technical evaluation and tactical appraisal of military
effectiveness in abundance, though not without controversial, even
acerbic comment where appropriate. -- John Erickson "Times Higher
Education Supplement"
ÝMurray and Millett¨ are military historians but take an
extraordinarily broad view of the conflict Ýof World War II¨--its
political and economic origins, its diplomatic maneuvering, its
strategic designs and its human toll, but above all its combat. In
600-plus pages, they zero in on the troops who did the fighting and
the commanders who led--and sometimes misled--them...The writing is
brisk and lively, the revelations sometimes startling, and the
selection of photographs generous and revealing. This is as
masterful and readable a one-volume history of the Second World War
as anyone is likely to write. -- Herbert Kupferberg "Parade
Magazine" (02/18/2001)
An outstanding single-volume history of Ýa¨ central moment...ÝThe
authors¨ write in a brisk, confident and knowledgeable style, often
sprinkling their analyses with pithy irony, sardonic wit and sharp
insights...Murray and Millett have produced a magnificent volume,
one that will fascinate and enlighten both expert and layman alike.
A War to Be Won now takes its place as the core volume in any
library on the history of the Second World War, and it will likely
remain so for years to come. -- Calvin L. Christman "Dallas Morning
News" (09/24/2000)
Scholarship and insight place this book in the front rank of
military history written in the 20th century's final decade. The
authors...make no secret of their convictions on personal,
institutional and operational issues, but are nevertheless
remarkably successful at avoiding the armchair debunking that mars
so many histories of the period.
The best synthesis of all of Ýthe¨ new scholarship on WWII is, in
my opinion, Williamson Murray and Allan Millett's superb
comprehensive history of the war...There are a number of rather
surprising assessments of individual commanders in the war...Anyone
interested in this deadliest of all wars should consult this
marvelous book. -- Louis Ray Sadler "Albuquerque Journal"
(11/12/2000)
A magisterial, hypnotically detailed tactical narrative of WWII,
with competing military, political, and social histories of the
maelstrom writ large--yet comprehensibly presented...Coauthors
Murray and Millett spent decades on their research, and the result
is an essential plurality of understanding that allows them to
consider the military strategies (and underlying realities) of the
various Allied and Axis nations. Intentionally or otherwise, this
book covers ground distinct from Stephen Ambrose's popular books,
in that they focus much less on the personalized experiences of the
soldier and more on the significant strategies, decisions, and
movements of governments and generals (and the corresponding
actions of the many individual naval, combat, and bomber units, and
sundry partisan and espionage triumphs) that taken together, form
the artificial patchwork of industrialized devastation we think of
as the war. Surprisingly, this 'globalized' perspective does
produce abstract or diffuse results, but allows the authors to
present a nuanced panorama of scarce information and unique
interpretation...Strongly written with the stern clarity of senior
historians, this is a spellbinding history: the reader will hear
the whine of the bombers and see the guttering lights of Europe,
and find this rich assemblage of horror and destiny hard to set
down.
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