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The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best History & Biography (2023)From the authors of The First Conspiracy and The Lincoln Conspiracy comes the little-known true story of a Nazi plot to kill FDR, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill at the height of World War II.
In 1943, as the war against Nazi Germany raged abroad, President Franklin Roosevelt had a critical a face-to-face sit-down with his allies Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. This first-ever meeting of the Big Three in Tehran, Iran, would decide some of the most crucial strategic details of the war. Yet when the Nazis found out about the meeting, their own secret plan took shape―an assassination plot that would’ve changed history.
A true story filled with daring rescues, body doubles, and political intrigue, The Nazi Conspiracy details FDR’s pivotal meeting in Tehran and the deadly Nazi plot against the heads of state of the three major Allied powers who attended it.
With all the hallmarks of a Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch page-turner, The Nazi Conspiracy explores the great political minds of the twentieth century, investigating the pivotal years of the war in gripping detail. This meeting of the Big Three changed the course of World War II. Here’s the inside story of how it almost led to a world-shattering disaster.
In 1943, as the war against Nazi Germany raged abroad, President Franklin Roosevelt had a critical a face-to-face sit-down with his allies Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. This first-ever meeting of the Big Three in Tehran, Iran, would decide some of the most crucial strategic details of the war. Yet when the Nazis found out about the meeting, their own secret plan took shape―an assassination plot that would’ve changed history.
A true story filled with daring rescues, body doubles, and political intrigue, The Nazi Conspiracy details FDR’s pivotal meeting in Tehran and the deadly Nazi plot against the heads of state of the three major Allied powers who attended it.
With all the hallmarks of a Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch page-turner, The Nazi Conspiracy explores the great political minds of the twentieth century, investigating the pivotal years of the war in gripping detail. This meeting of the Big Three changed the course of World War II. Here’s the inside story of how it almost led to a world-shattering disaster.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2023
About the author
Brad Meltzer
310 books6,846 followersBrad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Inner Circle, The Book of Fate, and nine other bestselling thrillers including The Tenth Justice, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, and The President’s Shadow. His newest book, The Escape Artist, debuted at #1 on the bestseller list.
In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (History Decoded), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.
His newest thriller, The Escape Artist, introduces Nola and Zig, brand new characters in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: Nola is dead. Everyone says she's dead. But Jim "Zig" Zigarowski just found out the truth: Nola is alive. And on the run. Together, Nola and Zig will reveal a centuries old secret that traces back the greatest escape artist of all: Harry Houdini.
Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all eight of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who steal money and go on the run. The Zero Game is about two Congressional staffers who are – literally – gambling on Congress. The Book of Fate, is about a young presidential aide, a crazed assassin, and the 200 year-old code created by Thomas Jefferson that ties them together. For authenticity, The Book of Fate, was researched with the help of former Presidents Clinton and Bush. The Book of Lies, is about the missing murder weapon that Cain used to kill Abel, as well as the unsolved murder of Superman creator Jerry Siegel’s father. Brad is one of the only people to interview Jerry Siegel’s family about the murder and, with his charitable site www.OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com, has been the driving force behind the movement to repair the house where Superman was created.
His book The Inner Circle (and its sequels, The Fifth Assassin and The President’s Shadow) is based the idea that George Washington’s personal spy ring still exists today. A young archivist in the National Archives finds out the spy ring is still around. He doesn’t know who they work for — but the greatest secret of the Presidency is about to be revealed. While researching the book, former President George HW Bush also gave Brad, for the very first time, the secret letter he left for Bill Clinton in the Oval Office desk. Oh, and yes, Brad was recruited by the Department of Homeland Security to brainstorm different ways that terrorists might attack the US.
His books have spent over a year on the bestseller lists, and have been translated into over 25 languages, from Hebrew to Bulgarian.
Brad has played himself as an extra in Woody Allen’s Celebrity, co-wrote the swearing in oath for AmeriCorps, the national service program, and earned credit from Columbia Law School for writing his first book, which became The Tenth Justice. Before all of that, he got 24 rejection letters for his true first novel, which still sits on his shelf, published by Kinko’s.
Brad currently lives in Florida with his wife, who’s also an attorney.
In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (History Decoded), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.
His newest thriller, The Escape Artist, introduces Nola and Zig, brand new characters in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: Nola is dead. Everyone says she's dead. But Jim "Zig" Zigarowski just found out the truth: Nola is alive. And on the run. Together, Nola and Zig will reveal a centuries old secret that traces back the greatest escape artist of all: Harry Houdini.
Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all eight of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who steal money and go on the run. The Zero Game is about two Congressional staffers who are – literally – gambling on Congress. The Book of Fate, is about a young presidential aide, a crazed assassin, and the 200 year-old code created by Thomas Jefferson that ties them together. For authenticity, The Book of Fate, was researched with the help of former Presidents Clinton and Bush. The Book of Lies, is about the missing murder weapon that Cain used to kill Abel, as well as the unsolved murder of Superman creator Jerry Siegel’s father. Brad is one of the only people to interview Jerry Siegel’s family about the murder and, with his charitable site www.OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com, has been the driving force behind the movement to repair the house where Superman was created.
His book The Inner Circle (and its sequels, The Fifth Assassin and The President’s Shadow) is based the idea that George Washington’s personal spy ring still exists today. A young archivist in the National Archives finds out the spy ring is still around. He doesn’t know who they work for — but the greatest secret of the Presidency is about to be revealed. While researching the book, former President George HW Bush also gave Brad, for the very first time, the secret letter he left for Bill Clinton in the Oval Office desk. Oh, and yes, Brad was recruited by the Department of Homeland Security to brainstorm different ways that terrorists might attack the US.
His books have spent over a year on the bestseller lists, and have been translated into over 25 languages, from Hebrew to Bulgarian.
Brad has played himself as an extra in Woody Allen’s Celebrity, co-wrote the swearing in oath for AmeriCorps, the national service program, and earned credit from Columbia Law School for writing his first book, which became The Tenth Justice. Before all of that, he got 24 rejection letters for his true first novel, which still sits on his shelf, published by Kinko’s.
Brad currently lives in Florida with his wife, who’s also an attorney.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 830 reviews
January 1, 2023
Can one imagine trying to attempt what was known in the '40s as the Big Three? These three men Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin led the world Allied nations during World War 2. The leaders after lots of back and forthing, agreed to meet in Tehran, to discuss ways to bring this horrendous war to an end. However, there seemed to be a plot afoot which was to kill these three,. There seems to be many clues to the verity of this plot, but no real answers that point to its truthfulness. The two who claim it was true were a former Nazi and a KGB operative, so we are asked to make an educated guess as to the actual plot.
One can't imagine the fallout this act might have had if successful and I couldn't help but think of the assassination of JFK and how we were devastated as a people. So, one might conjecture that this might have swung the war into the Nazi's advantage. There were so many facts that were presented in this story and the authors, Brad Meltzer, and Josh Mensch, keep the action coming and the level of interest quite high. We do see these three leaders as very much in charge of what they governed and at times seem to come to head blows because of their separate but strong personalities.
