World War II is divided into nine chronological chapters, each introduced by a general overview of the military and political situation. This is followed by a comprehensive timeline, covering events in all theaters of the war. The opening chapter analyzes the build-up of hostility in the years leading up the war, both in Europe and in the Pacific. Similarly the final chapter analyzes the immediate and long-term consequences of the war and the way it has shaped recent history. In the chapters that cover the events of the war itself, the main spreads move from one theater of war to another but are linked by an easy-to-use system of cross referencing to earlier events and the consequences of the actions described on the spread. The main spreads are interspersed with features, eyewitness accounts, and galleries of weaponry and equipment. This title differs from DK's previous World War II title, in that it is a spread-by-spread account á la History (with "previous" and "following" tabs placing each spread in chronological context) of the war, rather than a narrative that needs to be read from start to finish. "[A] worthy book for the shelves of the serious student of war, or for the coffee table of any reader who seeks a comprehensive history of the world's greatest conflict." --BookPage, May 2009 The April 12th e-newsletter distributed by the History Channel Magazine featured World War II as the one and only topic of discussion, distributed More than 70 years have passed since World War II began in 1939. The conflict will forever remain one of the most cataclysmic events in the history of mankind in terms of the number of people involved, the men and women killed, and the devastation wrought by modern weaponry. Through the years, countless books, films, and video games have kept the Second World War alive in the public's memory. But few titles have been able to visually capture the conflict's global impact in one accessible account. In DK Publishing's latest release, World War II: The Definitive Visual History, the war's influential figures, politics, events, first-person accounts, critical moments, and innovative technologies are examined collectively through compelling images including rare color photographs original maps, and graphics. This ultimate World War II guide describes each momentous episode of the conflict, while simultaneously giving an overarching view of the war intended to end all wars. --History Channel Magazine World War II The Definitive Visual History