Product Description
With the same epic narrative force that made his Undaunted Courage a New York Times bestseller with more than 417,000 copies in print, historian Stephen E. Ambrose has revised and updated The American Heritage New History of World War II for today's students, history buffs, veterans, and fascinated readers. Seamlessly incorporatinga significant amount of new text and captions into the original text by Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist C. L. Sulzberger, Ambrose has produced a comprehensive and riveting account of the six-year global conflict that transformed world politics and shaped the course of modern history.Here are the personalities and strategies of Churchill, Roosevelt, Hitler, and Stalin brought vividly to life; the military tactics of Eisenhower, Rommel, and Patton; battles from El Alamein to D-Day to Guadalcanal; completely new chapters on the atrocities of the Holocaust and the secret war of espionage and weaponry, much of it from top-secret sources made available since the end of the Cold War.Hundreds of haunting images from renowned war photographers on the line of battle as well as new color maps illustrate Ambrose's masterful text; together they brilliantly evoke in this definitive single volume the courage, commitment, military genius, and true horror of war. This new edition will endure as a major contribution to World War II scholarship from one of the most highly regarded and widely read historians of our time.Amazon.com Review
The first edition of this book sold more than one millioncopies in 35 years and helped shape the way Americans remembered arecent war.Now thoroughly revised by the acclaimed historian StephenE. Ambrose to help introduce a new generation of readers to the SecondWorld War, this book tells the story of Blitzkreig, Pearl Harbor,D-Day, and Hiroshima better than any other. In words and pictures, itrelates an epic struggle between the dueling forces of communism,fascism, and democracy. There is simply no better introduction to thattitanic conflict available, and an estimated 70 percent of its text isnew material by Ambrose. All ages can enjoy it, but the heavy graphicelement makes this volume especially appealing to mature kids with aninterest in history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

A good book
Although the book has been written from an American perspective, the written content and the photographs are well balanced. A reader may think that too much importance is given to United States. Yes and No. Yes, because the entry of United States changed the whole proportion of World War II.No, because a fair amount of coverage has been given to fighthing at other hemispheres (although from a birds eye view of an American).

Winners write and rewrite history. This book has been written by United States. If you do not mind that, then it is a really fascinating book.

The book is well balanced with writting and photographs potraying World War II. I felt it more like a movie.

The book is a good one. I bought a old one in almost new condition for $10 and I never repented the money spent.

Substantial Coffee Table Version For Your Use!
This attractive and fairly substantive book is another welcome addition to the pantheon of books covering the Second World War, serving to introduce the neophyte to the massive worldwide conflict through the employment of a credible narrative with the clever and helpful photographs, maps and charts placed alongside the text to aid learning and understanding. While not the kind of masterful text as some other books on the subject, such as Gerhard Weinberg's superb "A World At Arms", or the even more recent "A War To Be Won" by Murray and Millett, this revised version of the American Heritage book is a good teaching resource for use at either the high school or introductory undergraduate college level course.

It is expensive, and for that reason is likely less often utilized as a standard text that would otherwise be the case. Yet, given the average cost of a single hardbound text in school bookstores these days, its hefty price tag is not unreasonable given all the collected merits the book delivers. Featuring a new introduction by the late Stephen Ambrose, dean of the popular WWII authors until his recent demise, the book quite handily incorporates a lot of additional material into the text and uses dozens of new photographs as well as a bevy of updated maps, charts, and other devices all geared toward greater understanding of one of the most complex and far-fetched historical phenomena in modern history.

As with the original version, the revised text features over 700 dramatic and visually haunting photographs, artist's renderings, cartoons, and state of the art computer-aided maps. Thus the student can gain a much-improved understanding of how battles progressed, the strategic importance of certain situations, and the ways in which opposing forces deployed and then redeployed to gain advantage over the course of a particular engagement. Given the fact that WWII has had such a monumental impact on the world and for subsequent history, this book provides a stunning opportunity to engage students, capture their imaginations, and compel learning by offering a plethora of meaningful media through which to do so. I highly recommend this book for use in the classroom, and for anyone wanting an entertaining, educational, and eminently useful book covering the waterfront that was World War Two. Enjoy!

