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The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 23,525 ratings · 842 reviews

With a new afterword by the author, this unabridged edition tells the complete story of Hitler's empire. Famed foreign correspondent and historian Shirer spent five and a half years sifting through the vast paperwork behind Hitler's drive to conquer the world to bring this definitive record of one of the most frightening chapters in the history of mankind. "One of the most...more

Hardcover, 1249 pages

Published September 28th 1998 by MJF Books (first published 1960)

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Apr 05, 2013 Erik Graff rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Erik by: Synnove Stousland

Shelves: history

This was the first, really serious grownup book I ever read.

My sole brother being almost eight years younger and no cousins being in the States, I was virtually an only child, condemned to the weekly dinner parties of my parents and paternal grandparents and their friends, most of them held elsewhere than our own home. At one particularly excruciatingly boring party held at Great Aunt Synnove's I was scanning the magazines and bookshelves for something to occupy the time. Being ten, the great sw...more

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May 26, 2008 Wyatt Nordstrom rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone. It should be required reading.

Well, I did it. After two years, I have finally finished this beast. The first 600 or so pages are pretty slow, but it flies after that...

We all know the story- a misanthropic, racist, vegetarian, megalomaniac failed artist writes a book that taps into age-old German prejudices, seizes power, and embarks on a quest for European domination. In the process he starts the biggest war in history leading to the deaths of tens of millions of people, subjugates about a dozen other countries, and systema...more Well, I did it. After two years, I have finally finished this beast. The first 600 or so pages are pretty slow, but it flies after that...

We all know the story- a misanthropic, racist, vegetarian, megalomaniac failed artist writes a book that taps into age-old German prejudices, seizes power, and embarks on a quest for European domination. In the process he starts the biggest war in history leading to the deaths of tens of millions of people, subjugates about a dozen other countries, and systematically exterminates the majority of European Jewry. The "Thousand Year Reich" only lasted a total of 12 years, 4 months, and 8 days, but during that brief span it wrought havoc and destruction on scale never witnessed before or since.

William Shirer was a journalist, *not* a historian, but his narrative style coupled with the fact that he lived in Germany during the majority of the time Hitler was in power lends this book both readability and a level of believability that no historian could possibly achieve. Several parts are indeed personal narrative in which Shirer lends his own perspective on what he saw happening, though he is careful to point out which sections are taken from historical records and which are colored by his own experience. The book is thoroughly footnoted (to the tune of about a footnote per page- it takes almost as long to read the notes as it does the main text), indexed, and overflowing with "I didn't know that" moments. It doesn't dwell on minutiae, nor does it give a blow-by-blow account of the war, but nevertheless it attempts to tell a huge story, and the result is a huge (1300+ pages in the printing I own) book.

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich was published in 1957, a bare 12 years after the "Fall" that occurs at the end of the story. However, it is very easy to see why it remains today- 50 years after its release- the definitive work on the Nazi regime. I highly recommend it to anyone who shares a passion for history or who is fascinated by the factors that lead to societies devolving into statist forms of government. I also recommend it to anyone who believes that appeasement and "negotiation" is an acceptable means for handling such regimes (that means you, Barack Obama...). Sections of it (if not the entire book) should be required reading for all high school students. Only by understanding the past may we secure our future.(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Esdaile rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, national-socialism

