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The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite History & Biography (2023)"In 1943, as the war against Nazi Germany raged abroad, President Franklin Roosevelt had a critical goal: a face-to-face sit-down with his allies Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. This first-ever meeting of the Big Three in Tehran, Iran, would decide some of the most crucial strategic details of the war. Yet when the Nazis found out about the meeting, their own secret plan took shape--an assassination plot that would've changed history. A true story filled with daring rescues, body doubles, and political intrigue, The Nazi Conspiracy details FDR's pivotal meeting in Tehran and the deadly Nazi plot against the heads of state of the three major Allied powers who attended it. With all the hallmarks of a Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch page-turner, The Nazi Conspiracy explores the great political minds of the twentieth century, investigating the pivotal years of the war in gripping detail. This meeting of the Big Three changed the course of World War II. Here's the inside story of how it almost led to a world-shattering disaster"--
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2023
1699 people are currently reading
32536 people want to read
About the author
Brad Meltzer
319 books7,298 followersBrad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and eleven other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, about a secret plot to kill JFK before he was sworn in – and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos and inspired the PBS KIDS TV show, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. His newest kids books are We are the Beatles, We are the Beatles, and I am Simone Biles. His newest inspirational book is Make Magic, based on his viral commencement address.
In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (The Nazi Conspiracy), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.
He is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero, making national news on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Meltzer unveiled the flag at the 9/11 Museum in New York, where it is now on display. See the video here. The Hollywood Reporter recently put him on their list of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors.
He also recently delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan, in front of 70,000 people, including his graduating son. Entitled Make Magic and called “one of the best commencement addresses of all time,” it’s been shared millions of times across social media. Do yourself a favor, watch it here and buy the book here.
For sure, it’s tough to find anyone being so successful in so many different mediums of the popular culture. But why does Brad thrive in all these different professions? His belief that ordinary people change the world. It is that core belief that runs through every one of his projects.
His newest thriller, The Lightning Rod, brings back characters Nola and Zig in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: What's the one secret no one knows about you? It's about to come out. Nearly 2,000 five-star reviews. Raves by everyone from the Wall Street Journal, to James Patterson, to Brad's mother-in-law. Plus that twist at the end! And yes, the new Zig & Nola thriller is coming soon!
His newest non-fiction book, The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy -- and Why It Failed, which he wrote with Josh Mensch, is a true story about a secret assassination plot to kill JFK at the start of his Presidency and, if successful, would’ve changed history.
His illustrated children’s books I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln, which he does with artist Chris Eliopoulos, were written for his own children, to give them better heroes to look up to. Try them. You won’t believe how inspired you and your family will be. Some of our favorites in the series are I am Mister Rogers and I am Dolly Parton.
His other non-fiction books, Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter, are collections of heroes – from Jim Henson to Sally Ride — that he’s been working on since the day his kids were born and is on sale now, as well as History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time.
He’s also one of the co-creators of the TV show, Jack & Bobby.
Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all thirteen of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who
In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (The Nazi Conspiracy), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.
He is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero, making national news on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Meltzer unveiled the flag at the 9/11 Museum in New York, where it is now on display. See the video here. The Hollywood Reporter recently put him on their list of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors.
He also recently delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan, in front of 70,000 people, including his graduating son. Entitled Make Magic and called “one of the best commencement addresses of all time,” it’s been shared millions of times across social media. Do yourself a favor, watch it here and buy the book here.
For sure, it’s tough to find anyone being so successful in so many different mediums of the popular culture. But why does Brad thrive in all these different professions? His belief that ordinary people change the world. It is that core belief that runs through every one of his projects.
His newest thriller, The Lightning Rod, brings back characters Nola and Zig in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: What's the one secret no one knows about you? It's about to come out. Nearly 2,000 five-star reviews. Raves by everyone from the Wall Street Journal, to James Patterson, to Brad's mother-in-law. Plus that twist at the end! And yes, the new Zig & Nola thriller is coming soon!
His newest non-fiction book, The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy -- and Why It Failed, which he wrote with Josh Mensch, is a true story about a secret assassination plot to kill JFK at the start of his Presidency and, if successful, would’ve changed history.
