The Road to War - Revised and Updated Edition

Jul 30, 2026

The Road to War provides a detailed, well-argued account of how the conflict that consumed the world from 1939 to 1945—and beyond—originated. Authored by Richard Overy and Andrew Wheatcroft, it connects national and international developments through a structured analysis covering Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, the Soviet Union, Japan, and the United States, supported by references and a comparative military appendix. The revised edition updates and expands key explanations of major causes and decision points.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages474

Reading Time19 h 54 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Preface

Preface to the Second Edition

Introduction: Who Will Die for Danzig?

Germany

Great Britain

France

Italy

The Soviet Union

Japan

The United States

Conclusion: A War of Great Proportions

Appendix: Comparative Military Expenditure and Military Strength

References

Select Bibliography

Index

PENGUIN BOOKS THE ROAD TO WAR ‘For a brief and fair description of the origins of the conflict that consumed the world from 1939 to 1945 – and even beyond – this book could hardly be bettered’ Modern History Review ‘The authors combine compassion with understanding, to make sound historical sense’ Economist ‘Without reservation … I rate this as one of the best books I have read about this great conflict … meticulously researched … It is filled with eye–opening revelations and cleverly structured analyses of how mankind’s greatest tragedy came about’ Military Review ‘The Road to War answers many of the questions on the origins of the war … well–argued, well–written … and well–researched. Both militarists and pacifists can put it safely in their mental haversacks’ Desmond Albrow, Catholic Herald ABOUT THE AUTHORS Richard Overy is Professor of Modern History at King’s College, London. His most recent books include Why the Allies Won, The Penguin Atlas of the Third Reich and, also in Penguin, the highly praised Russia’s War. He is currently writing a history of the Nazi economy and the Oxford history of the Second World War. Andrew Wheatcroft was educated at St John’s School, Leatherhead, Christ’s College, Cambridge, and the University of Madrid. He is the author of many books on nineteenth– and twentieth–century history, including The Ottomans (Penguin, 1995) and The Habsburgs (Penguin, 1996) . He is based in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, and teaches in the Department of English at the University of Stirling. RICHARD OVERY WITH ANDREW WHEATCROFT The Road to War Revised and updated edition PENGUIN BOOKS PENGUIN BOOKS Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Books Ltd, 27 Wrights Lane, London w8 5tz, England Penguin Putnam Inc. , 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Books Australia Ltd, Ringwood, Victoria, Australia Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 10 Alcorn Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada m4v 3b2 Penguin Books (NZ) Ltd, Private Bag 102902, NSMC, Auckland, New Zealand Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England First published by Macmillan London Ltd and BBC Books 1989 Second edition published in Penguin Books 1999 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 Copyright © Richard Overy with Andrew Wheatcroft, 1989, 1999 All rights reserved The moral right of the authors has been asserted Set in 10/12.5 Monotype Sabon Typeset by Rowland Photo typesetting Ltd, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Printed in England by Clays Ltd, St Ives plc Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re–sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser Contents Acknowledgements vii List of Maps ix List of Illustrations xi Preface xv Preface to the Second Edition xviii Introduction: ‘Who Will Die for Danzig?’ 1 1 Germany 25 2 Great Britain 73 3 France 121 4 Italy 164 5 The Soviet Union 210 6 Japan 258 7 The United States 298 Conclusion: ‘A War of Great Proportions’ 344 Appendix: Comparative Military Expenditure and Military Strength 367 References 371 Select Bibliography 405 Index 427 Acknowledgements In the course of writing this book we have accumulated a great variety of debts which more than deserve our acknowledgement. We owe a very great deal to Gill Coleridge, whose enthusiasm for the project from the outset sustained us through its treacherous foothills and beyond. Our editor, Adam Sisman, has shown the same enthusiasm and a keen editorial eye, and the book is the better for his gently proffered recommendations. Malcolm Porter drew the maps under great pressure of time, for which we are very grateful. The book has grown side by side, in a happy symbiosis, with the d

FAQs

What period and scope does The Road to War cover?

It examines the origins of the conflict that consumed the world from 1939 to 1945 and also considers developments beyond that period through its introduction and conclusion.

How is the book organized across countries?

After the introduction and prefaces, the main chapters treat Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, the Soviet Union, Japan, and the United States, before a concluding chapter.

What additional materials support the main analysis?

The book includes an appendix comparing military expenditure and strength, along with references, a select bibliography, and an index.

Jul 30, 2026

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