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Since its publication in 1960, William L. Shirer's monumental study of Hitler's German empire has been widely acclaimed as the definitive record of the twentieth century's blackest hours. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich offers an unparalleled and thrillingly told examination of how Adolf Hitler nearly succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print around the globe, it has attained the status of a vital and enduring classic. Now, years after the end of World War II, it may seem incredible that our most valued institutions, and way of life, were threatened by the menace that Hitler and the Third Reich represented. Shirer's description of events and the cast of characters who played such pivotal roles in defining the course Europe was to take is unforgettable. Benefiting from his many years as a reporter, and thus a personal observer of the rise of Nazi Germany, and availing himself of some of the 485 tons of documents from the German Foreign Office, as well as countless other diaries, phone transcriptions, and other written records, meticulously kept at every level by the Germans, Shirer has put together a brutally objective account of how Hitler wrested political control of Germany, and planned and executed his six-year quest to dominate the world, only to see Germany go down in flames. Although 1600 pages long, this is such a richly rewarding experience for anyone who wants to come to grips with the mysterious question of how this menace to civilization ever came into being, much less was sustained for as long as it was. The answer, unfortunately, is that most of Germany, for a whole host of reasons, embraced Nazism and the fanaticism that Hitler engendered.… (more)
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Because of the many five star ratings the book received, not only on LibraryThing but on other
The magnificent work is well-researched. Readers will surely learn something that will stay with them regarding one of the most horrific periods in history. To think that much of it occurred in my lifetime sends chills down my spine.
In a number of ways the book is a tough read – relatively small print of the main text and very tiny print for the voluminous footnotes, numerous unique words (at least for me), lack of maps, graphics, and photos – caused me to spend considerable extra time looking up words, phrases, people, and places on the Internet. Although I learned much the “extra work,” the reader may wish to factor in extra time when embarking upon the reading task. The effort is well worth it and I can't recommend it enough.
I must admit that I unfortunately see parallels in some people and events of today. God help us if history repeats itself.
Fascinating. Thus far (I still have 1100 pages left) it seems that everything, from the obscure Prussian militaristic state, to Hitler's bastard grandfather being recognized by his father at the zero hour (when he was 84), to Hitler's rejection from art school, to the Treaty of Versailles - all the stars aligned for the coming of Hitler... it's spooky really.
As an archivist working with state government records, I appreciate the long hours of dedicated research using Nazi archival documents for this book. Government archives can often be unorganized and poorly described, and considering that Shirer had access to these records not long after the war was over, therefore increasing the likelihood that they had not been archivally processed, makes the quality of the research done for this book all the more impressive. Shirer uses correspondence, diaries, journals, newspapers, radio broadcasts, secret military orders, and meeting minutes (among others) to provide insight into the minds of those administering the Third Reich, and those struggling to defend themselves against it. Being a journalist, his prose are not dry as one may expect from a history book but rather are very engaging.
Although the book is fascinating, historians have discredited Shirer's belief in the Sonderweg theory of German history. This "Luther to Hitler" belief sees Hitler's coming to power as almost predestined by the character of the German people rather than the international phenomenon of totalitarianism. When reading the book, I recall Shirer only briefly mentioning this idea in the beginning. He does not continuously return to the Sonderweg theory throughout the narrative, and therefore, almost makes this criticism negligible.
Those interested in a deep history of World War II will be disappointed, as Shirer dedicates only about one quarter of a 1500 page book to the subject. He also does not discuss the Holocaust in great detail, or perhaps in enough detail that a subject of such significance may warrant. Shirer's attention to detail on other subjects however, is evident in that he spends two chapters on the month of August 1939 alone.
Shirer's strength is his ability to take very complicated diplomatic situations, drawing on documents from all parties involved, and weaving them into a coherent and revealing narrative. The book's coverage of the prewar years between 1933 and 1939 are undoubtedly its strength, especially the discussion of the nazification of Germany, the Anschluss of Austria and Czechoslovakia, and the demands for the Polish corridor. Not to be left out is the overall portrayal of Adolf Hitler. Despite the reluctance of German generals to follow his suicide mission military tactics, and who escaped 15 assassination attempts by his own military commanders or German people, his iron will and belief in the superiority of the German race never escaped him until his final day in the bunker. He died believing that he was the savior of the German nation despite the destruction around him.
I began to feel sorry for the German generals, often caught in a position torn between following orders destined to fail from the Fuhrer (something any honorable soldier is committed to doing), or doing what the generals saw as tactically intelligent and morally right. More often than not, they followed Hitler's orders against their better judgment and led their soldier's to their deaths. It is a testament to the Triumph of the Will, as Leni Riefenstahl once put it.
A reader interested in Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, or World War Two will enjoy reading this book. Because of the book's length and my average reading speed, Shirer and I spent a great deal of time together. When it was over, I felt that my adventure with Nazi Germany had ended and the great odyssey of the Third Reich had once again passed away into history.
I agree with a previous reviewer that maps would have been very helpful.
I would recommend this to everyone interested in recent history.
Anyone who is a scholar of military, political and cultural history needs to set the time aside in their life to read this work.