I have a very strong feeling of enthusiasm and at the same time of aversion for this book, which I read when I was 16. William Shirer was Jewish and his book is a no-holes barred account of the rise of Adolf Hitler from the perspective of a fanatical (in the full sense of the word) opponent of everything Hitler stood for. Shirer was also a journalist writing as though he were a historian, so his writing reads easily and persuasively but is not necessarily a font of historical accuracy. Whatever...more I have a very strong feeling of enthusiasm and at the same time of aversion for this book, which I read when I was 16. William Shirer was Jewish and his book is a no-holes barred account of the rise of Adolf Hitler from the perspective of a fanatical (in the full sense of the word) opponent of everything Hitler stood for. Shirer was also a journalist writing as though he were a historian, so his writing reads easily and persuasively but is not necessarily a font of historical accuracy. Whatever one's own position, this is far and away a more honest book than many of the cold cynical assessments made after the events by historians who also have a private agenda but who unlike Shirer do not make it obvious or claim to be objective when they are no such thing. Shirer is however in my opinion,right to stress more than is often stressed, the novelty of the Nuremburg Laws, which essentially disenfranchised a large section of the population on the basis of a postulated alien ethnicity. These laws undermined the fundamental principles of citizenship as understood in Europe since the American and French revolutions and were profound and potentially murderous in their implications. Shirer also laid stress on medical experimentation on human subjects, which in my humble opinion is as close to Hell as human beings are likely to get on earth. I do not think there are any medical experiment "deniers" : of course, medical experimentation on human beings is in no way something unique to the Hitler dictatorship, but Shirer is right to highlight it as a particularly pernicious abuse of power by politicians and doctors, one which should serve as a reminder to us, if we really need a reminder, of the arrogance and ever lethal potential of the notions of so many representatives of both. It is all very well talking about controlling decadence, crime or whatever, but who controls the controllers, is a question that should never be for a moment forgotten.

I give this two stars but the two stars award is misleading in the sense that I would give his work 4 or 5 stars for readability as a breathtaking introduction to the history of the Third Reich, and 4 or 5 stars for highlighting certain aspects of that history so full of suffering and desolation, but 1 star for reliability, balanced view, veracity, objectivity. Shirer will have no track with the notion that Polish fears of Russia could have been justified, that Churchill wanted war, that in a sense whatever one thinks of him, Hitler was right in claiming that the war was between a Jewish and anti-Jewish world view, that Roosevelt was deeply anti-German and pro-Jewish, that the Soviet Union was planning a preemptive strike on Germany, that the Poles had been put up to provoking Germany and did provoke Germany and that Hitler in this case as later, with the British bombing of civilian targets, fell into a trap and allowed himself to be provoked just in the way his enemies planned he should be provoked; Shirer says nothing as I recall, about the appalling condiitons which induced many to vote for the NSDAP, and there are plenty more imbalances in this work, and half-truths and untruths besides, for there is plenty of history that Shirer does not mention, but I do not have the book any more and I read it 40 years ago. Shirer's is a book to be read by anyone interested in the time, but to be read with rather more than the proverbial pinhc of salt. I was going to award this book three stars but I'll put that down to 2 to counter-balance the wave of quasi psychophantic enthusiasm with which so many Goodreads readers have greeted it. It is a deeply flawed book after all, for readibility it is up there in the top rank, for historical balance, down far below.(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Zachariah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, non-fiction

Excellent.

The book is really long and goes into a lot of details, but that shouldn't be held against it. It seems like general knowledge about this subject is kept to the antisemitic atrocities, and stories tend to focus on concentration camps, military conflict, or underground movements and hiding. This leaves the Nazis as just some mystical thing that happened once upon a time. If there is any contextual knowledge known it is probably just remembered from highschool that the German people were...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Bettie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: autumn-2011, nazi-related, fraudio, history, holocaust-genocide, wwii, nonfiction, germany, war, true-grime, published-1959, epic-proportions, classic, dip-in-now-and-again, autumn-2012

No matter how many times I encounter Hitler's ascendency, I still cannot help but ask - 'how could it have happened'. These events, regardless of which author you prefer to tell them, are the scariest of Hallowe'en fodder. Taking a break now for some fun, the first of 7 x 8 hour audio tracks is enough for one go.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" - George Santayana

Taken a year of dipping in and out but now I'm done. Epic!

