One of the most fascinating works of history ever written, Winston Churchill's monumental book The Second World War is a six-volume account of the struggle of the Allied powers in Europe against Germany and the Axis. Recounted through the eyes of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the Second World War is also the story of one nation's singular, heroic role in the fight against tyranny. Here you will find pride and patriotism in Churchill's dramatic account and with reason--having learned a lesson at Munich that they would never forget, the British refused to make peace with Hitler, defying him even after France had fallen and it seemed as though the Nazis were an unstoppable force.
What lends this work its tension is Churchill's inclusion of primary source material. We hear Churchill's retrospective analysis of the war, but we are also presented with memos, letters, orders, speeches, and telegrams that give day-by-day accounts of the reactions as the drama unfolds. We listen as strategies and counter-strategies unfold in response to Hitler's conquest of Europe, his planned invasion of England, and his assault on Russia. All contrive to give a mesmerizing account of the crucial decisions that must be made as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
In the second volume, Their Finest Hour, Churchill describes the invasion of France and a growing sense of dismay in Britain. Should Britain meet France's desperate pleas for reinforcements or husband their resources in preparation for the inevitable German assault? In the book's second half, entitled simply "Alone," Churchill discusses Great Britain's position as the last stronghold against German conquest: the battle for control of the skies over Britain, diplomatic efforts to draw the United States into the war, and the spreading global conflict.
In 1953, Churchill won the Nobel Prize for Literature due in no small part to this awe-inspiring work.
About the Author
Winston Churchill was born in 1874 and was one of the most significant leaders of the twentieth century. He acted as a war correspondent during the Boer War and after his capture and release, Churchill became a national hero in England, parlaying that celebrity into a political career becoming elected to the Conservative Party. Churchill joined the Liberal Party in 1904. Churchill's career was volatile during the 1920s and 1930s owing, in part, to his support of the abdication of King Edward VIII, but when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, Churchill was reappointed Lord of the Admiralty.
In 1940, Churchill succeeded Chamberlain as Prime Minister and remained in office until 1945. Churchill successfully guided the nation through World War II, mobilizing and inspiring the British people as well as forging strong ties with American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Churchill remained in Parliament and was re-elected in 1951 and did not resign until 1955 when he was eighty years old.
After retirement, Churchill remained incredibly active, spending his time writing, publishing The History of the English Speaking People and more. That work, along with his six volume history of World War II and The World Crisis, his history of World War I, earned him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953. In 1963 Churchill was made an honorary U.S. citizen. He died in 1965 at the age of ninety.
