Title: Churchill's deception
First published: 1994
Description: Churchill's Deception is the gripping story of how Winston Churchill outwitted Adolf Hitler into invading the Soviet Union - a move that changed the course of World War II.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Louis C. Kilzer has uncovered documentation which exposes this great and untold story, adding a new dimension to the legacy of Winston Churchill. Churchill's Deception describes how Great Britain shunned opportunities to end the war because it sought to dismember Germany, not merely to destroy Hitler. German generals were ready to topple the Fuhrer in 1939 and 1940, but only if Britain agreed not to take advantage of a civil war that would follow. England did not agree.

And because of Hitler's own obsession about obtaining a pact with Great Britain, he offered to return his Western conquests in exchange for guarantees concerning Germany's interests in the East.

Though Churchill held out for more, he took note of Hitler's obsessive desire for peace with England. He stoked the Fuhrer's illusions about Britain's desires for peace, in order, at first, to gain time to build its defenses. Later, when it appeared that Hitler was on the verge of victory, the British launched a final bid to hold him off.

They invited the Deputy Fuhrer of Germany, Rudolf Hess, to attend a peace conference at which Hitler would negotiate the coming invasion of the Soviet Union with the British "Peace Party.".

Though Hitler did turn his attentions East, in the end, the game was not successful for England. She lost her empire anyway, while failing to stop a war that took more than fifty million lives. Had the British adopted an anti-Hitler, instead of an anti-Germany, foreign policy, the history of the twentieth century could have been dramatically altered. Kilzer raises the significant question: Would another policy have avoided the Holocaust?

Engrossing and controversial, Churchill's Deception will fuel the debate over Churchill's legacy, and be an invaluable addition to any World War II collection.
Subjects: World War, 1939-1945, Diplomatic history, Errors, inventions, Secret service, History, Intelligence service, Deception, Case studies
Places: Great Britain
People: Winston Churchill Sir (1874-1965), Rudolf Hess (1894-1987)
LC classification: D750 .K55 1994