The novel touches on several subjects which are important even in today’s world. The division of Berlin, the relationships between the victorious Allied personal who are now trying to align themselves with the political wishes of their leaders as well as the German people and the effects of the Berlin blockade.
Hitler, the megalomaniac, sees the world as if he is the only sane man left. Mad women pick up dog poop, the youth has not respect and the airwaves are filled with garbage. At some point he even justifies how Chaplin’s “cheap and shoddy” film, The Great Dictator, got less hits then him on U-Tube because it’s been on for 75 years.
Mr. Harding wrote a strong, thought provoking, fascinating book which, most important of all, is a family heirloom and an homage to a relative who has passed away. I found the book to be well researched, an easy read and a window into a time where the ideal of right and wrong was clearly defined.
The Eternal Nazi: From Mauthausen to Cairo, the Relentless Pursuit of SS Doctor Aribert Heim by Nicholas Kulish is a non-fiction book detailing the trials and tribulations of Nazi hunters following an elusive criminal.
The book is a fascinating chapter in American history showing how a fringe group can take the ideals this nation was founded on and manipulate them for their own purposes
In a meeting or the German high command, Hitler orders the head of the Abwehr, Admiral Canaris, to make a feasibility study to capture British Prime minister Winston Churchill.
The Ariadne Objective: The Underground War to Rescue Crete from the Nazis by Wes Davis is a non-fiction book about English spies fighting to save the island of Crete and block Germany’s march to the East.
The Arms Maker of Berlin by Dan Fesperman is a historical fiction novel about a history professor trying to recover missing OSS documents from World War II
The conclusions Dr. Kelly made are frightening and still relevant to this day. In his writings, Dr. Kelley stated that there was nothing “special” about these top Nazis and their personalities, what happened during Germany’s Third Reich could happen in any country.
The Reich’s brainwashing of racial purity was so successful many didn’t question it. If you wanted a job or a promotion you “did your duty” even if that meant mass murder. However, this is not an excuse, in war time perception of “right” and “wrong” get muddied, but that usually occurs on an individual scale, not when it comes to the assist and/or participating in genocide or a bastardized form of euthanasia (killing your own soldiers who were left mentally or physically injured in battle).