An excellently illustrated volume
Zulzberger's book makes excellent use of photographs to enmesh the reader in the era of WWII. In addition, ample annotation and explanations are given. Highly recommended.

This is "new" history?
This is a work of absurd fluff. This is WW2 from a solipsistic, silly All-American perspective that really is a fantasy. 600 pages of WW2 "history" with 45! count'em-45 pages on the Eastern Front where the bulk of WW2 was actually fought. Its the same old boring photos we've all seen mixed with a an even more jingoistic editorial slant than the old American Heritage WW2 History. A more appropriate title would have been Stephen Ambrose's WW2 Fantasy; no pesky Russkies in this story.

A engrossing Historical text that flows like a good novel!
Although a bit too "patriotic", this was a good read from start to finish.Recommend for those who know little about the biggest conflict in history.

More depth was needed for pre-war Pacific Theatre.More charts, maps and technical descriptions would have been good as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

HALLECK: lINCOLN'S cHIEF OF sTAFF
This book is an important component for any Civil War buff or "Lincoln-ite" to better understand the important role of the civilian who "commanded" the Union generals and must be credited with playing a very large role in the final outcome of the War Between the States. As usual, Stephen Ambrose rocks!!! You need to read this book!

A Good Overview But Not A Full Biography
Stephen Ambrose's take on Henry Halleck is an interesting one but it is not a biography by any means. Ambrose offers little on Halleck's interesting pre-war career and almost nothing on his post-was commands. What Ambrose does offer is a quick sketch of Halleck's contribution to the Union war effort. While doing little with Halleck's personal life (you won't read this book and have a better understanding of this enigmatic general's character), Ambrose shows how Halleck helped Grant, Sherman and, especially, Lincoln during the war. Ambrose is at his best as he takes the reader from 1863 until the end of the war. One is left with the feeling that more could have been done covering Halleck's days in the West in 1861 and 1862 but admittedly the focus of Civil War historians remained on the East until recently. While not an attractive personality, Halleck ranks as one of the most important generals of the war and this book serves as an excellent introduction and appreciation of "Old Brains."

Finally does Old Brains some justice
Henry Wager Halleck has gone down in history as the man General Grant replaced, the man who did little to advance the Union cause for the first four years of the Civil War.Perhaps this reputation is deserved, but what is undeserved is the fact that this major player has gone so long without a biography that does him some justice.Master historian Stephen Ambrose sheds light on this interesting individual.

Halleck was born in 1815 and graduated West Point in 1839 in the corps of engineers, a sin quo non for advancement at the time.During the Mexican-American war he was sent to California and subsequently was influential in writing the state's constitution and bringing it into the union.In 1861 Halleck was given command of the Western theatre for the Union and it was here that he first gained recognition for his organizational abilities as well as his problematic love for headquarters.He was the opposite of his most successful commander, Ulysses S. Grant. In 1862 Halleck was brought, by Lincoln, to Washington to run command the entire Union effort.But he proved incapable of dealing with the field commanders, such as Burnside and McClellan and from this point his reputation soured.Eventually he would be replaced by his former subordinate, Grant, and he became Chief of Staff.After a posting in California he was transferred the army command of the 'Division of the South', dying while at work in 1872, a career military man.

This short biography sheds some light on his career and on his successes, especially in terms of logistics, that he brought to the war effort.

Seth J. Frantzman

The story behind this book is not actually Henry Halleck
I'll not repeat the comments made by the other reviewers since I agree with their sentiments. This is a very informative book about "Old Brains," a man without whom neither Lincoln nor Grant could have suceeded.

The most important fact about this book is its importance for the author. Ambrose is without a doubt one of my favorite historians. This was, I believe, his first published work, the result of his PhD research. Soon after it was published, General Eisenhower read the book. He liked it so much, he invited the young author to meet with him to begin writing an official biography. The rest is history, so to speak. Because of this book, we have other great works of history, great because they relate so much of importance and they relate it to the common man.