His illustrated children’s books I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln, which he does with artist Chris Eliopoulos, were written for his own children, to give them better heroes to look up to. Try them. You won’t believe how inspired you and your family will be. Some of our favorites in the series are I am Mister Rogers and I am Dolly Parton.
His other non-fiction books, Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter, are collections of heroes – from Jim Henson to Sally Ride — that he’s been working on since the day his kids were born and is on sale now, as well as History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time.
He’s also one of the co-creators of the TV show, Jack & Bobby.
Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all thirteen of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,019 reviews
January 1, 2023
Can one imagine trying to attempt what was known in the '40s as the Big Three? These three men Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin led the world Allied nations during World War 2. The leaders after lots of back and forthing, agreed to meet in Tehran, to discuss ways to bring this horrendous war to an end. However, there seemed to be a plot afoot which was to kill these three,. There seems to be many clues to the verity of this plot, but no real answers that point to its truthfulness. The two who claim it was true were a former Nazi and a KGB operative, so we are asked to make an educated guess as to the actual plot.
One can't imagine the fallout this act might have had if successful and I couldn't help but think of the assassination of JFK and how we were devastated as a people. So, one might conjecture that this might have swung the war into the Nazi's advantage. There were so many facts that were presented in this story and the authors, Brad Meltzer, and Josh Mensch, keep the action coming and the level of interest quite high. We do see these three leaders as very much in charge of what they governed and at times seem to come to head blows because of their separate but strong personalities.
All of these men also show the very pressure this war has put upon them both mentally, emotionally, and physically. Roosevelt perhaps is the worst one effected since his body is already suffering from his polio and age. Later. the big three meet again in Malta, where they want to start a way for the nations to rebuild after the extreme tragedy of this war.
Victory is Hitler's goal will even order the German youth as young as twelve to defend Berlin. So many lose their lives. And so does Roosevelt sadly..... "I felt myself as if I was hit by an unimaginable blow" says Winston Churchill. Our country is devastated as we had lost a courageous man who placed his country's needs above his own. A man who led the nation through the darkest days of war will always be remembered.
This was a fine tale of espionage, of character, of duplicity, loyalty, and steadfast dedication.
Thank you to the authors, Scott Brick for a fine narration, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this informative story.
One can't imagine the fallout this act might have had if successful and I couldn't help but think of the assassination of JFK and how we were devastated as a people. So, one might conjecture that this might have swung the war into the Nazi's advantage. There were so many facts that were presented in this story and the authors, Brad Meltzer, and Josh Mensch, keep the action coming and the level of interest quite high. We do see these three leaders as very much in charge of what they governed and at times seem to come to head blows because of their separate but strong personalities.
All of these men also show the very pressure this war has put upon them both mentally, emotionally, and physically. Roosevelt perhaps is the worst one effected since his body is already suffering from his polio and age. Later. the big three meet again in Malta, where they want to start a way for the nations to rebuild after the extreme tragedy of this war.
Victory is Hitler's goal will even order the German youth as young as twelve to defend Berlin. So many lose their lives. And so does Roosevelt sadly..... "I felt myself as if I was hit by an unimaginable blow" says Winston Churchill. Our country is devastated as we had lost a courageous man who placed his country's needs above his own. A man who led the nation through the darkest days of war will always be remembered.
This was a fine tale of espionage, of character, of duplicity, loyalty, and steadfast dedication.
Thank you to the authors, Scott Brick for a fine narration, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this informative story.
December 8, 2022
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Brad Meltzer, Josh Mensch, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
A longtime fan of Brad Meltzer’s writing, I have come to also admire his collaborative work with Josh Mensch. Together, these two pen stellar pieces of ‘little known’ history that allow the reader to feel refreshed when reading about topics that have sometimes been overdone. Meltzer and Mensch explore a unique angle of the Second World War, as well as a plot that would have changed the world significantly. Eager to wrap my head around this piece, I devoured the book and was left to wonder ‘what if...’ on numerous occasions.
