It is arguably the single greatest event in human history. Decades on from when the last shot was fired, the battles may be fading from living memory, but the shock waves of World War II still resonate.

This comprehensive history examines not just the many theatres of operation, but also provides a challenging analysis of the war's causes and momentous consequences —as well as relating the human story of a conflict that cost the lives of an estimated 50 million people.

World War II evokes the sheer epic scale of combat, ranging from the battlefronts in Europe, Africa, Russia, and the Pacific to its appalling impact on civilian populations across the globe. First-hand accounts from combatants and civilians blend with compelling images and unique graphics and timelines to create a truly complete picture of the war.

Forty full-colour digital maps reveal the strategic and tactical situations faced by the commanders on both sides, while th descriptions of the fighting itself propel the reader into the terrible realities of battle: Stalingrad, Normandy, Guadalcanal, Pearl Harbour, El Alamein, Kursk — war on land, sea, and air in all its brutal intensity.