This is probably my favorite subject in all of military history, so I am going to confine myself to the best books for a general audience as there are literally DOZENS of books published on this topic every year. I should know, I try to review them.
So let's start with my two favorite one volume histories of the war. This is a tremendous undertaking to attempt for any historian, and these two are my favorites.
Sir Max Hastings is one of my favorite military historians and his books are always fantastic. He presents a very balanced look at the war here, giving equal coverage to both the European and Pacific theater.
If you only read one book on WW2, this is a good choice
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Andrew Roberts is also very good. Both he and Hastings are British, so there might be a tad of Anglo-centric writing, but it is still a great one volume history.
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Another great volume, focusing on the last year of the war in Europe. Hastings flips between the Angl0-American and Soviet fronts to tell the tale of the final defeat and surrender of Nazi Germany.
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Yes, another Hastings book but for anyone wondering just how espionage affected the war, he covers all of the countries and their efforts at intelligence, counter-intelligence, cryptography and covert action. Tells the behind the scenes story of many actions that have just been uncovered.
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If you're looking for an excellent gift for the serious reader in your life, this is THE BEST trilogy written on the US war in Europe. Rick Atkinson won a Pulitzer Prize for An Army at Dawn, by far the best book I have ever read on the invasion and campaign of North Africa. All of these volumes are just magnificent.
Yes, the boxed set is expensive, but if you want to try them one at a time, or get the paperbacks, links below.
BUY ARMY AT DAWN
BUY THE DAY OF BATTLE
BUY THE GUNS AT LAST LIGHT
OTHER RESOURCES
There are more internet sites on World War 2 than I could possibly list. My personal favorite is the US Army Center of Military History. There is so much good stuff here, and nearly all of it is downloadable as free (although sometimes HUGE) pdf files.
The European Theater Page- Take a look at the commemorative pamphlets. They are fairly short, but packed.
The US Army Green Books- This is the mother load. The US Army wrote 79 (yes, 79) volumes on the history of World War 2. NO, you probably don't want to read them all, but the battle histories are really great, with plenty of maps in the pdf
downloads. The two pictorial history volumes are really great with many rarely seen photos.
So let's start with my two favorite one volume histories of the war. This is a tremendous undertaking to attempt for any historian, and these two are my favorites.
If you only read one book on WW2, this is a good choice
BUY FROM AMAZON
BUY FROM AMAZON
BUY FROM AMAZON
Yes, another Hastings book but for anyone wondering just how espionage affected the war, he covers all of the countries and their efforts at intelligence, counter-intelligence, cryptography and covert action. Tells the behind the scenes story of many actions that have just been uncovered.
BUY FROM AMAZON
Yes, the boxed set is expensive, but if you want to try them one at a time, or get the paperbacks, links below.
BUY ARMY AT DAWN
BUY THE DAY OF BATTLE
BUY THE GUNS AT LAST LIGHT
OTHER RESOURCES
There are more internet sites on World War 2 than I could possibly list. My personal favorite is the US Army Center of Military History. There is so much good stuff here, and nearly all of it is downloadable as free (although sometimes HUGE) pdf files.
The European Theater Page- Take a look at the commemorative pamphlets. They are fairly short, but packed.
The US Army Green Books- This is the mother load. The US Army wrote 79 (yes, 79) volumes on the history of World War 2. NO, you probably don't want to read them all, but the battle histories are really great, with plenty of maps in the pdf
downloads. The two pictorial history volumes are really great with many rarely seen photos.
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