Hitler

Argues that, from the start, Hitler meant to make war. He had two aims: to win "Lebensraum" for Germany in the East, and to rid Europe of its Jews. Although the German people were initially afraid of war, they believed in Hitler and backed him to the bitter end. Pp. 197-202 describe the "Kristallnacht" pogrom, and pp. 299-327 the Holocaust. Explains that the great majority of German civilians did not take part in violence against Jews, but did not oppose their persecution and deportation, citing various reasons. But those in uniform or under orders willingly participated in the murder of Jews. States that the importance of the Wannsee Conference was that it turned sporadic measures committed by Einsatzgruppen with the help of the Wehrmacht into a systematic program of genocide in which most of the departments and agencies of government played a part. Also mentions rescue efforts of the Italian military in the Balkans, pogroms carried out by the populace in East European countries, and the inaction of the Allies.