The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer
1960 / 1264 pgs. (316,000 words) Political/History/Military and War

What an epic! Sixty-nine days were taken to finish this monster. What a beast it is! This was a unique read; when I ran across that finish line and turned the page into the notes section, I was not disappointed and did not feel like I had wasted my time reading this book. Like At Dawn We Slept, some of my favorite history books are written by historians who had access to papers and witnesses after the day’s events. Most, if not all, were never there to witness the events they wrote on.

Mr. Shirer witnessed many of the events during the Third Reich’s rise—watched many of the famous Nazi rallies and important events and then reported for CBS radio from Berlin. His relaying of the feeling of the people on 1 September 1939 when Germany invaded Poland is a complete contrast to what standard scholarly works state. After the War, he had access to the secret government papers and diaries of prominent Nazi leaders the United States collected and brought to the U.S. after the War. He researched this book before the documents returned to Germany in the late 1950s.

Unlike many history narratives dense with information per paragraph, this book is an easy read. It is easy to follow and does not get the reader lost in multiple mounds of facts. The flow is simple; although sometimes not in a linear direction, it is still easy to enjoy. While reading this, I never felt like I was falling asleep with information overload. I never looked at the time, wondering if my allocated hour was up. The timer would often ring, and I would keep reading, at least finishing the section that I was devouring.

Mr. Shirer starts with the birth and history of Adolf Hitler until his introduction to the German Workers Party in 1919. Then he continues with the historical rise of Hitler to Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and even the gritty details of how he gained absolute power over Germany after the Reichstag fire on 27 February 1933.

Then, Shirer paints a picture of Germany starting by rebuilding her economy. Led to Anschluss, then the occupation of the Rhineland, to the invasion of Poland in 1939, while leaving out no details of other events in those times. The beginning of W.W. II. is only the 52% mark in the book. The many pieces of events from 1933 to 1939 are so delicious that it is difficult to put the book down.

Naturally, 1939-1941 was an excellent time for the German military as it conquered and occupied much of Europe. Shirer illustrates how Hitler demanded the Army conduct operations as he envisioned and was victorious until the fall of France. Because of his victories, he believed he was the greatest leader in Germany’s history and that his armies could not lose. This belief would eventually lead to his downfall with Operation Barbarossa, 22 June 1941, the invasion of the Soviet Union. This date is synonymous with Napoleon crossing the Niemen in 1812 on his way to Moscow; Germany crossed the same river at the start of their invasion of the Soviet Union. However, unknown at the time, this was the beginning of the downfall of the Third Reich.

The disaster that is the invasion of Russia decimates the German army. The inclusion of the United States in the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan strengthened the power of the Allies. Shirer then details many events and several assassination attempts on the Fuhrer, including the infamous 20 July 1944 plot, known as Valkyrie. After Hitler’s survival, circumstances led to the last German assault, the Battle of the Bulge, and the Soviets surrounding Berlin. Details of the final days in the Fuhrer bunker. Finally, concluding with the suicide of Hitler on 30 April and Germany’s unconditional surrender on 7 May 1945. This narrative has everything in between and is a delicious delight to devour.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. It is an effortless read, not dense. Although, as previously mentioned, it does mess with chronology, it is not making crazy loops like other history books I have read. I would forewarn you that this is a monster; this will take some time unless you are a speed reader! Also, I would read this only if you are interested in this subject. For those with no interest in history or W.W.II, you would shred this book and then burn it to assure it was gone from your library. Or use it as a doorstop.      

Enjoy a good cup of coffee and a delightful book!

Lopaka

NOTE: I noticed after I finished the book and was relaxing while thinking about what I was going to write that today is 7 May, the 77th Anniversary of V-E day. Yes, I did find it ironic that I finished a book about the rise and fall of the Third Reich on the 77th anniversary of its fall into history.