Review by Choice Review
Doherty's detailed study of wartime Nazi radio propaganda reveals that the infamous "Lord Haw-Haw," traditionally identified as expatriate fascist William Joyce, was in fact several individuals. Nazi radio propaganda was not systematic; indeed, it was hampered by the usual administrative chaos that characterized Nazi Germany. The British, however, were concerned that the broadcasts were having a deleterious effect on home front morale, for Nazi propaganda touched on a number of flashpoints in British society. The book comes with an accompanying compact disc containing 24 wartime broadcasts, allowing the reader to participate in an evaluation of some of the primary sources Doherty used. The CD reflects the range of wartime Nazi propaganda themes--antisemitism, anti-Bolshevism, the air war, class tension in Britain--and is a welcome addition for students. Basing his work on a wide range of primary sources in addition to the broadcasts, Doherty provides a revisionist interpretation of the impact of Nazi propaganda without overstepping his sources. For example, although he concludes that a larger percentage of Britons listened to Nazi broadcasts than the wartime Home Intelligence surveys suggested, this does not prove that Nazi propaganda had a profound effect on British morale. Undergraduate students and above. F. Krome Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review