Comprehensive and analytic

This book combines global breadth and depth of historical comparisons into an analytic perspective that keeps both the human and the material dimensions of the War continuously in view. I now feel the need to read it as well as to listen. My only critism of the reading is that brief pauses between paragraphs would have made for easier listening. Otherwise, excellent.

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A methodological breakdown of the conflict

A well narrated breakdown of WW2, dividing the conflicts into theatres (air, sea, land) and geographies (East/West Europe, N Africa, Pacific) with a strategic lens, using empirical data and contemporary commentary on topics such as the effectiveness of weapons from machine guns to airplanes, logistical support, technological innovation, leadership, and ideologies to make judgements on how the war proceeded and concluded as it did. Victor Davis Hanson also attempts to answer questions on what was inevitable and what wasn’t as well as philosophical questions what exactly was won and lost. At no point did a I find listening to this book dry, as can be found with other non-fiction topics.

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2 people found this helpful

The Best History Book I Have Ever Read

Simply brilliant, written with such clarity and excellence and it completely changed my views of WW2 and how and why the Allies won. I will definitely purchase more Victor Davis Hansen books.

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Mostly objective & insightful f/ Cold Warrior

I checked the author in Wiki before I began & when I read he was a Conservative hawk I didn't expect much. But I was pleasantly surprised due to what were mostly objective overviews providing plenty of insights although one handicap of audiobooks is that one has no way of knowing whether the author's claims are based on state-of-the-art research. Despite being a Conservative hawk, Hanson states that the Soviet system was very efficient both in producing the best tanks (T34s) and plenty of them despite the Commandist economic system. And the author is very complimentary about the often underestimated UK contribution which has been criticised by e.g. Colonel Robert Forczyk and Max Hastings (Audible has such books).
I would describe the approach as classicist, geographical. Hanson's original discipline is classics, and he makes many interesting comparisons with Ancient History especially Latin & Greek. Geographical in his comparative overviews of technological breakthroughs (e.g. re materiel) and their interaction with physical & economic geography.
Of course there are mistakes: e.g. he states Attlee was an Appeaser which would be deadly for his reputation if he were. Hanson doesn't know that by 1937 Labour had abandoned its pacifist position. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_Attlee#Leader_of_the_Opposition) And V.D.H. ignores the fact that the US 'Arsenal of Democracy' stance was strictly cash up front forcing the UK to sell ALL its US holdings at fire-sale prices which is now accepted as the pump-priming that brought the US economy out of the post-Depression doldrums.
The reading is somewhat monotonous i.e. an impassive (good) bass US voice which does not distract from the message.

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A great war history

Professor Hanson has produced an engossing world war history, with very detailed information and thoroughly researched personal accounts.

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Wide ranging scope and production

The book's structure alone justifies a purchase. Comparisons of military blunders, inappropriate strategies, eg a focus on naval tonnage and not actual versatility, and the economic and decision-making differences between totalitarian and capitalist societies are very telling. Indeed on both sides the current Ukraine conflict reflects many of the same mistakes.

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Sleep inducing

Honestly one of the most uninteresting WW2 books I've gone through. It lacks any explanatory depth as to why events were happening, instead it's just a constant stream of numbers. The author loves to talk about how this and that general was 'incompetent' and 'ignorant' whenever something didn't go according to plan. Like he says the Japanese were ignorant of the possibility of carriers not being docked at pearl harbor. Obviously the attack was a high risk move and didn't pay off quite as they hoped, that is a part of gambling, plans often don't work out exactly as expected. So the author appears very full of himself.

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Dull monotony interspersed with big intakes of breath.

I am a self confessed WW2 geek. I like the details, the facts, the anecdotes- I really do. But oh my good gravy this was hard going, due mostly to the narrator. But the real "nail in the coffin" were the big gulps of air, chomps and lip smacks he did all the way through!! AI is in top spot as the most irritating narration of a book, due to its complete lack of personality. However, sounding like grandpa sucking a Werthers original surely comes a close second.

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