#Berlin45:
The Final Days of the Third Reich
by Philip
Gibson
#Berlin45 is the first in the Hashtag Histories series. Also available: #Tokyo45,
#Havana62,
and Hashtag Histories Box Set (Vol 1).
Description
"What if there had been social media during
World War II?"
The compelling story
of the final 20 days of Hitler's Third Reich told in the form of Twitter feeds
with daily tweets and actual statements by Hitler, Churchill, Truman, Zhukov,
Eisenhower, Goebbels, Bormann, Weidling, Krebs, Keitel, Jodl, Patton, Bradley,
Heinrici, Konev, Chuikov, Eva Braun and many others.
The story begins
with the announcement of, and reactions to, the death of President Franklin D.
Roosevelt and follows the thoughts and actions of the main participants through
the capture of Vienna, the Battle of Seelow Heights, the liberation of the
concentration camps, the Battle of Berlin, the death of Hitler and the eventual
surrender of Reich forces.
Excerpt
Thursday, 12 April, 1945
WHITE
HOUSE @Whitehouse
President died of cerebral hemorrhage this afternoon at Warm Springs, Ga. VP notified. State has been advised. Cabinet meeting called
President died of cerebral hemorrhage this afternoon at Warm Springs, Ga. VP notified. State has been advised. Cabinet meeting called
Harry S.
Truman @Truman
Going to meet Sam Rayburn, but told to go to the White House where I was
informed of the President's death. Sworn in as President at about 7 p.m.
Winston
Churchill @Churchill
Tragic news! I feel I have been struck a physical blow!
Tragic news! I feel I have been struck a physical blow!
Joseph
Goebbels @JGoebbels
Heard this news and saw the Angel of History - felt its wings flutter through the room. Is this not the future we have awaited so anxiously?
Heard this news and saw the Angel of History - felt its wings flutter through the room. Is this not the future we have awaited so anxiously?
George
Patton @Patton
Visited Ohrdruf work camp with Brad and Ike. Sickening what these Nazi bastards did there. It was all I could manage not to throw up
Visited Ohrdruf work camp with Brad and Ike. Sickening what these Nazi bastards did there. It was all I could manage not to throw up
George
Patton @Patton
Just heard the news of FDR’s death on the BBC radio. Unpleasant day all round!
Just heard the news of FDR’s death on the BBC radio. Unpleasant day all round!
Joseph
Goebbels @Goebbels
Have informed the Führer of the good news. He is beside himself with joy! What glorious intervention! What future for National Socialism!
Have informed the Führer of the good news. He is beside himself with joy! What glorious intervention! What future for National Socialism!
Joseph
Stalin @JStalin
Received news of the President’s death. I have ordered his picture be printed on the front page of every Russian newspaper tomorrow
Received news of the President’s death. I have ordered his picture be printed on the front page of every Russian newspaper tomorrow
Adolf
Hitler @AHitler
Goebbels has informed me of the death of Roosevelt - portent of the ultimate victory of National Socialism and the defeat of the Bolsheviks
Goebbels has informed me of the death of Roosevelt - portent of the ultimate victory of National Socialism and the defeat of the Bolsheviks
Winston
Churchill @Churchill
Grieving the loss of a warm-hearted friend! The world has lost a very great man - the foremost champion of the high causes we both served
Grieving the loss of a warm-hearted friend! The world has lost a very great man - the foremost champion of the high causes we both served
Adolf
Hitler @AHitler
Such events do not occur by happenstance, but are mandated by the gods of destiny!
Such events do not occur by happenstance, but are mandated by the gods of destiny!
Joseph
Stalin @JStalin
Marshal Zhukov sends me more good news this day. Our Great Patriotic War nears its final glorious moments!
Marshal Zhukov sends me more good news this day. Our Great Patriotic War nears its final glorious moments!
Winston
Churchill @Churchill
Stalin has informed me that he expects Vienna to fall by the weekend. Would that FDR had lived to hear of this
Stalin has informed me that he expects Vienna to fall by the weekend. Would that FDR had lived to hear of this
New York
Times @DCNYT
Last words of the late President: “I have a terrific pain in the back of my head!”
Last words of the late President: “I have a terrific pain in the back of my head!”
Eleanor
Roosevelt @EleanorR
Harry asked if there was anything he could do for me. I replied, "Is there anything we can do for you? You are the one in trouble now."
Harry asked if there was anything he could do for me. I replied, "Is there anything we can do for you? You are the one in trouble now."
Review
By Katie Leone
As a history buff and former teacher, I always look at unique ways at
looking at and presenting history. I would have never thought of presenting
history from the standpoint of twitter feeds but it is quite fascinating. I
wish I was still in front of a classroom because I could see this being a
useful educational tool.
I would have liked to see a list of sources at the end of the book. I do
believe the information to be accurate, but one always likes to verify sources.
Good job. I hope to see other history topics covered in like manner (or
other social events). We live in a new age and it is time to look at information
in new ways, this book certainly delivers.
About the Author
Philip Gibson is a teacher and author of over thirty books on ESL and
historical fiction. He has taught and lived in (in order): England, Spain,
Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and Laos.
In 1991, he took up a position in Laos, met and married a Lao lady and
now lives with his wife and two teenage boys on their small farm on the
forested banks of the Nam Ngum River (tributary of the Mekong) about 25 miles
from the capital city of Vientiane. Philip is a lover of history, especially
modern history, and his main writing focus now is to continue to produce
historical works written in the unique form of social media feeds.
Here is how Philip describes how the idea for
how the Hashtag Histories series developed:
"During the Libyan Civil War in 2011, I
was following the dramatic unfolding events closely. However, it was difficult
to find up to date information on the regular media, so I turned to social
media sites such as Twitter where I could receive minute by minute updates on
the unfolding conflict. Receiving updates of unfolding events in that format
was very much like watching the situation developing in real time reported by
the actual warring participants, as well as live posts by journalists on the
ground and up to date analysis by commentators and politicians in multiple
locations.
"While a great deal of the social media
posts were repetitious or inaccurate, as is often the case with sites like
Twitter, it was clear that if all the information could be cross-checked and
the dross and repetition edited out, what would remain would be an engaging,
accurate and detailed account of the real events. It would be an account with
more detail, accuracy and real-time immediacy than any produced by the more
conventional media.
"So I set about constructing a day-by-day
account of the final days of Hitler’s Third Reich as if the participants in
World War II had been able to post their thoughts and actions through social
media sites. The result was an extremely readable and informative account of
the main events which was very well received by members of a history discussion site of which I
am an active member.
"When the day by day account of Hitler’s
last days was completed, I was encouraged to compile the daily account into
book form and publish it under the name #Berlin45: The Final Days of the Third Reich.
"The rest, as they say, is … history."
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