Thanks to this little book, we all can read D-Day, Citizen Soldier, and outstanding biographies of Nixon and Eisenhower.

Doug

Insightful military biography
Henry Halleck, that is the name that would rise a storm of scorn or derision among most Civil War readers. General Halleck have not been well regarded by most Civil War historians since the Civil War. This short biography (90% of 212 pages of text are on his Civil War years) by Stephen Ambrose tries to take a revisionist tack to Hallack's accomplishments, talents and his contribution to the Union cause. Ambrose's effort was to show that Halleck was bit more then just a paper general but an effective organizer and coordinator of the Union war effort. While admitting that Hallack was no battlefield general, his massive intellect on military matter was more suited for support roles to the armies at front, a classical bookworm general.

The book was originally published back in 1962 so the writing may not be as good as Ambrose's later efforts. But its still nicely readable and provides some very insightful views on Halleck's role in the Civil War. Whether you agree with Ambrose or not, is up to you. ... Read more

Product Description
In the final months of World War II, with the Allied forces streaming into Germany on two fronts, a major decision had to be made: where to draw a stop line to prevent an accidental clash between the Russian and the Anglo-American armies. Behind this decision lay another. Whose forces would be the first to reach Berlin? General Dwight David Eisenhower, supreme commander of the British and American armies, chose to halt at the Elbe River and leave Berlin to the Red Army. Could he have beaten the Russians to Berlin? If so, why didn't he? If he had, would the Berlin question have arisen? Would Germany have been divided as it was? Would the Cold War have assumed a direction more favorable to the West? In a narrative of steady fascination, Stephen E. Ambrose describes both the political and the military aspects of the situation, sketches the key players, explains the alternatives, and considers the results. The result is a sharply focused light on an important question of the postwar world. This paperback edition features a new introduction by the author. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Why Did Eisenhower Stop?
I think there is a great deal that is not known about Eisenhower's halt at the Elbe, and gift of what became East Germany to the Russians.Surely he had some inkling of what was to come. The consequences are widely known and tragic.

That is not all that defies explanation. Herr Udo Pfleghar search long in the National Archives for an answer to this question, and I highly recommend his book (in German) of 1998. Moreover, it took high reprimand from Truman to move Eisenhower to do anything about the tragic conditions of displaced persons and concentration camp survivors after the war (see Hilliard's "Surviving the Americans").

I admire Ambrose for trying to figure out an answer to this question, however insufficient, and I don't think interviews with higher-ups in other regimes would have helped answer the questions....the answers are still classified, probably never to see the light of day despite massive recent declassifications, due to the "Catch-22s" of the Freedom of Information Act and questions of national security.A hundred years hence, there will be few who really know. Of course, that's just one man's opinion.

Ambrose is overrated.READTHE LAST BATTLE
After reading Citizen Soldiers, D-Day, and Band of Brothers, I came to one conclusion.Ambrose is great at interviewing veterans and taking those interviews and making pretty good books out of them.However, he shouldnot attempt to analyze the strategy of several generals in World War 2. Ambrose is ignorant to the fact that even though our allies in the eastwere communists, they still bled alot more than the Western Allies did andsuffered far more from the wrath of the Third Reich.Ambrose is a fool forcriticizing Cornelius Ryan's The Last Battle.Ryan was able to interviewhundreds from BOTH sides of the war.While Ambrose just interviewsAmericans, Ryan interviewed Americans, British, Russians, and Germans. Also don't forget that Ryan was able to interview all the key players ofthe Battle of Berlin; Ike, Bradley, Chuikov, Rokossovskii, Heinrici, andtoo many more for me to list here.If you want a great account of theBattle of Berlin and the decision of the West not to attack the capital,read Ryan's The Last Battle.Take it from a guy who was with our troopsand interviewed ALL of the major players in the battle.

Why Ike decided not to capture Berlin in 1945.
This is a short book about why Ike did not use the opportunity to capture Berlin in 1945.This is an earlier book before Ambrose became widely known, and to be honest more scholorly and less reader friendly.It is ashort read.

