Blood, Tears and Folly

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Blood, Tears and Folly: An Objective Look at World War II is a 1993 history by Len Deighton, published by Jonathan Cape (HarperCollins). The book offers an alternative overview of World War II, tracing its origins from the great-power rivalries that helped spark World War I, through the interwar years, to the start of the war in 1939. It follows the early battles, the Phoney War, and Britain’s path up to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Deighton aims to provide a detailed background and show how perilous Britain’s position was in the early years, including Churchill’s early mistakes in the Norwegian Campaign and Britain’s dealings with France that contributed to Dunkirk. Kirkus Reviews criticized the work for lacking original research and fresh perspectives, calling its coverage familiar to many readers of the war’s early phase.