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Summary: Classic of Nazi History
Review: William Shirer's The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich stands out as one of the best and most complete volumes on Nazi history. While long, it is still very approachable. For anyone who is looking for a starting place in World War Two or Nazi history, this is a good choice. Shirer covers the Nazi era from start to finish. Excellent detail and numerous primary source excerpts are found throughout. Even though it is considerably older than many Nazi history books, it is still relevant and useful. Check it out.
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Summary: journalists shouldn't try to be historians!
Review: Shirer's rise and fall of the third riech has to be #1 on the list of dramatized biased sensationalist works of the third reich.he claims in part to base his account of the third riech on having drinks with some of the high command,including hitler,(who didn't drink).the only thing I think this book had right was probably that it was the first complete cronology of events and their dates,otherwise it is needlessly written in a way that gives the reader the obvious impression that shirer hated hitler and wants the reader to convay the same sentiments after redaing his book.shirer states his theory that hitler became an anti-semite very early in his childhood,(how can one so young no anything of such matters unless it's imposed on him?).also,he describes hitler's down and out day's as a young man as being a derelict because he lived in flop houses.his art work is also insulted by shirer,while others prominant in the art world praise his work,(I guess the journalist can't figure out weather he'd rather try be a historian or art critic.)Shirer's rise and fall of the third riech is ok if you want events and their dates in cronilogical order,but it is otherwise very backdated,extremely one sided,and worst of all increadibly innaccurate.although it is said to be the best historical account on the third reich,(although their are plenty of movies these days that make fantastic claims about how good they are and turn out to be terrible.it sounds more like a selling angle to me.)try reading hitler's war by david irving.you will not get a more accurate and updated account by a real historian than this.
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Summary: Best History Lesson You'll Ever Learn
Review: In the "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" all of what is mankind - the greatest triumphs to the most revolting follies - are layed before us in this timeless masterpiece. The great powers placate the insatiable appetite of mad-dog Hitler only to be confronted with complete capitulation or fight. Read how leader of the free world, Prime Minister Chamberlain, deludes himself with his triumphal proclamation - "peace in our time" - only to be humiliated as the greatest political fool of all time. Great leaders Stalin, Hitler, Musolini, Churchill, and Roosevelt jockey for position at the eave of War. Blitzkieg! and combat fronts extend for thousands of kilometers as the Reich opens fronts and gathers conquests in all directions. Chills will run down your back as you read of true valor at Stalingrad. D-Day is almost anti-climactic as truly epic battles in years prior bring stagnation, then collapse of the Reich's Eastern Front. Anger will engulf your heart as you read about the "Final Solution." The true character of Hitler will haunt you henceforth. You will wonder, "How on earth life might be today had the Allies lost."William Shirer's book is so meticulously researched and footnoted, and so compellingly written, that the most devout "Holy Roller" will reject the Scriptures before he doubts this monumental work. You will read and re-read this book throughout your life, maybe, just maybe wondering, "What is Civilization anyway?" or "Is Pacifism Folly through and through?" Should you choose just one book of Human History, choose this one.
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Summary: Amazing Work
Review: William Shirer developed an amazingly detailed job with his "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich". It does not only tell us about Adolf Hitler's throne of tyranny, but also about Nazism environment in terms of philosophy, ideology, doctrine, and methods. Based on original documents, this book is extensive due to the amount of detail that was put into it, and it makes this book a piece of art for studying and historical purposes. As well as Allan Bullock's "Adolf Hitler: A Study in Tyranny", the story told takes the reader to the actual locations in which events took place, gets to know the people who were involved in this reign of madness, and tries to identify the reasons that led the world to it's darkest era in the XXth century. Very recommendable work.
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Summary: "The Only Thing Necessary for Evil to Triumph. . ."
