After the Reich : From the Liberation of Vienna to the Berlin Airlift by Giles Macdonogh

In 1945 Germany was a nation in tatters. Swathes of its population were?despairing, homeless, bombed-out and?on the move. Refugees?streamed towards the West and?soldiers made their way home,?often?scarring the villages they passed through?with parting shots of savagery. Politically the country was neutered, carved into zones of occupation. While Britain and America were loathe to repeat the crippling reparations demands of the First World War, Russia?bayed for blood,?stripping their own zone of everything from rail tracks to lavatory bowls. After the Reich?is the first history to give?the full?picture of Germany's bitter journey to reconstruction. Giles Macdonogh expertly charts?the varied experiences of?all?who found themselves in the?German?melting pot.?His?people-focused narrative?unveils shocking truths?about how people continued to treat each other, even?outside the confines of war.?It is a crucial lesson for our times.
Binding: Paperback / softback