The text is a brief, yet comprehensive survey of the Third Reich based on current research findings and written for students and general readers who want a deeper view of this period in German history. This text provides a balanced approach in examining Hitler's role in the history of the Third Reich. Coverage ranges from the economic, social, and political forces that made possible the rise and growth of Nazism as well as the institutional, cultural, and social life of the Third Reich, the Second World War, and the Holocaust.