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Title: the Second World War (2) Europe 1939-1943 by D. M. Horner, Robin Havers ISBN: 1-84176-447-7 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: October, 2002 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3 (2 reviews)
Rating: 1
Summary: Better books are out there
Comment: Some of the Osprey Essential History books are excellent, some mediocre and some poor. Unfortunately, despite the fact that this is a very well researched volume, this is one of the latter ones. This book has only 86 pages of text, maps and photographs. The first 33 pages have 4 different chapters on the introduction and the prelude to 1939. A further 4 pages deal with 1943 to 1945 with 7 pages dealing with a portrait of a soldier and a civilian. This only gives 42 pages to the campaigns between 1939 and 1941. Because of this, some of the most important campaigns are either only mentioned in passing (Greece, Yugoslavia, etc.) or they are so short they should not have even bothered. The campaign in Norway consists of only 3 short paragraphs, likewise the Russo-Finnish War has 5 very short paragraphs. The rest of the book examines the Blitzkrieg launched upon Poland and the Low Countries, which the reader should expect to be covered in some detail.
However, if the book did not have such a large (not to mention overlong) introduction, it could have covered all of these campaigns far more comprehensively. As it was, the book could not really do more than to provide a broad-brush overview at Army level. The book repeats itself continuously throughout the different chapters and, unfortunately, contradicts itself in several places. For example, on page 25 the BEF is 160,000, yet in page 45 the BEF is 140,000 men. The British seemed to have lost 20,000 men somewhere---most careless! On page 57, it states that except for tanks, both sides, the Allies and the Germans, were roughly equal. Yet in the next sentence, it states that the allies had almost 2:1 advantage in artillery, and that they had more aircraft than the Luftwaffe!
This book gives a good background to the run-up to the Second World War, but if you want a comprehensive book for all of the campaigns between 1939 and 1943---look elsewhere!
Rating: 5
Summary: An Excellent Overview of the War in Europe
Comment: Robin Havers has written clear and engaging description of the Second World War in Europe. It is ideal for readers looking for well-rounded account of the events from 1939 to 1943. Furthermore, Dr. Havers blows up several of the myths of the period while teasing out the key strategic lessons.
This volume is the second of six covering the Second World War. (There are 70 volumes in the EH series covering wars from 400 BC to the present day.) The volumes in EH are incredibly well laid out. The pictures are stunning and the full colour maps draw you into the action. My only complaint of the series is that they do not offer tables and charts for numerical data (weapons comparisons, etc. see ¡°The Visual Display of Information¡± by Tufte.) The content is laid out the same way in each volume, with chapters discussing the chronology, combatants and how the war ended. There are also chapters discussing the daily lives of soldiers and citizens.
This volume, in particular, is well worth the read. Dr. Havers gives a lucid account of the events without straying into pedantic descriptions of daily events. The book is most exciting when it dispels the myths of period (i.e. the numerical/technical superiority of German tanks) and focuses on the real reasons for the Germans success (cunning, communications and leadership style). As such, it is an excellent case study in strategy both for the military and non-military audience.
No war is fought without its share of pride and folly. The author takes all the participants to task for their oversights and hubris. This schadenfreude would be all the more delightful were the consequences not so tragic.
Dr. Havers, unlike many academic historians, has a light touch with personal stories in the ¡°Portrait of a Soldier¡± and ¡°Portrait of a Citizen¡± chapters. He rounds out the story of the period with a sympathetic and amusing accounts of everyday life for combatants and civilians.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in an overview of the period. I would also recommend it to general fans of strategy as it provides excellent lessons in leadership and innovation.
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Title: Second World War: The Mediterranean 1940-1945 (Essential Histories) by D. M. Horner, Paul Collier ISBN: 1841765392 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: February, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Second World War (6) North West Europe 1944-1945 by D. M. Horner, Stephen Hart, Russell Hart ISBN: 1841763845 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Second World War (5) The Eastern Front 1941-1945 by D. M. Horner, Geoffrey Jukes ISBN: 1841763918 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: August, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Second World War (1) The Pacific by D. M. Horner ISBN: 1841762296 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: March, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Korean War 1950-1953 (Essential Histories, No 8) by Carter Malkasian ISBN: 1841762822 Publisher: Osprey Pub Co Pub. Date: September, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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