Originally published in 1947, this volume is the last of the series in which I have attempted to write the history of the war while it is actually taking place. It does not appear during the war for the best of reasons; but it is unduly late because of a number of personal mischances and because it covers much more ground than the earlier volumes. The battle-piece it attempts to portray is, in fact, the greatest in the history of the world. Never before have campaigns of the size and scope taken place. In the numbers engaged, in the amount of material used, in distances covered, in the novelty of the tactics and in the almost incredible brutality of some of the methods used, the campaigns of this period from May 1944 to the middle of August 1945 are unique. Richly illustrated throughout with maps.