After a tumultuous few years in the Second World War, US President Franklin Roosevelt is looking forward to meeting with this two greatest allies, Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) and Joseph Stalin (leader of the USSR). While these three men have been juggling the war on two major fronts, they have yet to sit down as a group of three to plot out how to exterminate Hitler and the Nazis. Secret discussions determine that Tehran, Iran would be the ideal place for these three to meet and hash out a plan to neutralise Germany before any other Axis powers can come to their aid.
While planning remained covert, the Nazis had a stellar spy network that leaked the information back to the highest level within the Party. Hitler and his closest associates thought it best to plot something so nefarious that it would not only show his might, but also resonate deeply, while crippling the war effort. Hitler thought it best to use German soldiers to infiltrate the Tehran meeting and assassinate all three men, thereby turning the tables on a growing Allied effort in 1943. Hitler would expect nothing less than success. While the end result was anything but spectacular for the Nazis, Meltzer and Mensch posit that the entire plan could have been a Russian piece of war folklore.
The authors take the reader through the build-up to this remarkable summit, as well as the Nazi planning to kill all three leaders. Paced with wonderful anecdotes, asides, and a great narrative, Meltzer and Mensch offer the reader a new look into a very documented period in world history. While I vowed not to read anything set during the Second World War—mostly because I was tired of hearing about Nazi death camps and Hitler marching across Europe—I was happy to read this piece and learn a great deal as I devoured the text.
Meltzer and Mensch have worked together before and impressed me with their efforts. Taking a little known event and turning it into a great piece of writing proved helpful yet agin. From the inside look at all four sides (US, UK, USSR, and German), as well as some of the cultural aspects to a summit in Iran, the authors provided an impactful piece that is sure to garner a great deal of attention. I am pleased I took the gamble and am happy to see Brad Meltzer keeping his avenues open with a variety of writing projects geared towards different audiences. Well worth the effort, particularly with Scott Brick as narrator for those who listen to the audiobook.
Kudos, Messrs. Meltzer and Mensch, for a stunning look at history through a unique lens. I am eager to see what other projects you two have in the works.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A longtime fan of Brad Meltzer’s writing, I have come to also admire his collaborative work with Josh Mensch. Together, these two pen stellar pieces of ‘little known’ history that allow the reader to feel refreshed when reading about topics that have sometimes been overdone. Meltzer and Mensch explore a unique angle of the Second World War, as well as a plot that would have changed the world significantly. Eager to wrap my head around this piece, I devoured the book and was left to wonder ‘what if...’ on numerous occasions.
After a tumultuous few years in the Second World War, US President Franklin Roosevelt is looking forward to meeting with this two greatest allies, Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) and Joseph Stalin (leader of the USSR). While these three men have been juggling the war on two major fronts, they have yet to sit down as a group of three to plot out how to exterminate Hitler and the Nazis. Secret discussions determine that Tehran, Iran would be the ideal place for these three to meet and hash out a plan to neutralise Germany before any other Axis powers can come to their aid.
While planning remained covert, the Nazis had a stellar spy network that leaked the information back to the highest level within the Party. Hitler and his closest associates thought it best to plot something so nefarious that it would not only show his might, but also resonate deeply, while crippling the war effort. Hitler thought it best to use German soldiers to infiltrate the Tehran meeting and assassinate all three men, thereby turning the tables on a growing Allied effort in 1943. Hitler would expect nothing less than success. While the end result was anything but spectacular for the Nazis, Meltzer and Mensch posit that the entire plan could have been a Russian piece of war folklore.
The authors take the reader through the build-up to this remarkable summit, as well as the Nazi planning to kill all three leaders. Paced with wonderful anecdotes, asides, and a great narrative, Meltzer and Mensch offer the reader a new look into a very documented period in world history. While I vowed not to read anything set during the Second World War—mostly because I was tired of hearing about Nazi death camps and Hitler marching across Europe—I was happy to read this piece and learn a great deal as I devoured the text.
Meltzer and Mensch have worked together before and impressed me with their efforts. Taking a little known event and turning it into a great piece of writing proved helpful yet agin. From the inside look at all four sides (US, UK, USSR, and German), as well as some of the cultural aspects to a summit in Iran, the authors provided an impactful piece that is sure to garner a great deal of attention. I am pleased I took the gamble and am happy to see Brad Meltzer keeping his avenues open with a variety of writing projects geared towards different audiences. Well worth the effort, particularly with Scott Brick as narrator for those who listen to the audiobook.