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Sep 01, 2012 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, war-conflict, history-non-fiction, read-2012, best-of-2012

Three years ago I implemented a personal tradition: to read a "Monster Classic" each year. This is my term, referring to a piece of writing that is great in reputation and girth. The how and when of it is to begin the Monster mid-summer and read it in fits and starts over the course of several months, with a goal of finishing before the end of the year. The why of it isn't so simple. Most avid readers I know have daunting lists of books they want to or feel they should read. I'm no different, bu...more

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Apr 08, 2008 Dale rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a nearly impossible to read book but due entirely to the depth of detail that Shirer covers. The information contained in this book is truly staggering, and he does an incredible job of "condensing" it into less than 1000 pages.

If you are interested in history, specifically the 2nd world war, this is a must read.

Be prepared though, reading this book is an undertaking. The sheer magnitude of the job he set out to do, detailing every aspect of the foundation of the Nazi party, and the fact...more

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May 09, 2010 Trevor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

The detail with which this book deals with the Third Reich and the unspeakable evil that was Hitler's Germany is almost too much to take. Some of the discriptions, particularly towards the end of 'medical' experimentation, are simply too shocking and too challenging to read in one sitting. If you need to be reminded of just how evil the bastards in charge of Germany in the 30s and 40s really were then this is the book you need to read.

Like I said, the detail is mind-blowing - the story of this...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich describes very concisely the Nazi rise to power, their military aggression, and how frighteningly close they came to winning the war. William Shirer was a correspondent in Berlin during this era and his own experiences lace the book with invaluable insights.

Painstaking research went into the writing of this book. Much of the information comes from documents recovered by the Allies after the fall of the Reich.

Thank-God that Hitler was crazy because when you...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Louis Shalako rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

William L. Shirer was a correspondent in Berlin for six years during the height of the Third Reich. The first reporter hired by Edward R. Murrow for what would become the CBS network, his book, ‘The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich’ is a must-read for any serious journalist. If I was going to read only one non-fiction book about World War Two, this would be it.

His sources include the personal diaries of some of the highest-ranking Nazis and records from the Nuremburg Trials. He had plenty of fac...more

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Jan 02, 2009 Erik rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is the first real attempt at a history of Nazi Germany. As such, it is a product of its times. The book offers an incredibly detailed look at the Third Reich impossible to find in any other work, and thus rightly stands as the definitive work on the subject. On the other hand, the author is so heavily invested in making sure that no one ever develops any sort of respect for his subjects that he paints them in an almost comically unfavorable light.

While trying to put down the Nazis is a...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Taylor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My first thought at the book's end was, "I finished it!" My second thought was, "I'm not so sure I'm glad I read this." As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss. My summer spent reading this book held a dark cloud over me, which has yet to be lifted. I've spent many evenings in tears over the utter cruelty of the Third Reich.

Shirer, a noted journalist, makes it clear he is not a historian. However, the scope of information he covers and use of primary sources would prove otherwise. I find Shirer a...more

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Jun 18, 2007 Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: students of WWII

I remember as a child this book sitting on my parents' bookshelf, the big black swastika on the dustcover's spine looking mysterious and scary. Of course, that's what Nazi Germany was, and when I was much younger it took several tries to read this. I didn't know the history of the context of the events Shirer describes, and I didn't know what the word "historiography" meant until I was a senior in college. This book has been praised for the author's nearly unique insights as a CBS radio correspo...more

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Apr 06, 2013 John Vibber rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Is it metaphorically possible for a society to die of cancer? Can a mad man be so charismatic a genius that his personal malignancy becomes common belief? What fiendish ideas and values could drive such a development?

If you know about WWII, but wonder about the source of its madness, this is the book to read. It will give you the characters and events which are almost unbelievable in their deception and depravity.

This is the definitive history that people should read not to repeat history.

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Apr 27, 2013 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I recall this book from my High School days. It was new then.

One reviewer called it an excellent history, while another disagreed. I found that it did not qualify for excellent scholarship; there were too many places where the author, William Shirer, simply could not let go of the atrocities committed by the Nazis. Easy to understand, but that tends to take a bit of the balance out of the perspective.

