The German War: A Nation Under Arms, 1939-1945, Citizens and Soldiers

The German War: A Nation Under Arms, 1939-1945, Citizens and Soldiers by Nicholas Stargardt, 704 pages.
Stargardt presents the Second World War through the eyes of German citizens and soldiers. He uses the letters and diaries of Germans from that time, as well as newspaper accounts, and reports to the government from the SD and their informants. Particular use is made by the author of several series of letters from a variety of German citizens. Ernst Guicking, a soldier, marries Irene Reizt. a florist, during the war. We see snippets of conversation from them in letters, describing life at the front and the situation at home. Hans Albring and Eugen Altrogge, two young soldiers, reveal their initial enthusiasm for the cause and their belief in the righteousness of Germany's efforts, but then also their growing difficulty in accepting all aspects of the war. The letters and accounts of pro-Nazis like Liselotte Purper, a journalist actively engaged in state-sponsored propaganda, are balanced against accounts of those who were against the government, like Victor Klemperer, a Jewish convert to Protestantism who managed to survive the war in Germany (and who later published his diaries as I Will Bear Witness).
The letters, documents and news stories show that many Germans, even those without enthusiasm for the Nazis, strongly supported the war, and believed that Germany was surrounded by enemies and under attack. While there were many instances of doubt  expressed concerning the details of nationally disseminated  propaganda, there was a strong belief in the "Jewish Bolshevism" behind the attacks on Germany (including the allied bombing campaign against German cities). This was tempered by a fairly widespread acknowledgement that the increasing destruction of German cities as the war progressed could be seen as just retribution for "what we did to the Jews".
The SD reports on what German citizens were saying, and resulting court documents could be quite revealing, too. In Germany criticism of the war, "defeatism," could be a very serious matter.  A citizen's past and beliefs could ameliorate the punishment though; someone with a national socialist background, or a family member serving in the army who was heard making statements against the party or its leaders would find themselves in far less trouble than a known trade-unionist or former communist making the same comments.
Interesting throughout, the narrative never bogs down. A very good book.
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