Appearance
Werwolf!: The History of the National Socialist Guerrilla Movement, 1944-1946
Perry Biddiscombe asserts that historians have overlooked the extent of Nazi partisan warfare during and after World War II. With meticulous research and drawing on U.S., German, French, British and some Soviet sources, the author admirably fills in this void by piecing together an account of Nazi resistance. He focuses on the Nazi Werwolf diversionary groups, part of the SS-Police establishment and closely linked to the Hitler Youth corps. These groups were established to engage in partisan resistance to the invading Allied forces.Biddiscombe describes their organizational, ideological and social character and follows their development inside a Nazi bureaucracy beset with turf wars and personality clashes. Noting that "the Nazi Reich was hardly a unified totalitarian state, but rather a feudal patchwork of rival fiefs," he adds a geographic element to his analysis, highlighting the regional differences among the werewolf groups within Germany and the differences found in groups outside German territory.The Nazi resistance or partisan movement began in 1944 as the Allies began to dislodge the German army from occupied territories. Biddiscombe draws on detailed archival materials to describe how support for a resistance movement came from a variety of competing interests within the Third Reich. First established as part of Himmler's SS, then coupled with the Hitler Youth, the Werwolf groups were subsequently dominated by the military who saw their usefulness in slowing the Allied advance. In analyzing the active role of the Werwolf in partisan resistance, the author presents many detailed descriptions of attacks on Allied soldiers and collaborating Germans (sniping, decapitation wires, assassinations, poisonings, etc.) and sabotage actions. He documents a few cases involving children as young as 9 or 10 years old (p.62 and p.64) and many conducted by teenagers (pp.59 ff.).At times the author's analysis distinguishes between Werwolf attacks and partisan resistance that occurred before and after the German surrender, but generally this distinction remains in the background. This distinction deserves greater prominence. While some fighting has continued after the formal end to many wars, most stops soon thereafter. (Fighting continued only briefly in Texas after Lee's surrender and President Johnson?s declaration that the civil war was over.) Continued and vigorous post-surrender partisan activity in Germany would have revealed a significant residual pro-Nazi German sentiment and resulted in a much more difficult occupation.Biddiscombe at one point characterizes post-surrender resistance as "minor" (p.275). He labels post-war Werwolfs as "desperadoes" (p.151) and describes them as fanatics living in forest huts (p.80). He also cites U.S. Army intelligence that characterized partisans as "nomad bands" (p.197), judged them as less serious threats than the attacks by foreign slave laborers (p.152) and considered their sabotage and subversive activities to be insignificant (p. 115). Finally, he notes that: "the Americans and British concluded, even in the summer of 1945, that, as a nationwide network, the original Werwolf was irrevocably destroyed, and that it no longer posed a threat to the occupation." (p.51)It would appear that the defense of home and family from outside invaders united large, disparate groups of Germans, while post-war partisan actions only attracted relatively few fanatics and/or thugs. A plan to mount post-war resistance, the Axmann Plan, never worked. In tallying up the Allied soldiers killed by partisan activities after the surrender, this reader found fewer than several dozen. It appears that when the war was over, so was the most of the resistance.Bidiscombe's book on German resistance and the Allied occupation has received some notice by people searching for historical parallels to the current US military occupation of Iraq. Hitler and Saddam Husein as personifications of evil make such comparisons seductive. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and National Security Advisor Rice evoked this theme in their 25 August 2003 speeches before the 104th National Convention of the VFW. While one hopes that our national leaders bring an historical perspective to their actions, it appears that they have chosen to read Biddiscombe's book, not to learn from history, but to manipulate it for their own ends. Biddiscombe's book should, however, cause one to reflect on the current US situation in Iraq.First, General Eisenhower and his staff devoted considerable effort during the war to developing a post-war occupation strategy, not all of it consistent with international law. (pp. 252-254) Second, the occupation of Germany was a direct result of German military aggression and followed a formal surrender by German authorities. Germans knew that Germany had started the war. Third, the successful occupation of Germany occurred after it was entirely surrounded by hostile forces. There were no open borders with countries opposing the Allied occupation, unlike Iraq, which borders Iran and Syria. Fourth, the Nazi Party?s extermination of the Jews left only Protestants and Catholics, two Christian sects that hadn?t been at war in Germany for over 200 years. The ethnic (Kurds and Iraqis) and religious (Sunni and Shiite) tensions in Iraq continued to erupt throughout the twentieth century. Finally, the partisan resistance to Allied occupation quickly faded at the end of the war. Continued Iraqi resistance quite likely points, in part, to simmering ethnic and religious tensions.These historical differences show the magnitude of the problems facing the current U.S. military occupation of Iraq.If nation building by military force is now an accepted tenet of U.S. foreign policy, this book should provide valuable historical background for the U.S. officer corps and the enlisted personnel called upon to implement that policy. It would also be useful for citizens who wish to understand better some of on-the-ground issues that would be faced by their military occupation forces.