Kudos, Messrs. Meltzer and Mensch, for a stunning look at history through a unique lens. I am eager to see what other projects you two have in the works.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 16, 2025
Did Hitler really plan on killing the Big Three, namely Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, during World War II, or was it just the work of fables thought up to sell books? THE NAZI CONSPIRACY attempts to answer that question, but in doing so raises others.
I have often heard of the various conferences held between Roosevelt and Churchill, but couldn't tell you when and where. That information is kind of vague to me, and to tell the truth, a little boring for an action junkie. This book explains not only what went on at those meetings but why they were held. There were only two conferences between the Big Three, but they were very important, not only to the war, but to the post-war world as well. It was during the first of the meetings with Stalin that the assassination was planned to take place.
In 1943 the Big Three were to meet in Tehran to plan war strategy. Foremost, in Stalin's mind, was the need to get the Americans and British to open a second front in France to relieve the pressure on the Eastern Front. Up to that time Churchill was hesitant to commit to such an undertaking. He had his reasons. For one thing, only the year before, at Dieppe, the British had made a small-scale landing in France that had ended disastrously. Therefore, he was all for using the troops fighting their way up the Italian boot to launch an invasion into the Balkans instead. Thinking ahead to the post-war world, he probably wanted to beat the Russians into those countries as he had no love for the Communists. Roosevelt was all for making a landing into northern France. What was in the back of everyone's mind was the fact that should the invasion fail, it would probably be years before they could attempt another.
Reading like a detective story as much as espionage, the short chapters explain what actually happened as well as what may have been hearsay. I am not a big fan of time jumping but it worked here, though I must admit that I enjoy reading stories about WWII. A lot of research was dug up for this book and there are extensive notes. I would recommend anyone the least bit interested to search this book out. I won't be passing this title on. It earned a place in my library.
It is often stated how well the British and Americans worked together to crush Hitler. Evidently there was a lot of friction between the two allies, and I don't just mean the British in Italy and Burma worrying about their women back in Britain being wooed by horny GIs with money, but also the opposing general staffs. Readers of WWII have heard of the Murmansk Convoys that carried Lend-Lease supplies to Russia, but just as critical were the supplies traveling by rail up through Iran into Russia. Iran was full of pro-Nazis and sabotage by German paratroopers was a real possibility, therefore the British and Russians occupied Iran to prevent that from happening. There were other bits of information I learned for the first time, such as about Mike Reilly, the head of the Secret Service assigned to protect President Roosevelt, and what all he went through. He probably did more single-handedly to protect the president than a whole slew of today's agents did for President Trump. The extent of the killing of Jews and Russian civilians is well covered as well.
This was a great 5 star read. Photos included.
I have often heard of the various conferences held between Roosevelt and Churchill, but couldn't tell you when and where. That information is kind of vague to me, and to tell the truth, a little boring for an action junkie. This book explains not only what went on at those meetings but why they were held. There were only two conferences between the Big Three, but they were very important, not only to the war, but to the post-war world as well. It was during the first of the meetings with Stalin that the assassination was planned to take place.
In 1943 the Big Three were to meet in Tehran to plan war strategy. Foremost, in Stalin's mind, was the need to get the Americans and British to open a second front in France to relieve the pressure on the Eastern Front. Up to that time Churchill was hesitant to commit to such an undertaking. He had his reasons. For one thing, only the year before, at Dieppe, the British had made a small-scale landing in France that had ended disastrously. Therefore, he was all for using the troops fighting their way up the Italian boot to launch an invasion into the Balkans instead. Thinking ahead to the post-war world, he probably wanted to beat the Russians into those countries as he had no love for the Communists. Roosevelt was all for making a landing into northern France. What was in the back of everyone's mind was the fact that should the invasion fail, it would probably be years before they could attempt another.
Reading like a detective story as much as espionage, the short chapters explain what actually happened as well as what may have been hearsay. I am not a big fan of time jumping but it worked here, though I must admit that I enjoy reading stories about WWII. A lot of research was dug up for this book and there are extensive notes. I would recommend anyone the least bit interested to search this book out. I won't be passing this title on. It earned a place in my library.
