
The End
The Defiance and Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1944-1945
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Narrated by:
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Sean Pratt
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By:
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Ian Kershaw
From the preeminent Hitler biographer, a fascinating and original exploration of how the Third Reich was willing and able to fight to the bitter end of World War II.
Countless books have been written about why Nazi Germany lost World War II, yet remarkably little attention has been paid to the equally vital question of how and why it was able to hold out as long as it did. The Third Reich did not surrender until Germany had been left in ruins and was almost completely occupied. Even in the near-apocalyptic final months, when the war was plainly lost, the Nazis refused to sue for peace. Historically, this is extremely rare.
Drawing on original testimony from ordinary Germans and arch-Nazis alike, award-winning historian Ian Kershaw explores this fascinating question in a gripping and focused narrative that begins with the failed bomb plot in July 1944 and ends with the German capitulation in May 1945. Hitler, desperate to avoid a repeat of the "disgraceful" German surrender in 1918, was of course critical to the Third Reich's fanatical determination, but his power was sustained only because those below him were unable, or unwilling, to challenge it. Even as the military situation grew increasingly hopeless, Wehrmacht generals fought on, their orders largely obeyed, and the regime continued its ruthless persecution of Jews, prisoners, and foreign workers. Even beneath the hail of allied bombing, German society maintained some semblance of normalcy in the very last months of the war. The Berlin Philharmonic even performed on April 12, 1945, less than three weeks before Hitler's suicide.
As Kershaw shows, the structure of Hitler's "charismatic rule" created a powerful negative bond between him and the Nazi leadership - they had no future without him, and so their fates were inextricably tied. Terror also helped the Third Reich maintain its grip on power as the regime began to wage war not only on its ideologically defined enemies but also on the German people themselves. Yet even as each month brought fresh horrors for civilians, popular support for the regime remained linked to a patriotic support of Germany and a terrible fear of the enemy closing in.
Based on prodigious new research, Kershaw's The End is a harrowing yet enthralling portrait of the Third Reich in its last desperate gasps.
©2011 Ian Kershaw (P)2011 Gildan Media CorpListeners also enjoyed...




















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What made the experience of listening to The End the most enjoyable?
The facination of "The End" was Hitler's third war, the war against his own peopleWhat was one of the most memorable moments of The End?
The failed plot to kill Hitler.Have you listened to any of Sean Pratt’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This is the first time I've listened to Mr. Pratt's work.Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
As an animal lover, I was angered by Hitler's order to euthenize all the pets.Any additional comments?
"The End" gives the reader a "you are there" perspective more powerful than "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich."Hitler's Third War.
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Important Work
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The End by Ian Kershaw
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LOYALTY UNTIL THE END, DENAIL AFTERWARDS
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Learned so much I didn't know! A must read!
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Great book about the mentality of Germans
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The Inexplicable Explained
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What did you love best about The End?
Fascinating historical account, but the mispronunciations of German terms and names was at times distracting.What other book might you compare The End to and why?
Richard J Evan's "The Third Reich at War"Narrater needs a german diction coach
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Ian Kershaw sets out the book's purpose in the introduction. This intro is thorough and terrific (although listeners may feel that it repeats much of what is in the preface). He wants to explain why Germany fought on to the end, bringing on total destruction rather than surrendering the way that almost all losing entities eventually do. The author makes clear that this is not a military history. He also explains that his book does not go further than capitulation. In addition, it is written from the viewpoint of the Germans only.
Kershaw actually does give plenty of necessary details about the military situation, and in the conclusion of the book he does make some comments about the post-war situation. But all of that is very welcome.
It will most likely take the listener a while to get used to the narrator. To be blunt, the narrator is boring. He also tends to trail off, which makes speed listening difficult at times. He is also prone to weird pauses (again, making it difficult to speed listen). The first quarter of the book is a bit dry, and the narrator certainly does not help.
Eventually though the pace of the book picks up and it really is quite enjoyable. This is a fascinating look at the psychology of the German population and the factors that led to Hitler leading the country into total war and finally to total annihilation, well after it was clear to most that the war was lost.
World War II and Third Reich scholars will definitely appreciate this book.
Enlightening.
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A Good Read!
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