Rise and Fall of Third Reich authored by William Shirer

 Rise and Fall of Third Reich authored by William Shirer

29-May-2014

This book Rise and Fall of Third Reich authored by William Shirer, I had bought on 15 th August 1986 (one of the wheeler outlets may be from some Rly station, not sure). After 28 years, had the patience, the resolve and time to take up reading this tome (some 1500 pages in small print) and finished reading it today. Quite a tough read but racy also in several parts. Looks to have been extremely well researched. The author had the twin advantage of having been a reporter in and around Germany during the war time Europe and  the run up to the war  and had the advantage of access to several documents and books written based on the same  depositions during  and after the Nuremberg trials. A number of diaries maintained by some of the Germans who were privy (like General Haldar) and at close quarters to the happenings of that time have come in handy.

Such a detailed one that it would be an effort to recall things and write down a brief note for my own future reference and recall. Almost impossible to recall a lot of things with clarity unless you do second read. Even then it could become difficult, could be text book of German History in the run up and during the Nazi regime.

The author has spent more time in tracing the aftermath of World War I which possibly was the major reason why someone with as warped a mind as Hitler was and without doubt a terrific orator and in his own right a genius could have brain washed an entire nation and more importantly worked around the favorable factors in a devious way to his advantage to get to occupy the undisputed leader. World war I had (Weimar republic) had put a huge burden on Germany as a nation. They had to cede parts of Austria and several other areas and had to bear the burden of huge reparations to the European nations as part of the process of compensating them for the losses caused due to the war initiated by Germany, which incidentally lasted 4 years (1914-18). Germany was under severe burden, people lost jobs, inflation was high, of course Germany also printed notes to devalue the currency and pay off the war cost, the nation was at its lowest. The nation in terms of the Governance was in a limbo, a kind of transition period when monarchy was done away with and was ruled under the overall care of Field Marshal Hindenburg. The Field Marshal an old man was a kind of guardian to keep an eye on the Reichstag (parliament) elected.

Hitler was born to Alois Hitler who was born out of wedlock and carried his mother’s maiden name Schikleburger before his father married his mother and gave him the privilege of taking father’s surname ( Hiedler) was given. Somehow this became Hitler.. He was born in Branau am Inn, Austria .

Was a racist , feelings of Aryan supremacy, completely against Jews, so much so that he thought getting rid of Jews of the world was one of the greatest priorities. National socialist party ( Nazi) had this ideology of Aryan supremacy and German Nationalism. Had the view that Germany and the German race were always destined to rulers , the master race and by quirk of fate and circumstances and by deceit had been pushed to an inferior and groveling  position. He made very good use of the prevailing victimhood feeling in the nation . By all accounts was a terrific orator and a terrific organizer. He was clear that Germany was the master race ,Jews were to obliterated , completely annihilated , slavs and others to serve the Germans and Germany and German’s need for additional living space, Lebensraum could be satisfied by invasion.

What really bewilders you as to how a nation which had some of the greatest intellectuals , which produced several great scientists could have fallen for this.It was possibly a combination of great convincing skills, ability to delve in to and appeal to emotions of the people at their vulnerable points and make the German population not to have any compunctions about what was being done to nations and people in the name of correction of wrongs to them.

It is really a wonder that the only credible opposition and attempt to get rid of Hitler was in Jun 1944 by which time it had become clear that Germany and Hitler were in a losing battle.

Since the book is an attempt to trace the run up, the happenings in Germany during Third Reich and the war , while it has dealt with the gas chambers, the inhuman treatment meted out to the POW s , the Jews, the atrocious medical experiments carried out on POW s etc., the same are detailed but not very elaborate. It did touch upon some specific experiments. Such treatment meted out to animals would evoke sympathy and pity in any human being, just to think that such a treatment was meted out to fellow human beings. That is possible only by a mind which is steeped in a  feeling of absolute superiority of self  and the feeling that the “humans” subjected  to such treatment are not quite humans and but  kind of specimens of a different living organism or some lowlife.Himmler and his SS(Schutzstaffel) and his several of his cronies start find innovative ways of quick and faster disposal.

Ribbentrop-Foreign Minister

Herman Goering –Luftwaffe Chief

Himmler  - SS chief

SS-Schutzstaffel ( Defence force)

Gestapo- Secret Police …

Wehrmacht-Army

Reichstag –Parliament

Keitel,Jodl.Halder,Runstaed,,,,, all army generals

More than 80 million deaths out of which death of Germans was only around 10 Mio

Jews approximately 6 Mio were supposed to have been killed.