This was a long, arduous read, filled with the sadness of human frailty, and the depths of rac...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Rohan Ramakrishna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

William L. Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" has been an essential part of the World War II history canon. It chronicles the history of Nazi Germany from 1932 till its end in 1945. It is one of the more comprehensive non-fiction books written on the war outside of academia. An interesting but controversial opinion in the book is Shirer's 'Luther to Hitler'(Sonderweg) theory. He interprets the rise of the NSDAP to be the natural progression of Germany's history that "made blind obed...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Misha Shenderey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rating:

1. A casting net - seriously, that's just insulting. These gladiators are trying to kill me, and you outfit me for crabbing in the Chesapeake bay.
2. A dagger - Excellent for slicing an apple, not so much to defend against the a-hole in the chariot.
3. A spear - "Hey, look, did Caesar just vomit all over the Assyrian Prime Minister?" (spear in the back). It could work...
4. A trident - It's all relative; I could have been that poor guy with the net.
5. A sword and shield - the complete packag...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Venkat Ramanan added it · review of another edition

If one were to understand the rise and fall of Nazi Germany, this Book is a must read.

The painstaking research and footnotes lend authenticity to the narrative.

The condition of Germany at the end of World War I has been very realistically portrayed and one is inclined to agree with the assessment of Hitler of the Allies.

The rise of Hitler through the maelstrom of Germany's Politics and his drive and hi commitment to his cause are all well brought out.( we may not agree with Hitler)

Hitler's strat...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Zhifei Ge rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

I read this book intermittently in two weeks. The stories of the second world war has always been fascinating for me, even a book as long as this one is. Under world wars, things are changing so rapidly that nothing is impossible. Sometimes, they're just as good as fictions, but they're real. This book, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, depicts Adolf Hitler's struggling life from a deserter to the fuhrer.

The first question coming to people's mind about the Third Reich has always been how an...more I read this book intermittently in two weeks. The stories of the second world war has always been fascinating for me, even a book as long as this one is. Under world wars, things are changing so rapidly that nothing is impossible. Sometimes, they're just as good as fictions, but they're real. This book, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, depicts Adolf Hitler's struggling life from a deserter to the fuhrer.

The first question coming to people's mind about the Third Reich has always been how an irrational person like Hitler could have ever climbed to the peak of power in a still democratic country. This book just starts by trying to answering this question from the perspective of socioeconomic conditions of the post first world war Germany. During the 1920s, Germany suffered severely from inflation and indemnity. One "good" thing Nazi did to Germany was to restore economic stability and even prosperity. Apparently, it's in government's natural responsibility to take care of the nation's economy. The forgotten part is when government restore the economy in a bad or dishonest way, should the people allow it by relinquishing their freedom or pretending having seen nothing? The stories of the Third Reich convince us to say no to this question.

The second interesting question for me is why France and Britain had ignored it when Germany annexed Austria, Czech Slovakia and Poland. The author of this book, William Shirer, explains it from territorial disputes, which is very convincing. This stimulates me to think about contemporary territorial disputes happening over China, Japan and Southeast Asia. If we don't try to solve these disputes from international cooperation and allow power to override reasoning, we may sow the seeds of another world war.

Finally, when the world war is happening, I'm wondering why the totalitarian Soviet Union could have collaborated with the Democratic West. Hitler convinces Mussolini to sign the Tripartite Pact on the argument that Fascism could not survive if Nazism fell. The argument is convincing. The analogous question for Soviet Union is could Soviet Union survive when Nazi Germany fell. Soviet Union did survive for a few more decades, but eventually went bankrupt after decades' competition against the democratic West. The reason behind SU's fall is probably more complicated, but the interesting question is what if Soviet Union had collaborated with Nazi Germany. Hitler himself was unlikely to tolerate such collaboration, but if the collaboration did happen, we probably would have to witness another Mid Age.