All of these men also show the very pressure this war has put upon them both mentally, emotionally, and physically. Roosevelt perhaps is the worst one effected since his body is already suffering from his polio and age. Later. the big three meet again in Malta, where they want to start a way for the nations to rebuild after the extreme tragedy of this war.
Victory is Hitler's goal will even order the German youth as young as twelve to defend Berlin. So many lose their lives. And so does Roosevelt sadly..... "I felt myself as if I was hit by an unimaginable blow" says Winston Churchill. Our country is devastated as we had lost a courageous man who placed his country's needs above his own. A man who led the nation through the darkest days of war will always be remembered.
This was a fine tale of espionage, of character, of duplicity, loyalty, and steadfast dedication.
Thank you to the authors, Scott Brick for a fine narration, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this informative story.
One can't imagine the fallout this act might have had if successful and I couldn't help but think of the assassination of JFK and how we were devastated as a people. So, one might conjecture that this might have swung the war into the Nazi's advantage. There were so many facts that were presented in this story and the authors, Brad Meltzer, and Josh Mensch, keep the action coming and the level of interest quite high. We do see these three leaders as very much in charge of what they governed and at times seem to come to head blows because of their separate but strong personalities.
All of these men also show the very pressure this war has put upon them both mentally, emotionally, and physically. Roosevelt perhaps is the worst one effected since his body is already suffering from his polio and age. Later. the big three meet again in Malta, where they want to start a way for the nations to rebuild after the extreme tragedy of this war.
Victory is Hitler's goal will even order the German youth as young as twelve to defend Berlin. So many lose their lives. And so does Roosevelt sadly..... "I felt myself as if I was hit by an unimaginable blow" says Winston Churchill. Our country is devastated as we had lost a courageous man who placed his country's needs above his own. A man who led the nation through the darkest days of war will always be remembered.
This was a fine tale of espionage, of character, of duplicity, loyalty, and steadfast dedication.
Thank you to the authors, Scott Brick for a fine narration, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this informative story.
December 8, 2022
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Brad Meltzer, Josh Mensch, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
A longtime fan of Brad Meltzer’s writing, I have come to also admire his collaborative work with Josh Mensch. Together, these two pen stellar pieces of ‘little known’ history that allow the reader to feel refreshed when reading about topics that have sometimes been overdone. Meltzer and Mensch explore a unique angle of the Second World War, as well as a plot that would have changed the world significantly. Eager to wrap my head around this piece, I devoured the book and was left to wonder ‘what if...’ on numerous occasions.
After a tumultuous few years in the Second World War, US President Franklin Roosevelt is looking forward to meeting with this two greatest allies, Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) and Joseph Stalin (leader of the USSR). While these three men have been juggling the war on two major fronts, they have yet to sit down as a group of three to plot out how to exterminate Hitler and the Nazis. Secret discussions determine that Tehran, Iran would be the ideal place for these three to meet and hash out a plan to neutralise Germany before any other Axis powers can come to their aid.
While planning remained covert, the Nazis had a stellar spy network that leaked the information back to the highest level within the Party. Hitler and his closest associates thought it best to plot something so nefarious that it would not only show his might, but also resonate deeply, while crippling the war effort. Hitler thought it best to use German soldiers to infiltrate the Tehran meeting and assassinate all three men, thereby turning the tables on a growing Allied effort in 1943. Hitler would expect nothing less than success. While the end result was anything but spectacular for the Nazis, Meltzer and Mensch posit that the entire plan could have been a Russian piece of war folklore.
The authors take the reader through the build-up to this remarkable summit, as well as the Nazi planning to kill all three leaders. Paced with wonderful anecdotes, asides, and a great narrative, Meltzer and Mensch offer the reader a new look into a very documented period in world history. While I vowed not to read anything set during the Second World War—mostly because I was tired of hearing about Nazi death camps and Hitler marching across Europe—I was happy to read this piece and learn a great deal as I devoured the text.
Meltzer and Mensch have worked together before and impressed me with their efforts. Taking a little known event and turning it into a great piece of writing proved helpful yet agin. From the inside look at all four sides (US, UK, USSR, and German), as well as some of the cultural aspects to a summit in Iran, the authors provided an impactful piece that is sure to garner a great deal of attention. I am pleased I took the gamble and am happy to see Brad Meltzer keeping his avenues open with a variety of writing projects geared towards different audiences. Well worth the effort, particularly with Scott Brick as narrator for those who listen to the audiobook.
Kudos, Messrs. Meltzer and Mensch, for a stunning look at history through a unique lens. I am eager to see what other projects you two have in the works.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A longtime fan of Brad Meltzer’s writing, I have come to also admire his collaborative work with Josh Mensch. Together, these two pen stellar pieces of ‘little known’ history that allow the reader to feel refreshed when reading about topics that have sometimes been overdone. Meltzer and Mensch explore a unique angle of the Second World War, as well as a plot that would have changed the world significantly. Eager to wrap my head around this piece, I devoured the book and was left to wonder ‘what if...’ on numerous occasions.
After a tumultuous few years in the Second World War, US President Franklin Roosevelt is looking forward to meeting with this two greatest allies, Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) and Joseph Stalin (leader of the USSR). While these three men have been juggling the war on two major fronts, they have yet to sit down as a group of three to plot out how to exterminate Hitler and the Nazis. Secret discussions determine that Tehran, Iran would be the ideal place for these three to meet and hash out a plan to neutralise Germany before any other Axis powers can come to their aid.
While planning remained covert, the Nazis had a stellar spy network that leaked the information back to the highest level within the Party. Hitler and his closest associates thought it best to plot something so nefarious that it would not only show his might, but also resonate deeply, while crippling the war effort. Hitler thought it best to use German soldiers to infiltrate the Tehran meeting and assassinate all three men, thereby turning the tables on a growing Allied effort in 1943. Hitler would expect nothing less than success. While the end result was anything but spectacular for the Nazis, Meltzer and Mensch posit that the entire plan could have been a Russian piece of war folklore.
The authors take the reader through the build-up to this remarkable summit, as well as the Nazi planning to kill all three leaders. Paced with wonderful anecdotes, asides, and a great narrative, Meltzer and Mensch offer the reader a new look into a very documented period in world history. While I vowed not to read anything set during the Second World War—mostly because I was tired of hearing about Nazi death camps and Hitler marching across Europe—I was happy to read this piece and learn a great deal as I devoured the text.
Meltzer and Mensch have worked together before and impressed me with their efforts. Taking a little known event and turning it into a great piece of writing proved helpful yet agin. From the inside look at all four sides (US, UK, USSR, and German), as well as some of the cultural aspects to a summit in Iran, the authors provided an impactful piece that is sure to garner a great deal of attention. I am pleased I took the gamble and am happy to see Brad Meltzer keeping his avenues open with a variety of writing projects geared towards different audiences. Well worth the effort, particularly with Scott Brick as narrator for those who listen to the audiobook.
