Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this crisp and well-researched account, Hunter College history professor Hett (The Death of Democracy) portrays the lead-up to WWII as a "crisis in democracy" during which Allied leaders struggled to articulate an "open and international" world vision in response to the rise of totalitarianism. Hett highlights how the redrawing of central and eastern Europe following WWI inflamed ethnic tensions, and argues that the Great Depression "accelerated the trend toward authoritarian politics" across the region. He documents domestic pressures, including organized labor's anti-immigrant stance, that contributed to President Roosevelt's initial downplaying of the plight of German Jews, and traces the growth of Winston Churchill's commitment to democracy through the 1930s. Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union used new media technologies to weaponize propaganda, Hett explains, noting that Orson Welles's War of the Worlds broadcast both revealed the power of radio to incite mass movements and influenced American and British efforts to sway public opinion in favor of confronting Hitler. Hett wisely introduces each chapter with vivid sketches of historical figures, including R.J. Mitchell, designer of the Spitfire fighter plane, and American journalist Dorothy Thompson, humanizing his analysis of political and military developments. This history makes a solid contribution to the understanding of the driving forces behind WWII. (June)
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Review by Library Journal Review
In this follow-up to his acclaimed book on the Weimar Republic, Hett (history, Hunter Coll.; Graduate Ctr., City Univ. of New York; The Death of Democracy) looks at the Nazi regime that followed. In the preface, Hett states that his objective is not to provide a comprehensive narrative of the era; but rather, to portray the exemplary events in four major powers (Germany, Britain, the United States, and the USSR) from late 1937 through the first two years of World War II. Despite a recent democratic wave after the First World War, democracy was in peril as totalitarianism proliferated around the world, most notably in Germany. Initially, the world's democracies were slow to respond to Nazism. That shifted in 1941, with the Atlantic Charter, signed by the United States and Britain, which set aims for peace. Thought provokingly, Hett notes that commonalities between the 1930s and today, with an increase in nationalism along with media used by skilled politicians to manipulate the masses. Moreover, he suggests that lessons learned by dealing with the Nazi regime could be applied today. VERDICT This compelling work is highly recommended for those interested in World War II or in the history of fascism.--Dave Pugl, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Looking into the minds of World War II's most important leaders. In the 1930s, the world was wracked by a fundamental conflict: Should the nations be democratic, where the people decide what their governments will be, or authoritarian, where dictators make all decisions? The democracies were led by the U.S., England, and France, and the authoritarians by Germany, Russia, Italy, and Japan. Hett, who has written widely on Hitler and the Third Reich, delves into why five of those nation's most important leaders--Franklin Roosevelt, Hitler, Stalin, Churchill, and, although his name isn't included in the title, Neville Chamberlain--made the decisions that led to World War II. How did they see the world? What did they fear? What did they hope? What motivated them? What did they see as their strengths? Their weaknesses? In addition to a collection of minibiographies of these pivotal figures, the text is a sometimes-dry, sometimes-gripping, always authoritative story of the 1930s and '40s and the close parallels that exist with today's world. Though Donald Trump is never mentioned, the parallels between him and Hitler are obvious throughout. For example, Hitler wrote that a dictator must tell lies, big lies, and keep on telling them even if they are proven false because many will believe them anyway. Also, never apologize. Primarily, though, Hett sticks to the history and motivations of his principals: why Chamberlain appeased Germany at every turn; how Hitler used Chamberlain's weaknesses to build a war machine; why Roosevelt feared that entering any war with Germany would turn America into a military state; how Churchill almost forced Roosevelt into the war by showing him what America would face with Hitler leading a totalitarian Europe; and why Stalin wanted anything but a war. The 12-page cast of characters, divided by nation, is highly useful. An excellent read for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the thinking behind World War II. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
