Hitler's Soldiers

The German Army in the Third Reich

By: Ben H. Shepherd

Narrated by: Michael Page

For decades after 1945, it was generally believed that the German army, professional and morally decent, had largely stood apart from the SS, Gestapo, and other corps of the Nazi machine. Ben Shepherd draws on a wealth of primary sources and recent scholarship to convey a much darker, more complex picture.

For the first time, the German army is examined throughout the Second World War, across all combat theaters and occupied regions, and from multiple perspectives: its battle performance, social composition, relationship with the Nazi state, and involvement in war crimes and military occupation.

This was a true people's army, drawn from across German society and reflecting that society as it existed under the Nazis. Without the army and its conquests abroad, Shepherd explains, the Nazi regime could not have perpetrated its crimes against Jews, prisoners of war, and civilians in occupied countries. The author examines how the army was complicit in these crimes and why some soldiers, units, and higher commands were more complicit than others.

Shepherd also reveals the reasons for the army's early battlefield successes and its mounting defeats up to 1945, the latter due not only to Allied superiority and Hitler's mismanagement as commander-in-chief, but also to the failings of the army's own leadership.

©2016 Ben H. Shepherd (P)2018 Tantor

WOW!

Very detailed and well put-together book. A lot of time was put into this Book. Hats off to the author.

Thorough and scholarly

As an obsessive reader of all things WWII , I saw this book as extremely well-written and chockful of interesting events and interplay between the principals.
Unfortunately, what I didn’t see was why I bought the book..its title.
It was not about Hitler’s soldiers.
I was expecting accounts of the foot soldiers experiences in battle, their attitudes about what they were doing and thinking.
The author quoted excerpts from some soldiers’ letters, but the quotes were sparse and said little about how they felt about anything.
I knew the history. I didn’t know how the ordinary soldier responded to the enormity of the situations in which he found himself.

one of those books that makes you sad when it’s over because it’s so damn good

Seriously though - an incredible read and one I will certainly revisit. Clear and easy to understand writing backed by extensive research and hard work. Thank you

A comprehensive work with great narration.

From start to finish, this book had me hooked. A very good choice for those interested in the Wehrmacht, its soldiers and their struggles during the war.

Still a Favorite

The first time I read this book, it seemed great. The second reading turned out boring. The battles and details were not explored enough. As I read further, I got very interested again. It's a great read.