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Six Months in 1945: FDR, Stalin, Churchill, and Truman--from World War to Cold War by Michael Dobbs
spencyrrh's review against another edition
3.0
This book offers a fairly gripping account of a riveting, terrifying time.
wshier's review against another edition
3.0
This was well written and entertaining. My only problem is the nature of this brand of popular history (that looks at a very specific time, e.g. David McCullough's 1776). They must either end abruptly or leak over. Neither exactly works. All in all, though, worth the read.
melanishka's review against another edition
5.0
History is dramatic and this book is a perfect snapshot of one of the most dramatic times in our world's history. Great read!
tartancrusader's review against another edition
3.0
Not as compelling as his 'One Minute to Midnight' this is nevertheless an interesting, well-researched examination of the key events during the period February - August 1945.
the_smoking_gnu's review
4.0
This book started out as the audiobook I would put on to fall asleep.
This didn't always work so well since quite a few of the historic details related in this book turned out to be quite interesting. I have read a number of books and have watched several documentaries about World War 2 so this book didn't have too much new information to offer, but the detailed description of key events added some background and colour to the proceedings.
It shows how the sausage was made and sometimes the process is quite unsettling.
This book simultaneously provides arguments for and against the "Great Man theory" according to which history can be largely explained by the impact of "great men".
3,5 stars
This didn't always work so well since quite a few of the historic details related in this book turned out to be quite interesting. I have read a number of books and have watched several documentaries about World War 2 so this book didn't have too much new information to offer, but the detailed description of key events added some background and colour to the proceedings.
It shows how the sausage was made and sometimes the process is quite unsettling.
This book simultaneously provides arguments for and against the "Great Man theory" according to which history can be largely explained by the impact of "great men".
3,5 stars
abookishaffair's review
4.0
3.5 stars. As a history and politics lover, the end of World War II has always been very fascinating to me. So many of the institutions and policies that we find ourselves surrounded with today still have roots in what happened during WWII. If you need any proof, just look at how the United Nations and the U.N. Security Council are set up. Both are very much rooted in the outcomes of WWII. This is astounding to me. Talk about staying power!
As the title suggests, "Six Months in 1945" is about six months in 1945 (the last six months of WWII really). It is a fascinating look at the political interplay between the allied forces. It covers a lot of the big conferences where FDR, Stalin, and Churchill work together to hash out what a post war world will look like and who will get what. These three men were very different from each other and their success with working with each other varied greatly depending on what time period or particular meeting you're talking about. It's amazing how much they were actually able to get done during all of their various talks. Unfortunately not everything always goes to plan as we later find out in this book.
Dobbs did a fantastic job with the details. Drawing on personal letters, conversations, etc. between the major players, the minor players, and those just along for the ride, you get a really good sense of what it must have felt like to be at some of these meetings.
Overall: A very detailed look at some world changing events!
As the title suggests, "Six Months in 1945" is about six months in 1945 (the last six months of WWII really). It is a fascinating look at the political interplay between the allied forces. It covers a lot of the big conferences where FDR, Stalin, and Churchill work together to hash out what a post war world will look like and who will get what. These three men were very different from each other and their success with working with each other varied greatly depending on what time period or particular meeting you're talking about. It's amazing how much they were actually able to get done during all of their various talks. Unfortunately not everything always goes to plan as we later find out in this book.
Dobbs did a fantastic job with the details. Drawing on personal letters, conversations, etc. between the major players, the minor players, and those just along for the ride, you get a really good sense of what it must have felt like to be at some of these meetings.
Overall: A very detailed look at some world changing events!
bjfischer's review
4.0
This is a good book. I'm not sure there is anything totally new. But, Americans need to understand that the bombing of Hiroshima was as much related to Cold War politics as it was to defeating Japan and preventing American casualties. Dobbs is a very good writer who captures the people involved--especially Stalin--with a significant amount of skill.
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