My interest in reading this part of history again and again is to see the same thing from different perspectives. This book, from the perspective of the fuhrer of the Germany, is definitely among the books I can't miss.(less)

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Jul 26, 2012 Gaurav rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this through my teens, and was one of the first introductions (in detail) to the Second World War.

While I have read a lot more hence, I would still recommend this as essential reading, even if the history presented is tainted from a victor's perspective. War is gooey for all parties involved, and none of the countries can be labelled as morally or ethically correct in every aspect. Having said that, the converse needs to be understood and appreciated equally - no single country, or a set...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Jonathan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a history student and a fan of Gordon Craig, I avoided this one... But to criticize one must read. Observations follow:

First thing: Great use of primary sources.

Second: He apologizes at the outset that he will refrain from subjective commentary, then proceeds to do so throughout. He was a journalist and this style shines through. Some of his conclusions are, I feel, way off base. For example: There is something innate in the German character or psyche which is warlike, similarities to Gold...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Todd rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

This book was a Christmas present from a friend, though I also bought a copy on the Kindle so that I could read it outside of my house without having to lug around a brick-like book with swastikas on it. The Kindle version is especially handy if you are not quite at the bring-Nazi-related-stuff-to-the-office stage at your job yet. (The down side of the Kindle version is that the it is horrible at handling footnotes, and this book has many that are important to the story.)

This is a strange and un...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Long Night is a very powerful nonfiction book. The plot concerns Hitler's rise to power and the destruction that ensued after. Shirer, the main character, was the only reporter who reported every brutal event. He was one of the few not to fall for Nazi propaganda while still remaining (for a little while) in Germany and among the soldiers and Nazi elite. The author has the ability to make the events appear as if they are occurring right when the reader is reading about them. The atmosphere a...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Christian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In many ways this was not an easy read, it took me months and I had to step away from it multiple times. In other ways it was an easy read, because Shirer is a fantastic journalist who can, seemingly effortlessly, transform tons of historical documents into a gripping, fast-paced story about a twisted, charismatic politician and the nation which, out of greed and willful ignorance, allowed him to lead them down a dark path that still today covers the German people in shame.

If you've ever wonder...more In many ways this was not an easy read, it took me months and I had to step away from it multiple times. In other ways it was an easy read, because Shirer is a fantastic journalist who can, seemingly effortlessly, transform tons of historical documents into a gripping, fast-paced story about a twisted, charismatic politician and the nation which, out of greed and willful ignorance, allowed him to lead them down a dark path that still today covers the German people in shame.

If you've ever wondered how the Nazi atrocities were allowed to happen in what looked like a modern, civilized world, this is the book for you. I learned everything I wanted to know, and a lot of things I wish I could forget.

Here's a personal theory: the question often comes up about how someone with as much savvy and political genius as Hitler could have managed the war so poorly, made so many jaw-dropping errors, and morphed into a raving, twitching parody of himself. This book made some things clear to me - for one, Hitler comes across as frighteningly calculating and shrewd right up until the point where he takes on a personal physician and gives him full reign to inject whatever chemicals he can conjure up into Hitler, in order to keep him awake and alert.

Back then there was no such term as "amphetamine psychosis", there were no "meth - not even once" commercials. After a close reading of this book I can't escape the conclusion that during the war, Hitler slowly became what we would call a tweaker - an amphetamine addict whose mind slowly came unmoored from reality as his body fell to pieces.

Just a theory, but it makes a lot of sense to me. Another shocking perspective this book forced on me: so what if Hitler was evil. A lot of people are evil. The problem wasn't Hitler. The problem was that the German people wanted so desperately to repair their tarnished national self-image after WWI that they were willing to listen to a hateful madman, and help him crush the innocent and the weak, and turn a collective blind eye to the Holocaust, just so Germany could be back on top of Europe again.

