Front: Text describes action on various war fronts: Tunisia -- Southwest Pacific -- Russia -- Mediterranean. Large world map is keyed to text and illustrates time zones around the world. Inset maps show Allied drive in Tunisia -- Japanese controlled areas throughout the Southwest Pacific. Includes photographs: Helping Rommel's run [puppy stationed atop a Vickers machine gun] -- So he can fight (Staff Sergt. Hollers clerks at the San Angelo AAF Bombardier School in Texas) -- Blimp training. Back: Tunisia, map with inset showing location of Tunisia in the Mediterranean area.

Vladimir Putin, who was catapulted into the Kremlin following Boris Yeltsin's resignation, was elected President on March 26, 2000 by a solid majority that embraced his military campaign in Chechnya. Parties backing Putin did well in the December 1999 Duma election, giving Putin a stable parliamentary majority as well. Putin has moved to strengthen the central government vis-a-vis regional leaders, to bring TV and radio under tighter state control, and to modernize the armed forces. Federal forces have suppressed large-scale military resistance in Chechnya, but face the prospect of prolonged guerilla warfare.