Hitler's Risky Bet: The Consequences of the Attack on Pearl Harbor and Germany's March to World War II

Amazon Customer: having just received the book I will wait to comment on the insights into
history which I hope to discover, but as far as the item itself, it was on time,
well-packaged and exceeded the very good description by the seller...
thumbs up

United States on Oct 11, 2023

Colin J. Edwards: Hitler’s American Gamble by Brendan Simms and Charlie Laderman is a historical work that offers a different perspective on Germany's actions during World War II. The authors argue that Hitler's decision to declare war on the United States was an intentional and calculated move rather than a costly miscalculation. The book is well-researched and presents a compelling argument supported by various primary sources and the authors' expert analysis.
The book's main thesis is that Hitler believed America was weak and divided and could not sustain a war effort on two fronts. He felt that by declaring war on the United States, he could create a rift between America and its allies, forcing the US to focus on the Atlantic rather than the Pacific. Additionally, he believed that he could draw America into a protracted conflict in Europe, thereby draining crucial resources from the war in the Pacific.
The book is well-written and engaging, and offers a fresh perspective on a well-trodden topic. It is particularly interesting to see how the authors have used an analysis of Hitler's mindset and strategic thinking to shed new light on the events of the war. The authors' arguments are...

United States on Jul 07, 2023

recluse: 昨年読んだヒトラー本「Hitler: only the world was enough」の著者の新作が出ていたのは、ちょっと前から気が付いていた。ただ前作の読後感がいまいちだったので放っておいた。ところが、ヒトラー本という魔力に加え、さらには年明けにamazonで抵抗できない価格がofferされており、結局購入してしまった。

前作に比べると、こちらの方はなかなか面白く、あっという間に読了。

結論（真珠湾奇襲とそれに続くドイツの対米宣戦布告）自体は読者がみな知っているという拘束の中で、最後まであっという間に読ませてしまう著者の筆力と構成力そして視点はなかなかのものだ。小説では、frederick...

Japan on Feb 15, 2023

davidk: Not sure if it’s all accurate but a very good read

United Kingdom on May 29, 2022

Ian M: This is a superb book about an important aspect of WW2. I particularly liked the way in which it mingled politics with the treatment of the Jews – you were never allowed to forget the proclaimed basis of the 3rd Reich. Their account also includes lots of vivid detail, and the awful behaviour of some individuals eg that woman, who must have thought she was doing the right thing, who reported a Jewish woman who had escaped to the local baths. They draw attention to the visit of the Mufti of Jerusalem to the Fuhrer, where I am sure they must have had interesting discussions about vegetarian dishes not to mention a visit to the ancient castle of Sachsenhausen. I also enjoyed the less significant detail – what the President had for lunch.

There were some drawbacks. In ascending order of seriousness:

I have probably lost this pronoun battle, but coming from a naval family, I cannot think of ships as ‘it’. They are ‘she’ for friends, ‘he’ for enemies.

Several instances of THE HMS. In a book with naval history in it, this is a serious error.

Worst of all, no maps or illustrations. Illustrations bring history books to life, and a few maps of...

United Kingdom on May 09, 2022

Dr. Roy Schreiber: Let's get the negative stuff out of the way first. This book is about 33% longer than it needs to be. Material gets repeated over and over again. This repetition can create false expectations. To take one instance, from the week or so before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor until Hitler declared war on the U.S. four days later, every time the Soviet army is mentioned, (and it is mentioned often) it is described as overwhelming the Nazi forces in front of Moscow. The author makes it sound like the war will end in 1942 rather than 1945.

Okay, that said, the strength of the book is the constant reminder that the people at the time did not know what we know today. They then could and did make plausible arguments for a variety of outcomes. For example, Hitler, following true to form, could have lied to the Japanese. He told them, if they attacked the Americans, he would declare war on the U.S. But what if he didn't? Had he failed to deliver on his promise? Then the U.S. would undoubtedly have concentrated all its efforts on defeating Japan. In the process it would have diverted war supplies away from the British and the Soviets. People at the time knew that diversion would...

United States on Feb 13, 2022

Ronald H. Clark: This book is the fascinating study (by two Brit historians) of how and why Hitler declared war on the U.S. after Pearl Harbor. I had always thought it was almost an automatic action, especially after the Japanese had declared war. This book explains why that was a faulty assumption. The authors minutely tell the tale in 400 pages of text and 83 pages of notes.Among the authors' findings is the important role racism played, on both sides. The Japanese saw the war as an attack on white control of Asia; the Germans conceived of the war as an attack on domineering Anglo-Saxons. The allies consistently underestimated the Japanese on racial grounds. Another finding is that the Germans were not involved in persuading the Japanese to launch their war; but repeatedly had promised to intervene if Japan got into a conflict with the U.S.

The authors very carefully set the stage with chapters on the origins of the conflict, both in Europe and Asia, and what the thinking behind Pearl Harbor was. The goal was not to invade the U.S., but rather to take control of a large chunk of Asia and create a defensive line to protect it. Much as Hitler had done in western Europe. The book very...

United States on Feb 12, 2022

Miss H.: I got this book following a recommendation from a friend and couldn’t put in down! A fascinating read on a critical part of 20th century history. Written in a way that makes the book captivating and information in equal measure. A must read!

United Kingdom on Nov 21, 2021

BrianBrian: Book is OK, but does not fit into what I already have been reading in the history of WW2.Sorry. Can you see corners where torn or do you want me to send two separate ones

United Kingdom on Oct 29, 2021