Author: Thomas Childers Narrator: Thomas Childers Publisher: The Great Courses Unabridged Edition Running Time: 6 Hrs.

Buy from a third party: (The Great Courses) (The Great Courses) # of Discs : 6 (The Great Courses) # of Tapes : 6 (The Great Courses) # of Discs : 2

Average Rating: 4.7  Based on 3 ratings Click Stars to Rate: Review this title

History of Hitler's Empire by Thomas Childers

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Terrifying, March 19, 2006
Reviewer: LOLDavid from Los Angeles, California

Certainly not a very uplifting Teaching Company course but an important one nonetheless. Professor Thomas Childers handles the subject well. He covers the rise of Hitler's Empire presenting many theories as to how it occurred. He describes the many methods of propaganda that were used, which are important for all thinking people to know. And he covers the dark side of the Nazis, going into the systematic killing of the Jews. It's not all easy too stomach, but it's a part of world history that must be taught.

LOLAlex, February 17, 2006
Reviewer: LOLAlex

A Gripping Listen

General Content - When I gave The History of Hitler's Empire a listen, I was expecting something of a survey of Germany, German war production, battlefield decisions and what-not. Though I generally do enjoy those sorts of works, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was exactly nothing like the usual history of Nazi Germany. Not really designed for the neophyte, this is an ideal title for those who have already heard it all and now want to gain a deeper understanding of how Nazi Germany came into being and how it ended up creating World War II and the Holocaust.

For those of us who have been gobbling up information about the usual military history, this is a remarkable departure that provides new insights into World War II and the Nazis. By examining the political structure of the Weimar Republic, Childers is able to show how an insignificant party managed to rally support and gain a foothold in the Reichstag. Then, he shows how a series of ineffective leaders managed to prepare the way for Hitler. Finally, he shows how Hitler was handed the reins of power by weak leaders who simply caved in to Hitler's blustering.

As well, Childers examination of the Holocaust is chillingly fascinating. The way in which Hitler was able to simply ease it into the fabric of Nazi Germany as though it were not there at all is a truly stunning look at human nature itself. It is one of those things that really needs to be heard in order to be fully understood and believed. Quite honestly, this section of the lecture series was almost creepy in the way it made German apathy comprehensible.

Audio Content - I listened to the 6-cassette version of The History of Hitler's Empire by Prof. Thomas Childers and I found the audio to be good. It is about what one would expect from a recording of 12 lectures and there is nothing truly remarkable about it. However, that is, in many ways, a good thing simply because, when listening to a professor lecturing, the bad things will stand out more than the good. Thus, it was a solid listen that recommends itself by its ability to keep the focus on the material.

Overall, this is an excellent lecture series for the World War II buff or amateur historian who has learned a great deal about this period and wants to move on to the next level and understand the forces that put Hitler into power and helped him stay there. I highly recommend it.

This Author: Thomas Childers This Narrator: Thomas Childers This Publisher: The Great Courses

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