Hitler, broken and despairing, killed himself on April 30, 1945; the war in Europe formally ended on May 9 (though Britain and America celebrated on the 8th).
Acclaimed historian Jones resists the common urge to skip over that gap, unearthing a wealth of intriguing detail, much from primary sources.
For instance, Admiral Donitz, Hitler’s appointed successor as German leader, is normally a footnote; Jones’ attentions reveal a devious figure, as sinister as he was ridiculous.
A key theme is the tensions between Stalin and the Western powers as their alliance increasingly gave way to the tensions which would define the Cold War, tensions which crumbling German forces strove to exploit; nationally, and at an individual level, they much preferred surrendering to nations which had not experienced the brutality of the Eastern Front.
In a year sure to be swamped with WWII publications, few are likely to offer such novel approaches.
