WW II was the greatest disaster in the history of civilization, with the possible exception of the killer plagues of the middle ages. It is receiving renewed attention these days, 50 years later. John Keegan has chosen to treat the war periodically & thematically. He presents it as a competition in problem solving, & analyzes each theater of war according to the "strategic dilemma" it presents. He analyzes five crucial battles: Crete (airborne), Midway (carriers), Falaise (tanks), Berlin (city warfare) & Okinawa (amphibious). His accounts dramatically alternate from the concerns of the leaders for the implementation of their battle plans to the more immediate concerns of men in the line, how to bear up under the strain, danger & fear