(See all of my Book Reviews) - "World War II Battle by Battle" eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Nikolai Bogdanovic. Mr. Bogdanovic has published a few books and has been the editor or translator on many more.

I categorize this novel as ‘G’. The book covers the major battles fought in World War II.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 4+ hours I spent reading this 128-page history. While the book was interesting, it was very dry and a bit hard to read. I thought that it did give a good overview of the major battles of WWII. I like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

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This would be a great book for male secondary students (a generalisation, but based on experience). Clear information is supported by great illustrations.

The essence of World War II in terms of understanding the war can always been overwhelming in terms of sheer size and scope and also of pertinence. Certain battles because of pop culture or movies like Normandy, Dunkirk, Pearl Harbor or Iwo Jima will always be foremost in some minds. With “World War II: Battle By Battle” [Nikolai Bogdanovic/Osprey/128pgs], there is more of a sense of minutiae and how certain battles fit into a great conception of the whole. Some battles indicated here like one in Scandinavia where the the city went back and forth from the Germans and some of their quiet allies is interesting also because of the cold ratio. There is also a battle in the forests in Germany where guerrilla and trench warfare were implemented. Seeing these individually are interesting perceptions of a different approach that maybe wasn’t heard about often. The interesting aspect with this book is that it is matter of fact in many ways and gives the structure of the battle while also adding a minute amount of editorial about why and how it was fought. The illustrations give interesting perspective but are more structured like a moment in time versus the essence of either the tactics or the emotional resonance. The inherent dissimulation of the battles in the order they are in does not necessarily show a trajectory of why they were selected but the author is quick to point out that the war was so far reaching that this is inherently impossible in any way because of the amount of moving parts. All said in this personification, the book gives a very rounded view of the warfare without being mired and drone-like in its relation of facts. Thereby, it definitely is effective in many ways.

B

By Tim Wassberg

This book would make an excellent gift for yourself or someone you know who is a WW II history buff. Compact, precise and very informative. I enjoyed it.

World War II Battle by Battle takes a detailed look at thirty of World War II's most significant battles, both the famous and the lesser known. Written in a concise format and accompanied by some beautiful artwork; each illustrating a key moment in each battle.

World War II was the single greatest conflict the world has ever known and it has been extensively written about. The book takes a different approach by focusing on key battles throughout the war. The best thing about the book is that it includes key battles not just from Europe but also Africa, Asia & the Pacific. So the well-known battles like Stalingrad, Invasion of France, Normandy, Pearl Harbour are included. But also included as some lesser-known but equally crucial battles like The sinking of Bismarck, Battle of Kursk (biggest tank battle of WWII), Battle of Malaya and Singapore, The Warsaw Uprising, Imphal, El Alamein, and Operation Market Garden among others.

Each chapter has a short but detailed summary of each battle, as and how it happened, along with all a little background and the key figures. It also contains all the necessary facts of each battle incl troops and army movements. The battles are set chronologically which helps you understand the war as it happened and each chapter comes with some fabulous artwork. I guess the print version of this book has more pictures and artwork than the eBook. What the book is lacking are maps, detailing troop movements and major locations which would have made the book more informative.

Overall this book is a short and quick way to learn about WWII. This would be a perfect read for students and anyone looking for an introduction to World War II. If you are interested in history and military history, in particular, you will enjoy this book.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Osprey Publishing and the author Nikolai Bogdanovic for the ARC.

World War II Battle by Battle is a concise, concentrated outline of the major battles of the Second World War, as and where they happened in history. It contains all the necessary facts of each battle, but also a touch of the heart involved. It is a book I will add to my research file, and one I would like to read again in a more relaxed setting.

I received a free electronic copy of this excellent history from Netgalley, Nikolai Bogdanovic, and Osprey Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

What are the images that come readily to your mind when you think of World War II? Amongst others, the ones which flash in my mind are the Spitfires in the Battle of Britain; tired British soldiers waiting to be disembarked from the beaches of Dunkirk; the U-Boat packs raiding Allied shipping in the Atlantic; the siege of Stalingrad and the bloody winter wars in Russia; D-Day and the landings on Normandy; the last days of the Third Reich in Berlin; the US Marines hoisting the Stars and Stripes at Iwo Jima; and the formal Japanese Surrender aboard the USS Missouri.

The Second World War which raged between 1939 and 1945 is said to have claimed more than 60 million lives, both military and civilian. However, there will perhaps never be an exact figure for this. This was truly a World War, far wider in scope than the First World War of 1914-1918 as the battles were fought not just in mainland Europe but also in South East Asia going as far as some remote islands of the Pacific Ocean.

A compact publication I enjoyed reading recently was “World War II: Battle by Battle” by Nickolai Bogdanovic, published by Osprey Publishing.

Volumes have been written about the War but in this book, thirty of the World War II Battles are described quite succinctly. This gives the reader a bird’s eye view of some of the most important battles that were fought in that time. Many of them were responsible for turning the course of the War.

The writer has not restricted himself to the battles in Europe. He has covered some of the battles in South East Asia and in the Pacific which were equally important from that region’s perspective. The feats of military leaders on both the Allied and Nazi sides are explained in brief as befitting a book that seeks to cover a very wide spectrum. In my view, a short preface giving a broad overview of the Second World War would have been useful, especially for the uninitiated.

Students of military history and young people at large who have heard of the War but may have a sketchy idea of the battles would be well advised to read this book. I am sure they will enjoy it.

Concise list of battles during World War 2. Basic details of dates, locations, commanders, divisions involved. This book is a great stepping off for World War 2 information. Perfect for finding out where to start looking for details of specific battles.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.

This book is well intentioned, but a serious disappointment to anyone with any knowledge about World War II. I admit that I am a history buff and have read numerous books about the war and individual battles. The short synopsis of the thirty major battles of World War II lack key facts, in several instances, of what I would expect to find even in a short version of the battle. Add to that that the author's writing style did not resonate with me which made reading this book more of a slog than enjoyable.

I recommend this book only to someone who has little or no knowledge about World War II and the major battles that took place.

I received a free Kindle copy of World War II: Battle by Battle by Nikolai Boddanovic courtesy of Net Galley  and Osprey Publishing,  the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook and Twitter pages.

I really found this book interesting. The battles are set out in order, each comprising of a short but detailed summary and then a fabulous illustration.
For such a small book it concisely provides clear information of all the major battles of WWII. This would be perfected for students beginning to study the subject who need a clear timeline and context to help them place other events and sources. I would recommend that this could be used effectively in an educational setting.
Overall, excellent.
I was given a ARC by NetGalley, all opinions are my own.