"At last we have a good survey of Europe's route to World War II.  P.M.H. Bell's study is a worthy sequel to its distinguished predecessor, James Joll's The Origins of the First World War.  On the whole the accuracy, precision, and balance are outstanding.  Bell's words are carefully chosen, and he has produced a remarkable synthesis, complete with concrete detail and intelligent but not excessive use of statistics.  The resulting work is reliable and judicious, very erudite but never ponderous."                            Sally Marks, American Historical Review "Bell's new book transcends (A.J.P.) Taylor and can replace him.  Bell has delved more thoroughly into the intricate problems they both treat.  He… handles the evidence more fairly, and is less sure that he knows all the answers." M.R.D. Foot, Albion "This is a vast topic, and all one can do, by way of brief review, is to commend the masterly equity, lucidity and inclusiveness of Philip Bell's survey of its bewildering complexities." Martin Fagg, Times Educational Supplement "lucid, balanced and sane" Eric Summers, History Teaching Review