The Hinge of Fate: The Second World War, Volume 4 [NOOK Book]

One of the most fascinating works of history ever written, Winston Churchill's monumental book The Second World War is a six-volume account of the struggle of the Allied powers in Europe against Germany and the Axis. Recounted through the eyes of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the Second World War is also the story of one nation's singular, heroic role in the fight against tyranny. Here you will find pride and patriotism in Churchill's dramatic account and with reason--having learned a lesson at Munich that they would never forget, the British refused to make peace with Hitler, defying him even after France had fallen and it seemed as though the Nazis were an unstoppable force.

What lends this work its tension is Churchill’s inclusion of primary source material. We hear Churchill’s retrospective analysis of the war, but we are also presented with memos, letters, orders, speeches, and telegrams that give day-by-day accounts of the reactions as the drama unfolds. We listen as strategies and counter-strategies unfold in response to Hitler’s conquest of Europe, his planned invasion of England, and his assault on Russia. All contrive to give a mesmerizing account of the crucial decisions that must be made as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

The Hinge of Fate is the dramatic account of the Allies' changing fortunes.In the first half of the book, Churchill describes the fearful period in which the Germans threaten to overwhelm the Red Army, Rommel dominates the war in the desert, and Singapore falls to the Japanese. In the span of just a few months, the Allies begin to turn the tide, achieving decisive victories at Midway and Guadalcanal, and repulsing the Germans at Stalingrad. As confidence builds, the Allies begin to gain ground against the Axis powers.

Churchill won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953 in part because of this awe-inspiring work.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Winston Churchill was born in 1874 and was one of the most significant leaders of the twentieth century. He acted as a war correspondent during the Boer War and after his capture and release, Churchill became a national hero in England, parlaying that celebrity into a political career becoming elected to the Conservative Party. Churchill joined the Liberal Party in 1904. Churchill’s career was volatile during the 1920s and ’30s owing, in part, to his support of the abdication of King Edward VIII, but when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, Churchill was reappointed Lord of the Admiralty.

In 1940, Churchill succeeded Chamberlain as Prime Minister and remained in office until 1945. Churchill successfully guided the nation through World War II, mobilizing and inspiring the British people as well as forging strong ties with American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Churchill remained in Parliament and was re-elected in 1951 and did not resign until 1955 when he was eighty years old.

After retirement, Churchill remained incredibly active, spending his time writing, publishing The History of the English Speaking People and more. That work, along with his six volume history of World War II and The World Crisis, his history of World War I, earned him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953. In 1963 Churchill was made an honorary U.S. citizen. He died in 1965 at the age of ninety.

ABOUT THE SERIES

RosettaBooks’ collection of Churchill's best writing is gathered together here, reflecting his first-hand experience, notations, speeches, and journals. Churchill won the Nobel Prize for Literature in large part due to the writing reflected in these important books that journal the everyday happenings and relationships between the Axis and the Allies during World War II and other major 20th century conflicts.