In his introduction, John Keegan discusses Churchill's historical methods and the extraordinary achievement of The Second World War. This volume also includes appendices, an index, maps and diagrams.

Winston Churchill's six-volume history of the cataclysm that swept the world remains the definitive history of the Second World War. Lucid, dramatic, remarkable both for its breadth and sweep and for its sense of personal involvement, it is universally acknowledged as a magnificent reconstruction and is an enduring, compelling work that led to his being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Closing the Ring chronicles the period between June 1943 and July 1944 as the Allies consolidated their gains towards a drive to victory: the fall of Mussolini, Hitler's 'secret weapon', the mounting air offensive on Germany, strategies to defeat Japan and the plans for D Day.

BOOK I

ITALY WON

THE COMMAND OF THE SPAS, GUADALCANAL AND NEW GUINEA

THE CONQUEST OF SICILY 

THE FALL OF MUSSOLINI

WESTWARD HO! SYNTHETIC HARBOURS

THE QUEBEC CONFERENCE: "QUADRANT"

ITALY: THE ARMISTICE

THE INVASION OF ITALY. AT THE WHITE HOUSE AGAIN

THE ]BATTLE OF SALERNO. A HOMEWARD VOYAGE

A SPELL AT HOME

TENSIONS WITH GENERAL DE GAULLE

THE BROKEN AXIS

ISLAND PRIZES LOST

HITLER'S "SECRET WEAPON"

DEADLOCK ON THE THIRD FRONT

ARCTIC CONVOYS AGAIN

FOREIGN SECRETARIES' CONFERENCE IN MOSCOW

ADVENT OF THE TRIPLE MEETING. THE HIGH COMMANDS

BOOK II

TEHERAN TO ROME

CAIRO

TEHERAN: THE OPENING 

CONVERSATIONS AND CONFERENCES

TEHERAN: THE CRUX

TEHERAN: CONCLUSIONS

CAIRO AGAIN. THE HIGH COMMAND

IN CARTHAGE RUINS. ANZIO 

AT MARRAKESH. CONVALESCENCE

MARSHAL TITO AND YUGOSLAVIA

THE ANZIO STROKB 

ITALY: CASSINO 

THE MOUNTING AIR OFFENSIVE 

THE GRERK TORMENT

BURMA AND BEYOND

STRATEGY AGAINST JAPAN 

PREPARATIONS FOR "OvERLORD" 

ROME

ON THE EVE

A PPENDICFS

A. List of Abbreviations

B. List of Code-Names

C. Prime Minister's Personal Minutes and Telegrams, June I943-May I944

D. Monthly Totals of Shipping Losses, British, Allied,and Neutral, January 1943-May 1944 

E. Summary of Order of Battle, German and Italian Divisions, on September 8, 1943 

F. The Release of the Mosleys. Constitutional Issues

G. Ministerial Appointments, June 1943-May 1944

INDEX