The Germanic Isle Nazi Perceptions of Britain [Hardcover]

An account of Nazi preoccupation with Britain as a role model, even during the war.Despite Hitler's tactical duplicity at Munich, there is overwhelming evidence that one of the Nazis' fundamental objectives was to forge an alliance with Britain. This book discusses how the Nazis' attempted to emulate the 'ruthlessness' of the British Empire as they sought to enslave eastern Europe. It is also shown that there was a surprisingly enduring affection for Britain and British culture among ordinary Germans, even during the virulent anti-British propaganda of the war years.Despite Hitler's tactical duplicity at Munich, there is overwhelming evidence that one of the Nazis' fundamental objectives was to forge an alliance with Britain. This book discusses how the Nazis' attempted to emulate the 'ruthlessness' of the British Empire as they sought to enslave eastern Europe. It is also shown that there was a surprisingly enduring affection for Britain and British culture among ordinary Germans, even during the virulent anti-British propaganda of the war years.Despite Hitler's tactical duplicity at Munich, there is overwhelming evidence that one of the Nazis' fundamental objectives was to forge an alliance with Britain. This book discusses how the Nazis attempted to emulate the ruthlessness of the British Empire as they sought to enslave eastern Europe. It explores a wide range of sources, in popular culture and the media, diaries, secret police files, and views of the Nazi leadership, to show that there was a surprisingly enduring affection for Britain and British culture among ordinary Germans, even during the virulent anti-British propaganda of the war years.List of illustrations; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. The view from Weimar: German perceptions of Britain before 1933; 2. 'The Germanic isle': Britain and Nazi racial science; 3. 'Empire builders': Britain as a paradigm for Nazi expansion; 4. 'Their aged bones are rattling': Britain and the Nazi concept of modernity;l3R