World in the Balance: The Perilous Months of June-October 1940
Brooke C. Stoddard’s well-judged and clear narrative of five crucial months in 1940 that shaped the course of world history sets a cracking pace as world events conspire to unbalance a flawed and fragile peace and escalate Europe into full-scale war. He successfully weaves together strategy, politics, high-level diplomacy, and important technological developments—demonstrating the timeless nature and close interaction of these factors in any conflict—with compelling frontline accounts that effectively illustrate the human consequences of political-strategic decision making. Stoddard’s timely analysis of a frequently overlooked period of World War II combines a fascinating factual account of actual events with an authoritative consideration of why they took place and their wider consequences."For five months in 1940, the world seemed to be coming to an end. Brooke Stoddard vividly describes how British courage and American support pulled democracy back from the abyss, and he reminds us that the momentum of conflict must be brought firmly to a halt.