The Long Night: William L. Shirer And tThe Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich

The story of legendary American journalist William L. Shirer and how his first-hand reporting on the rise of the Nazis and on World War II brought the devastation alive for millions of Americans When William L. Shirer started up the Berlin bureau of Edward R. Murrow's CBS News in the 1930s, he quickly became the most trusted reporter in all of Europe. Shirer hit the streets to talk to both the everyman and the disenfranchised, yet he gained the trust of the Nazi elite and through these contacts obtained a unique perspective of the party's rise to power. Unlike some of his esteemed colleagues, he did not fall for Nazi propaganda and warned early of the consequences if the Third Reich was not stopped. When the Germans swept into Austria in 1938 Shirer was the only American reporter in Vienna, and he broadcast an eyewitness account of the annexation. In 1940 he was embedded with the invading German army as it stormed into France and occupied Paris. The Nazis insisted that the armistice be reported through their channels, yet Shirer managed to circumvent the German censors and again provided the only live eyewitness account. His notoriety grew inside the Gestapo, who began to build a charge of espionage against him. His life at risk, Shirer had to escape from Berlin early in the war. When he returned in 1946 to cover the Nuremberg trials, Shirer had seen the full arc of the Nazi menace. It was that experience that inspired him to write The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich— the magisterial, definitive history of the most brutal ten years the modern world had known—which has sold millions of copies and has become a classic. Drawing on never-before-seen journals and letters from Shirer's time in Germany, award-winning reporter Steve Wick brings to life the maverick journalist as he watched history unfold and first shared it with the world. When William L. Shirer Agreed To Start Up The Berlin Bureau Of Edward R. Murrow's Cbs News In The 1930s, He Quickly Became Both The Most Trusted And Most Determined Reporter In All Of Europe. He Did Not Fall For The Nazi Propaganda, As Some Of His Esteemed Colleagues Did, And Fought Against Both Nazi Censorship And American Disdain For His Relentless Tactics. He Warned Of The Consequences If The Nazis Were Not Stopped, All The While Developing Close Ties To The Party's Elite And Maintaining Contacts Whose Allegiances Could Not Be Won By Other Reporters, Thus Obtaining A Unique Perspective Of The Party's Rise To Power. From The Night Of The Long Knives To His Removal At Bayonet-point From The Broadcast Center In Vienna During Anschluss, And From The Front Lines Of Germany's Invasion Of France To His Coverage Of The Nuremberg Trials And The Nazis' Demise, Shirer Redefined The Importance Of Journalism. Here, Thanks To Steve Wick's Unique Access To Shirer's Archives--including Never-before-seen Journals And Letters--the Long Night Fleshes Out The Details Of The Maverick Journalist's Adventures In Europe, Delivering A New, Rich Perspective On The Third Reich-- Leaving Berlin -- The American Correspondence. The Writer His Luck Holds ; The American Correspondent ; The Long Train Home ; His Luck Holds Again ; Gestapo At The Train Station -- The Good American. Berlin And The World ; Tauentzienstrasse ; The Watering Hole ; The Dirty Liar ; Parading Down The Wilhelmstrasse ; Bad Writing ; Get Out Of The Country ; Drinks At The Adlon ; The Jewish Doctor ; Clearing The Mountains ; The Photographer ; Sigrid Wakes Him Up ; Lies As Thick As Grass ; The Germans Are Out Of Their Minds ; Riding In Staff Cars ; War Of The Worlds ; A Long Train Ride To Tess ; Crowded Buses ; A Warning From A Friend -- The Ruins. By Steve Wick. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [255]-256) And Index.

The story of legendary American journalist William L. Shirer and how his first-hand reporting on the rise of the Nazis and on World War II brought the devastation alive for millions of Americans

When William L. Shirer started up the Berlin bureau of Edward R. Murrow's CBS News in the 1930s, he quickly became the most trusted reporter in all of Europe. Shirer hit the streets to talk to both the everyman and the disenfranchised, yet he gained the trust of the Nazi elite and through these contacts obtained a unique perspective of the party's rise to power.

Unlike some of his esteemed colleagues, he did not fall for Nazi propaganda and warned early of the consequences if the Third Reich was not stopped. When the Germans swept into Austria in 1938 Shirer was the only American reporter in Vienna, and he broadcast an eyewitness account of the annexation. In 1940 he was embedded with the invading German army as it stormed into France and occupied Paris. The Nazis insisted that the armistice be reported through their channels, yet Shirer managed to circumvent the German censors and again provided the only live eyewitness account. His notoriety grew inside the Gestapo, who began to build a charge of espionage against him. His life at risk, Shirer had to escape from Berlin early in the war. When he returned in 1946 to cover the Nuremberg trials, Shirer had seen the full arc of the Nazi menace. It was that experience that inspired him to write The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich—the magisterial, definitive history of the most brutal ten years the modern world had known—which has sold millions of copies and has become a classic.

Drawing on never-before-seen journals and letters from Shirer's time in Germany, award-winning reporter Steve Wick brings to life the maverick journalist as he watched history unfold and first shared it with the world.

"When William L. Shirer agreed to start up the Berlin bureau of Edward R. Murrow's CBS News in the 1930s, he quickly became both the most trusted and most determined reporter in all of Europe. He did not fall for the Nazi propaganda, as some of his esteemed colleagues did, and fought against both Nazi censorship and American disdain for his relentless tactics. He warned of the consequences if the Nazis were not stopped, all the while developing close ties to the party's elite and maintaining contacts whose allegiances could not be won by other reporters, thus obtaining a unique perspective of the party's rise to power. From the Night of the Long Knives to his removal at bayonet-point from the broadcast center in Vienna during Anschluss, and from the front lines of Germany's invasion of France to his coverage of the Nuremberg trials and the Nazis' demise, Shirer redefined the importance of journalism. Here, thanks to Steve Wick's unique access to Shirer's archives--including never-before-seen journals and letters--The Long Night fleshes out the details of the maverick journalist's adventures in Europe, delivering a new, rich perspective on the Third Reich"-- Provided by publisher Timeline of Events Prologue: Leaving Berlin Part One The American Correspondent 1 The Writer 2 His Luck Holds 3 The American Correspondent 4 The Long Train Home 5 His Luck Holds Again 6 Gestapo at the Train Station Part Two The Good American 7 Berlin and the World 8 Tauentzienstrasse 9 The Watering Hole 10 The Dirty Liar 11 Parading Down the Wilhelmstrasse 12 Bad Writing 13 Get Out of the Country 14 Drinks at the Adlon 15 The Jewish Doctor 16 Clearing the Mountains 17 The Photographer 18 Sigrid Wakes Him Up 19 Lies as Thick as Grass 20 The Germans Are Out of Their Minds 21 Riding in Staff Cars 22 War of the Worlds 23 A Long Train Ride to Tess 24 Crowded Buses 25 A Warning from a Friend Postscript The Ruins