Kudos, Messrs. Meltzer and Mensch, for a stunning look at history through a unique lens. I am eager to see what other projects you two have in the works.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
October 28, 2022
FDR believed that a face-to-face meeting between the Big Three - Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and himself - would do much toward rallying the Allied cause. Not only would it encourage the people of the United States and the other Allied nations, but it might sway some of those nations that were still on the fence and hopefully demoralize the Axis nations, who were suffering from a string of setbacks in 1943. After much negotiating (mostly just giving in to Stalin's demands) it was decided that the three should meet in Tehran. Unfortunately, the Nazis had a man in Iran - Franz Mayr - who had developed a sizeable underground network. And as the Nazi espionage network discovered the meeting, a plot to assassinate all three of the Allied leaders was hatched.
This book is written in a very engaging style - I guess I'd call it pop-history. The authors try to dramatize the situations in a way that makes them more... well, dramatic. They don't go so far as to invent dialogue (thank goodness!), but the chapters are structured to build suspense. Much of the book is also written in present-tense - kind of a you-are-there style. I'm not a fan of present tense writing, but... I guess it's interesting in it's own way (and it does serve the dramatic angle). Unfortunately, it lends the whole story a whiff of fiction, or historical fiction I suppose. And after checking the author bio online, it appears the main author is actually (surprise!) a fiction writer. Honestly, I nearly quit reading after a few chapters but decided to soldier on, and it's actually a rather interesting tale.
However, the whole story might actually be a rather
So, while it was somewhat entertaining, I don't think regular readers of history will appreciate the style or substance of the book. (I'm grateful to NetGalley for providing an electronic copy of this book for review.)
This book is written in a very engaging style - I guess I'd call it pop-history. The authors try to dramatize the situations in a way that makes them more... well, dramatic. They don't go so far as to invent dialogue (thank goodness!), but the chapters are structured to build suspense. Much of the book is also written in present-tense - kind of a you-are-there style. I'm not a fan of present tense writing, but... I guess it's interesting in it's own way (and it does serve the dramatic angle). Unfortunately, it lends the whole story a whiff of fiction, or historical fiction I suppose. And after checking the author bio online, it appears the main author is actually (surprise!) a fiction writer. Honestly, I nearly quit reading after a few chapters but decided to soldier on, and it's actually a rather interesting tale.
However, the whole story might actually be a rather
So, while it was somewhat entertaining, I don't think regular readers of history will appreciate the style or substance of the book. (I'm grateful to NetGalley for providing an electronic copy of this book for review.)
January 10, 2023
Nonfiction that reads like fiction! This is no mean feat and difficult to achieve but Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch have certainly done it. The book is about the true story of the conspiracy to assassinate the three leaders - Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, and Franklin Roosevelt while they meet in Tehran, Iran. But there’s so much more than just this plot - the political intrigue, the setting of the stage way before the so-called attempt, the characters - all so well done. I particularly enjoyed the up close and personal characterization of the people in the book, especially the three leaders. One point I appreciated being emphasized is that the Soviet Union bore the brunt of casualties during World War II, a point that doesn’t get much play in the West. Millions of Soviet military and civilians lost their lives, the war having been fought on their lands. I enjoyed the negotiating strategies deployed by both Roosevelt and Stalin and the sustained pressure they applied on a reluctant Churchill (understandably so) to commit to Operation Overlord. This book was fast-paced and kept my interest. It humanized every individual in the book, friend or foe, as it set out to unveil the plot that could have changed the course of history. An enjoyable read and I definitely recommend it. Many thanks to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 10, 2023
I'm a fan of Brad Meltzer, but I've yet to read one of his nonfiction books with Josh Mensch until now.
This book is about a plot by the Nazis to assassinate President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin when they met in Tehran to outline and plan strategy for ending World War II and forcing the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany.
The book is well researched and reads like Meltzer's fiction. It has short chapters and they do a great job of building the tension that the Big 3 must've been facing at this period. It's not dry at all and I like that we saw it from each side's point of view. I also liked that there weren't any huge info dumps in any of the chapters. Overall a great read! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history or is a World War II buff.
Thank you to Flatiron Books, authors Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
This book is about a plot by the Nazis to assassinate President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin when they met in Tehran to outline and plan strategy for ending World War II and forcing the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany.
The book is well researched and reads like Meltzer's fiction. It has short chapters and they do a great job of building the tension that the Big 3 must've been facing at this period. It's not dry at all and I like that we saw it from each side's point of view. I also liked that there weren't any huge info dumps in any of the chapters. Overall a great read! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history or is a World War II buff.
Thank you to Flatiron Books, authors Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
February 10, 2023
I was pretty surprised to hear about this book (not exactly written by quacks) - given that like most people who are quite familiar with WWII history, I had never before heard of any potential Nazi assassination plot to take out the “Big Three” leaders of the Allied alliance (Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin).
Well, the reason it hasn’t been discussed in history books throughout time - not even in in higher institutes of learning - quickly became clear. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the name of the book “The Nazi Conspiracy .” Because while it does provide for a quick and exciting read, by the end, as others reviewers have mentioned, it does leave you feeling rather unsatisfied.
Of course most of the info and facts presented about WWII on the Soviet, British, American, and Nazi Germany side in this book will already be well-known to history lovers. Therefore, I definitely wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a story full of concrete details - nonfiction writing bordering on the academic. However, if you’d love to hear more about how these three leaders came together and a very possible plot (but a plot whose details will nevertheless remain murky and challenged throughout the rest of time), this would be more up your alley. It’s definitely more sensationalist/spy thriller type prose than someone like me prefers (I’m boring and like my dry, dry facts, lol).
Idk, for an entire book that’s supposed to revolve around this insane assassination plot, there’s just truly not enough written about the actual plot, and toward the end, even less that’s factually confirmed. A fun read but one that might, at most, give the reader a few possible interesting tidbits to tell at a party - and yet again, nothing can be uttered with 100% certainty. It’s not a book that will greatly expand your knowledge in any way - so definitely avoid this if that’s what you’re hoping to achieve. I’m sure a quick online summary or even many reviews on here will provide you with all that you really need to know. I’d still read other books by these authors, either written together or separately... but next time, I’d be sure the facts were more definitive. Speculation just doesn’t hold my interest for as long as this story requires.
Well, the reason it hasn’t been discussed in history books throughout time - not even in in higher institutes of learning - quickly became clear. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the name of the book “The Nazi Conspiracy .” Because while it does provide for a quick and exciting read, by the end, as others reviewers have mentioned, it does leave you feeling rather unsatisfied.