The Royal and the Runaway Bride (Silhouette Desire Ser.: Dynasties: The Connellys)
There was absolutely nothing new to this book. I mean it just felt like everything was taken from other romance novels out there. I admit, there were some interesting points, but it really just didn't do anything for me. The whole deception in this book is how Alexandra didn't tell Philip she was a Connelly! But on about page 30, he asks if she is, and she says yes! Second worst book in the series! Avoid if possible!
The Royal and the Runaway Bride (Silhouette Desire Ser.: Dynasties: The Connellys)
I find this book very exciting. Especially when it involves royalty. The idea of falling in love with a prince or princess can REALLY be a dream come true. In this story, I think the writer did a great pairing a runaway bride with a crown prince. A good book for any romance novel reader who believes in finding a prince charming and living happily ever after.
20 Days to the Top: How the PRECISE Selling Formula Will Make You Your Company's Top Sales Performer in Twenty Days or Less
This brief sales guide offers solid suggestions for such powerful techniques as asking questions, listening to customers, taking notes, using call sheets and doing research to turn selling into a standardized, measurable and repeatable process. If none of that sounds new to you, the problem isn't you. But that doesn't mean the advice isn't sound. It is. Author Brian Sullivan, a motivational speaker, has packaged old guidance in a new wrapper that he calls the "Precise Selling Formula." He says nothing that is outright wrong and much that is outright right. We think his elementary but helpful book (and its accompanying CD) will be most useful to inexperienced salespeople who lack self-confidence, and who may need exhortation and reassurance. The author's earthy anecdotes, Kansas City optimism and self-deprecating but enthusiastic tone may be just what novice salespeople crave after a day in the trenches.
20 Days to the Top: How the PRECISE Selling Formula Will Make You Your Company's Top Sales Performer in Twenty Days or Less
This book has a ton of applicable information and a proven strategy that can put into play starting tomorrow.I have read a large majority of the sales books on the market, and until reading this book, I would have considered SPIN Selling to be the best material available. What I really like about "20 days to the Top" is that it breaks the selling process into a proven and replicable formula that makes sense and can actually be used. SPIN Selling talks about a lot of the same things (plus a ton of backup fluff on all there research) but leaves you hanging as-to how to really use the questions on day-to-day sales calls...where PRECISE really fills in all the blanks.I highly recomend this book.Josh
20 Days to the Top: How the PRECISE Selling Formula Will Make You Your Company's Top Sales Performer in Twenty Days or Less
I've looked at a book or two on selling and some of those things are heavy! I powered a good portion of this book down while sitting in the bookstore and was pleasantly surprised. Of all the fluff of other books, this one had a method, something you can actually do and follow.I'm a photographer and engineering consultant (go figure) and I only have time for things that are broken down into processes, procedures and such when I'm not in the creative mode. Even then, I follow procedures. That way I can evaluate my performance and improve. This book provides just that.