From influential British historian A.J.P. Taylor, a reprint of his influential text <i>The Origins of the Second World War.</i> Controversial for his thesis that Hitler was an opportunist with no thorough plan, <i>The Origins of the Second World War</i> is an extensive exploration of the international politics and foreign policy that lead up to the one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 20th century.<BR><BR>Published in 1961,<i> The Origins of the Second World War</i> is a classic of modern history. A.J.P. Taylor's years of research helped change the long-accepted view that Adolf Hitler had wanted and planned in detail for a war. With clear and relatable prose, Taylor articularly depicts the diplomatic mistakes from both the Allied and Axis powers that lead to the outbreak of World War II. A groundbreaking work,<i> The Origins of the Second World War </i>"is an almost faultless masterpiece, perfectly proportioned, perfectly controlled" (<i>The Observer</i>).