World War II was the bloodiest and farthest-reaching military conflict in human history, which resulted in the annihilation of some 60 million people. This authoritative and thorough volume summarizes the essential information regarding the war in vibrant, accessible entries. It features:* brief biographical portraits of notable military and political leaders, from Bradley to Zhukov* informative analyses of significant battles and political events, from blitzkrieg to Yalta* details on military organizations, army, navy, and air force units, and theaters of war* descriptions of individual weapon classes, from flame throwers to U-boats* insightful articles on war-related issues, such as home front and financing the war* profiles of the key participating countries* explanation of war-specific terms, such as unconditional surrender and civil defense* entries on lesser known topics--including Navajo code breakers and Afrika corps...