Review: Shirer's, "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" is the definitive history of that regime. He takes the reader from Hitler's early years as a waif in Vienna, to his service in the trenches of France in WWI, to the beginnings of the Nazi movement in post WWI Germany, through his ultimate rise to power, and finally to his downfall. Written by a journalist who witnessed firsthand the events he describes and had unrestricted access to volumes of Nazi government documents, Shirer produced the most complete work on that subject ever. His work is as important today as it was when it was first published, perhaps more so. Hitler and his entourage produced a blueprint for dictators that is still being followed. The plan is simple: seize power by any means necessary, then use state assets to effectively control the population. In Germany, the Hitler Youth replaced hearth and home. Schools taught only the Nazi philosophy. The media broadcast the "Party" line exclusively. Churches? "They will preach what we want them to preach," stated Hitler. Bound by these constraints an entire generation did the bidding of their Nazi masters without question. It can happen again, anywhere, including the U.S.A. It's a warning worth heeding. Adolph Hitler is alive and well today! Hitler alive? Yes! He showed up as Josef Stalin in the U.S.S.R., and again as Mao Tse Tung and his "Cultural Revolution" in China. He appeared as Idi Amin in Uganda, thoughtfully providing his executioners with an unlimited supply of marijuana after dispatching their victims with iron bars. He turned up again as Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, his "Concentration Camps" now being called, "New Economic Zones" and "Reeducation Centers," and subsequently as Pol Pot in the "Killing Fields" of Cambodia. He surfaced in the Mid-East as Saddam and his acid baths in Iraq and appears regularly as Hezbollah/ Hammas suicide bombers in Israel. Air travelers constantly fear he will reappear as an Al Quida terrorist working for Osama bin Laden. And let us not forget, almost 50 million people have died in abortion clinics here in the U.S., far more than died at Auschwitz, Treblinka etc. The dictators named simply follow Adolph's plan. And like the democracies of the Nazi Era, we stand idly by while they conduct their nefarious activities. We have no right to criticize the British, the French or even the Germans. We are as guilty as they! Edmund Burk said, "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Shirer has shown the world how dictators operate. Armed with this knowledge, we should be able to prevent despots from rising to power. Clearly, this we have not done. The Allies did nothing until it was almost too late. Armed with Shirer's work and the bitter experience of history, hopefully, we will not continue to be guilty of the same.
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Summary: An outstanding book
Review: Informative. Moving. A historical document in itself. You should own it and read it.
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Summary: !Greatness!
Review: Shirer knows how to write a book. Informative, intresting, and mind blowing, Rise and Fall of the Third Reich was a great book!
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Summary: The one of few definitive books on Nazi Germany
Review: Very few books in the last 20 years have done what he has done. William Shirer explains from the beginnings of Hitler's youth to the end of the Reich as well as the legacy. He explains how it happened, and why. This is historical journalism at its best.
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Summary: Monumental Book
Review: This book is a piece of art. It is written masterly and interestingly. Shirer dips into every fact that he knew and expands on it. It recounts every bit of information from the childhood to the death of the infamous Adolf Hitler. I am 14 years old, and I loved to book so adults should love it even more. I would also suggest Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler to learn about Hitler's logic.
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Summary: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, by William Shirer
Review: William Shirer's book, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, is an extremely detailed and accurate acount of the rise of Hitler and Nazism, and the early fall of the supposed Thousand Year Reich. Shirer goes into great depth of Hitler's rise to power in Germany through the NSDAP(Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party). He doesn't go into vast details of the actual battles, and war, however he does give enough that I learned alot of new facts. But he goes into more detail of Hitler, and the diplomacy of other countries with him in the pre-war and throughout the war years also. Because I am only 13 years old, it did take me a couple weeks to actually read the whole book, but it was a great expeirence for me, and I would recommend this book to anyone who has enough time to read a 1,200 page book, and is interested in Nazism and WWII. I would also recommend Mein Kampf, by Adolf Hitler, which was a very hard book, but I gained great insight on the mind of Hitler by reading it.
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