Germany, Hitler, and World War II: Essays in Modern German and World History

Description

Far more than a conflict of imperial aggression, World War II was about "blood and soil," a fight to determine who would control the earth's resources and which races would be exterminated because they were deemed inferior or undesirable. This collection of essays, many never before published in English, illuminates the nature of the Nazi system and its impact on Germany and the world. Included are careful examinations of the Holocaust, the connections between the European and Pacific theaters of war, a comparative analysis of the leadership styles of Hitler, Stalin, Tojo, and Roosevelt and a look back at postwar Germany.

"Gerhard Weinberg delights in questioning conventional wisdom in this collection of papers written over many years on aspects of World War II...Germany, Hitler, and World War II is a thoughtful and provocative reinterpretation of many aspects of this period." Washington Post Book World "Vigilant in distinguishing fact from inference, Mr. Weinberg clearly understands the difference between the easy answer and the last word. Lucid, accessible, provocative in the best sense, this is critical historical writing of the highest order." The Dallas Morning News "Germany, Hitler, and World War II...[assembles] 24 essays written over the past 30 years. These are scholarly but accessible to the general reader, authoritative in their archival basis, and imaginative in raising such neglected issues as 'German Plans for Victory, 1944-1945.'" The Christian Science Monitor "...richly informative, scholarly but accessible collection of essays...The author's thought-provoking essays question familiar assumptions." Publishers Weekly "The freshness of [Weinberg's] interpretations derives from questioning popularly held beliefs about the causes and course of the war...Learned, balanced, sophisticated, and clinically empathetic with the consequences of the Nazi lunge for world supremacy, Weinberg is the type of fluid, sophisticated writer history collections must have." Booklist "German-born historian Weinberg...offers a new perspective on German history in relation to Hitler and the formulation of German foreign policy...A valuable work for anyone wishing a refreshing angle on the geopolitical realities of the period and their culmination in the greatest war in human history. Recommended for diplomatic and military history collections." Library Journal "The essays in this book represent the careful, judicious work of one of the world's greatest scholars of the Third Reich and the Second World War. These essays represent a major contribution to our understanding of the history of our century." Williamson Murray, Ohio State University "Shrewd and incisive, most of these essays are based on archival research--an experience that leads Weinberg to end with a ringing, persuasive appeal that unless immediate steps for the preservation of various fragile records are taken, future historians will be without the traditional foundations of historical research." Foreign Affairs "A valuable contribution to the literature, this readable volume belongs in every academic library." Donald S. Detwiler, The Journal of Militray History "Weinberg's essays would be of significant use in an educational environment...the essays can be very helpful and interesting to students...skillfully argued and written they would serve as an excellent tool to illustrate to students how the historical discipline works...Weinberg is a scholar of high order abd his essays reflect this...Weinberg's book is an invaluable resource." Michael Marino, Teaching History