History of World War II - Armed Services Memorial Edition

Front Cover, History of World War II, Armed Services Memorial Edition by Francis Trevelyan Miller, 1945. GGA Image ID # 17f1a2f292

History of World War II by Francis Trevelyan Miller, Litt.d., Lld. with a Board of Historical and Military Authorities, War Photographs, Official Records, Maps, Riverside Book and Bible House, Iowa Falls, Iowa, 1945, 967 Pages, Hardcover.

Book Description

102 chapters and a separate chronology of the war and replica of the surrender documents signed aboard the U.SS Missouri by both the Japanese and General MacArthur, and Chronology of the War; Color Frontispiece (Iwo Jima), Illustrated with 128 black and white war photos and maps; red cover boards with gilt titling on spine and gilt flag illustration and titling on front cover.

Miller's epic history of the War written shortly after its end, including brief statements by Eisenhower, MacArthur, the Sec'y of the Navy, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Admiral Nimitz, the Sec'y of War, the Sec'y of the Navy, and British Ambassador to the US Lord Halifax, as well as an official statement on "What We Fought For in World War II" by FDR.

Prepared with a board of 200 historical and military authorities from more than 30 nations. This book was a work in progress throughout the war, through the organization of a staff of experts, specialists and analysts under the direction of a historian-general. Official communiques from all over the world were analyzed each day. As each event was officially confirmed, it was transcribed into historical narrative for this book.

Historian's Foreword

This is the first History of World War II to present a complete panorama of the greatest struggle in human history, with authentic text, official photographs, maps, records, and documents in a single volume.

Its service is to give homes, schools, and libraries A standard work in which the reader may obtain a comprehensive understanding of the epoch-making events through which we have passed. Here we witness the organization of the greatest armies, navies, and air forces the world has ever known—the gigantic battles on land, sea, and in the air—the might of industrial power and production.

We have lived through the most stupendous struggle in the 7,000 years of recorded history. The destiny of 70 nations and 2,000,000,000 people has been at stake. The homelands of more than three quarters of the population of the earth have felt the iron heel of war. More than 100,000,000, one out of every twenty human beings on the globe, have been engaged in the fighting forces of belligerent nations.

The records of World War II, as set forth in this volume, challenge the imagination. The official lists of numbers killed and wounded are a tragic commentary on civilization: more than 20,000,000 casualties; 30,000,000 more men, women, and children driven from their homes; ro,000,000 more massacred; hundreds of thousands of homes left in ruins.

The cost of this "War for Survival," with its destruction, devastation, and economic losses, is estimated at the sum of $1,000,000,000,000. The great wealth of the world, with its resources, industrial power, and man power, has been concentrated on destruction. Nations have accumulated an indebtedness which far exceeds all the money in the world. The responsibility for meeting this obligation is placed upon future generations to carry the burden.

This is the price we have paid for human freedom. The amount of money consumed in this war is sufficient to build a home for every family in the world, or to give an education to every child on earth. It is far greater than all the moneys ever expended for schools, churches, and hospitals since the beginning of the human race.

We have, therefore, endeavored to make this History of World War II a human history, treating men and events as they directly affect our own lives. The causes which created this human tragedy are herein analyzed, with sketches of the leading personalities and backgrounds of the nations involved.

Military events are clearly visualized from the outbreak of the war to its final battles. Our purpose has been to present these with such clarity that you may follow your own "boys" through to the final victory and re-live the experiences through which they passed.

This service has been accomplished through the organization of a staff of experts, specialists, and analysts under the direction of a historian-general. (The list of staff authorities and writers is given on pages iii and iv, and in the section, "Authorities and Official Sources" on pages 939-941. Divisional chiefs were "on duty" at desks over which more than 6o,000 words from the battlefronts passed every day.

Official communiques from all parts of the world were analyzed each day, with reports and proclamations issued by all the Governments. As each event was officially confirmed, it was transcribed into historical narrative for this book and coordinated by the historian-general.

