: Stargardt presents evidence that the Holocaust was an "open secret" among the German public. Many civilians and soldiers were aware of the mass killings and even viewed the Allied bombing of German cities as a form of divine or "Jewish" retribution for these crimes.
In historian Nicholas Stargardt explores how ordinary German citizens—soldiers and civilians alike—experienced, justified, and sustained the Second World War. Rather than viewing the German populace as mere victims of a totalitarian regime or helpless dupes of propaganda, Stargardt argues that most Germans were actively complicit and continued to support the war effort long after military defeat seemed inevitable. Key Themes and Arguments The German War: A Nation Under Arms, 1939-1945
: Nazi propaganda successfully framed the conflict not as a war of aggression, but as a defensive struggle for national survival. Many Germans believed they were fighting to prevent a repeat of the 1918 defeat and to protect their families from "Judeo-Bolshevism". : Stargardt presents evidence that the Holocaust was
The book is noted for its immersive use of personal documents, including: The German War: A Nation Under Arms, 1939-1945 Rather than viewing the German populace as mere