Painting Hitler as a demonic monster responsible for WWII misses the point. No one man could have done so much evil alone. Without the complicity of thousands inside and outside Germany, without the willingness of a nation to bury its conscience under a lust for power, none of it ever would have happened. Hitler would have just been another bitter, broke mediocre painter of no consequence. Food for thought. (less)

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Dec 07, 2010 Alins rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Don't be intimidated by the 1100+ pages of "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich." It reads more like a novel than a dry historical narrative and -- trust me on this -- this book is awesome.

As a reporter for CBS, William Shirer lived and worked in Germany during much of the Nazi movement. Until he left in 1940, he saw firsthand Hitler's rise to power, the consolidation of that power, and the use of that power. As a fallible human being, his prejudices may show through at times, but this is not n...more Don't be intimidated by the 1100+ pages of "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich." It reads more like a novel than a dry historical narrative and -- trust me on this -- this book is awesome.

As a reporter for CBS, William Shirer lived and worked in Germany during much of the Nazi movement. Until he left in 1940, he saw firsthand Hitler's rise to power, the consolidation of that power, and the use of that power. As a fallible human being, his prejudices may show through at times, but this is not necessarily a weakness. In today's climate of political correctness, works by historical revisionists -- that purport to show that Hitler and the Nazis weren't so bad -- are not only published, but they're even taken seriously. Perhaps our modern view of Hitler has been distorted by allied propaganda and Hitler and Goerring were fun loving and lovable guys, they say. At the extreme, some revisionists even claim that the Auschwitz death camp didn't even have gas chambers - they were added later as a tourist attraction! Yeah right.

In that sense, Shirer's book, published in 1959 is refreshing. He doesn't hold back one bit with his opinions.

Hence, Quisling is "pig-eyed", Rohm is a "pervert", Goebles is "dwarfish", Goering is "corpulent", Ribbentrop is "vain as a peacock", Brauchitsch is "unintelligent", Eva Braun has the "brain of a bird", and so forth. Such epithets may offend the sensibilities of some modern day readers, but they certainly spice up the telling of what could otherwise be a boring tale. (If you don't know who these people are, buy the book. Believe me, if you read it all the way through, you will become a formidable expert in Nazi trivia).

Because "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" was finished a mere 14 years after the fall of Nazi Germany, some facts that have come to light after its publication are necessarily missing. The premier example of this would be the breaking of the secret Nazi military codes by the British. But writing this book in 1959 also had its advantages. Many of the participants were still alive when William Shirer was doing his research. Hence, when encountering a slight inconsistency in General Franz Halder's war diary [The Chief of Staff of the High Command (the OKH)], William Shirer wrote to the old General and received "a prompt and courteous reply."

Perhaps Shirer's most vivid firsthand account of all is the several page description of the French surrender in the rail car at the forest at Compiegne:

"I look for the expression in Hitler's face. I am but fifty yards from him and see him though my glasses as though he were directly in front of me... He glances slowly around the clearing, and now, as his eyes meet ours, you grasp the depth of his hatred."

Amazing stuff.

But these personal accounts only take up a very small portion of this absolutely fantastic book. Particularly well covered was Hitler's rise to power -- a story that is not often told. The Hitler that Shirer paints during these early years is a very astute political observer who shrewdly plays the German people like a violin. He promises the people what they want, plays on their fears, and is extremely ruthless to anyone who dares to oppose him.

In later years, Shirer's Hitler's political savvy falls apart. At one point Shirer calls his inner circle a "lunatic asylum". Except for very occasional bursts of brilliance, Hitler has no idea what the heck he is doing politically much less militarily and yet his fanatical followers still go along with him. Hitler's megalomania goes on overdrive until, like a Viking in a Wagner opera his body is burned in a last stand against the Russian army just blocks away from his bunker.

While making my way through "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich", I can't tell you how many times I would read about a pivotal event and wonder "WHAT THE HECK WAS GOING THROUGH THESE GUYS MINDS?" I always knew the Nazi's were nuts as well as scary. This book provided all of the details I needed. (less)

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Nov 03, 2010 Craig rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've always been curious to gain a better understanding of the Nazis, and how Hitler was able to successfully cast his spell over a nation rich with culture with deeply held moral values. The American history books just don't give you a clear picture of the story of the rise of Hitler from the vantage point of Germany and of Hitler himself.

