World War II For Dummies

Introduction: The Most Destructive War 1

Part 1: Origins and Causes of the War, 1919–1939 9

Chapter 1: World War II: Why It Matters and What You Need to Know 11

Chapter 2: The Great War and the Uneasy Peace: How World War II Happened 21

Chapter 3: Hoping for Peace: The Rise of the Dictators, 1933–1939 51

Part 2: Starting the War: The Axis Invades and Conquers, 1939–1942 67

Chapter 4: Invading Eastern Europe: Hitler’s Power Grows, 1939 69

Chapter 5: Blitzkrieg in Europe: World War II Begins, 1939–1941 79

Chapter 6: The Ultimate Battle: Hitler versus Stalin 109

Chapter 7: America on the Sidelines: 1933–1941 121

Chapter 8: Collision in Asia: Japan and America, 1937–1941 131

Part 3: Behind Enemy Lines: Nations at War 149

Chapter 9: Maintaining Resources: The Axis 151

Chapter 10: Working Together: The Allies 159

Chapter 11: The War against the Jews 169

Part 4: Planning and Launching the Allied Counterattack, 1942–1943 179

Chapter 12: The Politics of Compromise, 1942 181

Chapter 13: Taking North Africa, Sicily, and the Boot 189

Chapter 14: Germany a Three-Time Loser: In Russia, At Home, and in the Atlantic 207

Chapter 15: Guadalcanal, New Guinea, and Midway: Japan’s Three Strikes 225

Chapter 16: Planning for the Rest of the War, 1943 245

Part 5: The Long Haul, 1944 251

Chapter 17: The Italian Campaign and Soviet Victories in the East 253

Chapter 18: Liberating Europe: From Normandy to Paris, and Beyond 263

Chapter 19: Japan Begins to Crack 287

Part 6: Starting Over: The War’s Aftereffects, 1945 313

Chapter 20: Ending the War (Almost): The Final Offensive 315

Chapter 21: The Japanese Defeat 341

Chapter 22: The Uneasy Peace 367

Part 7: The Part of Tens 373

Chapter 23: Ten Formidable Military Leaders of World War II 375

Chapter 24: Ten Weapons That Made a Difference 383

Chapter 25: Ten “What Ifs?” of World War II 389

Index 397