Kennedy writes almost too objectively of the arguments that went on behind the scenes in General Staff, and the decisions laboriously arrived at, often with grave misgivings. It is a serious and important book about the great war decisions and the men who made them. It is frank as a close-up view can be -- and one finishes with a deepened recognition of the terrific burden that was shouldered by the men in highest places- and the heartbreak of realization of human fallacies. [This work] is too British in the assumption that the pattern of war as happened is still vivid, and in the inevitable focus on British officers, but for the student of war and its planning, it is a vital contribution. -- From Kirkus Review.

Uneasy peace-1934-6 -- A year's respite-1938-9 -- 'A state of war exists'-1939 -- The Escaut Line-1939 -- A visit to France-1939 -- Europe and the Middle East-1939 -- A planner and his own petard-1940 -- France falls-1940 -- Director of Military Operations-1940 -- Wavell's run of victories-1940-1 -- The fateful Greek decision-1941 -- The Greek reverse-1941 -- Fireworks at Chequers-1941 -- Wavell and the prime minister-1941 -- Auchinleck relieves Wavell-1941 -- Hitler turns east-1941 -- Americans, Russians, and Persians-1941 -- A survey by Churchill-1941 -- Brooke relieves Dill-1941 -- Pearl Harbor and the Far East-1941 -- Singapore and the aftermath-1942 -- Striking a balance-1942 -- Delays in the Middle East-1942 -- 'Lord Hankey will be after us'-1942 -- The fall of Tobruk-1942 -- Alexander relieves Auchinleck-1942 -- Preparations for 'Torch'-1942 -- Alamein and French North Africa-1942 -- Casablanca-1943 -- Tunisia ends; Sicily begins-1943 -- Planning for Italy-1943 -- Strategy for Europe, and the wisdom of smuts-1943 -- Strategy for 'Overload'-1944 -- Two controversies-1944 -- A visit to Montgomery-1944 -- Strategy for Germany-1944.