Of course most of the info and facts presented about WWII on the Soviet, British, American, and Nazi Germany side in this book will already be well-known to history lovers. Therefore, I definitely wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a story full of concrete details - nonfiction writing bordering on the academic. However, if you’d love to hear more about how these three leaders came together and a very possible plot (but a plot whose details will nevertheless remain murky and challenged throughout the rest of time), this would be more up your alley. It’s definitely more sensationalist/spy thriller type prose than someone like me prefers (I’m boring and like my dry, dry facts, lol).
Idk, for an entire book that’s supposed to revolve around this insane assassination plot, there’s just truly not enough written about the actual plot, and toward the end, even less that’s factually confirmed. A fun read but one that might, at most, give the reader a few possible interesting tidbits to tell at a party - and yet again, nothing can be uttered with 100% certainty. It’s not a book that will greatly expand your knowledge in any way - so definitely avoid this if that’s what you’re hoping to achieve. I’m sure a quick online summary or even many reviews on here will provide you with all that you really need to know. I’d still read other books by these authors, either written together or separately... but next time, I’d be sure the facts were more definitive. Speculation just doesn’t hold my interest for as long as this story requires.
November 8, 2022
I received a digital ARC of this book from Flatiron Books and NetGalley in return for an honest review.
If I had to pick one genre of book I've read more than any other, it's probably books about World War II, though those have by and large been works of fiction and have been focused on the Holocaust. This book appealed to me mainly because its focus is not on the horrors of the war and the Nazi regime, which by now are well known, but rather the bigger picture of the conflict from the point of view of the major players. As the title indicates, a Nazi plot to assassinate the "Big Three" is a major focus of this work, but it's about so much more than that. Many more pages, for example, are given to all the negotiations among FDR, Churchill, and Stalin and how their often tenuous relationships with one another caused complications in their war efforts. There's a lot of fascinating stuff about espionage, stuff that's often central to some of the fictionalized accounts of the war but is even more amazing when you realize it's the truth. I also learned about some things that were brand new to me, despite my extensive reading on the period -- like the secret summit of the Big Three at which they might have been assassinated or the "rescue" of Mussolini by a special operations team of Nazis. What I also appreciated is that this book is very blunt about the losses suffered by the Soviets and makes clear that, whatever the differences in ideology, the Western allies could not have defeated the Nazis without their help.
My one complaint about this book is only a minor quibble, and it's something that other readers probably won't mind: It seemed to me that every chapter ended with a cliffhanger of the sort that you'd expect to find in a fictional thriller. While I appreciate the authors' attempt to keep things exciting, there really isn't a mystery or a surprise how a historical event will end up, and it felt a bit over-dramatic to me.
If I had to pick one genre of book I've read more than any other, it's probably books about World War II, though those have by and large been works of fiction and have been focused on the Holocaust. This book appealed to me mainly because its focus is not on the horrors of the war and the Nazi regime, which by now are well known, but rather the bigger picture of the conflict from the point of view of the major players. As the title indicates, a Nazi plot to assassinate the "Big Three" is a major focus of this work, but it's about so much more than that. Many more pages, for example, are given to all the negotiations among FDR, Churchill, and Stalin and how their often tenuous relationships with one another caused complications in their war efforts. There's a lot of fascinating stuff about espionage, stuff that's often central to some of the fictionalized accounts of the war but is even more amazing when you realize it's the truth. I also learned about some things that were brand new to me, despite my extensive reading on the period -- like the secret summit of the Big Three at which they might have been assassinated or the "rescue" of Mussolini by a special operations team of Nazis. What I also appreciated is that this book is very blunt about the losses suffered by the Soviets and makes clear that, whatever the differences in ideology, the Western allies could not have defeated the Nazis without their help.
My one complaint about this book is only a minor quibble, and it's something that other readers probably won't mind: It seemed to me that every chapter ended with a cliffhanger of the sort that you'd expect to find in a fictional thriller. While I appreciate the authors' attempt to keep things exciting, there really isn't a mystery or a surprise how a historical event will end up, and it felt a bit over-dramatic to me.
July 25, 2023
I enjoy a good Brad Meltzer fictional story, specifically his Culper Ring series, but this book was a big letdown for me. Having some familiarity with the historical accounts of WWII I was very intrigued to hear about this new piece of information; a secret plot to kill Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin. The majority of this story recounts the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party, the battles across Europe, and the entry of the U.S. into the war. Based on information that was found after the war we are even given insight into some of the intel from the best German secret agents during that time.
However, by the end of the book I felt like I had been hoodwinked, swindled, duped and disappointed. There actually ends up being no proof that there was ever an assassination attempt on these three men when they met together in Tehran, Iran for a summit meeting. It turns out to be all rumor and conjecture! I listened to this audiobook for over ten hours, while traveling, only to find that the conclusion that the author's draw is that they cannot make any conclusion on if there ever was a secret plot to kill these men! Period. End of story.
Was it interesting? Yes.
Maybe the most egregious part of all of this is that the title is so misleading. Because of that, I would not recommend this book.
However, by the end of the book I felt like I had been hoodwinked, swindled, duped and disappointed. There actually ends up being no proof that there was ever an assassination attempt on these three men when they met together in Tehran, Iran for a summit meeting. It turns out to be all rumor and conjecture! I listened to this audiobook for over ten hours, while traveling, only to find that the conclusion that the author's draw is that they cannot make any conclusion on if there ever was a secret plot to kill these men! Period. End of story.
Was it interesting? Yes.
Maybe the most egregious part of all of this is that the title is so misleading. Because of that, I would not recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2023
Highly readable and absorbing. I always love a non-fiction book that reads like fiction.
January 2, 2023
Do you see those five stars? Me, rating a non-fiction book five stars? I don’t even know who I am anymore!
A triple assassination plot is planned and Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill are all targeted.
I was gripped within the first few minutes. Right off, I notice it does not read like non-fiction, it reads like fiction. While I love history, I don’t read it much because most non-fiction to me is very dry and uninteresting. Fiction just doesn’t cover all the story so I’m left feeling underwhelmed. Not with this one! I felt like I got the full story for the time period.
“For without victory there is no survival.” Winston Churchill
This focused more on the political side of the war. We hear about the “mass atrocities” and many horrible events but it doesn’t go into much detail. It focuses on the leaders and their meetings and their decisions. We see the information given to them and the intellect and background used to make the choice. It may sound dull but it was truly fascinating. So much of the information was new to me.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was that it wasn’t heavy on one country or another. It showed Nazi achievements as well as others. It didn’t “take a side” as most history does. I loved this. I loved getting to know Nazi and British leaders, as well as American, and what must have been their view points throughout. We hear their reasoning and conversations that led them to joining the war. Much of it was quoted from actual correspondence.
