1932

The Rise of Hitler and FDR - Two Tales of Politics, Betrayal, and Unlikely Destiny

By: David Pietrusza

Narrated by: David Stifel

Two Depression-battered nations confronted destiny in 1932, going to the polls in their own way to anoint new leaders, to rescue their people from starvation and hopelessness. America would elect a Congress and a president - ebullient aristocrat Franklin Roosevelt or tarnished "Wonder Boy" Herbert Hoover. Decadent, divided Weimar Germany faced two rounds of bloody Reichstag elections and two presidential contests - doddering reactionary Paul von Hindenburg against rising radical hate-monger Adolf Hitler.

The outcome seemed foreordained - unstoppable forces advancing upon crumbled, disoriented societies. A merciless Great Depression brought greater - perhaps hopeful, perhaps deadly - transformation: FDR's New Deal and Hitler's Third Reich.

But neither outcome was inevitable.

©2016 David Pietrusza (P)2019 Tantor

Outstanding!

I have read and listened to many, many books on this subject. To mention a few: all of Churchill's books; Inferno; Armageddon; Stalingrad and Berlin; Hitler: A Biography; Night; No Ordinary Time. This one is absolutely at the top. If I had to recommend one book about this time this would be the one.

GOOD REMINDER OF WHO WE REALLY ARE

Good at giving a feeling for the early 30s in politics. Insight into Hoover’s outlook, FDRs associations w the very wealthy, and the deep business and social entanglements between upper class Americans and Germany.

Not bad summary of the progression of Weimar to the Social Nationalist or Nazi transition—good detail. I am certain the “right” in America has read this material and are following that script today in 2025.

Trump or his handlers have an ear worm from the All in the Family song “…we need a man like Herbie Hoover again…”

Nazi Brown Shirts and Hoovers clearing the BEF encampments, surely are scripts for the army and National Guard deployment in LA in 2025. See next paragraph—

New to me the Bonus Expedition Force encampment in Washington. Great insight on how the ruling classes see the “average American”: Ruthless and cold-hearted suppression under direction of, later stars of WW II and the 50s, Major Patton, major Eisenhower and General MacArthur. I keep digging for nuanced background on these people to explain later behaviour like Eisenhowers tolerance for CIA regime overthrows, covert lead up in Vietnam, or the Bay of Pigs, for example. The tolerance further of years of ruthless, inhumane and racist behaviour by the Dulles brothers; the 40-year reign of J Edgar Hoover at FBI; 30 years of Anslinger at the Bureau of Narcotics & the War on Drugs.

Better to know how this country really works. Better still to know Trump II is not an aberration. Just the same old.

What a waste of time

I expected insight as to how these two perceived each other. Nothing. This is simply how each man came to power. 8 hours of German politics in 1932? Thanks but I don’t have any interest in details that don’t correspond with anything of merit. If you’re a detailed historian about stuff that doesn’t matter, okay, but this book was sold as a comparative piece. There is no such comparison.