It is often stated how well the British and Americans worked together to crush Hitler. Evidently there was a lot of friction between the two allies, and I don't just mean the British in Italy and Burma worrying about their women back in Britain being wooed by horny GIs with money, but also the opposing general staffs. Readers of WWII have heard of the Murmansk Convoys that carried Lend-Lease supplies to Russia, but just as critical were the supplies traveling by rail up through Iran into Russia. Iran was full of pro-Nazis and sabotage by German paratroopers was a real possibility, therefore the British and Russians occupied Iran to prevent that from happening. There were other bits of information I learned for the first time, such as about Mike Reilly, the head of the Secret Service assigned to protect President Roosevelt, and what all he went through. He probably did more single-handedly to protect the president than a whole slew of today's agents did for President Trump. The extent of the killing of Jews and Russian civilians is well covered as well.
This was a great 5 star read. Photos included.
October 28, 2022
FDR believed that a face-to-face meeting between the Big Three - Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and himself - would do much toward rallying the Allied cause. Not only would it encourage the people of the United States and the other Allied nations, but it might sway some of those nations that were still on the fence and hopefully demoralize the Axis nations, who were suffering from a string of setbacks in 1943. After much negotiating (mostly just giving in to Stalin's demands) it was decided that the three should meet in Tehran. Unfortunately, the Nazis had a man in Iran - Franz Mayr - who had developed a sizeable underground network. And as the Nazi espionage network discovered the meeting, a plot to assassinate all three of the Allied leaders was hatched.
This book is written in a very engaging style - I guess I'd call it pop-history. The authors try to dramatize the situations in a way that makes them more... well, dramatic. They don't go so far as to invent dialogue (thank goodness!), but the chapters are structured to build suspense. Much of the book is also written in present-tense - kind of a you-are-there style. I'm not a fan of present tense writing, but... I guess it's interesting in it's own way (and it does serve the dramatic angle). Unfortunately, it lends the whole story a whiff of fiction, or historical fiction I suppose. And after checking the author bio online, it appears the main author is actually (surprise!) a fiction writer. Honestly, I nearly quit reading after a few chapters but decided to soldier on, and it's actually a rather interesting tale.
However, the whole story might actually be a rather
So, while it was somewhat entertaining, I don't think regular readers of history will appreciate the style or substance of the book. (I'm grateful to NetGalley for providing an electronic copy of this book for review.)
This book is written in a very engaging style - I guess I'd call it pop-history. The authors try to dramatize the situations in a way that makes them more... well, dramatic. They don't go so far as to invent dialogue (thank goodness!), but the chapters are structured to build suspense. Much of the book is also written in present-tense - kind of a you-are-there style. I'm not a fan of present tense writing, but... I guess it's interesting in it's own way (and it does serve the dramatic angle). Unfortunately, it lends the whole story a whiff of fiction, or historical fiction I suppose. And after checking the author bio online, it appears the main author is actually (surprise!) a fiction writer. Honestly, I nearly quit reading after a few chapters but decided to soldier on, and it's actually a rather interesting tale.
However, the whole story might actually be a rather
So, while it was somewhat entertaining, I don't think regular readers of history will appreciate the style or substance of the book. (I'm grateful to NetGalley for providing an electronic copy of this book for review.)
February 10, 2023
I was pretty surprised to hear about this book (not exactly written by quacks) - given that like most people who are quite familiar with WWII history, I had never before heard of any potential Nazi assassination plot to take out the “Big Three” leaders of the Allied alliance (Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin).
Well, the reason it hasn’t been discussed in history books throughout time - not even in in higher institutes of learning - quickly became clear. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the name of the book “The Nazi Conspiracy .” Because while it does provide for a quick and exciting read, by the end, as others reviewers have mentioned, it does leave you feeling rather unsatisfied.
Of course most of the info and facts presented about WWII on the Soviet, British, American, and Nazi Germany side in this book will already be well-known to history lovers. Therefore, I definitely wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a story full of concrete details - nonfiction writing bordering on the academic. However, if you’d love to hear more about how these three leaders came together and a very possible plot (but a plot whose details will nevertheless remain murky and challenged throughout the rest of time), this would be more up your alley. It’s definitely more sensationalist/spy thriller type prose than someone like me prefers (I’m boring and like my dry, dry facts, lol).
