History of War Hitler at War - 5th Edition 2022

150 Pages·2022·64 MB·English

HHIITTLLEERR N
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EXPLORE THE RISE AND FALL OF
HISTORY’S GREATEST MONSTER

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THIRD EDITION FIFTHPRINTED IN EDITIONTHE UK 12.99£ DEFINING MOMENTS MAJOR BATTLES STRATEGIC MISTAKES

HITLER
WAR
AT
Chronicling the life and crimes of one of history’s greatest monsters,
Hitler at War looks at the Führer’s early years, his remarkable rise
to power and his attempts to conquer Europe. Discover the ten
moments that defined Hitler’s life, including his first days in the Nazi
Party, the ruthless ‘Night of the Long Knives’ and his final hours in
the Führerbunker. In-depth features offer insight into some of the key
battles and military moments of World War II – from the early successes
of Hitler’s ‘blitzkrieg’ strategy and his plans to invade Britain to the
doomed decision to take on the might of Stalin’s Russia and the Third
Reich’s last stand in Berlin. We also explore Hitler’s leadership style
and its impact on the war, as well as the strategic mistakes that would
ultimately lead to his demise and the downfall of Nazi Germany.

HHIITTLLEERR
WWAARR
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History of War: Hitler at War Fifth Edition (HWB4489)
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Part of the
bookazine series
CONTENTS
40
08
HITLER’S DEFINING MOMENTS
Explore the key events of Hitler’s life
THE EARLY YEARS WORLD WAR II
20
C REATING A MONSTER 40 HITLER AT WAR
How Hitler’s formative years shaped him
Hitler’s leadership style and its impact on WWII
28 T HE RISE OF EVIL HITLER 50 BLITZKRIEG: HITLER’S LIGHTNING WAR
From riots to repression – how Hitler came to power The Nazi war machine brings Europe to its knees
56
HITLER’S BATTLE FOR BRITAIN
Hitler gets his first taste of military defeat
62
INSIDE ROMMEL’S AFRIKA KORPS
What was life like under the Führer’s ‘Desert Fox’?
72
UNTIMELY FORAY INTO THE BALKANS
Mussolini forces Hitler into a costly intervention
76
HITLER VS STALIN:
OPERATION BARBAROSSA
Hitler meets his match on the Eastern Front
6
“ALTHOUGH HITLER SURVIVED
THE ATTRITION OF THE FIRST
WORLD WAR, HIS EXPERIENCE
OF WARFARE – AND PERHAPS
MORE IMPORTANTLY, OF
SURRENDER – WOULD HAVE
A LASTING IMPACT”
90 106
H ITLER’S DEATH CAMPS HITLER’S REVENGE: ARDENNES
The Final Solution to the Jewish Question The Third Reich’s final offensive
96 118
G REAT BATTLES: KURSK GREAT BATTLES: BERLIN
Defeat edges closer for the Führer Hitler’s last stand and the end of the Third Reich
76 118
END OF AN ERA
126
T WILIGHT IN THE FÜHRERBUNKER
The Führer’s final moments in his Berlin bunker
134
H ITLER’S GREATEST
STRATEGIC MISTAKES
Explore Hitler’s biggest military blunders
140
W HAT IF… HITLER TOOK MOSCOW?
How a Soviet defeat would have changed history
7
10
HITLER’S 10 DEFINING MOMENTS
DEFINING
HITLER’S

MOMENTS
From his first days in the Nazi Party to his final days in a Berlin
bunker, discover the key events that defined Hitler’s life
8
HITLER’S 10 DEFINING MOMENTS
W
hen a third child was born War I, his experience of warfare – and perhaps hadn’t nudged a briefcase with his foot in July
to Alois and Klara Hitler more importantly, of surrender – would have a 1944? There are times during which Hitler’s
in a small town in Austria- lasting impact. The rise and fall of the Führer destiny depended on the actions of others,
Hungary on 20 April 1889, is well documented and has been studied from Neville Chamberlain’s willingness to
nobody knew that the baby by countless historians since his death in appease Germany and avoid war to Rommel’s
– named Adolf – would grow up to become 1945. However, Hitler’s path to power – from disobedience and retreat from El Alamein.
history’s most infamous villain. Rebellious revolutionary to politician to dictator – was not There are also key moments during which
and strong-willed as a child, he harboured predestined. Had some of the key events in Hitler’s twisted ideology was developed,
dreams of becoming an artist, but he clashed Hitler’s life turned out a little differently, the from his first meeting with the fledgling Nazi
with his father and did poorly at school. Like history of Germany, Europe and the whole world movement to his order that sent millions to the
many of his generation, he found himself in may have gone down another path. extermination camps.
the trenches of the Western Front and served Some events depended on pure luck. What Discover ten landmark moments that
as a dispatch runner in the German Army. if a bullet had been aimed slightly to the left defined Hitler’s life – without them, history may
Although Hitler survived the attrition of World during the Beer Hall Putsch? What if a colonel have been very different.
“HITLER’S POPULARITY
ROCKETED DURING THE GREAT
DEPRESSION WHICH FOLLOWED
THE WALL STREET CRASH”
9
GHIRTELAETR ’BSA 1T0TL DEESFINING MOMENTS
HITLER JOINS THE NAZIS
12 SEPTEMBER 1919
HITLER MAKES FIRST CONTACT WITH THE POLITICAL PARTY THAT
WOULD HELP FORGE HIS TWISTED IDEOLOGY
“THE FUTURE FÜHRER FOUND
While in hospital recovering from a gas attack in group which promised to avenge the defeat of
the trenches of the Western Front, Lance Corporal November 1918 and, rather than reporting on the
HIMSELF AMONG A GROUP
Adolf Hitler heard the news that Germany had DAP, Hitler became a signed-up member and was
accepted defeat in the Great War. He saw his quickly recognised as a superb orator.
WHICH PROMISED TO AVENGE
country’s capitulation as a stab in the back, the Hitler soon rose through the ranks. He designed
result of a conspiracy by shady forces controlling the banner for the now-renamed National Socialist
THE DEFEAT OF NOVEMBER 1918
the government, and that it must be atoned for. German Workers’ Party – a black swastika on
The only question was how to do it. Retained by a white circle on a red banner – and became a
AND, RATHER THAN REPORTING
the German Army and trained as an intelligence full-time publicist for the Nazis upon his discharge
agent, 29-year-old Hitler was sent to infiltrate from the army. After some internal squabbling, he
ON THE DAP, HITLER BECAME A
the German Workers’ Party (DAP), a right-wing replaced Drexler as chairman in 1921, winning the
organisation committed to national recovery. vote by a margin of 533 to 1.
SIGNED-UP MEMBER”
Anton Drexler, leader of the DAP, thought that Within two years he had shifted from an agent
Germany had been corrupted by Jews, Marxists of the government to the leader of the party that
and capitalists, and Hitler soon fell under Drexler’s would smash the government, and much of Europe
spell. The future Führer found himself among a with it.
Hitler – seen here on the right – felt let
down by Germany’s surrender in the war
Above: Hitler’s membership card of the fledgling DAP,
which would later morph into the Nazi Party
Above: Anton Drexler, first leader of the DAP, had
more influence than any other on the birth of Hitler’s
political ideology
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