Burleigh, Michael

Moral Combat: Good and Evil in World War II

ISBN: 9780060580971
New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 2011. First American Edition. Hardcover. "In this sweepingly ambitious overview of World War II, Michael Burleigh combines meticulous scholarship with a remarkable depth of knowledge and an astonishing scope. By exploring the moral sentiments of entire societies and their leaders, and how such attitudes changed under the impact of total war, Burleigh presents readers with a fresh and powerful perspective on a conflict that continues to shape world politics. Whereas previous histories of the war have tended to focus on grand strategy or major battles, Burleigh brings his painstaking scholarship and profound sensibility to bear on the factors that shaped choices that were life-and-death decisions. These choices were made in real time, without the benefit of a philosopher's reflection, giving a moral content to the war that shaped it as decisively as any battle." (from front flap) An intensive study of the moral aspects of the Second World War by Michael Burleigh (b. 1955), the acclaimed & prolific British author, historian & academician. During what has been termed "The Last Good War" by historians, the infamous Japanese Empire & especially Nazi Germany have of course entered the eternal record for their acts of evil & atrocity which ruptured the very notion of human civilization & will forever resonate- but even WWII cannot be entirely divided between absolutely good Allies & evil Axis. The expedient inclusion with the Allies of Stalin's soviet regime, all-but-equally horrific as those led in Germany & Japan; the carpet-incendiary bombing of Axis cities; the atomic bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki- while all arguably justifiable under their "real time" circumstances, call into question the moral purity of one side over another (at least from our comfortable distance from these events...). Hardcover in unclipped first-issue dust jacket (with $29 price & "0411" printed on front flap), "First U.S. Edition" as stated on copyright page (preceded the previous year by the first UK edition); first printing as indicated by number sequence thereon. With two sections of captioned historical photographs, mostly black-&-white, a few in color. A thoughtful & provocative work of historical scholarship, in its penultimately rarest original form. Book in very fine condition with only a hint of rubbing to front, back covers & spine; slightest wear & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; mild browning at upper edge of text block- otherwise substantially mint inside & out. Dust jacket very fine with only very slight rubbing, faint scratching to front, back covers & spine; some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same & flaps; thin band of light browning at/near edges, corners of same. Very Fine / Very Fine. [Item #5484]

Price: $40.00