Thomas F. (hardtack) -
Helpful Score: 1
This is a very interesting book about one of many attempts to either overthrow or assassinate Hitler before and during World War II. It even shows many members of the German General Staff had a bellyful of Hitler and wanted to eliminate him.
Unfortunately for many of them, and for 50 million others, Hitler had a lucky star watching over him. All the attempts failed. The book even mentions one attempt where conspirators placed a bomb on Hitler's plane. There are conflicting explanations as to why it didn't go off. In this book, the author suggest it was due to the cold in the baggage compartment which caused the fuse to malfunction.
Due to my extensive reading, I am already familiar with many of the conspiracies and the Oster Conspiracy, but not, as in the latter case, in such detail. In fact, if there is a down side to this book, it is the detail is much more extensive than I was interested in. Still the author did an outstanding job.
And, we have to admit, part of the reason for the failure of this conspiracy was the unwillingness of the British appeasers who felt any dishonorable agreement was better than war. They soon found out who they were dealing with, a totally amoral man---Adolf Hitler---who saw them simply as prey.
I was somewhat disappointed---when the author was quoting members of Parliament who opposed Chamberlin's appeasement---he didn't quote Churchill's concluding statement in Parliament, "You have chosen peace. You shall have war."
Finally, I have a tendency to avoid books which have as part of their title, "The Unknown Story..." as often that story is not "unknown." It's just another spurious attempt to get you to buy the book. If this were a mystery novel the DJ would state, "The most terrifying case in the career of Detective..."
Unfortunately for many of them, and for 50 million others, Hitler had a lucky star watching over him. All the attempts failed. The book even mentions one attempt where conspirators placed a bomb on Hitler's plane. There are conflicting explanations as to why it didn't go off. In this book, the author suggest it was due to the cold in the baggage compartment which caused the fuse to malfunction.
Due to my extensive reading, I am already familiar with many of the conspiracies and the Oster Conspiracy, but not, as in the latter case, in such detail. In fact, if there is a down side to this book, it is the detail is much more extensive than I was interested in. Still the author did an outstanding job.
And, we have to admit, part of the reason for the failure of this conspiracy was the unwillingness of the British appeasers who felt any dishonorable agreement was better than war. They soon found out who they were dealing with, a totally amoral man---Adolf Hitler---who saw them simply as prey.
I was somewhat disappointed---when the author was quoting members of Parliament who opposed Chamberlin's appeasement---he didn't quote Churchill's concluding statement in Parliament, "You have chosen peace. You shall have war."
Finally, I have a tendency to avoid books which have as part of their title, "The Unknown Story..." as often that story is not "unknown." It's just another spurious attempt to get you to buy the book. If this were a mystery novel the DJ would state, "The most terrifying case in the career of Detective..."
