Jeremy M. Black

This is an important book covering not only the facts of the history of the Holocaust but also reactions to it in various countries across Europe and wider from the immediate post war period until the 2010s when the revised edition of the book was published. One of the key trends is the argument about the extent of collaboration and co-operation from non-Nazis in various countries in persecuting and killing Jews. In the immediate aftermath of the war, and until the early 1960s, the emphasis was on post-war reconstruction, and the priority was the formation of Cold War alliances. In the West, this meant there was a lazy assumption for example that the German people collectively were merely passive victims of a small band of Nazi leaders and the SS. There was a widespread belief that the latter groups were solely responsible for atrocities against Jews and others, rather than the German army being key perpetrators, and collaboration and acquiescence by many ordinary non-Jewish Germans. It also meant much wilful blindness in, for example, France at the role of French police in deporting Jews to their deaths, often without or ahead of any Nazi pressure having been exerted. In the East, Cold War realignments meant that the Soviet Union emphasised their own central role in the anti-Fascist struggle and that Jewish victims of mass killings such as that at Babi Yar in Ukraine were described merely as killings of "peaceful Soviet citizens", denying the anti-Semitic element of the murders.

This situation started to change, at least in the non-communist world, from the 1960s with events such as the Eichmann trial reawakening consciousness of the Holocaust, and the advent of the new 1960s generation questioning the roles of their parents during the war. In Russia and Eastern Europe, this process did not start until after the fall of communism and has been rather more uneven, given the much more virulent historical role of anti-Semitism there and the more active part played by many non-Jewish and non-Nazi people in persecuting and killing Jews.

The book also looks at themes such as the debasing of the terms Holocaust and genocide when they are applied to other violent and killing episodes, often emotively or by states or actors that have a particular political perspective in mind in so doing: "large-scale killing alone, however reprehensible, does not compare with the Holocaust, because the attempt to define and destroy an entire ethnic group and its complete culture represents a different scale and intention of assault, indeed a global assault". It also deals with the role of Holocaust denial or minimisation, the latter of which sometimes overlaps with the relativism mentioned above.

This is a fascinating and obviously horrific book, and makes for very difficult reading in places, not only because of its subject matter, but also it is written in a sometimes overly academic style which can come across as a bit dry.… (mere)

Naval Warfare: A Global History Since 1860 provides a survey of naval history from the beginning of the age of ironclads to the present (as of 2016). This survey covers not only the great powers and their wars but also the lesser nations and unheralded naval missions. The author then goes on to analyze the current status of the world’s navies in light of present and future requirements.

This is an enormous amount of material to squeeze into a mere 250 pages. The result is a densely packed catalog of facts and observations without much development or transitioning. The author’s focus is on policy decisions regarding the size, composition, and mission of the world’s navies, and to a lesser degree on the design of ships. Major battles like Jutland and Midway are described in only a sentence or two, but their impact on decision-making is traced to the present day.

Given the frequent comparisons of naval inventories, tonnage lost to submarines, etc., it’s surprising that there are no maps, tables, glossary, or illustrations in the book. They would have helped support the author’s points. There is, however, a 4-page list of recommended books for further reading.

I would recommend this book to someone who has a strong interest in current naval affairs and a broad knowledge of 20th century wars but would like more insight into how we got where we are now in terms of naval policy and force composition. If, on the other hand, you want an introductory level text or want to learn about naval tactics, leadership, and the experience of combat, you need to look elsewhere.… (mere)

Powerful recount which covers what happened country by country and time period by time period. The prime argument is that the Final Solution was core to the Third Reich’s vision and mission rather than a cause rather than a consequence of WW2. The book also describes the role occupied and allied countries played and how it fed into Nazi objectives. Also describes the politics of remembering the holocaust in different parts of the world including the Middle East. I was gripped. I dropped a star because upon occasion the content did not always appear relevant to the heading and would be better housed elsewhere But all in all a great book on a horrific phase in history.… (mere)

The Geographies of War – Fascinating Book.

Professor Jeremy Black has written a fascinating book on the geographies of war, a global history from antiquity to modern and contemporary conflicts. This is a book that will draw you in and makes you think at the same time. Black has brought to life the histories of inter-state war, geopolitical rivalry, 'hot' and 'cold' war and terrorism. Geography has always been a basic element in all stages of war including preparation, planning, onset of conflict, waging wars, assessment of results, post-conflict negotiations, analysis and preparation for future conflict.

Black examines how geography has always framed conflicts and that it is always part of war planning. That a grasp of the geography over the years helps leaders to understand the tactical needs, put in place the operation planning, any strategical planning along with the accompanying geopolitics. Without taking into consideration the geography will doom you to failure. Black argues that war is a spatial process, across territories whether on land, sea or in the air.

Over 15 chapters, Black has chapters making it easier to understand tactics, operations and strategy, so the reader can understand what happens before, during and after a conflict. He also discusses the impact of technology on conflicts and how it has changed over the periods. Tactics and technology do not remain the same and continue to change throughout different conflicts, and this is highlighted.

This is a ‘modern geography’ this is not just the physical geography but covers the social and political, economic, cultural and the most important, human. This book is aimed at the general history reader and not academics. This is book that is interesting, where there is something to learn on all pages, without the reader feeling stupid.

This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in the history of conflicts. It is worth reading and having a copy on your bookshelf to refer too as and when needed.… (mere)