Idk, for an entire book that’s supposed to revolve around this insane assassination plot, there’s just truly not enough written about the actual plot, and toward the end, even less that’s factually confirmed. A fun read but one that might, at most, give the reader a few possible interesting tidbits to tell at a party - and yet again, nothing can be uttered with 100% certainty. It’s not a book that will greatly expand your knowledge in any way - so definitely avoid this if that’s what you’re hoping to achieve. I’m sure a quick online summary or even many reviews on here will provide you with all that you really need to know. I’d still read other books by these authors, either written together or separately... but next time, I’d be sure the facts were more definitive. Speculation just doesn’t hold my interest for as long as this story requires.
Well, the reason it hasn’t been discussed in history books throughout time - not even in in higher institutes of learning - quickly became clear. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the name of the book “The Nazi Conspiracy .” Because while it does provide for a quick and exciting read, by the end, as others reviewers have mentioned, it does leave you feeling rather unsatisfied.
Of course most of the info and facts presented about WWII on the Soviet, British, American, and Nazi Germany side in this book will already be well-known to history lovers. Therefore, I definitely wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a story full of concrete details - nonfiction writing bordering on the academic. However, if you’d love to hear more about how these three leaders came together and a very possible plot (but a plot whose details will nevertheless remain murky and challenged throughout the rest of time), this would be more up your alley. It’s definitely more sensationalist/spy thriller type prose than someone like me prefers (I’m boring and like my dry, dry facts, lol).
Idk, for an entire book that’s supposed to revolve around this insane assassination plot, there’s just truly not enough written about the actual plot, and toward the end, even less that’s factually confirmed. A fun read but one that might, at most, give the reader a few possible interesting tidbits to tell at a party - and yet again, nothing can be uttered with 100% certainty. It’s not a book that will greatly expand your knowledge in any way - so definitely avoid this if that’s what you’re hoping to achieve. I’m sure a quick online summary or even many reviews on here will provide you with all that you really need to know. I’d still read other books by these authors, either written together or separately... but next time, I’d be sure the facts were more definitive. Speculation just doesn’t hold my interest for as long as this story requires.
January 10, 2023
Nonfiction that reads like fiction! This is no mean feat and difficult to achieve but Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch have certainly done it. The book is about the true story of the conspiracy to assassinate the three leaders - Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, and Franklin Roosevelt while they meet in Tehran, Iran. But there’s so much more than just this plot - the political intrigue, the setting of the stage way before the so-called attempt, the characters - all so well done. I particularly enjoyed the up close and personal characterization of the people in the book, especially the three leaders. One point I appreciated being emphasized is that the Soviet Union bore the brunt of casualties during World War II, a point that doesn’t get much play in the West. Millions of Soviet military and civilians lost their lives, the war having been fought on their lands. I enjoyed the negotiating strategies deployed by both Roosevelt and Stalin and the sustained pressure they applied on a reluctant Churchill (understandably so) to commit to Operation Overlord. This book was fast-paced and kept my interest. It humanized every individual in the book, friend or foe, as it set out to unveil the plot that could have changed the course of history. An enjoyable read and I definitely recommend it. Many thanks to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 10, 2023
I'm a fan of Brad Meltzer, but I've yet to read one of his nonfiction books with Josh Mensch until now.
This book is about a plot by the Nazis to assassinate President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin when they met in Tehran to outline and plan strategy for ending World War II and forcing the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany.
The book is well researched and reads like Meltzer's fiction. It has short chapters and they do a great job of building the tension that the Big 3 must've been facing at this period. It's not dry at all and I like that we saw it from each side's point of view. I also liked that there weren't any huge info dumps in any of the chapters. Overall a great read! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history or is a World War II buff.
Thank you to Flatiron Books, authors Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
This book is about a plot by the Nazis to assassinate President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin when they met in Tehran to outline and plan strategy for ending World War II and forcing the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany.
The book is well researched and reads like Meltzer's fiction. It has short chapters and they do a great job of building the tension that the Big 3 must've been facing at this period. It's not dry at all and I like that we saw it from each side's point of view. I also liked that there weren't any huge info dumps in any of the chapters. Overall a great read! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history or is a World War II buff.