Concentration camps , Auschwitz, Dachau, Terblinka,….

Start of war 1-Sept-1939 against Poland

End of war 8-May -1945

In retrospect it is quite a surprise to see how soft the Allies were on Hitler especially in the earlier stages. Neville Chamberlain the British PM and Dadalier the French PM appear have been lulled in to a belief and comfort that Hitler and Germany would not wage a war to recapture lost territories of Germany World War I. The signs were all quite clear , at least when viewed in retrospect with a clear knowledge of sequence of events, the thoughts expressed by Hitler in his push to leadership, thoughts expressed in Mein Kampf and clear cut steps taken to weed the nation of Jews and his gradual push in acquiring Austria , later Czecholsolavokia.

Hitler and his gang in the pretext of protecting the ethnic German population which they claimed were suppressed and tortured  recaptured Czech. Austria of course they had prior claims. Same pretext they roll over Poland also. A nation which had rolled over in 1918 and who were paying up war reparations, not only was getting out of it but also appeared to play the dominant card , with Chamberlain not only  meeting up and concluding an agreement in Munich but  trying his best to cajole Hitler from proceeding with his plans for invasion. The author details out the run up as to how Hitler put severe pressure setting time limits for action. Totally manufactured suppressions and stage managed  incidents like bombings and killing of so called Germans ( who were some prisoners waiting in jails to die ).

The Allies wake up quite late , that is only after Poland was attacked and tolled over starting 1 st Sept 1939.Hitler had spurred the German  economy through his war efforts, with a lot of manufacturing aimed to arming Germany and a quite a bit of building infrastructure, one can say the type of Govt spending that Keynes ,  recommended to spur growth in this case with a completely different aim but with the same result in that it provided employment and economic growth. This must have have come as a huge relief to the suffering citizens together with the feeling of having been victimized by Allies, the population must have been easy target for indoctrination of Nazism and German own form of nationalism.

The way Hitler manipulated the system and put himself with all powers is great story in itself. The elections he took part, he won some 30 %, never more than that. Subsequent Plebiscite which were conducted for specific issues were a Yes or No and were conducted in a highly vitiated atmosphere of fear.Gestapo and SS were dominated forces and the prominent citizens and nay sayers were closely monitored, eliminated if did not fall in line.

Some things which were a total revelation notwithstanding the fact that they were very prominent aspects were the aspect of the ease with which Hitler overcame French army , the armistice signed after running over France after the war started, the non-aggression pact with Soviet Union .

His agreement with Italy and/or Soviet Union were matters of convenience and strategy to Hitler. Non-aggression pact plus an agreement to  share the spoils over the conquered countries were key elements. This is no better than dacoits in partnership , deciding to share the loot.

Hitler also proves that such agreements were in fact strategies to buy time, to enable concentrating his forces on one side  and once conquered finds out a reason to renege on the same and conquer the party also. One abiding partnership albeit a bit passive on the part of the other was with Italy and Mussolini except when they conquer parts of North Africa. With Mussolini ousted in his country and kept in custody, Hitler employs a commando unit to get him released , brings him to Germany and keeps him guarded almost till the end of the war. Mussolini meets with a horrible end later.

After  Hitler starts off eating in to Soviet Union, they get in the war. Japan by bombing US gets US in to the war. France rendered hors de combat after the armistice with Germany.

What really shocks is the utter disregard for human life and utter disregard for even a semblance of judicial process. Hitler and his SS and Gestapo cronies get rid of people judged by “people’s court” , an euphemism for summary trials , on the slightest sign of protest or perceived treason. Anything against the Fuehrer was treason.

Even towards the end when they find that Rommel a very popular General and one who was far more ethical and did not quite participate in the tyranny with Jews and POWs , was forced to kill himself when they found that he had hobnobbed with people trying to overthrow Hitler.

We now know the importance of media and the forum it provides , but Goebbels the propaganda minster , of course in the days of controlled media , understood the power of media and propaganda with just radio broadcasts.

Once it became clear that Russia was at the doorstep of Berlin, Hitler, his wife, Eva Braun and Goebbels  and his entire family commit suicide in Hitler’s underground bunker .

