The Unmaking of Adolf Hitler

Few historical figures have been examined in as many volumes as Hitler. Davidson's excellent study must surely rank near the top of the list. Rather than simply portray Hitler as evil incarnate, Davidson chronicles the tale of an ultimate political animal--crafty, cunning, charming when needed--who isolated his opposition section by section. A high point of the book describes Hitler's skillful manipulation of minority tensions in East-Central Europe, with many useful demographic statistics. Eminently readable for either scholars or laypersons, this is painstakingly researched and includes much recently released information from Soviet archives. There are a few minor factual errors: Soviet General Andrei Vlassov was not captured in the 1941 battle for Kiev but in June 1942 near Volkhov. A more serious criticism regards the title, which is a misnomer. As the vast majority of the text covers Hitler's astonishing diplomatic and military successes, it is a continuation of rather than a sequel to the author's earlier The Making of Adolf Hitler. Illustrations not seen by PW. (May)