The Origins of World War II, by AJP Taylor, proposes and investigates unconventional and widely unaccepted theories about the underlying causes of World War II. Taylor is a British historian specializing in 20th century diplomacy, and in his book he states that as a historian his job is to “state the truth” (p. xi) as he sees it, even if that means disagreeing with existing prejudices. The book was published in 1961, a relatively short time after the war, and as a result of its extreme impartiality the work became the subject of controversy for many years. Studying history through his lens of objectivism, Taylor's theory is that Hitler's project was not one of world domination; rather his methods, especially his foreign policy, did not differ from those of his predecessors. However, faced with a rigorous policy of appeasement, from both the French and the English, the stage was set for a Second World War. Taylor builds a powerful and effective argument by expelling some dogmas that painted Hitler as a madman and evaluating historical events as a set of actions and reactions, at odds with the common idea that the Axis had a specific program from the beginning. with the conclusion of the First World War, exploring the idea that critical mistakes made then made a second war probable, but not inevitable. Taylor points out that although Germany was defeated on the Western Front, “Russia left Europe and ceased to exist, for the time being, as a great power. The constellation of Europe had changed profoundly, and to Germany's advantage”. (p.20-21) As a result of the war, Russia was severely weakened, which greatly upset the balance of power in Europe. Taylor argues that: “What gave France independence as… means of paper… him to be reconciled.” (p. 216) Ultimately, Taylor explains, after Britain's failure to help reach an agreement, aggression dragged both France and Britain into war with Germany. Taylor's perspective on the origins of World War II, while controversial, is not so easily dismissed. Taylor's "innocent until proven guilty" approach allowed him to distribute blame to both the Allied and Axis powers. Taylor carefully constructs a historical chain of cause and effect through his impartial evaluation. World War I left a structurally healthy Germany determined to restore its independence and a weakened balance of power in Europe. These facts, coupled with a morally revolting yet rational leader, addressed only by a rigorous policy of appeasement combined to form the perfect storm, one that would devastate the world during World War II..