Apart from the millions who lost their lives and the millions of property lost, Russia getting in to the war must have resulted in quite a few Eastern European nations getting dominated by Marxists under the overall Soviet control. Between 1945 and 1989, , almost two generations lost great amount of freedom and opportunity during that period. Countries which suffered during World War  II and continued to suffer albeit a different kind , under oppressive regimes till almost later 80 s ( Berlin wall was dismantled in 1989) were Bulgaria, Poland, Yugoslavia,Czechoslovakia,Romania and a whole lot of smaller regions like Georgia,Ukraine,Lithuania, Armenia,Kazhakstan etc distinct ethinic populations which got annexed to USSR and which later separated from Russia .

Hitler must have been without doubt one of the greatest Orators, a great genius albeit perverted .If he had had Atom bomb with him and others did not have the same, he would have caused even more immeasurable damage. Two thoughts, one , such a genius, if he had been constructive, would have transformed Europe, and another thought which keeps coming back is how a nation of great intellectuals which produced several great philosophers, several great scientists could  have become  so tyrannically racist, deluded in to a belief they were indeed the master race and others are there to be subjugated and how could they have come down to being active in some cases and passive in most cases , accomplices of Hitler acquiescing with Nazism ?

New Bottle in old wine

This was sent out to TOI letters to the Editor but not published

Your Editorial “New Bottle in old wine”

Media and lot of the urbal population have been completely  taken in by the AAP’s avowed brand of honest and ethics  in politics,which in fact is well founded and not without reason.They have only been singing paens in praise of whatever AAP has been doing and turned blind to the retrograde economic path propounded by AAP in its manifesto and now in action.Atleast for once , your paper  has come out to point out the retrograde step taken by AAP in indulging in freebies . Electricity distribution in Delhi was privatized some 10 years back post which the efficiencies have reportedly gone up and in fact Delhi distribution Companies are generating a surplus also ,incidentally Delhi Govt has 49% holding in that. Surplus generated can easiliy be used for investments in infrastructure to have a larger bang for the buck rather than such freebies which have a short term benefit but deprives the community from any long term invetsments and consequent benefits. For all its talk of honesty, I think Kejriwal’s statement that he wants to do good in the 48 hours before the Trust vote is patently unethical and almost amounts to buying votes and laying a foundation for his Lok Sabha elections.Good governance is not all about orice reductions , it is value for money to the community.Free today would deprive the community of benefits tomorrow.AAP’s manifesto and actions so far suggest a revival of marxism, couched in the euphemism of “aam aadmi benefit”. It almost appears axiomatic in public perception that honesty and good governance can be bedfellows of  socialsm and not of  capitalism.

The irony is AAP finds resonance amongst a lot of urbanites , whose improved quality of life owes much to the economic reforms over the last 20 years.AAP has to understand that good governance and capitalism with checks and balances is not bad combination, in fact that would be the best for the country.

Lopsided debates on "Secularism by Secularists and activists

Sent this across to TOI letter to editor , did not expect the same to be published in view of the slightly and perceived rightist tone.
Father Mascarenhas , the principal of Xavier's exhorted students to stay away from Modi ( without referring to the name) on grounds of how lopsided Gujarat model is and how we needed to stay away from non secular forces

Secularism as a concept should  mean respect for people independent of their religious affiliations and respect for other religions too.With BJP and Modi's imminent ascension, there is this heightened and nervous discussion on secularism and how there is need to protect the country from right wing parties, meaning BJP and Modi.

To them I would like to state that NDA with BJP as the lead did govern the country for 5 years and did a good job of the same . There was no heightened communal tensions etc. In all fairness if and when Modi becomes the PM , there is need to give him the mental space and time to get down to business. But for the 2002 riots in Gujarat, things have been peaceful in the last 12 years. Nothing in Gujarat post 2002 suggests , this heightened nervousness amongst the secular people is well founded .The secularists and media personnel have been either openly stating or implying that India could degenerate in to  Hindutva mode and freedom of speech could be a big casualty under Modi and BJP.It appears as if the Secularists and media feel that they would be better off with a corrupt and inefficient Government rather than have a Hindutva party, BJP in power. They project that doomsday is round the corner.

Add to this are the Imams, College principals ( Father Mascarenhas ) and Hindu spiritual people exhorting people  directly or indirectly to vote for Congress or BJP as the case may be.

This excessive discussion on secularism and fear of loss of the nation to fringe elements is doing more harm than good. This competitive secularism is pushing fence sitters to the right side (fundamentalist) side of the debate. The secularists carry so much arrogance and moral superiority that their exhortations have a negative impact rather than any positive impact .

