The Moscow Option: An Alternative Second World War

There were many reasons that the Nazis and Axis were not going to prevail in WW2, the most glaring was the lack of oil and essential resources. For the Germans, there was the lack of any allies that would help in the persecution of the war. Though the Italians tried to be a world power, they were never better than a second class Army and a Navy that was afraid to engage the enemy.

In this alternate history both Germany and Japan manage more victories and conquer more territory, but in the end the lack of manpower and material seals their doom. For the Germans, the lack of oil was so glaring that you would have thought they would have made capturing the Caucasus their main priority in Russia. But, even if the wells were captured intact the Germans didn't have the ability to transfer the oil to where it was needed. There was no way that the Nazis could have built a pipeline into Europe without it constantly being sabotaged.

One of the secrets to the failure of the Germans to win the war was their lack of the strategic metal Tungsten. Their major supplier was Portugal and even then there was never enough of a supply to feed the needs of the German War Machine. The metal is used to 'toughen' steel and strengthen the wings on fighter planes. German production of tanks and motorized vehicles would never be able to meet the needs of the Wehrmacht not were their tanks and vehicles built to withstand the winter in Russia and the sands of North Africa and the Middle East.

Japanese Naval experts knew from the start of the war that even if they destroyed the 'whole' US Navy at Pearl Harbor, they would only have one and a half to two years before the US economy rebuilt. Like the Germans, they could not replace their military losses in a timely manner. Both countries didn't have the large populations that the US and USSR had to replace casualties incurred to their Armies and Navies. Neither did they have the troops to 'hold' their conquered territories while prosecuting an offensive war.

In the Moscow Option, the Axis does better, but this only postpones the inevitable and causes the war to go on longer and cause more misery. Good Book.

Zeb Kantrowitz

Occassionally one comes across a book which makes the reader wonder, why did the author bother? This is a book in point. I can see no earthly purpose that this book serves. The premise is what might have happened had the Nazis taken Moscow? The rest of the 200 pages is pure conjecture that makes no logical sense. Just because the Nazis successfully capture Moscow has no causal relationship to this book's fictive account of the Japanese attacking Los Angeles or the Panama Canal. Just because Moscow falls does not have any particular causal effect which would have put the Nazis three miles from Jerusalem. I found the book irritating, annoying, without any particualrly defensible premise, and a lousy piece of historical fiction. Good fiction gives voice to people who had none, and fills in voids which historical research can not fill. This tripe does neither.

Unlike most alternative histories of World War II which provide short stories about specific events, this book provides a complete view. It starts the reader in Russia, moves into North Africa, includes some Caucasus and Middle East action, plus includes the Pacific theater as well. It also demonstrates how events in on theater can impact events in other theaters. For example, if Japan were to invade the Soviet Union after the Germans. Such a move would tie down the famous Siberian divisions which saved the Eastern Front.

Say what you will about the two major and several minor plot twists. They seem plausible to this reader and made for some fascinating reading. One example is the fall of Malta and how it directly related to the campaign in North Africa. Another would be if the Japanese knew their codes were broken.

The book is populated with many maps which show army and navy movements and battles.

Sadly, the book finishes before World War II is concluded. It leaves the reader hanging with a few bits of info about future events. There is room for a sequel.

If you are looking for a complete world view of a portion of World War II, jump on this book. You won't be able to put it down.

This book is very plausable in how WWII could have turned out differently if a few decissions had been changed. It felt like I was reading real history. The book is a real page turner and I finished it in days. I think the book sets a possiblity that the war could have gone the other way. In the end Japanese luck runs out and Hitler meddles enough to ensure defeat.

This novel was extremely slow at the outset but picked up steam as it went along. It's very well thought out and logically presented. For an alternative history junkie like me it was worth the read.

The only slight negative would be seeing a little more character development by the author (especially of the more notable figures) would have been nice.

As an exceptionally choosy reader, I have to say, for quality of writing you can't improve on Downing. If he wrote the blurbs on the backs of cereal boxes I would probably read them with pleasure for their perfection.

The book is well written, the author seems to involve you with the situations and characters as he always does in his works. Quite interesting, well worth a look. Great fun.

A very well written account of what might have been.The characters and storyline were extremely believable.Highly recomended for anyone who enjoys "What If"stories.