1939 - A People`s History of the Coming of the Second World War

In the autumn of 1938, Europe believed in the promise of peace. But only a year later, the fateful decisions of a few men had again led Europe to a world war. Drawing on contemporary diaries, memoirs, and newspapers, as well as recorded interviews, 1939 is a narrative account of what the coming of the Second World War felt like to those who lived through it.


Frederick Taylor, author of renowned histories of the Berlin Wall and the bombing of Dresden, highlights the day-to-day experiences of ordinary citizens as well as those at the height of power in Germany and Britain. Their voices lend an intimate flavor to this often-surprising account of the period, and reveal a marked disconnect between government and people—few citizens in either country wanted war. 1939 is a vivid and richly peopled narrative of Europe’s slide into the horrors of war.

In toamna anului 1938, Europa credea in promisiunea pacii. Dar doar un an mai tarziu, deciziile fatidice ale catorva barbati au condus din nou Europa la un razboi mondial.