To play the devil's advocate and departing slightly from the topic, I would like to ask Father Mascarenhas and others of his ilk, if he is secular,I presume that he would think that people would have to be respected independent of their religious affiliations and also all religions should be respected. Secularism means that you don't have the arrogance to say that your religion is better than theirs. That being the case, I find it hard to digest as to why conversions from Hindusim to Christianity take place. I have no problem if the same is on one's own volition but if the conversion takes place based on a persuasive speech aided by provision of facilities to the potential converts, can  you call yourself a secular person ?

I respect Christianity and what they have done in uplifting the lives of several people in the country but as people who claim to be secular , Father Mascarenhas and his ilk ,  have a responsibility to continue to do the good work but without taking advantage of the beneficiaries to change their faith.Are they doing so and can they claim to be truly secular ?

I am not casting specific aspersions on Dr Mascarenhas but simply posing a question as to the moral contradiction between definition of secularism and conversions  at ground level not all of which is change based on genuine change of faith .

Big Data by Viktor Mayer Schonberger and Kenneth Cukier

Good book.Must have been one of the early books on how the world is undergoing huge change with Big data.

The authors talk about the shift from small data or sampling to big data primarily due to the fact that collection of data has become that much easier now in the digitised and connected world. The techniques which were evolved to come to conclusions on correlations based on a sample but representative data are no longer needed since the full data "n" has become available in the new digitised world. The authors talk of collection of data for some purpose and finding various other uses for the humungous amount of data available. They talk of data collectors, data interpreters and data users. Data collectors who sold data found that they had sold short and started developing expertise or getting in house expertise to process data and interpret data.

The authors talk of a shift from causative mindset to a mindset of just recognising the correlation and acting on it based on big data. A case of what rather than why ?

Corrrelations developed help in optimising on say on an insurance premia, on factors that could cause accidents,on companies like walmart acting or stocking based on sale of a specific product conncted to some event  and so on.Big data has potential use in crime prevention,disease prevention and so on

Big data has started contributing significantly in optimising and making our actions focussed on likely outcomes ( with a higher probability ) with much little wasted efforts and so on.

The authors also point out to the fact that with so much disparate information available on various plarforsm, stringing them together and finding out a whole lot of information of specific individuals is not very difficullt. Privacy is the biggest casualty in this, The authors besides talking about the need for measures to protect privacy also talk about the dangers of bias and punitive action being initiated based on correlations , say the likelihood of someone committing a crime etc. Big data even with none of us realsing could start playing God. The authors talk of thye need to be wary of that aspect also

The authors have brought the major aspect of how life has ben changing and how it would change further with Big data. 

I am sure that more such books with a lot of specifi examples of how big data has benefitted us would have come out

The authors also talk of the limitration of big data in as much as it is based on existing tastes and factors and not what is likely to happen in sat consumer tastes. Big data could not have given rise to a Fird car or an Apple iphone or an ipod.

AAP -Quintessential anti establishment

AAP may ride on the popular movement for anti corruption and make a dent at the national level . The irony with urban voters is that they hate corruption in others but turn a blind eye when it comes to their aid. Be that it may be, the point is, almost always these movements as was the JP Narayan's, as was the marxist movement , were all started by very honest and ethical people who were also simple to boot ,but it almost appears axiomatic that honesty and ethics can be associated only with socialism and not with Capitalism. The belief amonst them is that you cant be honest if you are selfish and capitalism is nothing but selfishness.

The urban voters, especially the ones whose life has improved significantly post economic reforms , want political honesty and ethics in public life but am sure that they would realise that they want liberal economic policies also .AAP 's rise , the biggest casualty is going to be the economy.
They have raised aam aadmi expectations so much ( they are also convinced about it ) that there would be requests for wage hikes.permanency, free water ,electricity, reservations etc, a trap of populism Just see the compensation of Rs 1 Cr to the police constable, his family has our sysmpathy but the Rs 1 Cr is setting a bad precedent.

AAP will only make sure that we have a hung parliament and India can forget the years.
No denying that we need honesty and ethics amongst political class but that need not be at the cost of larger economic welfare.AAP is a party which would do well to be in oppn to keep the ruling class in check but as part of Government, it could be a disaster for the country

Dangers of High debt- Infrastructure Companies

Read a piece on High debt Companies especially in the infra sector and how they have been stymied in pursuit of growth due to delays in clearances in projects. High debt is a high risk game  especially in India . Most of these high debt companies obviously are from the Capital Intensive sectors , namely construction, Road building, Mines and so on.Most of these "user" Industries are dependent on various environment clearances or in most cases the customer and or the regulator is some like NHAI,TRAI etc  and in Indian they typically clearnces take several years or sometimes not given at all. The problem is , if the Infra companies get in to areas where the initial clearance is given and construction started and subsequent clearances are held up fro some reason or other, the project gets stalled, the money invested is stuck , interest clock is on and bankruptcy or like conditions sets in.

