MacDonogh, Giles
olcovers123-L.zip&file=1237622-L.jpg Displayed with the permission of the author This book, "After the Reich: The Brutal History of the Allied Occupation" by Giles MacDonogh, was the book that opened up what was, to me, a "whole new history", whereas for others it certainly was not new; they had lived through it. "Ignorance is no defense" is a phrase often used in trials. It was basically used to judge the whole German nation at the end of the Second World War for what had occurred during the previous six years. But reading this book highlighted the fact that I knew so little about what happened at the end of the war and the period 1945 to 1950. It could be easy to say that I was ignorant of what happened. But that is no longer an excuse. Nothing was taught in schools in England as far as I am aware of the starvation suffered by the German people and especially the German POWs in the Rheinwiesenlager. The fact that this was enforced as "Allied policy" when there was sufficient food available to distribute to both the civilian population and the POWs is shocking. No wonder we were not taught about this! A shameful episode in the history of those countries responsible for it happening. There was just no need for these millions of Germans to die! Fortunately books such as this are now exposing what did happen, and officially enforced starvation is just one of the issues that Giles MacDonogh brings to your attention in this book. Ignorance is no longer an excuse; it is time to forget the "fairy tales" circulated regarding the Allied treatment of German civilians and POWs after the fighting had finished. The fighting may have ended but the killing certainly didn't. I can not recommend this book highly enough. Giles MacDonogh's website can be found here: http://www.macdonogh.co.uk/wikidot NB: Opens in a new window
1938.jpg Displayed with the permission of the author Having read "After the Reich: The Brutal History of the Allied Occupation", when "1938 Hitler's Gamble" was released I immediately puchased it as by now my reading of what happened between 1945 and 1950 had led me on a journey to learn more about the events that culminated in World War Two and hence the terrible fate of the German people afterwards. Though nothing like "After the Reich: The Brutal History of the Allied Occupation" I found "1938 Hitler's Gamble" extremely interesting.
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