Thank you to Flatiron Books, authors Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
November 8, 2022
I received a digital ARC of this book from Flatiron Books and NetGalley in return for an honest review.
If I had to pick one genre of book I've read more than any other, it's probably books about World War II, though those have by and large been works of fiction and have been focused on the Holocaust. This book appealed to me mainly because its focus is not on the horrors of the war and the Nazi regime, which by now are well known, but rather the bigger picture of the conflict from the point of view of the major players. As the title indicates, a Nazi plot to assassinate the "Big Three" is a major focus of this work, but it's about so much more than that. Many more pages, for example, are given to all the negotiations among FDR, Churchill, and Stalin and how their often tenuous relationships with one another caused complications in their war efforts. There's a lot of fascinating stuff about espionage, stuff that's often central to some of the fictionalized accounts of the war but is even more amazing when you realize it's the truth. I also learned about some things that were brand new to me, despite my extensive reading on the period -- like the secret summit of the Big Three at which they might have been assassinated or the "rescue" of Mussolini by a special operations team of Nazis. What I also appreciated is that this book is very blunt about the losses suffered by the Soviets and makes clear that, whatever the differences in ideology, the Western allies could not have defeated the Nazis without their help.
My one complaint about this book is only a minor quibble, and it's something that other readers probably won't mind: It seemed to me that every chapter ended with a cliffhanger of the sort that you'd expect to find in a fictional thriller. While I appreciate the authors' attempt to keep things exciting, there really isn't a mystery or a surprise how a historical event will end up, and it felt a bit over-dramatic to me.
If I had to pick one genre of book I've read more than any other, it's probably books about World War II, though those have by and large been works of fiction and have been focused on the Holocaust. This book appealed to me mainly because its focus is not on the horrors of the war and the Nazi regime, which by now are well known, but rather the bigger picture of the conflict from the point of view of the major players. As the title indicates, a Nazi plot to assassinate the "Big Three" is a major focus of this work, but it's about so much more than that. Many more pages, for example, are given to all the negotiations among FDR, Churchill, and Stalin and how their often tenuous relationships with one another caused complications in their war efforts. There's a lot of fascinating stuff about espionage, stuff that's often central to some of the fictionalized accounts of the war but is even more amazing when you realize it's the truth. I also learned about some things that were brand new to me, despite my extensive reading on the period -- like the secret summit of the Big Three at which they might have been assassinated or the "rescue" of Mussolini by a special operations team of Nazis. What I also appreciated is that this book is very blunt about the losses suffered by the Soviets and makes clear that, whatever the differences in ideology, the Western allies could not have defeated the Nazis without their help.
My one complaint about this book is only a minor quibble, and it's something that other readers probably won't mind: It seemed to me that every chapter ended with a cliffhanger of the sort that you'd expect to find in a fictional thriller. While I appreciate the authors' attempt to keep things exciting, there really isn't a mystery or a surprise how a historical event will end up, and it felt a bit over-dramatic to me.
July 25, 2023
I enjoy a good Brad Meltzer fictional story, specifically his Culper Ring series, but this book was a big letdown for me. Having some familiarity with the historical accounts of WWII I was very intrigued to hear about this new piece of information; a secret plot to kill Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin. The majority of this story recounts the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party, the battles across Europe, and the entry of the U.S. into the war. Based on information that was found after the war we are even given insight into some of the intel from the best German secret agents during that time.
However, by the end of the book I felt like I had been hoodwinked, swindled, duped and disappointed. There actually ends up being no proof that there was ever an assassination attempt on these three men when they met together in Tehran, Iran for a summit meeting. It turns out to be all rumor and conjecture! I listened to this audiobook for over ten hours, while traveling, only to find that the conclusion that the author's draw is that they cannot make any conclusion on if there ever was a secret plot to kill these men! Period. End of story.
Was it interesting? Yes.
Maybe the most egregious part of all of this is that the title is so misleading. Because of that, I would not recommend this book.
