Encyclopedic entries on the people, places, weapons, and battles of World War II are accompanied by a day-by-day chronology of the events of the war Compiling an encyclopedia is one thing, but doing the job well is quite another. The authors have succeeded in producing an attractive and very nearly comprehensive compendium of World War II's major subjects that is not only accurate but enjoyable. Including more than 2400 entries of battles, weapons, people, places, and events, this oversized volume is replete with photographs and numerous sketch maps and drawings. It even contains a day-by-day chronology of the period. The detail on weaponry alone compares favorably with the many encyclopedias devoted strictly to World War II hardware. Although oriented to the U.S. wartime experience, the book amply covers Allied and Axis subjects. The space allotted each subject is always satisfying, ranging from a brief paragraph to several pages complete with tables and graphs. Best of all, the entries are written in a conversational tone and feature numerous highlighted cross-references that encourage compulsive browsing. Highly recommended for reference collections. - Raymond L. Puffer, U.S. Air Force History Prog., Los Angeles Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.