Product Description

In "World War II: Behind Closed Doors", award-winning documentary-maker and historian Laurence Rees brings us a gripping new history of World War II - one that is full of surprises, even for those who think they know the history. Drawing on material only available since the opening of archives in the East, Rees re-examines the key decisions made by Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt during the war. And as the truth about Stalin's earlier friendly relationship with the Nazis is laid bare, a devastating and surprising picture of the Soviet leader emerges - one that is deeply embarrassing for many Russians.The emotional core of the book is the amazing new testimony obtained from nearly a hundred separate witnesses from the period. Former Soviet secret policemen talk frankly for the first time about their repressive work; Allied seamen reveal how they braved the Arctic convoys; and Red Army veterans talk of how they killed Germans in hand-to-hand fighting on the Eastern Front. Accompanying a major six-part BBC2 history series, this enthralling narrative is a mix of high politics - including the inside story of the Allies' meetings at Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam - and the dramatic personal experiences of those on the ground who bore the consequences of their decisions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #75948 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-16
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 448 pages

Review
"Laurence Rees, who created a memorable series on Auschwitz, now seeks to address some less familiar issues of the second world war, throwing light upon its darker nooks and crannies...Rees is vastly well informed about the second world war. His judgments can seldom be faulted...there are many surprises here, and much good detail....The relationship between Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill makes an ugly story, and Rees tells it extraordinarily well. --Andrew Roberts, The Sunday Times

Review
"a thoughtful and thought-provoking introduction to many of the shadier deals of the Second World War...The real virtue of this book lies in its ability to blend the experience of ordinary people into the narrative of public events...memorable in the extreme"

About the Author
Laurence Rees, the writer and producer of the major BBC/PBS television documentary series World War II: Behind Closed Doors, previously won the British Book Award for History Book of the Year in 2006 for his international bestseller Auschwitz: The Nazis and the 'Final Solution'. His career as a writer and filmmaker, focusing on the Nazis and World War II, stretches back nearly 20 years and includes the acclaimed television series (and books) The Nazis: A Warning from History, War of the Century, Horror in the East and Auschwitz: The Nazis and the 'Final Solution'. This body of work has won him several awards, including a BAFTA and a Grierson Award. Their Darkest Hour, his powerful collection of essays based on interviews with people tested to the extreme during World War II, was published in 2007 to wide critical acclaim. Rees was educated at Solihull School and Oxford University and is Creative Director of BBC TV History programmes. Visit www.laurencerees.com for more information about the author.

Customer Reviews

An enthralling read.
This book holds the interest from first page to last. Pro-Stalin readers may not like the way Rees exposes the lies and crimes of the Soviet dictator, but anyone who wants to get behind the scenes of the war-time discussions will find this a fascinating and reliable account, with detailed attention to the cynical bargain struck by Hitler and Stalin to carve up Poland, and then later to the way in which Roosevelt and Churchill did everyhting possible to avoid annoying their new Russian ally - thereby almost inviting him to do what he liked with eastern Europe. Rees makes it clear that Russia was essential to the struggle with Nazi Germany, and suffered far, far greater casualties than the western allies, but it is still tragic to see Roosevelt and Churchill turning a blind eye to events like the Katyn massacre of some 7000 Polish officers on Stalin's orders. The Russian fabrications relating to this, and their attempts to pin the crime on Garmany at the Nuremberg trials,are told in full. This is carefully reseached and gives much that a reader of general world war 2 literature will not have met. It covers the whole period of the war, is very readable, and very highly recommended.

