A Democracy at War: America's Fight at Home and Abroad in World War II

by William L. O'Neill

Book Overview

As America fought to defend democracy in Europe and Asia during World War II, its own democratic politics both aided and impeded the war effort at home and the military campaigns abroad. Now, in a broad-ranging social, political, military, and diplomatic history, William O'Neill reveals how the United States won its victory despite its reluctance to enter the war, and despite proceeding by costly half-measures even after committing to battle.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0674197372
• ISBN13: 9780674197374
• Release Date: July 1998
• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Masterful recounting of a time and a place

True WW II buffs (NOT mediocre history students!) will welcome this masterful recounting of the war and all its implications esp. on the home front. O'Neill's vivid descriptions of everyday life during the war rival the narratives of the finest of popular historians--Bruce Catton, Frederick Lewis Allen, David McCullough. An insightful, colorful, skillfully written book which students, if they knew anything about history or the writing of history, would appreciate more respectfully!

An Insightful Book by an Insightful Man

I had to read this book for my course on twentieth-century American history (which was taught by the author). I will admit that the book reads like one of his lectures, where it is up to the reader to discern his main points. However, O'Neill does try to touch base with the various aspects of the war effort, from the men in the trenches to the millions at home who took up factory jobs to keep America moving. That in itself is a daunting task, and O'Neill does it quite well. This book is a must for anyone who is interested in World War II!

Fabulous Book--A Must Read!

This is a terrific book--well written, entertaining, enlightening, informative, thought provoking and fun to read. It is a must read for all Americans.

A democracy at war was a brilliant exciting story.

A Democracy at war was a brilliant narrative depiction of the American Democracy and its epic struggles to survive durring this trying time in American history. O'Neill is a brilliant author, he is also my college professor, and his knowledge of this subject is unparalled.

A genuinely brilliant treatise on America in World War II

"A Democracy at War" is absolutely remarkable. Exceptional breadth and depth - from the military to the geopolitical, from tactics and warfighting to grand strategy, from the human to the technological, from the soldier to the civilian and the statesman, from American democracy to foreign dictatorships. Spellbinding and absorbing. No wonder Stephen E. Ambrose calls it "the best single volume on the American experience in World War II that I have read." That is also my reaction.