Victory in Europe, 1945

At the end of World War II in Europe, peace had finally come but at a terrible price: its cities and countryside were devastated, 35 million lay dead, and those who did survive faced extreme economic hardship and the threat of starvation. Ending the war was more than a matter of defeating the German army; it was about a new world order emerging in fits and starts from the smouldering ruins of a continent. In this provocative collection, 11 senior scholars explore the transition from war to uneasy peace. Authorities such as Warren Kimball, Randall Woods and Garry Clifford examine how and why the war ended as it did, whether a different resolution was possible and what the victors actually won. They also consider whether the circumstances surrounding war termination made inevitable the ensuing Cold War. Some examine the often-tragic results of actions taken to deal with such immediate circumstances as the food crisis. Others assess the roles of key players, such as the joint chiefs of staff, during the transition from shooting war to cold war. Other issues that have preoccupied scholars and policy makers since 1945 regarding the chaotic termination of the war, such as Eisenhower's decision to stop at the Elbe, are also discussed.