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Richard Rhodes' powerful examination of the SS "Einsatzgruppen" (basically the clean-up squads) that followed the German army on its conquest into Eastern Europe is not for the faint of heart, but it is a valuable, well-written book on the nature of evil. Rhodes gets into the Nazi philosophy that justifies the extermination of the 'lower classes' that live on what is supposed to be German land. More interestingly, however, he also describes the effect of the mass killings on the very people who commit them: the SS units who, theoretically, are so indoctrinated that they should feel nothing when they eliminate entire villages in a couple of days. This is where the book stands out: Rhodes isn't afraid to say that these elite murder squads are, in fact, made up of human beings. Human beings who, in some cases, crack up completely under the endless slaughter they are committing in the name of the Fatherland. This brings up one of the real peculiarities in the Nazi philosophy: we must kill without remorse to clear the land, but we must never enjoy doing it. Those who revealed a natural sadism and bloodlust were generally removed from front duty, whereas the more "well-balanced" SS soldiers who just 'did their duty' (and got smashed in the canteen at night to drive away the memories) were seen as the 'disciplined' soldiers who were doing a difficult job. Rhodes' book is very graphic, as well it should be. It drives home the insanity of the Nazi expansion ideas with vivid on-the-ground descriptions of the horrific acts that took place in the name of those ideas. For anyone even casually interested in WWII, and for those wishing more insight into both the Nazi outlook and the horrors it unleashed, this book is absolutely required reading. It's a strong, well-written examination, both of what people will do as long as the reason is good enough, and of how, in the darkest hour, humanity can unexpectedly get in the way of even the most fanatical violence. C. Harding.Read full review
After watching a documentary on the History Channel, I was very impressed by what the author had to say, and immediately ordered this book. At first I was a little wary due to the small print and thought it was going to be a very tedious read. I am a slow reader, and at the rate of approximately 1 chapter per night, it's going to take months to finish this book. That being said, I was immediately impressed with the author's style, knowledge, and in depth information about this most dark period in history. It's hard to take it all in, but the author is not too wordy, giving just the right amount of information, and putting it in context of the times. There are excellent critiques of other books on the topic, and he lays out his thinking in a very logical and easy to follow manner. The book has a lot of photos, too. I am "enjoying" this book as much as any book on this subject can be enjoyed. I also bought his book on the making of the A-Bomb, and am looking forward to reading that as well. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in history and the evil that men do. All pros, no cons.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
I think we all like facts and figures about Wars but this book takes it into the extreme. Page after page talks about so many Jews killed in this location. So many Jews killed in that location. Next chapter...so many Jews killed in this village, so many Jews killed in that village. Next chapter...hundreds of Jews shot in this spot, hundreds more in that spot. It just goes on and on. After a while the book just became stale and boring like I was reading someones tax information returns. There is some good interviews which is about the only redeeming quality of this book. Probably a better title for the book would be, "Summary of executions committed by the German War Machine during World War 2".
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This is the only book I've discovered during my research into the horrific murders during the Nazi era of Germany. Other books leave out the details. But this book describes the methodologies and deceptions used to round up people for the purpose of killing them. I was amazed at the cold hearted efficiency of these mass killings.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This book isn't for everyone but it is a dark part of war and history. It needs to be told.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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