"No Simple Victory" by Norman Davies

I just finished reading “No Simple Victory. Europe at War, 1939-1945” by Norman Davies. This book provides a somewhat unconventional look on the events that began 60 years. I have to say I was surprised by some of the new things I found out by reading this book, but also by the interpretation Norman Davies gives to know events.
Can you name the largest concentration camp that was operating in Europe in the years 1939-45? Trick question? You bet! It was Vorkuta. The Vorkuta camp, 1,500 miles north of Moscow, was a coal mine that employed tens of thousands of slave laborers at a time. In total, more people perished in Vorkuta than at Auschwitz.
This is just an example of the context we have to keep in mind when discussion World War 2. It is generally believed, that yes, the Soviets were no angels, but the Nazi Empire was by far the greatest of the 2 evils. Norman Davies says that this is wrong, the Nazis and the Soviets were actually very similar, the Great Patriotic Was is a myth, and good did not prevail in 1945. While the theoretical framework of communism is obviously more advanced than national-socialism, when it comes to its actual effects, it caused just as much, if not more, suffering.
Another point the author in making is that Western public opinion puts too much emphasis on the Western front, when in fact the War was fought and won in the East. In and objective history of WW2, all least ¾ should be dedicated to the Eastern Front.
Can a nation be oppressor and victim at the same time? Yes it can, it was the case of the German nation. Hitler came to power through democratic means, so the German people are partly responsible for him. But what about what happened after the War? The expulsions of the German population from the East can not be morally justified, 2 wrongs don’t make a right. Also, the area bombardment conducted by US and British planes on Germany caused many victims among the civilian population. The 1945 bombing of Dresden was tragic: in four raids, 1,300 heavy bombers dropped more than 3,900 tons of high-explosive bombs and incendiary devices on the city. Estimates of civilian casualties vary greatly, but recent publications place the figure between 24,000 and 40,000. The victims were not Nazis, but German civilians, as innocent as the Jews gazed at Auschwitz.
Really good book, definitely worth reading.

 

While it never hurts to learn new things we always need to understand what it is we are learning, and while Jeff puts across a good point I would support it by saying that during the period 1939-1945 the total number of civilians killed in great Britain due to enemy action was 60,595 seriously injured 86,182 slightly injured 150,833 treated at first aid posts and mobile first aid units 165,743.So while I accept Dresden and any other raid that killed any civilian was a terrible part of the war please dont make the Germans, sound like they had it worse than anyone else.