Eight Days in May: How Germany's War Ended Hardcover – September 7, 2021

For those who have an interest in the aftermath of WW2 and want to understand the repurcussions on America and world as it exists today, this is a seminal book. I highly recommend it.

Bought for the week's history. Backgrounds interesting bonus.

This book covers the eight days in May between Hitler's suicide and the final end of hostilities in Europe. It quotes generously from diaries and memoirs from the period providing a real feeling for what people experienced on a day to day basis. The book is a real page-turner.

Easy to read and spells out the horror suffered by the military and civilians especially women. The refugee crisis of people moving from East to West to escape the perceived vengeance of the Russians was particularly appalling as was the state of occupants liberated from concentration camps. Of special interest was the German hierarchy attempts to secure a beneficial end to hostilities.

Ordinary citizens suffering from war. I found keeping up with the names of the lesser known Generals confusing but i's a good read with some interesting snippets. The views expressed by the ordinary citizens "It wasn't us, it was the Nazi's" persists to this day. To be fair, what can an ordinary citizen do when a Government becomes a dictatorship. Much bravery would be required to fight the despotic establishment

Very readable, balanced and wide ranging review of these days in May and the period leading up to it after hitlers death. The loyalty of those at the top of the regime to hitler and the blindness of the general population is astonishing and deeply depressing.Read and be enlightened.

There is no doubt that the research for this story was extensive and time consuming. An excellent summarisation of the facts of the 8 days of early May 1945, as well as the background stories of the many, many characters covered. Well done VU on a mammoth effort.