AUDIO REVIEW: Most of the time I base my ratings on how much I enjoyed the novel; how entertained I was. This was definitely that. I don’t know if all the info is true, but the story and delivery kept me glued. What made it even better was the narrator, Scott Brick. I will be finding more of his audios because I believe his voice played a huge part in my enjoyment. From the first chapter, his voice was engaging. I’m not sure it would have read like fiction in my head but it definitely did with him as the narrator. I couldn’t stop listening. I just stopped, sat and listened. I didn’t want to miss a single word. I couldn’t have people in the room or any noises to interrupt. I just needed to listen. I tried to decipher what it was about him that was so good, and I decided it felt like him telling me the events second-hand. That he knew what happened and was keeping me updated.
Can I request a portion of history for Meltzer and Mensch to write? I’d love to learn more about Hiroshima and choices that lead to it. Anyone? Anyone?
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy!
The book releases January 10, 2023.
Content details:
https://www.theopenbooks.net/2022/12/...
A triple assassination plot is planned and Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill are all targeted.
I was gripped within the first few minutes. Right off, I notice it does not read like non-fiction, it reads like fiction. While I love history, I don’t read it much because most non-fiction to me is very dry and uninteresting. Fiction just doesn’t cover all the story so I’m left feeling underwhelmed. Not with this one! I felt like I got the full story for the time period.
“For without victory there is no survival.” Winston Churchill
This focused more on the political side of the war. We hear about the “mass atrocities” and many horrible events but it doesn’t go into much detail. It focuses on the leaders and their meetings and their decisions. We see the information given to them and the intellect and background used to make the choice. It may sound dull but it was truly fascinating. So much of the information was new to me.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was that it wasn’t heavy on one country or another. It showed Nazi achievements as well as others. It didn’t “take a side” as most history does. I loved this. I loved getting to know Nazi and British leaders, as well as American, and what must have been their view points throughout. We hear their reasoning and conversations that led them to joining the war. Much of it was quoted from actual correspondence.
AUDIO REVIEW: Most of the time I base my ratings on how much I enjoyed the novel; how entertained I was. This was definitely that. I don’t know if all the info is true, but the story and delivery kept me glued. What made it even better was the narrator, Scott Brick. I will be finding more of his audios because I believe his voice played a huge part in my enjoyment. From the first chapter, his voice was engaging. I’m not sure it would have read like fiction in my head but it definitely did with him as the narrator. I couldn’t stop listening. I just stopped, sat and listened. I didn’t want to miss a single word. I couldn’t have people in the room or any noises to interrupt. I just needed to listen. I tried to decipher what it was about him that was so good, and I decided it felt like him telling me the events second-hand. That he knew what happened and was keeping me updated.
Can I request a portion of history for Meltzer and Mensch to write? I’d love to learn more about Hiroshima and choices that lead to it. Anyone? Anyone?
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy!
The book releases January 10, 2023.
Content details:
https://www.theopenbooks.net/2022/12/...
December 5, 2023
In this book, Brad Meltzer, joined by co-author Josh Mensch, delves into the alleged Nazi plot to assassinate the Allied leaders during the Tehran conference in 1943. Even today, whether such a complot even existed is still up to debate. This book offers no concrete evidence for that. Surprisingly, the actual complot, occupies only a small section in this book.
Why Brad Meltzer chose to pretend there actually was one, is not clear to me. The book pivots more towards the events leading up to the Allied conference in Tehran and its historical significance, than the actual complot itself. While Meltzer introduces an element of tension, perhaps as a result of his thriller writing expertise, it falls short of delivering the expected suspense. Don't expect an assassination attempt à la The Day of the Jackal. The plot, if even if there was one, fails before it is even started.
So if you expect to read a suspenseful narrative, you may be disappointed due to the perceived clumsiness of the plot. The only positive that stood out for me were the detailed depictions of the operations of the German Secret Intelligence, led by Schellenberg and assisted by Otto Skorzeny and the background events leading up to and during the actual conference.
At the end the author describes the debate surrounding the existence of the alleged conspiracy. Perhaps it was just an imagination of the Russians, in order to drive a wedge between Roosevelt and Churchill, Russians being Russians so to say. The author's waves away this aspect by asserting that the plot just had to be true, because why would the Russians invent one if there didn't was one? For me, such overly simplistic conclusion just shows the naivety on the part of the authors.
Read in Dutch
Why Brad Meltzer chose to pretend there actually was one, is not clear to me. The book pivots more towards the events leading up to the Allied conference in Tehran and its historical significance, than the actual complot itself. While Meltzer introduces an element of tension, perhaps as a result of his thriller writing expertise, it falls short of delivering the expected suspense. Don't expect an assassination attempt à la The Day of the Jackal. The plot, if even if there was one, fails before it is even started.
So if you expect to read a suspenseful narrative, you may be disappointed due to the perceived clumsiness of the plot. The only positive that stood out for me were the detailed depictions of the operations of the German Secret Intelligence, led by Schellenberg and assisted by Otto Skorzeny and the background events leading up to and during the actual conference.
At the end the author describes the debate surrounding the existence of the alleged conspiracy. Perhaps it was just an imagination of the Russians, in order to drive a wedge between Roosevelt and Churchill, Russians being Russians so to say. The author's waves away this aspect by asserting that the plot just had to be true, because why would the Russians invent one if there didn't was one? For me, such overly simplistic conclusion just shows the naivety on the part of the authors.
Read in Dutch
November 18, 2023
Warning: some of the details in this book are incredibly graphic. It’s a good book and an interesting story but I’m not sure why it isn’t always told chronologically. There’s a lot of information here I didn’t know about before. I thought it was well-researched and well-told. 4 stars even
October 1, 2023
could have been an email
January 8, 2023
This is the third of Meltzer's "conspiracy" books that I have read and it was my favorite. I had trouble following the various story threads in the Lincoln Conspiracy, and for some reason, I did not have that issue with this book. In general, I quite enjoyed this series of books as they read like a novel and may make history more accessible to those who have trouble slogging through dry facts. I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.
February 8, 2023
I was disappointed in this book. Being a history teacher, most of the information was not new to me. I didn't think there was enough information on the assassination to make the book interesting
January 14, 2023
There are not many authors and researchers out there who have a firm grasp on history as Brad Meltzer. In THE NAZI CONSPIRACY, he teams with author and documentary television producer Josh Mensch to re-tell a historical event from WWII that I guarantee most readers, myself included, were never aware of.
In 1943, during the height of the Nazi Germany campaign to take over Europe, Russia and possibly the world, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt makes a plea to meet face-to-face with the leaders of the Allied powers --- Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill --- in a clandestine location. They decide on Tehran, Iran, mainly due to their support of Stalin’s Russia, but are not alone in that Middle Eastern city. A small band of Nazi assassins are there incognito and using all of their espionage might to uncover the location of this meeting and assassinate the three Allied leaders. This act would essentially hand Germany and the Axis powers of Italy and Japan a guaranteed win in the War and a potential route to global domination.
