World War II in Europe

An Encyclopedia

David T. Zabecki

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781135812492
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

World War II defined the 20th century and shaped many events, from the decolonization of Africa to the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall. This encyclopedia offers a focused overview of this complex and volatile era, the circumstances that led up to war, the underlying causes, its unfolding and consequences. Organized for quick and precise access More than 1300 entries by 150 experts are arranged in six sections for easy reference and consultation. All the key ideas, events, actions, weapons, individuals, and organizations that played vital roles in the war are covered, from the Axis Pact to the Arab League, from the OSS to the Africa Korps, from the Chetniks to the Jedburghs, from the battle of Kursk to Operation Mincemeat, from Bill Donovan to Otto Skorzeny, from Gestapo to SMERSH, from Georgi Zhukov to Jean Leclerc, from the 88 gun to the Norden Bombsight. Covers important neglected subjects The Encyclopedia puts special emphasis on the often-neglected operations in Eastern Europe and Russia. A key section inspects and rates all the major weapons, with handy tables for easy comparison. And in recognition of the first large-scale participation of women in the war, the volume thoroughly documents their individual and unit contributions to the Allied effort. Finally, the encyclopedia discusses battlefield realties that explain, for example, why the airborne drops at Normandy succeeded and the ones at Arnheim failed. A bibliography, glossary, maps, photographs, and weapons and data tables enhance the coverage. Also includes 16 maps.

Indexes

A Word About the Indexes

World War II was a vast series of complex and interlocking events. Many of the topics listed in both the Index of Military Units and Warships and the General Index, therefore, are related in various ways.

Every topic with an article in the main body of the encyclopedia has a key entry in the General Index. Some topics, depending on the importance of their relationship to other topics, may also be listed again as a subheading of another topic. The Red Orchestra, for example, has its own main entry in the index, but it also is listed as a subheading of Opposition to Hitler.

All governmental organizations that have their own articles, such as MI-5 and the OSS, likewise have main entries in the General Index. Governmental organizations that do not have articles, such as the British War Cabinet, the American Office of War Mobilization, and the German People's Court, are listed as subheadings under the wartime government of each country.

It is impossible for an encyclopedia of this nature to have a separate article for every battle, operation, and combat action of the war. Those battles not having articles in the book are grouped as logi...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword by Martin Blumenson
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Editorial Team
• Contributors
• Strategic Maps of World War II Military Operations
• SECTION I Social and Political Issues and Events
• SECTION II Leaders and Individuals
• SECTION III Units and Organizations
• SECTION IV Weapons and Equipment (with Technical Data Tables)
• SECTION V Strategy, Tactics, and Operational Techniques
• SECTION VI Battles, Campaigns, and Operations (with a Geographical and Chronological Index of Battles, Campaigns, and Operations and Strategic Maps of World War II Military Operations)
• APPENDIXES
• INDEXES