Ike did not sanction the capture of Berlin for a number ofreasons.First, Berlin was in the Soviet sphere in Germany, and secondbecause his troops were not in as good a position as the Russians of takingthe Nazi capital.The cost in human lives would also be great, especiallyif the city would have to be handed back to the Russians.For thesereasons, Ike decided that Berlin was not worth the risk, and sent hisforces toward Leipzig. Ike made a sound military decision.

MORE LIKE A THESIS PAPER THAN A BOOK
I am a hugh fan of Stephen Ambrose. However, this very small book was a great disappointment.First of all its only about 100 pages plus appendices.It is more like reading a college history report.StephenAmbrose is my favorite history author but, he seems to have a blind spotwhen it comes to Eisenhower.In Ambroses eyes he can do no wrong. If youwant a much more detailed viewpoint of the battle for Berlin read The LastBattle by Cornelius Ryan. ... Read more

Product Description

From acclaimed biographer Stephen E. Ambrose comes the life of one of the most elusive and intriguing American political figures, Richard M. Nixon. From his difficult boyhood and earnest youth to bis ruthless political campaigns for Congress and Senate to his defeats in '60 and '62, Nixon emerges life-size in all his complexity. Ambrose charts the peaks and valleys of Nixon's first fifty years -- his critical support as a freshman congressman of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan; his involvement in the House Committee on Un-American Activities; his aggressive pursuit of Alger Hiss; his ambivalent relationship with Eisenhower; and more. It is the consummate biography; it is a stunning political odyssey. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A better understanding of a fascinating man
I own all three volumes of the Stephen Ambrose work on Richard Nixon.I was somewhat intimidated in starting the first volume knowing once I started, my personality would force me to read all three volumes unless the quality of the work was horrendous.Fortunately for me, it was just the opposite.Not only is this book well written and researched, it taught me that the subject of the book was a very complex individual who was so much more than the man that I learned about mostly from the Watergate era.I have learned that there were parts of his personality that I detested but there were other parts of him that I admire.Either way, I am now reading the second volume and look forward to reviewing it when I am done.

Great book
This book is my favorite one on Nixon. Ambrose did a great job on explaining Nixon's early years as a child and a young man. I believe that Ambrose gave Nixon a decent and fair treatment in this book. I would highly recommend the book.

Nixon: The Education of the READER
NIXON is an exhaustive and in-depth look at the early years of one of America's most notorious politicians -- Stephen Ambrose has really done his homework.

More than the cold hard facts, though, the reader gets up-close and personal with Nixon -- you really understand what makes him tick, which is probably why you decided to pick up the book in the first place. Afterall, who doesn't want to know more about this complex figure? He was so frequently regardedas "uncharismatic," and "untrustworthy," that even the casual observer of history has to wonder how such a person became President.

I was not only compelled to learn how such an unlikely man gained the presidency, but how this man took such a gift, and betrayed it to his flaws. I knew the answer was, simply, in what made him tick as a human being. I found those answers here.

Surprisingly, one also gains in reading this book a broad education in not only Nixon the man, but his era. This is the great thing about a well-written biography; it can be a wonderful cross-section of not only biographical information but historical as well. In reading Ambrose's account, you will learn a thing or two about how our government works, and will walk away with a historical perspective that will help you to understand today's complex and heated political climate all the better.

The one area where NIXON is lacking, however, is in the exploration (or lack thereof) of Nixon's family life. We are constantly reminded that Nixon was "never there," and that despite his absence, his family "loved him" very much, particularly his girls (who adored him, apparently), but why? We don't get many details on Nixon's relationship with his girls, which I thought would have provided an even clearer window into the subject's complicated psyche. I've heard that whatever his public persona, he was a very loving father. In my opinion, the book suffers for not exploring this deeper.

