From 1939 to 1945, an estimated 50 million people died. This book tells you why the Second World War exacted such a bloody toll. Find out about huge battles and mighty weapons, the bombing of cities and the treatment of occupied nations, the Holocaust and D-Day. Discover how Adolf Hitler led his once-unbeatable armies to annihilation, and why Pearl Harbor was the greatest mistake of the war. Stunningly illustrated with dramatic contemporary photographs, and useful maps, this is an accessible and thought-provoking introduction to the most destructive conflict the world has ever known.