Brilliant, a sign of new trend in WWII historiography
I totally disagree with William Podmore's review. The author clearly states that the storyline is based as close as it's possible on archival material and from my knowledge of the subject it's so far one of the most reliable accounts of Soviet-Nazi and Soviet-Western Allies relations I have ever read.
I agree Rees has discovered nothing particularly new in terms of general historical knowledge, all those events were well documented before, but the real value of the book and the TV series is that first time a professional historian, a Westerner, decided to examine closely the relation between two 20th century monsters - Nazis and Soviets. This is quite a common knowledge in the countries who happened to be on the wrong side of Iron Curtain, but for everage Brit or Yank it will be a revelation, a historical earthquake and, finally, quite a painful truth about their countries responsibilities for Cold War.
Author doesn't skip briefly over Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany; Rees clearly states the scale of Soviet casualties and importance of Eastern Front in Nazi defeat. The overwhelming impression the reader reach is that without Soviets victory would be impossible. And that's true. But in the same time the Soviet achievements are superbly counterbalanced by terrible crimes commited by NKVD (the Katyn Massacre re-enactment is a real shocker, the evidence provided by Rees is also overwhelming), by Russian support for German war effort before Barbarossa without which Germany wouldn't be able to carry on in Europe and North Africa in the same time. Not many people know Stalin offered Ribbentrop the assistance of Red Army in a case of invasion of Germany by other powers (we can only assume he meant France and Britain). The Soviet Union/Russia beat Nazis, paid the terrible price for it and deserves the eternal glory for it. But on the other hand Soviet Union collaborated actively with Germany for two first years of the war, supplied them with materials necessary to run the military machine and imposed terror on many occupied countries which dwarfs Nazi crimes. And never paid for it.
The personal accounts of witnesses are only supposed to bring a bit of human touch into a storyline, reminds us it really happened and affected the real people. They simply do not pretend to be historical evidence of stone hard reliability, rather personal views of selected events.
Well deserved five stars.

Details about the 2nd WW that have never been told in full before
A surprisingly readable book, including previously unseen photographs. The reason for me reading this book and the most interesting details for me are those concerning the little known alliance between Stalin and Hitler prior to and at the beginning of the war and the relationship between the 3 elderly men who decided on the grossly unfair divisions following the war at the summit at Yalta .

I was surprised when reading some of the early chapters that the scandalous invasion of Poland from the Soviet side was more or less allowed to happen and despite the heartfelt pleas from the Polish ambassador the mass killing and deportation of civilians was permitted to go on freely. 'We have no quarrel with the Soviets' the British Government said whilst murder was blatantly being perpetrated. Behind the scenes though,a tit for tat conspiracy was being carried out between Hitler and Stalin which left the unfortunate Poles compromised completely. Despite the huge Polish loss of life and their heroic fight for freedom they were betrayed by what they thought were their allies. I found the 4000 brave Polish men killed at Montecasino particularly moving, when you realise they were sacrificed and unappreciated for their efforts.

A complex political situation continued right through until the end of the war when it seems that Stalin had to be compensated for losing 27 million troops (27 million compared with only 400 000 each for UK and US) Not that the mad and vindictive Stalin cared for his people, he happily murdered or transported millions for a whim. Additionally Russia was by the end of the war occupying much of Eastern Europe, too bad for those millions and millions of tragic people who had to suffer another 50 years of dictatorial communist rule! Churchill and Roosavelt do not come out of this that well though their positions were completely untenable, they more or less had no option but to agree with the psycopathic Stalin who had helped them out.

Watching the BBC production alongside reading the book adds to the interest and in particular I was pretty horrified at Churchill and Roosevelt quaffing champagne in the relative peace of Canada whilst Europe was almost completely flattened. Also seeing how duped Roosevelt was to take advice from what turned out to be a Soviet spy. Politicians!!!

I was however quite impressed by President De Gaulle who refused to recognise the puppet government of Poland at the end of the war and even the ever devious Stalin respected De Gaulles
suspicions. Stalin noted the French leaders insight, but told the interpreter at the meeting that he would be sent to Siberia for knowing too much!

There is lots to interest in this new book with some fantastic details, first hand witness reports and new information that makes this book a really good historical read. Well worth the price at Amazon in particular.