In December 1940, American Journalist William L. Shirer (1904-1993) made his departure from Germany as World War II intensified. On September 1, 1939, the Germany military crossed into Poland and ignited the word conflict mankind has seen to date. After arriving back on United States soil, Shirer turned the journal he maintained while living abroad into the best-selling book ‘The Berlin Diary: The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent 1934-1941 ‘. The book is a fascinating first-hand account of the Nazi seizure of power in Germany and the road to war. Following Germany’s defeat in 1945, Shirer returned to the country to survey the damage inflicted from Allied forces. This is the journal of his time in Germany following the collapse of German Chancellor Adolf Hitler’s (1889-1945) Third Reich, the trials at Nuremburg and the final days of former Nazi party officials and military officers. 

The book begins with Shirer back home in America, traveling from city to city. However, Germany remains in his thoughts and soon enough he is on his way back to the country he left as World War II heated up. I can only imagine the emotions Shirer felt upon his return, but what he writes in the journal makes it clear that he is both shocked and saddened to see the physical condition of locations he once frequented. As I read, I could picture the devastation he confronted as he drove through streets which one held Hitler’s rallies, restaurants, and other meeting places for social interaction. The physical destruction comes as no surprise due to the relentless Allied bombings and infantry operations as American, British, and Soviet troops closed in on Berlin. But Shirer is focused on more than that and takes a deep dive into the secret Reich documents discovered which reveal the road to war planned by Hitler and his co-conspirators. 

As Shirer explores the documents, the diary takes on more of a history book format in which planning sessions and other meetings are examined. While this does not fit the typical format for a “journal”, it does have a place due to his accounts from the trials at Nuremberg where captured Nazi officials face justice. I did find the secret documents interesting, and there are revelations within them about Hitler’s true feelings towards the Japanese and Soviet Union. Further, they remove all doubt as to Germany’s intention to violate Poland’s independence. The looming war eventually begins and at first, Germany rides a wave of success. But the entry of the United States into the conflict and the decision by Hitler to turn on the Soviets, were the initial stages of failure in the downfall of Nazi Germany. The mistakes made by Hitler and the insanity surrounding his war planning are on full display, and by 1943 it was clear to many that Germany would lose the war. But the concluding chapter was still two years away. 

Among the documents he focuses on are statements by people in Hitler’s underground bunker who had knowledge of Hitler’s death and the movement of his remains. This is a long-discussed topic, and we may never know for certain, but the statements provided are interesting. The people interviewed are also certain that Hitler died in the bunker and did not escape to South America. Aviator Hanna Reitsch (1912-1979) was one of the last people to see Hitler alive and was firm in her statement that he died in the bunker. Her interview is included as well as Shirer pieces together the last moments of the Reich’s leader.  

Eventually Shirer makes his way to Nuremberg to witness the trials of the Nazi officials. His reporter skills kick into high gear as he notes the mannerisms and reactions of the men who plotted world domination and sent millions of Jewish people to their deaths. The list of characters is too long for this book and Shirer does not attempt to cover the entire trial in his journal. However, he provides enough for us to see the unsavory and ridiculous people who made up Hitler’s cabinet, and why power in the wrong hands is extremely dangerous. It should also be noted that Shirer had interacted with Nazi officials personally as Hitler rose to power. He is not merely an observer but someone who was very well acquainted with the defendants and encountered them regularly as he wrote the Berlin Diary. He was a witness to history and his return to Germany provided more than enough proof that leaving in 1940 was a wise decision. 

While I do admit the Berlin Diary is rated higher in reviews, I personally liked this follow-up. Further, it was never intended to be the final word on the Nazi story. However, Shirer did cover that extensively in his masterpiece ‘The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany‘, which I strongly recommend for anyone interested in Hitler’s rise, the war, and the downfall of his empire. If you have read the Berlin Diary or are curious as to what Shirer found when he went back to Germany, this book should be added to your list. 

“One more wise remark from Plutarch that seems deadly timely today. Of the machinations of Cæsar, Antony, and Lepidus, which finally brought Cicero to his doom, he remarks: ‘Thus they let their anger and fury take from them the sense of humanity and demonstrated that no beast is more savage than man, when possessed with power answerable to his rage’. ” – The Berlin Diary, William L. Shirer 

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07H185X8F
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rosetta Books (September 6, 2016)