Though Stephen Ambrose, by his own admission, is no Nixon fan, he is to be applauded for his objective effort in analyzing our former President. While he doesn't let him off the hook (no doubt about it, Nixon played political hardball almost unscrupulously), you will--through reading this book-- come to sympathize and perhaps even find respect for Nixon. Believe it or not, he was in many ways a principled man, and had a deep-rooted code of ethics which governed his direction in life (I mean, look at Watergate -- for the terrible deed it was, at least he wasn't trying to line his own pockets or anything). Unfortunately, as you will learn, he was also too ambitious and too insecure, and these flaws would prove to be his undoing, as they sometimes blinded his morals.

NIXON show us that these flaws would, even early in life, lay the foundations for the subject's eventual downfall. However, this book also teaches us something: we all have flaws, and we are all just as capable as giving in to them as he was.

The life of Richard M. Nixon, is, more than anything else, a cautionary tale.

As the fictional President in Oliver Stone's film NIXON comments whilst gazing at a portrait of JFK; "When they looked at you, they saw what they wanted to be...

When they look at ME, they see what they ARE."

Moves fast and tells a great story
I was 400 pages into this book when I realized there was no way that Ambrose was going to get through the Nixon Presidency and Watergate in the next 200 pages.

Why is that relevant?

Because the book was so interesting that I never even stopped to realize that it wasn't a single-volume biography. I picked it up used at a local book store and just assumed it was a one-volume bio... shame on me. But, the book was so well written that it just flowed and kept my attention. I didn't even notice I was running out of room.

When I did realize I was running out of space and needed volumes II and III, I went online and ordered the second quickly so my journey into the Nixon presidency would go on without a beat. Volumes II and III are pretty pricy by the way. I bought the second and checked out the third. I'd suggest your local library for all 3.

Of the three, I would say I liked the first the most because it talks about a Nixon that was a good guy. He handled himself with dignity under the worst of circumstances... for instance his VP trip to South America. You like Nixon in the first book. Ambrose paints a portrait of a nerdy guy that just happens to be an extremely gifted politician and is willing to play the cards necessary to make it in Washington.

I liked all 3 volumes, but by far the first of the three in the series is the best. If you want to read all 3 though... brace yourself it adds up to more than 1900 pages on what I would consider one of the most interesting people in American history.

Great job Ambrose... or at least great job to what had to have been a small army of researchers.

Great start to the three volume biography
This is the first volume of Ambrose's three volume work detailing the life of Richard Nixon. From childhood to law school to Congress to the Vice-Presidency, the author explores Nixon's character and personality as well as the influences and experiences that made Nixon the complicated and contradictory individual that he was.While the seeds of his destructive personality are clearly present, the reader is struck by the many positive qualities of Nixon.

Ambrose paints the portrait of a budding and able politician whose ultimate demise could be foreseen, but need not have happened. This lack of inevitability is explored further in the second volume.

This first volume can be found at a reasonable price.It should be noted, however, that the second and third volumes are quite rare and expensive. ... Read more

Product Description
The definitive one-volume biography of the man who oversaw Operation Overlord and D-Day, written by the number 1 bestselling author of BAND OF BROTHERS. 'In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory! Good luck!' With these words, on 6 June 1944, Supreme Commander General Dwight Eisenhower sent his troops to liberate Nazi-occupied France. Eisenhower was one of outstanding leaders of the twentieth century. As a soldier, he was decisive, disciplined, courageous and popular with his men, thus commanding the victorious D-Day landings. As President, he was a leader who made peace in Korea and kept the peace thereafter, a statesman who safely guided the free world through one of the most dangerous decades of the Cold War. He was the only president of the twentieth century who managed to preside over eight years of peace and prosperity.Drawn from numerous interviews with Eisenhower himself, and peopled with such eminent figures as Roosevelt, Churchill, de Gaulle, Nixon and Khruschev, EISENHOWER: SOLDIER AND PRESIDENT brings to life an incomparable leader. From bestselling historian Stephen E. Ambrose, this is the fullest, richest, most objective rendering yet of the soldier who became president. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great book of a great man
Stephen E. Ambrose has created an awesome biography about a man that realized his importance and task in a critical part of the history. Dwight Eisenhower was not necessary a great soldier, but a tremendous leader and general. He united the countries that was known as the allies(WWII), a task that was very difficult at that time. With his big smile and a well of energy and straight forwardness he motivated the soldiers to attack the beaches of Normandy with precision and rage. For his greatest military success was "Operation Overlord". The book gives the readers an insight of the life of a person that have to carry the big burden of responsibility, and how he later, at a relatively high age, went for the presidency. It shows how the tide can turn and how destiny brings a man from an average officer into the corridors of power. Stephen E. Ambrose has managed to involve Eisenhowers ups and downs in a good manner. Recommended for people that is interested in leadership. ... Read more

