“A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II”, by Gerhard L. Weinberg

 

1208 pages, Cambridge University Press, ISBN-13: 978-0521853163

Forewarned is forearmed: A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II by Gerhard L. Weinberg is for serious students of World War II and should be read only by those fairly familiar with the general outline of the war; any amateur will quickly get lost in Weinberg’s labyrinth of facts and details. Be forewarned as well about the author’s (many) prejudices: while, generally speaking, his overall tone is dispassionate, without question his bile is raised at the Axis and their apologists, but he is also no friend of Montgomery (one thing I don’t fault him on), generally treats the British military with scorn (a nagging and, mostly, undeserved contempt) and positively seems to hate Wehrmacht generals for covering up atrocities they did not disapprove of (as well he should) but also for writing “self-serving memoirs” (as though memoirs could be anything else than self-serving. Dude. They’re memoirs and are necessarily one-sided).

For all that A World at Arms is one of the best single-volume histories of World War II I’ve ever read. Weinberg’s strengths are in analyzing the global strategy (or lack thereof) of the various participants and the interrelationship of disparate theaters, and he does a great job of interweaving the developments taking place on the more obscure fronts - think Finland, or Sub-Saharan Africa, or India - and the behavior of the neutral powers - Spain, Sweden, Turkey and others - into the overall narrative (he is particularly good on Soviet-Japanese relations, and his use of Japanese diplomatic sources commenting on the war in Europe is fascinating). Weinberg mostly sticks to grand strategy and doesn’t try to recreate the experience of war, either on the battlefield or the home front; he also eschews biographical sketches of the major figures, perhaps assuming that they are already sufficiently familiar, although I, for one, could have used a memorable quotations or two from a world leader or even a foot soldier to humanize and enliven the narrative.

I do, however, have some concerns with Weinberg’s writing: when he makes a point he can’t help but make it again…and again. And again (seriously, at times he’s like a Rottweiler on a poodle); for instance, to use but one example of the many I could have chosen, he repeatedly derides the supposed success of Germany’s aerial rearmament in the 1930s by pointing out that Germany was eventually bombed to bits, a marginal argument and not one that needs to be repeated in each summary of developments in the air war. Another problem is the maps, for the Cambridge University Press has decided to supply the most basic versions to be found that are not only difficult to read but lacking in detail; to add to their noisomeness, they have tucked them all at the back when interspersing them throughout the text would, I believe, made them more relevant.

Ah, well, don’t let any of that scare you off. A World at Arms is an excellent addition to any library and a fine adornment for any collection on World War II.