Hitler's Charisma: Leading Millions into the AbyssFuelled by hate, incapable of forming normal human relationships, unwilling to listen to dissenting voices, Adolf Hitler seemed an unlikely leader, and yet he commanded enormous support and was able to exert a powerful influence over those who encountered him. How did Hitler become such an attractive figure to millions of people? That is the question at the core of Hitler’s Charisma. Acclaimed historian and documentary filmmaker Laurence Rees examines the nature of Hitler’s appeal and reveals the role his supposed “charisma” played in his success. Here is a fascinating social, psychological and historical investigation into the formation of a personality whose determination and vision would at the outset convince a small group of like-minded political and social outcasts but would eventually win over an entire nation and plunge the rest of the world into a cataclysm unlike any that had ever been seen before. Hitler’s Charisma is a natural culmination of twenty years of writing and research on the Third Reich and a remarkable examination of the man and the mind at the heart of it all. (With 16 pages of black-and-white illustrations) |
Contents
3 | |
7 | |
9 | |
21 | |
Searching for a Hero | 33 |
Developing a Vision | 44 |
Offering Hope in a Crisis | 56 |
Being Certain | 68 |
The Lure of the Radical | 117 |
The Thrill of Release | 131 |
Turning Vision into Reality | 145 |
The Great Gamble | 179 |
Charisma and Overconfidence | 203 |
False Hope and the Murder | 232 |
Last Chance | 259 |
The Death of Charisma | 272 |
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Adolf Hitler Allies anti-Semitic Army Group Army Group Centre attack attempt August Austria author for WW2History.com Bavaria Beer Hall believed Berlin Blaskowitz Blomberg Brauchitsch Britain British Chamberlain chancellor charismatic leader charismatic leadership commander Czech Dahlerus December decision defeat demonstrated Domarus East enemy entry felt fight forces France Fritsch Führer German army Germany's Goebbels Gregor Strasser Guderian Halder War Diary Heinrich Hermann Göring Himmler Hindenburg Hitler's charisma Ian Kershaw ibid idea Interview with author invasion Jewish Jews Joseph Goebbels July Kampf Kershaw kill knew later Laurence Rees Ludwig Beck March meeting Mein Kampf military millions Minister Munich murder nation Nazi party Nazism never November Nuremberg officers Papen Poland political Previously unpublished testimony propaganda Red Army Reichstag Röhm says senior September soldiers Soviet Union speech Speer Stalin Stalingrad stormtroopers Strasser thought tion told Völkischer Beobachter wanted Warning from History Wehrmacht whilst World wrote