This book is intense reading, and from what I can tell, gives a pretty objective narrative of Hitler's rise and fall. It is just stuffed to the brim with fact...more I've always been curious to gain a better understanding of the Nazis, and how Hitler was able to successfully cast his spell over a nation rich with culture with deeply held moral values. The American history books just don't give you a clear picture of the story of the rise of Hitler from the vantage point of Germany and of Hitler himself.

This book is intense reading, and from what I can tell, gives a pretty objective narrative of Hitler's rise and fall. It is just stuffed to the brim with facts, and is written by William Shirer, an American correspondent who worked in Berlin as a journalist throughout the Nazi era, and witnessed first hand the major events surrounding Hitler's ascension. Even as a foreign journalist who was always skeptical of Hitler's vision and promises, he bore witness to the virtuoso performances Hitler would deliver in speeches to the Reichstag and to 10s of thousands of rabid Germans in sports arenas.

But it wasn't just the German masses who Hitler managed to fool; it was the political and business elite: supposedly the ones with the necessary education and experience to see through the lies. Yet time after time, Hitler out-witted and out-played the likes of Chamberlain, Stalin, and Daldier. Such a master he was at understanding the political landscape and reading people, combined with perhaps the greatest oratorical skills of our time, that he was able to first bluff his way into taking the Rheinland from the French, and then annex first Austria and then Czechoslovakia. All without spilling blood.

The story does however reveal that Hitler did in fact have quite a bit of luck along the way. But perhaps it was more a case of a genius knowing exactly when the time was right to strike. At least during his ascension, Hitler was quite patient, willing to bide his time and wait for circumstances to present themselves properly.

The other aspect that fascinates me is the sense of righteousness Hitler seemed to have about his vision for Germany and for himself. According to Shirer, Hitler formed his vision for a better Germany during his time as a tramp and painter in Vienna, just after leaving home. He would spend every spare moment reading history and philosophy, taking to heart the grand and reckless musings of the German writers, who were prone to exaggeration, and often laced with anti-semitic ideas.

Yet in the end, there can be no doubt that this was a man of supreme evil, without a shred of compassion as he ruthlessly cut down friends and enemies alike who he felt threatened by. And in the end, his dazzling successes led to over-confidence in his abilities, and he overextended himself until his empire was doomed.

Interesting stuff, in my opinion..(less)

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Aug 20, 2010 Matt rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

I read this 1200 page monstrosity as some "recreational reading" between law school years. WWII era is my favorite historically and not just because of the war but the transformation of so many nations and ultimately the world order. But of all the national histories Germany's was the most fascinating. No nation saw the valley, peak, and then valley again in such a short period of time (The Third Reich lasted a mere 12 years).

Mr. Shirer's history of these 12 years are as complete as one book co...more

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Feb 17, 2010 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cannonball-read

Everyone has that holy grail of a book. Some people work like dogs to finish books by the great Russian literary masters; others tough it out through the oeuvre of Steinbeck. They may not enjoy it, but, by G-d, you are not a real reader until you slam that back cover onto that tome of pain and frustration.

I finally finished my grail: the 1500+ page The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer. I labored for two months, reading mostly at home to avoid the embarrassment of busting out...more Everyone has that holy grail of a book. Some people work like dogs to finish books by the great Russian literary masters; others tough it out through the oeuvre of Steinbeck. They may not enjoy it, but, by G-d, you are not a real reader until you slam that back cover onto that tome of pain and frustration.

I finally finished my grail: the 1500+ page The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer. I labored for two months, reading mostly at home to avoid the embarrassment of busting out a book with a giant honking swastika on the front. I dropped it in the middle to blow through a cheap historical novel, only to pick it up again. I laughed, I cried, I did a victory dance when I turned the last page.