The novel is written in a non-linear manner, jumping from the meeting in Tehran to significant moments in history that brought the meeting about. The opening passages set in 1943 at the time of the meeting are stunningly depicted and full of an enormous amount of suspense --- especially considering that these are real, historical events whose outcome is already known by everyone who reads this book. That fact still does not detract from the reading enjoyment provided by THE NAZI CONSPIRACY. When you imagine FDR huddled in the backseat of an alternate vehicle to try and fool the would-be Nazi assassins as he is rushed to the Tehran meeting is an image that immediately becomes indelible in your mind’s eye.
The story jumps back in time to the fateful day of December 7, 1941, when the empire of Japan forced FDR’s hand by attacking the naval base and fleet in Pearl Harbor, HI, and thereby entering the United States into WWII. However, we also are reminded that FDR was unable to request a declaration of war against more than one opponent and the U.S. initially would still stay out of the battle in Europe against Nazi Germany. This is all much to the chagrin of our main ally, Winston Churchill and the U.K., who fear that without the assistance of the U.S int eh European campaign, all would be lost to Hitler and his cronies.
Many events eventually lead to the U.S. taking their place alongside both the U.K. and Russia in their fight with Nazi Germany, including FDR’s fear over the internal rise of Nazi sympathy and anti-Semitic feelings within the U.S. itself via the rise of racist hate groups such as the Bund. That coupled with the atrocities that have been revealed surrounding the attempted extermination of the Jewish race at the hands of the Nazis fully forces FDR’s hand to step up and fight this evil.
We are also regaled to the previously uncovered story of Nazi master-spy Franz Mayr, who is leading the plot to assassinate the Allied Big Three. Aiding Mayr in this effort is a senior member of the Nazi Party named Karl Korel. They put together a formidable group of enemy infiltrators committed to succeeding at all costs. On top of this, Nazi foreign-intelligence leader Walter Schallenberg tasked SS Officer Otto Skorzeny to lead an expanded Special Operations team also set to stop the Allied forces.
Some of the more tense moments in this story involve the fact that the Big Three nearly never got together at all. Stalin and Churchill rarely saw eye to eye and even FDR himself met secretly with the Russian leader without the knowledge of his friend Churchill, which made for some sore feelings and nearly hamstrung this allegiance before it could ever get rolling. The code word for the eventual meeting became Eureka and, of course, the three were able to successfully meet and collectively turn the tide of WWII.
In the 1960’s there was a movement in literature which adopted the phrase of New Fiction. This writing style represented coverage of non-fiction events but composed in a style that resembled and read like fiction. I was reminded of New Fiction as I read THE NAZI CONSPIRACY because Meltzer and Mensch were able to cleverly achieve the same style of writing in their creation of a historical retelling of events in a manner that rivaled the best thrillers they could conceive of. Meltzer and Mensch have been working together for a decade and it shows in the smooth blending of styles and in-depth research that makes THE NAZI CONSPIRACY an extremely memorable reading experience and a must-read for any fans of historical WWII coverage.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
In 1943, during the height of the Nazi Germany campaign to take over Europe, Russia and possibly the world, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt makes a plea to meet face-to-face with the leaders of the Allied powers --- Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill --- in a clandestine location. They decide on Tehran, Iran, mainly due to their support of Stalin’s Russia, but are not alone in that Middle Eastern city. A small band of Nazi assassins are there incognito and using all of their espionage might to uncover the location of this meeting and assassinate the three Allied leaders. This act would essentially hand Germany and the Axis powers of Italy and Japan a guaranteed win in the War and a potential route to global domination.
The novel is written in a non-linear manner, jumping from the meeting in Tehran to significant moments in history that brought the meeting about. The opening passages set in 1943 at the time of the meeting are stunningly depicted and full of an enormous amount of suspense --- especially considering that these are real, historical events whose outcome is already known by everyone who reads this book. That fact still does not detract from the reading enjoyment provided by THE NAZI CONSPIRACY. When you imagine FDR huddled in the backseat of an alternate vehicle to try and fool the would-be Nazi assassins as he is rushed to the Tehran meeting is an image that immediately becomes indelible in your mind’s eye.
The story jumps back in time to the fateful day of December 7, 1941, when the empire of Japan forced FDR’s hand by attacking the naval base and fleet in Pearl Harbor, HI, and thereby entering the United States into WWII. However, we also are reminded that FDR was unable to request a declaration of war against more than one opponent and the U.S. initially would still stay out of the battle in Europe against Nazi Germany. This is all much to the chagrin of our main ally, Winston Churchill and the U.K., who fear that without the assistance of the U.S int eh European campaign, all would be lost to Hitler and his cronies.
Many events eventually lead to the U.S. taking their place alongside both the U.K. and Russia in their fight with Nazi Germany, including FDR’s fear over the internal rise of Nazi sympathy and anti-Semitic feelings within the U.S. itself via the rise of racist hate groups such as the Bund. That coupled with the atrocities that have been revealed surrounding the attempted extermination of the Jewish race at the hands of the Nazis fully forces FDR’s hand to step up and fight this evil.
We are also regaled to the previously uncovered story of Nazi master-spy Franz Mayr, who is leading the plot to assassinate the Allied Big Three. Aiding Mayr in this effort is a senior member of the Nazi Party named Karl Korel. They put together a formidable group of enemy infiltrators committed to succeeding at all costs. On top of this, Nazi foreign-intelligence leader Walter Schallenberg tasked SS Officer Otto Skorzeny to lead an expanded Special Operations team also set to stop the Allied forces.
Some of the more tense moments in this story involve the fact that the Big Three nearly never got together at all. Stalin and Churchill rarely saw eye to eye and even FDR himself met secretly with the Russian leader without the knowledge of his friend Churchill, which made for some sore feelings and nearly hamstrung this allegiance before it could ever get rolling. The code word for the eventual meeting became Eureka and, of course, the three were able to successfully meet and collectively turn the tide of WWII.
In the 1960’s there was a movement in literature which adopted the phrase of New Fiction. This writing style represented coverage of non-fiction events but composed in a style that resembled and read like fiction. I was reminded of New Fiction as I read THE NAZI CONSPIRACY because Meltzer and Mensch were able to cleverly achieve the same style of writing in their creation of a historical retelling of events in a manner that rivaled the best thrillers they could conceive of. Meltzer and Mensch have been working together for a decade and it shows in the smooth blending of styles and in-depth research that makes THE NAZI CONSPIRACY an extremely memorable reading experience and a must-read for any fans of historical WWII coverage.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
February 2, 2023
While I enjoyed the book, I don’t care for the broken up style the authors use to jump between storylines. I also expected more details of the assassination attempt but understanding that they provided as much as is available on the topic then the book does a good job of making what is present a good read.
July 5, 2023
This book shines a light on one of the most important non-events of the 20th century; a plot to kill off the Allied leaders during WW2. While it was highly suspenseful, I was most interested in the what-if presented in the narrative. What if Stalin, Churchill, and FDR had been killed in the midst of one of the greatest battles ever against fascism? The book focuses on the Tehran Conference; the events leading up to it and the security necessary to make it a success. Highly readable and a worthy effort.
