A monumental history of the greatest and most terrifying event in history, by one of the best historians of World War II. A book that reveals the war's impact on hundreds of millions of people worldwide - soldiers, sailors, and airmen, housewives, farmers, and children.

Reflecting Max Hastings' 35-year research on World War II, "All Hell Let Loose" describes the course of events focusing primarily on the human experience, which differed greatly from campaign to campaign and from continent to continent.

The author highlights the Russian front, where 90% of all German soldiers who died met their end. He argues that while Hitler's army fought many times with exquisite stratagems, the Nazis conducted their war with "stunning incompetence." He believes the Royal Navy and the United States Navy were the outstanding combat services of their countries, while the industrial contribution of the United States was far more significant to the Allies' victory than that of the American Army.

The book spans a wide canvas, from the agony of Poland during the Nazi invasion in September 1939, to the Bengal famine in 1943, in which at least one million people perished under British rule and neglect. Among many scenes are the legendary RAF attacks on the Ruhr dams, the horrors of the Arctic convoys, the tank battles in the desert, and the jungle clashes. Some of Hastings' observations and judgments will surprise scholars of the conflict, while there are vivid descriptions of the tragedies and triumphs of countless ordinary people, both in and out of uniform.

"The cliché is evidently true," he says. "The world between 1939 and 1945 saw some human beings reach depths of wickedness, while others soared to heights of courage and nobility." This is the "everyman's story," an attempt to answer the question: "What was World War II like?" as well as an overview of the big picture. Max Hastings uses the technique that has made many of his previous books bestsellers, combining top-down analysis and bottom-up testimony to explore the significance of this vast conflict both for the participants and for history.

Pages: 768, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm