The Nazi conscience is not an oxymoron. In fact; the perpetrators of genocide had a powerful sense of right and wrong; based on civic values that exalted the moral righteousness of the ethnic community and denounced outsiders. Claudia Koonz's latest work reveals how racial popularizers developed the infrastructure and rationale for genocide during the so-called normal years before World War II. Her careful reading of the voluminous Nazi writings on race traces the transformation of longtime Nazis' vulgar anti-Semitism into a racial ideology that seemed credible to the vast majority of ordinary Germans who never joined the Nazi Party. Challenging conventional assumptions about Hitler; Koonz locates the source of his charisma not in his summons to hate; but in his appeal to the collective virtue of his people; the Volk. From 1933 to 1939; Nazi public culture was saturated with a blend of racial fear and ethnic pride that Koonz calls ethnic fundamentalism. Ordinary Germans were prepared for wartime atrocities by racial concepts widely disseminated in media not perceived as political: academic research; documentary films; mass-market magazines; racial hygiene and art exhibits; slide lectures; textbooks; and humor. By showing how Germans learned to countenance the everyday persecution of fellow citizens labeled as alien; Koonz makes a major contribution to our understanding of the Holocaust. The Nazi Conscience chronicles the chilling saga of a modern state so powerful that it extinguished neighborliness; respect; and; ultimately; compassion for all those banished from the ethnic majority.
#278082 in Books Belknap Press of Harvard University Press 2001-11-22 2001-12-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.29 x 1.34 x 6.27l; 2.24 #File Name: 0674006801736 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. This is the best single volume history of the war in Asia and ...By hudunit333This is the best single volume history of the war in Asia and Europe. I've probably read a couple hundred books about the conflict; it's personalities; causes and aftereffects. I'm a "baby-boomer" and grew up knowing about WW2 because everybody's father was in it. All you had to ask was; "Which branch of the service?" There's a couple of generations that have grown up since then and don't share these experiences. I strongly recommend this book to any who want or need to know more about it. It's 600 pages but I really don't think you could get a comprehensive history in any less. The authors don't leave anything critical out of the story and use a economy of words while making it all understandable and interesting. There's no revisionist history (in fact the authors rebut some of it) and the authors are equally critical and praiseworthy of key personalities and decision makers. Highly recommended. Even the Indices are interesting and a list of further reading is included by subject.7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. An Excellent Single Source Summary of WWIIBy Dave SchranckThis volume; written by two veteran historians; is in the same league as Gerhard Weinberg's "A World at Arms" and Martin Gilbert's "The Second World War" for the authors of this book have produced; like the others mentioned; a concise; scholarly; very credible and informative summary of the largest and most costly event in our history. Of the three books; this is my favorite for it specializes in the operational aspects of the war. Not only are many engagements covered well but there is also a wealth of personalities discussed and statistics presented.The authors not only discussed the facts of these events and people but also add their own analysis and comments which greatly added to the experience. The list of leaders and commanders discussed is extensive and covers all the major countries in the war; both Allies and Axis and the authors bring out the good and the bad. The usual key people are included but there are also politicians and lessen known commanders that will surprise you. The index is extensive and will help you find the people or event wanted. The pros and cons of key weapons like tanks and planes were also discussed as well as the atomic bomb. There is some prior and post war discussions but its not extensive. There is no anecdotal experiences included.The book is laid out chronologically so you could be reading about von Bock driving toward Moscow and then in the next chapter you have Pearl Harbor being attacked. I would have preferred separating the Pacific War from Europe but it has certain advantages this way. The coverage is roughly 60/40 with the Pacific getting the smaller space. China; Burma; Singapore are included.There are a number of good maps and many photos that cover both theaters. There is also an Appendix and a Notes section but no Bibliography. I noticed a couple of errors but in a volume of this size; it wasn't rampant.The war was too large; too extensive to call one book definitive but the coverage in this book is admirable. There is coverage in this 612 page narrative that is not in the other two books mentioned but it can also be said they have coverage that's not in this volume. Owning all three would be a small investment in discovering the mammoth scope of this war.62 of 63 people found the following review helpful. A Fact-Packed; Well-Written Overview of World War TwoBy Barron LaycockI enjoyed reading this book; which is a bit off-putting due to its size and breadth. As long as one has a bit of time on his or her hands; this is a useful and entertaining way to spend some quality time with yourself in the company of two excellent history writers. The book has an amazing scope; and like Gerhard Weinberg's "A World At Arms" has a mammoth and daunting job at hand to describe the total scope and kaleidoscope of activities contained under the rubric of the second world war.The authors here are much more forthcoming than was Weinhard in discussing specific battlefield details of particular engagements; and this adds to the book's considerable value and readability to history buffs like myself. I enjoy their liberal employment of relevant economic; technological; geographical and other factors in describing the whos; hows; whens; wheres and whys of specific struggles as well as in describing the nature of the overall socio-political aspects of the war. So; when they subsequently launch into discussing their uniquely constructed "standards of military effectiveness"; they add to its value by buttressing their findings with a wealth of different kinds of supporting data; information; and background that makes the total overview of the war much more understandable than it would be otherwise.The book does suffer from some minor drawbacks; such as the authors' obvious quarrel with the contributions and strategies of Douglas MacArthur; yet they are also suitably fastidious in pointing out his many contributions and effective tactics as well. This drawback is counterbalanced by an outstanding treatment covering the Nazi campaign against Russia; and the day to day details crammed into describing the ill-fated and terribly over-extended German occupation and troubles in Operation Barbarossa and in the subsequent crushing defeats at the hands of the Russian armies is worth the price of the book alone.In summary; I also believe their well-argued and documented take on the importance and lasting influence of the second world war is crucial in understanding all that followed in the balance of the 20th century to be well taken; and to be beyond reasonable dispute. In some respects (Such as level of detail regarding specific engagements) this is a better book than Weinberg's; and on other levels it falls short of his monumental work. Combined; the two books offer one an astounding and quite rich look at a war that we are just starting to appreciate in all of its amazing scope; ferocity; and consequence. This book should be required reading for anyone considering a career in 20th century history; or for all of us history nuts who just can't get enough of a great thing. Enjoy!
