Canaris; The life and death of Hitler's spymaster

Description

This biography of the Nazi intelligence chief who spied both for and against Hitler examines the life of one of WWII’s most intriguing figures. An early supporter of Adolph Hitler, Wilhelm Canaris became chief of German military intelligence before secretly turning against the Nazi regime at the start of World War II. Throughout his career, few who knew him ever understood his plans. Even today, historians find Wilhelm Canaris a man of mystery among Hitler’s top lieutenants. The great protector of German opposition to Hitler, Canaris was also the one who prepared the Third Reich’s major expansion plans. While he motivated those who were eager to bring down Hitler, he also hunted them as conspirators—one of the many contradictions he was forced to live with in order to stay in control of the Nazi spy network. This superbly researched biography follows Canaris's career from his first dabbling in the intelligence business during World War I through his time as head of the Abwehr to his execution in 1945 for his role in the July Plot. A highly readable account, it tells the story of an apparently old-fashioned naval officer, drawn into the web of the Nazi regime. Contents Illustrations Acknowledgements Abbreviations Foreword PART I OFFICER OF HIS MAJESTY 1 A Naval Cadet from the Ruhr 2 The Epic Last Voyage of the Dresden 3 Agent on a Special Mission 4 U-boat War in the Mediterranean PART II THE STRUGGLE AGAINST THE REPUBLIC 5 Servant of Two Masters 6 The Murderers' Helpers' Helper 7 On the Side of the Putschists 8 Agent of the Counter-Revolution 9 Military-Political Secret Missions 10 The Shadow of the Past PART III RISE UNDER THE SWASTIKA 11 Hitler's Military Intelligence Chief 12 The Duel with Heydrich 13 Between Fuhrer, Duce and Caudillo 14 Ousting the Generals 15 A Double Game 16 Between Obedience and Conscience PART IV FINIS GERMANIAE 17 The Will for War 18 The Madness Unfolds 19 The War of Extermination — Act One 20 The Spirit of /Zossen 21 Now There is No Going Back' 22 Operation Felix PART V THE TRIUMPH OF THE BARBARIANS 23 The War of Extermination — Act Two The Struggle for Power with Heydrich 24 The Struggle for Power with Heydrich 25 With His Back to the Wall 26 The Undoing of Canaris PART VI Hitler’s Revenge Notes Sources and Bibliography Published Sources, Editions, Documents Research, Monographs and Essays Back Cover