Product Description

In a series of fascinating interviews, today's best and brightest historians weigh in on the crucial moments in American history. American Heritage® Great Minds of American History takes you there, imbuing the past with an immediacy that goes well beyond the scope of formal histories. Roger Mudd's highly knowledgable questions illuminate five truly first-rate minds:

World War II and the Post-War Era

Stephen Ambrose, biographer of Eisenhower and Nixon, bestselling author of Citizen Soldiers and Undaunted Courage, and adviser to Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan offers his expert insight into war and its aftermath.

The American Revolution

Gordon Wood, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Radicalism of the American Revolution, and renowned expert on the colonial era brings to life the birth of the first modern democracy.

America's Forgotten Era: 1865-1914

David McCullough acclaimed historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Truman, offers his stunning perspective on the dawn of The American Century.

The American West

Richard White, MacArthur Genius Award winner and author of groundbreaking books on the American West, offers his challenging views on the winning and the losing of the West.

The Civil War

James McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry Of Freedom, and one of the foremost experts on the Civil War offers his compelling insight into our nation's darkest and bloodiest hour. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A MUST for All Americans--not just history buffs
This is the very best audio tape I've ever listened to.While some interviews are better (Stephen Ambrose) than others (Richard White), each one offers important insight and perspective on the most important events of our time. Through the eyes of thesemen, our nation's history is told so clearly and succinctly, and with such passion, that you can't help but be changed and moved by the experience.I guarantee you'll come away with a better grasp of who we are and where we're headed as a nation.

Easy U.S. History on the Ears
This audiobook is an excellent addition to the U.S. history-buff's glove compartment.There are basically four tapes of interviews by Roger Mudd done for the History Channel.Mudd asks questions to the featuredhistorians and they respond with stories and factoids to keep you thinking. I can listen to them many times and still learn things that I didn't catchthe last time around.This is also a great way to brush up on your U.S.history while enriching what you already know. ... Read more

Product Description

Milton S. Eisenhower was one of the most honored and influential statesmen this country has produced. His career spanned government and higher education, and he was a shaping force in both.

This biography by Stephen E. Ambrose and Richard H. Immerman traces the 34th President's younger brother's path from small-town Kansas into the Washington bureaucracy and on through the presidencies of Kansas State, Penn State, and Johns Hopkins. Because Eisenhower himself wrote about his government service in two books, Ambrose and Immerman have concentrated instead on his career as an educator. The portrait they paint is based upon extensive research and interviewing, but it is richly colored with anecdotes, opinions, and personal narrative.

The portrait of Milton Eisenhower that emerges in this book is of a personable, diplomatic, highly effective administrator -- innovative, intuitive, abundantly energetic, tenacious, and combative when necessary. The final section of the book depicts a spirited octogenarian whose contributions to American life continued even after more than a decade of official "retirement."

Product Description
Part One Of Two Parts

In his second installment of the life of Eisenhower, Ambrose paints a man, both decent and complex, whose presidency is increasingly regarded as one of this century's most successful.

Wide-ranging and inclusive, the book covers Eisenhower's rejection of advice to use nuclear weapons, his thinking on defense policy and the Cold War, his actions on civil rights and his views on Communism. We also see Eisenhower in action with Nixon, Truman, Churchill, Khrushchev, de Gaulle and other world leaders. ... Read more

Product Description
Sound, tested methods for enhancing parents' teaching skills. ... Read more