In Battle Tactics of the Civil War; Paddy Griffith argues that; far from being the first 'modern' war; it was the last 'Napoleonic' war; and that none of the innovations of industrialized warfare had any significant effect on the outcome.
#1145089 in Books 2010-01-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.50 x 6.00l; 1.75 #File Name: 0299234649592 pages
Review
0 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Sad. Repugnant peopleBy Alex SmithSad. Repugnant people.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Possibly the Best Study of Hitler's Security Forces Ever WrittenBy Cody CarlsonI don't take the above headline lightly. I have ready dozens of works specifically on the SD; SS; Gestapo; and RSHA; and perhaps hundreds of books on Nazi Germany. A few years ago I attended a lecture by Dr. Charles W. Sydnor; author of "Soldiers of Destruction: The SS Death's Head Division; 1933-1945." It was there that I first heard of Micheal Wildt's "An Uncompromising Generation: The Nazi Leadership of the Reich Security Main Office." Sydnor stated that he thought Wildt's book was unmatched on the subject and so I sought it out. Sydnor was correct. "An Uncompromising Generation" is an absolute brilliant work of history and an unparalleled study of one of the Third Reich's darkest corners.The heart of this work is Wildt's examination of members of the RSHA; Hitler's security apparatus; and his attempt to find commonalities among these men. Wildt notes that most members came from a younger generation than those running other Nazi and German state agencies; many of them too young to have participated in the First World War. Consequently; Wildt argues; they felt as though they had to prove their mettle; upset that they had missed out on the previous generation's great adventure. "The group within the National Socialist leadership primarily responsible for implementing Nazi policies of persecution and extermination was also the youngest;" Wildt writes. Most of these men; Wildt writes; were upper middle class men; most with academic credentials; who bought entirely into Hitler's dogma of German racial superiority.As I have stated; I believe this to be the best book on the subject that I have ever read; or likely am ever to read. Wildt's strong academic approach and brilliant conclusions will no doubt shape the way we look at the perpetrators of genocide; though this book really deserves a much wider audience. If you are at all curious about how men could murder on an epic scale with bureaucratic indifference and efficiency; then you will come much closer to your answers by reading Wildt's book.3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Good Descripion of how the SD and later the RSHA workedBy HeimdalOverall; this was a very good book. It traces the education and careers of several young German academics who joined the SD. I would have given it 5 stars; but the conclusion of the book was very bad in my opinion.The author seems to think that contrary to the verdicts of the Einsatzkommando trails; the de-nazification court judgements; and the laws of the Federal Republic; just the fact that these men served as leaders of Einsatzkommando groups that murdered civilians should get them either life in prison or the death penalty. He never comes out and actually says this; he just makes a comment that that the laws of the Federal Republic were suspended. This smug morally superior attitude makes him equally as guilty as the men he wants eternally punished. In other words; just like the Nazi justice system; the law means nothing if I decide that you are guilty. This does not mean that I am in any way condoning mass murder. I just really dislike academics who exist in theoretical unreal hot houses.One aspect of the academic environment that these individuals lived in that was left out; but would be helpful in understanding how these individuals felt; was the pseudo science of Social Darwinism or Eugenics. This was very popular in the United States and Germany from the late 19th to the mid 20tn centuries. This theory basically held that certain groups of people and certain characteristics in a person were undesirable and if these groups were allowed to procreate; the entire population would be harmed. If you were mentally deficient; a habitual criminal; or a repeat truant; the law in 30 states allowed you to be forcibly sterilized. Jews; and Blacks were looked down on as undesirable. This was taught as a real science. In Germany at least; Jews made up a large part of the professions. Many people resented this. It would not be too hard coming from an general antisemitic background combined with a Social Darwinist outlook on the Jews to conclude that they had to be gotten out of Germany. When this proved impossible; based on a radical antisemitic outlook; it would not be hard to be predisposed to killing Jew because of the perceived dire threat that they posed to the German people. .
