Inside the Third Reich

Inside the Third Reich is a well-written biography of the Nazis, Hitler and World War II. In this book, Albert Speer intended to share with readers his personal account during Nazis and Hitler’s era in Germany. He had served as a Nazi Minister of Armaments and also as Hitler’s architect. He wrote this book in memory of the social, cultural and political activities that happened during this time. It is a detailed biography that extensively explores a subject that is critical in the world history.

Albert Speer provides a new view point of Hitler’s personality. During the time, when Nazis rose to power, Speer was in his young age, trying to rise in his profession as an architect. He joined the Nazi hierarchy in an unusual event. He was influenced by his fellow students to attend a political rally, where he first met Adolf Hitler. Hitler viewed himself as an architect and an artist. Therefore, he was fascinated by Albert Speers’ talent in artistic designs during the party’s building projects. Hitler shows his commitment in nurturing the young and talented Speer, both politically and stylistically. As his political influences rose in Germany, he remained a source of inspiration to Albert Speer who was also rising in the Nazi hierarchy senior leaders’ inner circle. Albert Speers portrays Hitler as an enthusiastic and friendly leader to whom he owed his success, but also attacked his own view point by describing Hitler as the man who caused him horror and guilt during his trial and thereafter (Speer 22).

In the introduction to this book, Albert Speer involves the use of a thesis to brief his purpose to the readers. In his opinion, questions about the period of National Socialism remain unresolved and in people mind to date. He writes his memories about his interaction with senior Nazi leaders, rise to victory in conquering Europe and other continents, crimes committed, their enormity and, eventually, blames their defeat on lack of competence. He remained exclusively in his architectural profession until after the death of Fritz Todt who was the Minister of Armaments in 1942 after a plane crash. Hitler appointed Albert Speer as the Minister of Armaments, and he served in this government from 1942 to 1945. During this period, he introduced many economic reforms that he took the pain to remember that due to the dictatorial system the reforms improved the production efficiencies of the democracies than of Germany (Speer 26).

The struggle for power, corruption and incompetence within the Nazi governance are what Speer attributed to Germany’s defeat in World War II. He felt disillusioned by the World War II, Nazis and Hitler. After the end of the war in Europe and Nuremberg Trials, Albert Speers served a two-decade imprisonment for his actions. This gave him time for reflecting on his life and taking the pain in memories of his participation that caused him guilt. He is qualified to write on the Nazis, Hitler and World War II because he was in the inner cycle of Hitler’s government. He is prejudiced of criticizing governance that he was part of; he indicates that their defeat was a result of lack of competence. In this book, he shares his experience with the readers in important world history subjects that are often covered academically and socially. This is what makes his book interesting