I am currently teaching a course on the Second World War's European Theatre of Operations, occasioned by the host of excellent new books on the subject. I suggested Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich as a good starting point. No previous writer had so extensively interviewed surviving major figures and so widely and deeply studied primary documents. Every major point that he proved against the then-prevailing common opinions about the war is still strong. Modern authors chiefly extend Shirer's theses because more evidence has become available. France has no official history of all or even a portion of its part in the war, nor has any private French citizen written any book on France's role in the war that merits to be called history. Shirer is all we have that is comprehensive. He writes in solid detail about this very complicated subject.Read full review
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A good read of how a great country allowed bigotry and political infighting to destroy itself, This is like America today. We magnify our differences (which all humans have) but do not nourish and mentor our similarities. People are all different, but America Not piss away the day fighting with each other. We all sing differently but we need to find the same songbook and make a joyful noise!
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Shirer is a superb writer, researcher, scholar, analyst, and one hell of a storyteller! His lucid, often acidic, observations about the military and political leaders of France in the 1930s and the tragic first half of 1940 might be suspect to some, trenchant as they are. But he backs up his assessments with evidence and a formidable command of logic. I enjoyed both the Kindle and Audible copies (allowing me to read along while listening to Grover Gardner's marvelous narration), but I had to have a print copy, as I am a hopelessly-addicted page-turner. I enjoyed "Berlin Diary", "End of a Berlin Diary", and (of course), the Rise and Fall. But this one is even meatier. It's about a thousand pages and I wanted more. You will too!
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I had no idea how interesting and informative it would be! The history from the French Revolution to the surrender in 1940 is beyond astonishing.
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Great book, like all of William Shirer's work. Compelling writing and well researched.
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