The major land, sea and air battles of World War II are described with concise data on more than fifty confrontations. Themed into three main theatres of war, there are section on Europe and North Africa, the Eastern Front and the Pacific. Battles as diverse as El Alamein, Anzio, Operation Cobra, Stalingrad, Kursk and Tarawa are all covered. Maps and statistical information on the opposing forces and their commanders are included. In each case the battles are examined chronologically, with a good basic account of the fighting, some nice photographs and maps, and in many cases a useful order of battle of the principal units involved. The book ends with a list of museums on these battlefields, and an extensive reading list.