The Phoney Victory

The Phoney Victory: The World War II Illusion is a book by Peter Hitchens. It was published in August 2018 by I.B. Tauris. The book addresses what Hitchens regards as the national myth of the Second World War, which he believes dealt long-term damage to Britain and its position in the world.

The Phoney Victory: The World War II Illusion
AuthorPeter Hitchens
CountryUnited Kingdom
SubjectBritish politics, World War II
GenreNon-fiction
PublisherI.B. Tauris
Publication date
29 August 2018
Pages240
ISBN9781788313292
Preceded byShort Breaks in Mordor 

He argues that while the allies were, indeed, fighting a radical evil, they sometimes used immoral methods, such as the allies’ carpet bombing of German civilians. He believes that Britain's entry into World War II led to its rapid decline after the war. This was because, among other things, it could not finance the war and was not prepared. As a result, it had to surrender much of its wealth and power to avoid bankruptcy.[1] However, Hitchens does not make a universal anti-war case because he believes that this position often leaves countries unprotected and defenceless in times of war. Instead, he argues that military power and the threat of war can be necessary deterrents against war.[2]

Reception

The book was negatively reviewed by Richard J. Evans, former Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge, in the New Statesman. Evans described the book as being "riddled with errors" and reliant "on a handful of eccentric studies".[3]

Daniel Johnson writing in Standpoint disagreed with many of the claims made in the book, and compared it negatively to the recent book Churchill: Walking with Destiny, which Johnson said refuted Hitchens' "claim that the whole conflict was unnecessary".[4]

References
  1. Giovanni, Charles (14 January 2019). ""The Phoney Victory - Reviewed by Charles Giovanni, Vanzan Coutinho, New York"".
  2. Maiolo, Joseph (2 November 2018). ""Myth understanding - Trying to make sense of the Second World War"".
  3. Evans, Richard J. (26 September 2018). "Peter Hitchens's Eurosceptic take on the Second World War is riddled with errors and bizarre theories". New Statesman. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  4. Johnson, Daniel (2 October 2018). "A martial nation needs Churchill to inspire us - Standpoint". Standpoint. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
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