Book excerpt: "The Second World War was the largest and most appalling military conflagration in history. It killed millions of people. It destroyed much of the old Europe. It altered the world balance of political and economic power. Its consequences are incalculable and are everywhere with us still.In his now classic book, The World at War, Mark Arnold-Forster tells the story of the War in a simple, bold and highly readable way. He illuminates each of the main theatres individually, so that the complex development of the various campaigns can be easily followed. Making use of original documents as well as first-hand interviews, he has produced a history which is both authoritative and intensely vivid. Originally written to accompany the Thames Television series of the same name, The World at War has since been fully revised and now, for the first time, includes a substantial introduction by Richard Overy, which brings to bear the most recent scholarship and ensures that the book remains one of the best possible accounts of this cataclysmic period."