Chapters 31 and 32 from the book by Perry et al. (2015) describe the important social stages of the 20th century, namely the period after World War I, the events of World War II, and their consequences for European countries. The information provided reflects the full picture of the situation in Europe and all the prerequisites that led to the rise of Hitler’s power, the growth of his authority, and the final defeat due to the efforts of the allies. This part of the book details the sequence of events that led to the unfolding of the bloodiest war in human history. The policies of the strongest powers of the time, including Britain, France, and the USSR, are described in the context of countering the German threat. The narration is conducted in chronological order, which allows all the key prerequisites and reasons for the attack by the German army on Poland, the USSR, and other countries of the anti-Hitler bloc. As a result, by the end of Chapter 31, the reader has a complete understanding of why Europe was drawn into the war.
Chapter 32 describes the main consequences of World War II, including territorial changes, the reallocation of forces, and methods for overcoming the crisis. The struggle for world domination is mentioned, including the growing tension between the USSR and the United States and the prerequisites for the development of the Cold War. The role of victory is seen against the backdrop of the social and political difficulties that Europe faced after the defeat of Hitler’s army. The instruments of pressure from different states are described, and these factors allow obtaining a complete picture of how World War II changed the course of modern history, including not only geopolitical but also social aspects of life.
Reference
Perry, M., Chase, M., Jacob, J., Jacob, M., & Daly, J. W. (2015). Western civilization: Ideas, politics, and society (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.