January 15, 2023
I learned quite a few interesting facts while reading this book. I'm a big history fan and this added to my knowledge of ww2. Brad Meltzer is one of my favorite authors.
October 25, 2023
Excellent - a more palatable look at history than was ever put forth in a high school textbook.
I have been reading accounts of World War II for the past 60 years, I learn something new with every book. I had no idea of the important role that Iran played during the turmoil nor had I heard of the assassination plot. Very eye opening.
The Nazi atrocities were hard to read, but the writing was very good. It read more like fiction. Anyone who thinks that the Holocaust was a hoax should read this and think again.
I have been reading accounts of World War II for the past 60 years, I learn something new with every book. I had no idea of the important role that Iran played during the turmoil nor had I heard of the assassination plot. Very eye opening.
The Nazi atrocities were hard to read, but the writing was very good. It read more like fiction. Anyone who thinks that the Holocaust was a hoax should read this and think again.
August 13, 2023
Yes, the plot to assassinate the Big 3 is assumed but not proven. However, the story actually revolves more around how the Big 3 ended up in Tehran in November 1943 to begin with, along with some of the back channel goings on in Hitler's Germany.
Fast-paced, interesting look at WWII through another lens.
Fast-paced, interesting look at WWII through another lens.
January 21, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill is, unfortunately, anticlimactic. The assassination plot mentioned in the title was foiled so early on that historians are still debating whether or not it was even real, or rather something fabricated by the Soviets in order to spy on the Brits and Americans. The Nazi Conspiracy instead functions more as a history of the Tehran Conference, including the logistics of planning the meeting, the clashing of egos of three of the most powerful men on the planet, FDR's successful mediation between Churchill and Stalin, and the eventual agreement for the Allies to invade France. This alone is worthy of a book, but the manufactured suspense provided by the author for what was ultimately a half-baked plot to take out the Big Three only serves to leave the reader wanting.
And of course, because this is a book written after 2016, we are repeatedly hit over the head with allusions to Orange Man, who Meltzer paints as a mini-Hitler. It's a wonder he didn't also try to compare him to Stalin (or perhaps he did and I just missed it).
The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill is, unfortunately, anticlimactic. The assassination plot mentioned in the title was foiled so early on that historians are still debating whether or not it was even real, or rather something fabricated by the Soviets in order to spy on the Brits and Americans. The Nazi Conspiracy instead functions more as a history of the Tehran Conference, including the logistics of planning the meeting, the clashing of egos of three of the most powerful men on the planet, FDR's successful mediation between Churchill and Stalin, and the eventual agreement for the Allies to invade France. This alone is worthy of a book, but the manufactured suspense provided by the author for what was ultimately a half-baked plot to take out the Big Three only serves to leave the reader wanting.
And of course, because this is a book written after 2016, we are repeatedly hit over the head with allusions to Orange Man, who Meltzer paints as a mini-Hitler. It's a wonder he didn't also try to compare him to Stalin (or perhaps he did and I just missed it).
June 7, 2023
This book should have been a six to seven page essay. It’s verbose, repetitious, and overly dramatic. It reads more like historical drama than historical non-fiction. I was tempted to stop multiple times but trudged through only to arrive at a non-climatic ending. The plot may have been a conspiracy and not based in fact at all.
The narrator has a pleasant voice, but read so slowly that I sped up to 1.15 speed and likely could have gone to 1.20.
Overall, quite disappointing. I read through other reviews to see if I was out in left field, and found a brilliant reflection from another reader. Highly recommend checking the review out: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The narrator has a pleasant voice, but read so slowly that I sped up to 1.15 speed and likely could have gone to 1.20.
Overall, quite disappointing. I read through other reviews to see if I was out in left field, and found a brilliant reflection from another reader. Highly recommend checking the review out: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 10, 2023
This is a superbly written historical work. Obviously, both Meltzer and Meansch are very experienced writers and researchers. But their ability to bring a long termed ignorance (to me, at least) of an extremely important part of World War 2 history to life was exceptional. As a long time reader of WW2 literature, I had thought my knowledge of the main elements of both Axis and Allied planning and completion of actions covered ALMOST everything. I was wrong! If your interest in WW2 still exists, read this book!
June 18, 2023
Another Page-Turner
I’ve read or listened to all of the books in this series from Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch (Washington and Lincoln). I enjoyed THE NAZI CONSPIRACY. The history combined with page-turning fiction-style writing make this book fascinating. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books including his recent 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed .
I’ve read or listened to all of the books in this series from Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch (Washington and Lincoln). I enjoyed THE NAZI CONSPIRACY. The history combined with page-turning fiction-style writing make this book fascinating. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books including his recent 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed .
January 10, 2023
Is it necessary to give a spoiler alert for a history book addressing events from 80 years ago? I don't think so, but in any event:
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
I won an advance reading copy of Brad Meltzer's The Nazi Conspiracy through a Goodreads contest last fall. The book arrived in early December and I didn't have a chance to pick it up until last week.
The book is an easy read, and, at 300+ pages, can be knocked out in just a few reading sessions.
World War II histories generally fall into one of two categories: they either look at the war from a big picture perspective or focus in on a particular event or personality. The Nazi Conspiracy falls into the latter category.
The Nazi Conspiracy purports to be about an attempt to assassinate the three main allied leaders (Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin) at their first joint conference in Tehran in November 1943. The narrative structure reads like a spy thriller with many chapters containing cliff hanger endings inducing the reader to keep turning the page. Like a good spy thriller, the perspectively rapidly switches from Roosevelt's efforts to organize a joint conference, to his secuirty chief's efforts to keep him safe, to Nazi Germany's efforts to establish a pro-Nazi underground network in allied controlled Iran.
The book strikes a good balance between giving big picture contextualization of its central events for the WWII novice, but does so in manner that more avanced students of WWII history won't get distracted and put the book down. The book does a pretty good job of weaving together disparate narratives and tying them to the big picture. One highlight is the book's use of discussion of the U.S. attack on a plane carrying Japanese Admiral Yamamoto to establish the lengths to which various combtants went to eliminate high ranking leaders of the enemy, including heads of state. On the other hand, the chapter about the inadvertent friendly firing of a live torpedo on a U.S. battleship carrying President Roosevelt doesn't add much to the overall narrative.
Though the book purports to be about an assassination plot against the big three allied leaders, the book's strongest point is its discussion of the tense relationship between the three allied leaders and their efforts to schedule their first joint meeting during the war. The discussion on this point proves to be the book's most insightful analysis.
Unfortunately, the book oversells and underdelivers its main point. The book's core premise is that the allied leaders spend a great deal of time trying to get together and eventually settle on date in November 1943 in Tehran, Iran. Meanwhile, as part of its vast intelligence network, Nazi Germany had placed an operative in Tehran years before to create a pro-Nazi network that is capable of being exploited when the conference occurs. The book does a great job of building the tension between these two parallel sets of events. But in the end, the book fails to provide a satisfying denoument worthy of the set up.
