World War Two : Behind Closed Door

Laurence Rees' bestselling history of Stalin's relationship with the West - now in paperback.

When do you think the Second World War ended?

If the end of the war was supposed to have brought 'freedom' to countries that suffered under Nazi occupation, then for millions it did not really end until the fall of Communism.

In the summer of 1945 many of the countries in Eastern Europe simply swapped the rule of one tyrant, Adolf Hitler, for that of another: Joseph Stalin. Why this happened has remained one of the most troubling questions of the entire conflict, and is at the heart of Laurence Rees' dramatic book.

In World War II: Behind Closed Doors, Rees provides an intimate 'behind the scenes' history of the West's dealings with Joseph Stalin – an account which uses material only available since the opening of archives in the East as well as new testimony from witnesses from the period. An enthralling mix of high politics and the often heart-rending personal experiences of those on the ground, it will make you rethink what you believe about World War II.

About the Author: Laurence Rees, the writer and producer of the major BBC/PBS television documentary series World War II: Behind Closed Doors, previously won the British Book Award for History Book of the Year in 2006 for his international bestseller Auschwitz: The Nazis and the 'Final Solution'. His career as a writer and filmmaker, focusing on the Nazis and World War II, stretched back nearly 20 years and includes the acclaimed television series (and books) The Nazis: A Warning from History, War of the Century, Horror in the East and Auschwitz: The Nazis and the 'Final Solution'.

This body of work has won him several awards, including a BAFTA and a Grierson Award. Their Darkest Hour, his powerful collection of essays based on interviews with people tested to the extreme during World War II, was published in 2007 to wide critical acclaim. Rees was educated at Solihull School and Oxford University and is the former Creative Director of BBC TV History programs.