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Hitler's Spy Chief
- Narrated by: Mark Topping
- Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins
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Hitler's Spy Chief
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Summary
How Hitler's spy chief sabotaged the German war effort.
Wilhelm Canaris was appointed by Hitler to head the Abwehr (the German secret service) 18 months after the Nazis came to power. But Canaris turned against the Fuhrer and the Nazi regime, believing that Hitler would start a war Germany could not win. In 1938 he was involved in an attempted coup, undermined by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. In 1940 he sabotaged the German plan to invade England and fed General Franco vital information that helped him keep Spain out of the war.
For years he played a dangerous double game, desperately trying to keep one step ahead of the Gestapo. The SS chief, Heinrich Himmler, became suspicious of the Abwehr and by 1944, when Abwehr personnel were involved in the attempted assassination of Hitler, he had the evidence to arrest Canaris himself. Canaris was executed a few weeks before the end of the war.
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What listeners say about Hitler's Spy Chief
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr. R. Mun Gavin
- 28-05-18
Amazing! The Inside Track on WWII Intelligence!
I’ve always thought that I knew a lot about WWII .
However, I learnt, after listening to this book that my knowledge was limited to the basic conflict/battles and the wider strategic issues - this book introduced me to the little-known “cloak-and -dagger” world of spies, intelligence and counter intelligence.
I was shattered to find out that the German and British intelligence arms kept in contact with one another throughout the war!
I learnt that the Germans were partnering with the Japanese on submarine development prior to WWII.
I learnt how fatal the Allies’ demand for an “unconditional surrender” has been - it destroyed any chance of a negotiated peace that Germans, like Canaris, were seeking.
I learnt about the extent of the German generals’ reluctance to go to war had been ... from the outset!!
I learnt that Admiral Canaris was a great and very brave man who risked his life daily at doing what he thought would save his Germany.
I’m not sure if there’s a statue of Canaris in Germany, but there should be ... and it should be a big one!!!
An excellent book, well-researched and loaded with interesting (and new) WWII facts!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Antony G Saunders
- 14-07-22
Incredible story of Intelligence in WW2
A detailed history of how British Intelligence worked with German Military Intelligence before and during WW2 to secure peace or the defeat of Germany. Some stunning revelations. The authors frequent use of "England" when he means the UK is both ignorant and irritating. Other than that it's a great piece of work.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ken Sanderson
- 28-08-19
Historical story with lots of supposition
The story of the main character of the book is by its very nature secretive, he was after all the head of Hitler's spy ring, so we shouldn't be surprised that very little hard evidence or facts are available to the writer. if you accept a lot of the suppositions gleaned from the sparse facts, then this is a very interesting expose of the attitudes towards a peaceful solution to WW2 of the UK, the USA and the USSR.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- RC
- 18-03-18
Excellent, insight
Excellent insight into the dilemma of men trapped on the wrong side of history.
What would you do if you realised you were on the wrong side?
Our hats have skulls on.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tom Barlow
- 05-10-20
Wilhelm Canaris
Brilliant book about a wonderful historical figure. Rather politically heavy, explaining canaris’ complex role in WW2. But very enjoyable!
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Anthony Dilwyn
- 16-03-18
Not recommended
If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?
No reader with a serious interest in biography or history shiould read this book. The use of words such as “if, “it seems likely that” and “there is no evidence in the files but it is probable that” do not belong in any authoritative work.
Would you ever listen to anything by Richard Bassett again?
No
What about Mark Topping’s performance did you like?
A very good performance.
You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?
No.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- C
- 23-05-18
Canaris is fascinating, but this “history” lacks depth
Overall, this was an entertaining story, but it does not satisfy as a work of history.
Wilhelm Canaris, the protagonist, is a fascinating individual with an impressive array of achievements. Interestingly, as chief of the German foreign intelligence service before and during WW2, there is substantial evidence that he both supported and didn’t support Germany in the war.
Some resolution of this central contradiction is essential. Yet, unfortunately, there is no substantive analysis or investigation of this contradiction in Bassett’s book. Instead it is, so to speak, “just one %}#€ing thing after another” and ultimately unenlightening. For such a fascinating biographic topic this is a real disappointment.
There were also a number of issue with the recording, a surprise given Audible’s high standards. Many words were mispronounced, using neither British nor American English- e.g. macabre, sine qua non. Several sentences were repeated, as if the recording skipped. This problem has not occurred for me with any other Audible book so I suspect it is an issue with the recording not the Audible software.
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3 people found this helpful