The book opens with the excitement of a President Roosvelt hiding in a car racing through the backstreets of Tehran while a decoy caravan crawls through crowds with a presidential decoy. When the narrative finally gets back to that point, the presdient arrives at the Russian embassy and nothing happens. It's very deflating.
There's no actual intelligence of a specific hit on the allied leaders. Just vague rumors that Germany has commandos on the ground who end up getting arrested in a very anticlmactic chapter. The conference goes on without the slightest interruption or attempt by German forces, then the leaders go home.
In the last section of the book, Meltzer attempts a quick survey of different scholarly approaches to the threat. Was there a real threat agaisnt the allied leaders based on actionable intelligence? Or were the Russians bluffing in a effort to spy on Roosevelt? Meltzer takes the middle position that the Russians attempted to exploit the real presence of German operatives in Iran around the time of the conference, though it appears there was never a real threat to the conference.
At the end of the day, the "secret plot to kill Roosevel, Stalin, and Churchill" is so secret that one is left wondering wether a plot even existed. From that perspective, the book is a bit of let down.
Overall, however, I really enjoyed the book. I consider myself to have more than a beginner's knowledge of WWII, but there is much I don't know and much I want to learn. The Nazi Conspiracy fills in a number of gaps and gave me new knowledge I didn't have before. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has an interest in WWII, specifically German intelligence and special forces, as well as the relationship between the three allied readers.
The books is available today. Pick up a copy if you like WWII history.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book with no obligation. I received no compensation for this review.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
I won an advance reading copy of Brad Meltzer's The Nazi Conspiracy through a Goodreads contest last fall. The book arrived in early December and I didn't have a chance to pick it up until last week.
The book is an easy read, and, at 300+ pages, can be knocked out in just a few reading sessions.
World War II histories generally fall into one of two categories: they either look at the war from a big picture perspective or focus in on a particular event or personality. The Nazi Conspiracy falls into the latter category.
The Nazi Conspiracy purports to be about an attempt to assassinate the three main allied leaders (Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin) at their first joint conference in Tehran in November 1943. The narrative structure reads like a spy thriller with many chapters containing cliff hanger endings inducing the reader to keep turning the page. Like a good spy thriller, the perspectively rapidly switches from Roosevelt's efforts to organize a joint conference, to his secuirty chief's efforts to keep him safe, to Nazi Germany's efforts to establish a pro-Nazi underground network in allied controlled Iran.
The book strikes a good balance between giving big picture contextualization of its central events for the WWII novice, but does so in manner that more avanced students of WWII history won't get distracted and put the book down. The book does a pretty good job of weaving together disparate narratives and tying them to the big picture. One highlight is the book's use of discussion of the U.S. attack on a plane carrying Japanese Admiral Yamamoto to establish the lengths to which various combtants went to eliminate high ranking leaders of the enemy, including heads of state. On the other hand, the chapter about the inadvertent friendly firing of a live torpedo on a U.S. battleship carrying President Roosevelt doesn't add much to the overall narrative.
Though the book purports to be about an assassination plot against the big three allied leaders, the book's strongest point is its discussion of the tense relationship between the three allied leaders and their efforts to schedule their first joint meeting during the war. The discussion on this point proves to be the book's most insightful analysis.
Unfortunately, the book oversells and underdelivers its main point. The book's core premise is that the allied leaders spend a great deal of time trying to get together and eventually settle on date in November 1943 in Tehran, Iran. Meanwhile, as part of its vast intelligence network, Nazi Germany had placed an operative in Tehran years before to create a pro-Nazi network that is capable of being exploited when the conference occurs. The book does a great job of building the tension between these two parallel sets of events. But in the end, the book fails to provide a satisfying denoument worthy of the set up.
The book opens with the excitement of a President Roosvelt hiding in a car racing through the backstreets of Tehran while a decoy caravan crawls through crowds with a presidential decoy. When the narrative finally gets back to that point, the presdient arrives at the Russian embassy and nothing happens. It's very deflating.
There's no actual intelligence of a specific hit on the allied leaders. Just vague rumors that Germany has commandos on the ground who end up getting arrested in a very anticlmactic chapter. The conference goes on without the slightest interruption or attempt by German forces, then the leaders go home.
In the last section of the book, Meltzer attempts a quick survey of different scholarly approaches to the threat. Was there a real threat agaisnt the allied leaders based on actionable intelligence? Or were the Russians bluffing in a effort to spy on Roosevelt? Meltzer takes the middle position that the Russians attempted to exploit the real presence of German operatives in Iran around the time of the conference, though it appears there was never a real threat to the conference.
At the end of the day, the "secret plot to kill Roosevel, Stalin, and Churchill" is so secret that one is left wondering wether a plot even existed. From that perspective, the book is a bit of let down.
Overall, however, I really enjoyed the book. I consider myself to have more than a beginner's knowledge of WWII, but there is much I don't know and much I want to learn. The Nazi Conspiracy fills in a number of gaps and gave me new knowledge I didn't have before. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has an interest in WWII, specifically German intelligence and special forces, as well as the relationship between the three allied readers.
The books is available today. Pick up a copy if you like WWII history.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book with no obligation. I received no compensation for this review.
July 10, 2023
Great book. The use of the historical-present tense annoyed me at times, but overall this is a well-crafted, fast-moving account of a fascinating WWII subplot I didn’t know about.
February 4, 2024
Interesting topic but found annoying the way each chapter ends in a "cliffhanger", which imo doesn't work well in non-fiction.
March 18, 2024
Listened to this one! It was enjoyable and mostly a new story to me!
April 27, 2023
What a book! The approach that the authors took allowed me to feel like I was peeking behind a curtain to see things I never knew about WWII before. And I loved their approach!
I never knew much about Russia and how intensely they fought and the subsequent loss of lives they experienced in comparison to losses suffered by America and England.
What a long war it was! The atrocities, death camps, The Reich’s goals, all of these were explained and supported by extensive research of diaries and meeting minutes involving all sides; allied and axis inclusive.
I was in disbelief for most of this book that anyone could be that bad and that nasty (it didn’t stop with Hitler because German citizens and German soldiers bought into the goals and carried out the evil too).
4.5 stars, so well written and researched.
~Marty
I never knew much about Russia and how intensely they fought and the subsequent loss of lives they experienced in comparison to losses suffered by America and England.
What a long war it was! The atrocities, death camps, The Reich’s goals, all of these were explained and supported by extensive research of diaries and meeting minutes involving all sides; allied and axis inclusive.
I was in disbelief for most of this book that anyone could be that bad and that nasty (it didn’t stop with Hitler because German citizens and German soldiers bought into the goals and carried out the evil too).
4.5 stars, so well written and researched.
~Marty
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