The dark finale of the second world war
When presented with yet another second world war doorstopper by Max Hastings, a reader should be forgiven for wondering what on earth the author can possibly add, given the many titles on the conflict already to his name. The question has, of course, also occurred to Hastings himself, and his answer is refreshingly honest. Plunder, he acknowledges, is essentially a mopping up operation, a chance to scoop up some tasty morsels missed the first time around: memories, insights and incidents that have nagged away at him since Armageddon, his account of the last months of fighting in western Europe, published more than 20 years ago. The result is a kaleidoscopic book which oscillates from the vast, strategic canvas to individual acts of treachery and heroism.