Throughout the war, conferences were held with official sources, military authorities, and communications with diplomats and statesmen, supplemented by the information organizations representing thirty nations.

While it was the first great "War in the Air," coordinated with land and sea forces, it may also be called the "War of the Scientists," in which invention, discovery, mechanical genius, and mass production take a foremost part. Through this new age of radio, with the elimination of time and space the whole world was in instant communication.

Through cinematography and radio photography, the scenes of action were brought immediately into our homes. The war passed before our eyes on motion picture screens and was preserved on films to pass before the eyes of generations to come.

Another war on this gigantic scale, with further development of instruments for destruction by scientific genius, would place the human race in danger of self-annihilation. Therefore, a clear understanding of World War II is essential for our own self-preservation. The time has come, if we are to survive as peoples and nations, when some cooperative plan must be agreed upon whereby wars can be stopped at their point of inception—some plan whereby we can all live together in peace and security.

This History of World War II is dedicated to that great forward step in human progress. It stands also as a memorial to those who fought and died for this achievement. The colossal magnitude of this war may be visualized when we state that the armies and navies engaged in World War II would form a marching line of men in combat reaching four times around the earth in continuous procession.

May it never happen again.

FRANCIS TREVELYAN MILLER

Contents

1. Victory of the United Nations—Causes and Results of World War II
2. Last Days of World's Greatest War—New Age of the Atomic Bomb
3. Historic Scenes at Surrender of Japan—118 Days After Germany
4. Triumph of Democracy—Macarthur in Tokyo—Eisenhower in Germany
5. The Phenomenon of Hitler
6. German Plot To Conquer the World
7. Raising a Generation for Human Slaughter
8. Rise and Fall of Benito Mussolini
9. Austria First To Fall To German Conspirators
10. Fascism in Violent Action
11. Czechoslovakia Falls Into Grip of Despots
12. Invasion of Poland—Hitler Ignites the Fuse of World's Greatest War
13. Denmark Falls Into Captivity
14. Norway Under Iron Heel of Invaders
15. Belgium in Path of Blitzkrieg
16. German Invasion of the Netherlands
17. Why the British Entered World War II
18. France Meets the Crisis in Defense of Liberty
19. German Juggernaut Hurls Its Power at France
20. The Battle of France—"Vive la Republique"
21. The Battle of Britain—Fortitude of a Great People
22. Occupation of France by Germany—a Story of Infamy
23. De Gaulle Rallies Free French Under Tricolor
24. Blitz in the Balkans—"Cockpit of Europe"
25. Rumania—the Battleground for Oil
26. Battle of Yugoslavia—"Cradle of the Slavs"
27. Modern Iliad of the Heroic Greeks
28. Behind Veil of Japanese Treachery
29. How America Was Drawn Into Vortex of World War II
30. "Day of Infamy"-Stabbed in the Back at Pearl Harbor
31. War in the Pacific-Its Magnitude and Problems
32. MacArthur Leads Fight to Save Philippines-the Fall of Manila
33. Russo-Finnish Conflict-Its Causes and Results
34. Rising Power of Russia in World Arena
35. Germany Pits Her Might Against Russia
36. Battle for Moscow-Russian Cities Aflame
37. Battle of Stalingrad-Gate to the East
38. The Red Army Strikes Back-141 Crucial Days
39. Russia's Fate on the Rivers of Destiny
40. Red Army's Mighty Surge Drives Germans From Soil of Russia
41. Rape and Rapine in Wake of German Armies
42. Invaders Stopped at Gates to Egypt-1,750 Mile Retreat Across Desert
43. Commando Raid on Dieppe-Test Tube for Invasion of Europe
