by Gary Milner, Corvallis
I’m rereading “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” by William Shirer. It’s a definitive account of the rise of Nazi Germany written by someone who witnessed it. The book describes the lie that Hitler promoted to galvanize his followers, how he incited and led a failed attack/overthrow of a legitimately elected government, the destruction of the German Parliament building, and how Hitler claimed he was the only one who could solve Germany’s problems.
The author describes how Hitler and his enablers sought revenge on those who opposed them, even those in their own party, and how they scorned the free press. Shirer discusses the significance of rallies, the importance his followers placed on flags, and how Hitler sought to restore Germany to “greatness”.
The book outlines relationships between the Nazis and right-wing para-military groups and the right-wing church. Science was altered and only “German” science was promoted. Shirer writes of Hitler’s denigration of foreigners and how he blamed “the other” for Germany’s economic and social woes. The author describes how the Nazis went to great lengths to suppress votes of certain groups and Hitler’s strong emphasis on nationalism. He also describes how the Nazis had their own media outlet and placed party loyalty over truth.
This classic book is an important read and clearly documents the Nazi authoritarian government’s rise to power. One would hate to think that the very things described in “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” could happen in the United States.