Rise and Fall, despite the paragraph above, was worth the pain. Years of Holocaust classes give you the suffering of millions, but they rarely share the gallows humor that should accompany the tales of the Nazi elite, a motley band of misfits. There were times during my reading that the leadership of the Third Reich reminded me of nothing more than one of those coming of age sports films where a strong, yet flawed leader tries to mold a championship-winning team out of a bunch of sad sack losers. Shirer does nothing to dissuade the reader from this conclusion. Indeed, he goes out of his way to show the gluttonousness, pride and absolute stupidity within those smart uniforms. The rest of the cast doesn’t fair very well either. Shirer heaps a fair amount of scorn on the rest of Europe’s leadership, portraying them as teams (if we are to continue the sports movie line of comparison) who alternately wrung their hands as the visiting German team charged down the court or flung the ball into Nazi hands before running in the opposite direction, shrieking like a school girl. Few people manage to make it out of the book with their reputations unscathed—mostly the desperate leaders of doomed Eastern European countries and Colonel Klaus von Stauffenberg (it’s hard not to come out with a little respect for the guy—he lost an eye, an arm, and several fingers on his surviving hand and still tried to blow up Hitler).

The sheer amount of information the Nazi regime left behind after their defeat is astounding. Journals, letters, and secret missives give us a glimpse behind the propaganda, behind the war machine that decimated much of Europe. Couple that with Shirer’s uncanny ability to actually be present at many of Hitler’s most important public moments and the reader is presented with the human interaction along with the solid facts. Accounts of Hitler’s raging tantrums sit comfortably beside the fact that the man was quite fond of sweets; the Fuhrer’s cold-blooded executions of his own staff rest near his ability to forgive a dithering Mussolini nearly anything. Shirer brings the Third Reich that we know and adds the gut-wrenchingly human side, making forgiveness all the more impossible to give.

Verdict: Library this one.

(Author’s note: As a Jew, I’ve been dealing with Holocaust for years and that occasionally does things to you, so I must ask that you understand my black humor is an attempt to mentally encompass this devastating era in both European and Jewish history. There’s only so many times you can read about death camp prisoners having their skins made into lampshades before you have to switch off.)(less)

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Nov 25, 2009 Beach rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book of course will have to be explained as to why it is on my list of books read. I took a class when I was at Prep School called the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, and this was our text book. It's actually quite an intimidating book to look at, because it's the average paper back book size, but it's very thick.

This book was released in 1960, and shortly after it's release it became a US bestseller. It won such awards as the National Book Award, and the Carey-Thomas Award. All these ar...more

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Jul 09, 2009 Dhsparkman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shirer wrote what many people consider the comprehensive history of the Hitler era. I have to fault him for being TOO prejudiced against Hitler; there are limits to everything, and Hitler did do some good things for Germany despite the very many bad things that he did.
The most important part of this book is the description of steps Hitler took after coming to power to consolidate his power and establish the dictatorship. America seems to have completely ignored the powerful lessons to be learn...more

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About William L. Shirer

William Lawrence Shirer was an American journalist and historian. He became known for his broadcasts on CBS from the German capital of Berlin through the first year of World War II.

Shirer first became famous through his account of those years in his Berlin Diary (published in 1941), but his greatest achievement was his 1960 book, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, originally published by Simon...more

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Berlin Diary: The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent 1934-41

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“No class or group or party in Germany could escape its share of responsibility for the abandonment of the democratic Republic and the advent of Adolf Hitler. The cardinal error of the Germans who opposed Nazism was their failure to unite against it. ” — 14 people liked it

“Adolf Hitler is probably the last of the great adventurer-conquerors in the tradition of Alexander, Caesar and Napoleon, and the Third Reich the last of the empires which set out on the path taken earlier by France, Rome and Macedonia. The curtain was rung down on that phase of history, at least, by the sudden invention of the hydrogen bomb, of the ballistic missile and of rockets that can be aimed to hit the moon.” — 7 people liked it

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