This work investigates the diplomatic origins of the Second World War by challenging the prevailing consensus regarding Adolf Hitler's long-term strategic intentions. A.J.P. Taylor, a prominent British historian, utilizes extensive archival research and diplomatic records to argue that Hitler was an opportunist rather than a rigid planner of global conflict. The text posits that the war resulted from a series of diplomatic miscalculations and the collapse of the international order rather than a singular, pre-meditated blueprint for conquest.

Historians frequently cite this work as a controversial yet foundational text that shifted the focus of historiography toward diplomatic contingency. Readers often note the provocative nature of the prose, which continues to generate significant debate regarding the interpretation of interwar European politics.