Moral Combat - A History of World War II - Michael Burleigh

This book, "Moral Combat", by Michael Burleigh, had been sitting on my shelves for quite some time. I had picked at it tentatively in the past; only recently did I take the step of reading it from cover to cover. I am glad that I took that step.

This is not really an exhaustive chronological account of the conflict. Rather, it seeks to examine some of the moral aspects of this fateful epoch in world history. It even goes beyond that brief, in my estimation, serving as an engaging and highly readable look at those years.

I like the emphasis on "case studies", examples from on the ground to illustrate the moral quandaries and dilemmas which confronted people, military personnel and civilians alike. The diplomatic and strategic intricacies are similarly explored.  Much of the material is spawned by the arrival of the USSR as allies of Britain and the US, how this created new realities, at many levels of the struggle, with regard to small nations, resistance groups and so forth. 

One of the strengths of this book is the inclusion of numerous small nuggets of information, which together augment the understanding and knowledge.

I found the writing style quite to my liking; not particularly dry, and with some levity here and here. The author is not afraid to venture his personal viewpoints on certain issues, and his views on modern historians make for intriguing reading.

As someone who has latterly embraced pragmatism with a vengeance, as a guiding light in my life and my world-view, some of the topics scrutinized here are quite close to home, one might say.

This is not a very comfortable book to read, but I don't think it was intended to be so. I was left with some mixed feelings; some despair at "human nature", at mankind's continuing failure to learn and to move on, but also some resolve that it doesn't have to be so bleak and so negative. 

As mentioned earlier, Burleigh has a few things to say about modern historians, some impatience with their attitudes. Some people, I suspect, might find some of the author's attitudes, shall we say, " traditional". I prefer to interpret them as common-sense, eminently humane and moderate. I would venture to suggest that if more individuals embraced such shades of outlook, the world would suffer little harm. In an age when "utopianism" and "absolutes" are so prevalent in people's thinking, I find this realism and objectivity refreshing and encouraging. 

Although the general tone is one of moderation, the author is quite blunt in places, debunking the reputations of some figures who are generally well thought of. So, this work is certainly anything but bland, and there are anecdotes aplenty to support the views expressed.

A strand in the narrative which stuck out for me was how some of the attitudes documented here are "of their time" but at the same time still worryingly widespread nowadays, leading one to question just how far we have really come since the 1940s, how "susceptible" so many people still are.

One recurring lesson when analysing the 1939-45 conflict is that "big numbers" can become almost meaningless, just statistics. Here Burleigh counter-acts such tendencies by his frequent use of localised, tangible and relatable stories, which serve to make the content more understandable, digestible and real.

Throughout this exploration the author maintains and communicates a healthy distaste for totalitarian and historicist philosophies. All of this acts as a very necessary corrective to any complacent or blase thoughts which might enter our minds. 

I read and finished reading "Moral Combat" quite quickly, but assiduously, usually a sign of a valuable and readable book. And yes, this is a very valuable and readable book.