Ostkrieg (94 page)

Two important people in my life died during the writing of this book: my mother, who lived through the war as a young wife worried about the well-being of her husband (and my father) away at sea, and my dear friend and extraordinary colleague Professor Christa Hungate, who was born in Germany during the war and, in her own person, although sharing none of the responsibility, nonetheless bore the burden of guilt for the crimes of her countrymen. Although it is not appropriate to dedicate a book on war to either, both were shaped in significant ways by World War II, and, thus, I was affected as well. My wife, Julia, has as always been a source of enormous encouragement, advice, occasional prodding, and, most importantly, steadfast support. She has also once again brought her logical, scientific mind to the creation of the outstanding maps that accompany and are such an important part of the book. I can also add thanks to my daughter, Kelsey, who in a matter of seconds, it seems, has grown from the baby I held on my lap as I composed my first book to a beautiful, talented, bright young woman—one, moreover, with a passion for history. Over the years, I like to think that I have even helped promote her growing interest in European history. I am sure that our innumerable historical discussions over the dinner table drove Julia to distraction, but her questions have also helped focus and clarify my arguments. More importantly, they have reminded me of the sheer joy of learning. The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu wrote, “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone gives you courage.” This neatly expresses my gratitude to both Julia and Kelsey—our souls touch and protect each other, and I am always conscious of my nearness to them. I carry their hearts in my heart and am never without them. Without them, my wife and daughter, I can truly say that this book would never have become reality. Both of them have enriched my life beyond measure, and to them this book is lovingly dedicated.

Figure 1. German deaths on the eastern front, 1941–1945.

Source:
Overmans,
Deutsche militärische Verluste im Zweiten Weltkrieg
, 238.

1
. Shirer,
Berlin Diary
, 21 June 1940, 420–24; Horne,
To Lose a Battle
, 646–47; Kershaw,
Hitler: Nemesis
, 298–99;
TBJG
, 22 June 1940.

2
.
TBJG
, 6 June 1940; Hoffmann,
Mit Hitler im Westen;
Hornshøj-Møller, “The Role of ‘Produced Reality.' ”

3
. Albert Speer,
Inside the Third Reich
, 170–72; Kershaw,
Hitler: Nemesis
, 299–300;
TBJG
, 3 July 1940.

4
. Mann, “Beim Propheten,” 275.

5
. Förster, “Hitler's Decision,” 30–31; Kershaw,
Fateful Choices
, 56–57; Deist, “The Road to Ideological War,” 380–81. For the best extended assessment of Hitler's ideology, see Jäckel,
Hitler's World View
.

6
. Hitler,
Mein Kampf
, 284–329; Weinberg, ed.,
Hitler's Second Book
, chaps. 1–6; Kershaw,
Hitler: Hubris
, 243–46.

7
. Hitler,
Mein Kampf
, 679; Kershaw,
Hitler: Hubris
, 244–45.

8
. Jäckel and Kuhn, eds.,
Hitler: Sämtliche Aufzeichnungen
, 775; Bloxham,
The Final Solution
, 88; Friedländer,
Nazi Germany and the Jews
, 1:73–113; Herf,
The Jewish Enemy
, 2–3; Kershaw,
Hitler: Hubris
, 244–46.

9
. Kershaw,
Hitler: Hubris
, 248–49, and
Fateful Choices
, 56–57; Förster, “Hitler's Decision,” 31–32; Hitler,
Mein Kampf
, 610–11; Müller, “Das ‘Unternehmen Barbarossa' als wirtschaftlicher Raubkrieg,” 174. For an excellent and extended discussion of the concept of Lebensraum, see Liulevicius,
War Land on the Eastern Front
, 247–77.