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The Story of World War II

By: Donald L. Miller,Henry Steele Commager
Narrated by: Michael Kramer
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Publisher's Summary

Drawing on previously unpublished eyewitness accounts, prizewinning historian Donald L. Miller has written what critics are calling one of the most powerful accounts of warfare ever published. Here are the horror and heroism of World War II in the words of the men who fought it, the journalists who covered it, and the civilians who were caught in its fury. Miller gives us an up-close, deeply personal view of a war that was more savagely fought - and whose outcome was in greater doubt - than one might imagine. This is the war that Americans on the home front would have read about had they had access to the previously censored testimony of the soldiers on which Miller builds his gripping narrative.

Miller covers the entire war - on land, at sea, and in the air - and provides new coverage of the brutal island fighting in the Pacific, the bomber war over Europe, the liberation of the death camps, and the contributions of African Americans and other minorities. He concludes with a suspenseful, never-before-told story of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, based on interviews with the men who flew the mission that ended the war.

Donald L. Miller is the John Henry MacCracken Professor of History at Lafayette College. He is a creator and associate producer of the HBO documentary He Has Seen War and has been chief consultant for numerous award-winning PBS productions. He is author of the prizewinning City of the Century: The Epic of Chicago and the Making of America.

©1945 Henry Steele Commager; renewed by Lou Reda Productions and Mary Steele Commager. Revisions; and introduction 2001 by Donald L. Miller (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic Reviews

"This is the book that deserves to be titled The Story of World War II...." (James Bradley, New York Times best-selling author)
"A major publishing event. Donald Miller’s additions to the original account are outstanding, and the total effect is one few readers will ever forget." (David McCullough, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author)
"Whenever you do a film, there’s always a book that you want in your hip pocket to settle all questions. The Story of World War II was that book." (Ken Burns, creator of the seven-part documentary The War)

What listeners say about The Story of World War II

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Best Audible Book I've Listened To!

Where does The Story of World War II rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is the best audible book I've listened to!

So well written and so well narrated, I can unreservedly recommend.

(BTW first review I've written having felt compelled to do so given the high quality of this audio book.)

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5 people found this helpful

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Brilliant

So many accounts from the people on the front line. Very in depth. American focused to a degree.

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3 people found this helpful

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Thank you for these accounts, thank you

Thank you for all the accounts collected in this book and thank you for bring it onto Audible. For one it's a 26hours of intense listening experience, also I feel my WW2 knowledge has been improved so much after finishing this book. It's really helpful to be able to see things on an different angle during the war. This book had so many forgotten stories of WW2 which should have been taught to us in school. Even by listening to it made me wet my eyes many times. Now it would be hard for me to find a similar book for my next read......

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3 people found this helpful

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Interesting but disappointing at the same time

The book is interesting- but the title would be more accurate to call it “The History of America in WWII”. If you’re looking for a book on America’s involvement in WWII, then this is as good as they get. If you’re looking for a more balanced and broader narrative on WWII history then this is NOT the book you’re looking for.

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Insightful

The book is prefaced as an American view on the Second World War and I’m glad it was done. A beautiful recognition of the unparalleled destruction and death on a macro scale, as well as an exploration of the angst and impact of war on an individual scale. Is a great overview of the perspectives of the Americans who fought and died in Europe, the Atlantic, Africa, the Pacific, and Asia.

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Chilling account

The best parts of this book were the accounts of the less famous battles. It is a fantastic listen. Narration is good, but takes getting used to as it is somewhat drab at times, but still well read.

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Little repetitive but memorable and diverse

the stories of soldiers felt a little repetitive until the end of each big phase of the war.
I'd rather have a clear objective story cupped with these excellent eye witness stories.
But I enjoyed learning about the intricacies of warfare, the mind of soldiers and officials and diving deeper in to the structure, tactics and casualties of the war itself.

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Please read this review

This is a well told and riveting series of accounts of WW2. It includes a huge number of first hand accounts that give a great insight into the events that were going on at the time.

The big issue with this book is that it is NOT the story of WW2 at all. It is solely focussed on the American experience of WW2. I can’t recall the eastern front even being mentioned, and it skips to pearl harbour very early in the piece. After reading this you’d be forgiven for thinking that there were no other allies in the war.

Overall it is a really interesting book with a thoroughly misleading title - just know that it is not a comprehensive story of WW2 and other books have a much more rounded approach

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history from various American perspectives for ww2

I'd previously listened to 'The rise and fall of the 3rd Reich' multiple times so I have a decent understanding of events from the European point of view. I had minimal to no idea what went on in the pacific/Asian part of the war.

this book is from Americans about America's contributions to the war. pretty much ignores every other allied country involved. which worked for me as that was the part of the war I knew minimal about.

quite a nice surprise one of my favorite readers read this book. was quite difficult at first remembering its a history based on real events. I've listened to him read so many fantasy books previously.

quite happy with this book.

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Heart Breaking

Let us never forget the ultimate sacrifice these men and women have made for our freedom! I salute you all, fallen enemy and Allies!!

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