44. Courageous China's Long Defense of Her Homeland
45. India, Goal of the Axis-Burma, Malaya, and Fall of Singapore
46. Japs Sweep Through the Islands of the Pacific
47. Last Stand at Bataan-Corregidor Surrender and March of Death
48. Australia-Land Where the Tide Was Turned Back
49. MacArthur Starts Back-Fighting Through Jungles of New Guinea
50. United States Becomes "Arsenal of Democracy"- A Nation in Action
51. Rebirth of American Sea Power Into World's Greatest Navy
52. "Shangri-La"- First Raid on Tokyo-Crisis on Continent of Asia
53. Battle of Coral Sea
54. Battle of Midway-and the Aleutians
55. Battles of Guadalcanal and the Solomons - Land, Sea, and Air
56. Naval Battles at the "Dead End" in the Southwest Pacific
57. Americans Land in North Africa-First Great Allied Offensive
58. Eisenhower Strategy at Gates of Tunisia
59. Great Battles in Liberation of Africa
60. Casablanca-Road to Victory and "Unconditional Surrender"
61. Battle of Kasserine Pass on the Road to Tunis
62. Rommel Routed on Mareth Line
63. Battles Leading to Hill 609 and Triumph
64. Fall of Tunis and Bizerte-First Great Allied Victory
65. Panorama of 15,000 Miles in East-and Battle of Bismarck Sea
66. Japanese Sun Begins to Set Over India-Burma-China
67. Tarawa-Conquest of the Atolls-Stepping-Stones in the Pacific
68. "I Shall Return"- MacArthur on Road Back to Keep His Pledge
69. Final Stage in Great Swing From Pivot at New Guinea
70. Smashing Jap Defenses-Battles of Saipan and Philippine Sea
71. Bombing 5,000,000 Square Miles in Pacific-Guam Redeemed
72. American Navy With the Air Forces Blast Roads for Macarthur's Army
73. "People of the Philippines, I Have Returned!" MacArthur at Leyte
74. Invasion of Sicily-Doorstep to Continent of Europe
75. Abdication of Mussolini-and the Fall of Sicily
76. Battle of Salerno
77. Fall of Naples-Fierce Fighting Along the Volturno
78. Italy Surrenders-First Axis Power to Collapse
79. Crucial Battles at Cassino and Anzio
80. Liberation of Rome-Allies Restore Freedom to the Eternal City
81. Battles From Rome to Florence-Pisa-and the Gothic Line
82. D-Day-Allied Forces Land in France-Start of Western Front
83. Battles of Normandy
84. Conquest of Caen by Canadians—Americans Capture St. Lo
85. Liberation of France—Victory March Into Paris
86. Belgium and Netherlands Liberated—Allies Invade German Soil
87. Americans Cross German Border—Allies on the Rhine
88. Sack of Warsaw—German Massacre of the Polish Patriots
89. Last Battles in Italy—Execution of Mussolini—Germans Surrender
90. Battle of the Bulge—Germany's Last Attempt to Come Back
91. Last Battles in Germany—Great Cities Fall in Ruins
92. Russians Push on Toward Berlin—From the Vistula to the Oder
93. Fall of Budapest and Vienna as Red Army Sweeps On
94. Fall of Berlin—the Proud German Capital Lies in Ruins
95. Unconditional Surrender! Decisive Defeat of Germany
96. Last Scenes in Tragedy of War—Collapse of German Might
97. Truth About Torture Chambers in Axis Prison Camps
98. War in the Pacific—Decisive Battle for Leyte Gulf
99. "Home Again !" MacArthur at Luzon—Enters Manila in Triumph
100. Fall of Iwo Jima—Battering Down the Inner Defenses of Japan
101. Japanese Empire Crumbles in the Pacific and on Continent of Asia
102. Okinawa—Last Great Battle in the Pacific—at Doorway to Japan

Authorities and Official Sources

Chronology

Library of Congress Catalog Listing

• LC Control No.: 45008888
• Type of Material: Book (Print, Microform, Electronic, etc.)
• Personal Name: Miller, Francis Trevelyan, 1877-1959.
• Main Title: History of world war II,
• Published/Created: Philadelphia, Toronto, The John C. Winston company [1945]
• Description: x, [14], 966 p. col. front., illus. (maps) plates, ports., facsims. 24 cm.
• Subjects: World War, 1939-1945. [from old catalog]
• LC Classification: D743 .M55