An Illustrated Introduction to ... – serie

The Second World War is so far the only truly global war that has ever taken place. It involved the vast majority of the world’s nations, with the great powers eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, with more than 100 million people from over thirty different countries serving in military units. In this state of ‘total war’, the major participants threw their entire economic, industrial and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources. Marked by mass deaths of civilians, including the Holocaust and the only use of nuclear weapons in warfare, it resulted in an estimated 80 million fatalities. All of this made the Second World War the deadliest conflict in human history.This introduction to the Second World War follows the major events that led up to the war and occurred during it, year by year.

The six monarchs of the Tudor dynasty are phenomenally well known. Henry VII succeeded in ending the Wars of the Roses, Henry VIII formed the Church of England and famously married six times: Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Katherine Parr. His three children, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, would all ascend to the throne, as would his great-niece Lady Jane Grey. Between them they ruled for an eventful 118 years.This easy-to-follow introduction to the Tudors follows the major events and personalities of the age.

In the summer of 1940, the fate of Britain hung in the balance. In an attempt to invade, Germany was to suffer its first defeat in a desperate struggle that took place in the sky over southern England; that struggle became known as ‘The Battle of Britain’. The battle lasted from 10 July to 31 October, during which time the balance of the war rested on the edge of a knife as Fighter Command and the Luftwaffe fought for supremacy over the very fields of England.In this lavishly illustrated guide, each step of the battle is examined, along with the key players and strategies that saw Britain rise triumphant in this most vital stage of the Second World War.