This is the definitive narrative history of the people, politics, and events of the Second World War⁠—the epic conflict that shaped the modern world. From the build-up to the fighting, through to the reverberations still felt in the aftermath, this is a compelling, accessible, and immediate history of the war, perhaps the most complex, frightening, and destructive event in world history. Discover how deep-seated local fears and hatreds escalated into one vast global conflict that was fought out to the bitter end⁠—from the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party to Pearl Harbor, the D-Day landings, and Hiroshima. Packed with images, including rarely seen images and unforgettable first-person accounts, A Short History of World War II is a uniquely accessible account of history's most devastating conflict.