In this book, originally published in 1977, John Lukacs argues that the years 1939-41 were the decisive phase of the Second World War and The Last European War describes the history of an entire continent during these two years, one of the most crucial periods in Western civilization.

Unorthodox in his approach, in this book, the author looks critically at many of the myths, military and political, that still obscure the history of the Second World War. He shows how the war was experienced by the many Europeans involved in it.

The first part of the book is full of rare insights and the second part set a new precedent in the annals of modern historical work. The author discusses the everyday lives of peoples, the march of armies, the movement of politics, the sentiments of entire nations, and the convergence of thoughts and beliefs.