For the millions who want to know more about “The Greatest Generation” and the global struggle they fought and won, an essential work of popular reference.

World War II was the most complex, geographically extensive, and momentous global conflict in human history–a subject uniquely suited to the time-tested formula of the acclaimed 1001 series. From the rise of Hitler and Germany’s military resurgence to Japan’s surrender to the United States, esteemed historian Frank Vandiver presents hundreds of key facts about the war that defined the twentieth century and shaped the world to this day. Organized chronologically, 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About World War II looks at the war with a truly global perspective, covering all the warring nations and examining not only the crucial battlefields but also the strategy, the technology, and the cultural forces that influenced the war. Informed, concise, and accessible, this book will delight both the uninitiated and the hardcore buff with its detailed and freshly presented information on a war we can’t seem to–and don’t want to–forget.