World War II Begins

World War II was an extremely violent war that transformed all the countries of the world. There are many explanations for why it was so widespread and so devastating, but the major reason was undeniably the rise to power of Adolf Hitler in Germany. Readers learn about the economic and political crises in Europe in the 1920s and early 1930s that led up to the conflict, the rise of the Nazi party, and Hitler's becoming chancellor in 1933. The volume examines how Hitler set about expanding German territory by force, first by annexing Czechoslovakia and then by invading Poland. When Hitler's military unleashed the Blitzkrieg campaign on Poland in September 1939, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany--and World War II began. Topics covered include the Munich crisis, the persecution of German Jews, and the campaign in Poland. The volume's editor Peter Darman holds a military history degree from the University of York in England.