Very frightening game.Most of us think and are convinced that India needs huge Infra investments, of course India has also to be careful not to overdo the same, after all, overbuilt infra is nothing but idle capacity and waste of national resources. Notwithstanding the urgency of such a need,has the Government done much in facilitating a transparent process, no is the answer.Either there is distribution of largesse or denial of any clearnce on grounds of public welfare, environmental issues etc. There , sure would be ways to achieve results without getting in to the quagmire of the two extremes.

Just look at the Companies mentioned in the Business Today report. Table is taken from the magazine

Company	Debt/Equity	Debt in books-Rs Crs	Net profit Rs Crs
GVK	5	25,264	(336)
Videocon	NA	27,283	NA
Lanco	9.4	39,034	(1,073)
GMR	4.9	40,824	88
JSW	1.5	41,575	(167)
Jaypee	4.8	63,654	461
Adani	2.9	81,222	1,613
Essar	2.4	98,412	(3,467)
Vedanta	0.5	99,610	22,051
Reliance ADA	1.1	113,543	4,742

Degree Coffee by the yard by Nirmala Lakshman

Interesting read. It is a "short biography of Madras or Chennai as it is called now. The author deals with aspects of the origins of the city as it stands now , geographically, how several small villages cobbled together progressively made up for Madras or Chennai

Madrasapatnam  was supposed to have been a Village off Coromandal Coast , and parts closer to Fort George etc belonged to Chennakesava Nayaka,the local "in charge" of the Nayak Kings.Some of these areeas were taken on lease by the English and gradually annexed as theirs possibly. Initial occupation was by the East Indai Company. The author traces the aspect of how Madras was more or less thge first post for the English. At some stage  , the Comapny gets official approval of the throme from English

Each of the area , Triplicane, Mylapore etc were supposed to have been small  villages at some point .

The author traces the Portugues coming in sometime in the middle of 16 th century , coming in of St Thomas after whom the Portuguese named the area they occupied as SanThome.

The English were  occupying and built Fort George and in and around the same place. 

The author traces the aspect of various parts of the current day Chennai being under occupation of the Cholas, and later of Pallavas etc .

Most of the streets get their name from various British Governors or some top ranking British official of charge at the relevant time. Names like Chamiers, Binny and so one. The tale of how Buckingham Canal, was used as canal by the Brotish for trade etc also nicely captured.

Apart from this, the author talks of how carnatic music flourished , the key players like MS. MLV etc . Talks of the devadasi system and shifting of devadasis ( great dancers) shifted from Tanjore etc to Madras.

Author talks of the 60 s and 70 s millieu in chennai. Talks of how Chennai has kept pace with the changing world , the modernisations ,at the same time still having a connection and keeping  to  its old values and cultural ethos

Talks of the anti Brahmin movements, anti Hindi movement, domination by Brahmions and touches upon how this was sought to be nullified by the Atheist party , DK etc.

Author talks of the almost unique  local obsession of coffee, "degree coffee" possibly means the strength of the coffee or as the author mentions use of milk of a certain strength and also delves a bit in to the way coffee is cooled by transfer between the glass and the dubara.

The author has relied a lot of existing material and for such a short biography , you obviously have to do that . Considering the restriction in terms of the size, I think she has done justice.

Of course no one worth his or her salt and who writes about Chennai can skip the movie making and the Political connection.

Chennai , being a port city had attracted a lot of traders, the Armenians, the Portugues, the English and the French . It had also attracted the merchant community like the Marwaris, the chettiars and of course since was the seat of education et , it attracted the Brahmins from Tanjore, etc

The author is part of The Hindu family

She also talks of the less fortunate ones who contribute significantly to the wheels of the city moving but who personally have been less fortunate in terms of quality of life etc.

She just about  touches upon the dirty side of the City. It is almost an after thought and almost to make sure that it adds to the credibility factor. Can't blame her. After all when one talks of the History of a place, they would like to by and large talk of the good aspects, though I feel that a little more space for the seamier aspects of Chennai , namely the auto wallas fleecing , the degeneration of the Tamil language , of course one can appreciate this as a innovative approach to bring in a balance amongst the various migrant population and their differing lingo.