However, by the end of the book I felt like I had been hoodwinked, swindled, duped and disappointed. There actually ends up being no proof that there was ever an assassination attempt on these three men when they met together in Tehran, Iran for a summit meeting. It turns out to be all rumor and conjecture! I listened to this audiobook for over ten hours, while traveling, only to find that the conclusion that the author's draw is that they cannot make any conclusion on if there ever was a secret plot to kill these men! Period. End of story.
Was it interesting? Yes.
Maybe the most egregious part of all of this is that the title is so misleading. Because of that, I would not recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2023
Highly readable and absorbing. I always love a non-fiction book that reads like fiction.
September 17, 2024
I have read A LOT about the Second World War, 1939-1945 and for me this was not an outstanding book about the war. I read it for a book discussion group--and it was a fast read. I have not read any of Meltzer's thrillers but ths non-fiction book certainly read like one.
Perhaps 75% of the book was on WWII history leading up to the Tehran Conference of the Big Three ( Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt) in 1943, all stuff I had read before...Meltzer made a good point that there was a real Nazi conspiracy to kill the Big Three. Many historians have said that the idea of a conspiracy was a hoax perpetrated by Stalin to get Roosevelt to stay in the Russian Embassy for his own protection--and so that Stalin could eavesdrop on the Americans. Not to be a spoiler here but Meltzer shows there was a conspiracy serious enough to warrant taking every precaution. But this is not a thriller in which a ruthless spy is prevented from carrying out an assassination at the very last minute by a heroic agent.
One thing I talked about in the discussion was that an assassination of all the Big Three would not have appreciably changed the course of war ( it would have done wonders for Axis morale!). If Churchill had been killed, Attlee would have taken over sooner--or someone else--and would have carried on. Roosevelt's then Vice-President Henry Wallace would have taken over and carried on with the war as well. What would have happened if Stalin had been killed? I said there would have been a power struggle and that the best thing would have been for Soviet generals ( like Zhukov) to have taken over. That would have made a difference in the postwar world!
My rating: a solid 3 stars. Just can't give it 4 stars or higher.
Perhaps 75% of the book was on WWII history leading up to the Tehran Conference of the Big Three ( Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt) in 1943, all stuff I had read before...Meltzer made a good point that there was a real Nazi conspiracy to kill the Big Three. Many historians have said that the idea of a conspiracy was a hoax perpetrated by Stalin to get Roosevelt to stay in the Russian Embassy for his own protection--and so that Stalin could eavesdrop on the Americans. Not to be a spoiler here but Meltzer shows there was a conspiracy serious enough to warrant taking every precaution. But this is not a thriller in which a ruthless spy is prevented from carrying out an assassination at the very last minute by a heroic agent.
One thing I talked about in the discussion was that an assassination of all the Big Three would not have appreciably changed the course of war ( it would have done wonders for Axis morale!). If Churchill had been killed, Attlee would have taken over sooner--or someone else--and would have carried on. Roosevelt's then Vice-President Henry Wallace would have taken over and carried on with the war as well. What would have happened if Stalin had been killed? I said there would have been a power struggle and that the best thing would have been for Soviet generals ( like Zhukov) to have taken over. That would have made a difference in the postwar world!
My rating: a solid 3 stars. Just can't give it 4 stars or higher.
January 2, 2023
Do you see those five stars? Me, rating a non-fiction book five stars? I don’t even know who I am anymore!
A triple assassination plot is planned and Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill are all targeted.
I was gripped within the first few minutes. Right off, I notice it does not read like non-fiction, it reads like fiction. While I love history, I don’t read it much because most non-fiction to me is very dry and uninteresting. Fiction just doesn’t cover all the story so I’m left feeling underwhelmed. Not with this one! I felt like I got the full story for the time period.
“For without victory there is no survival.” Winston Churchill
This focused more on the political side of the war. We hear about the “mass atrocities” and many horrible events but it doesn’t go into much detail. It focuses on the leaders and their meetings and their decisions. We see the information given to them and the intellect and background used to make the choice. It may sound dull but it was truly fascinating. So much of the information was new to me.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was that it wasn’t heavy on one country or another. It showed Nazi achievements as well as others. It didn’t “take a side” as most history does. I loved this. I loved getting to know Nazi and British leaders, as well as American, and what must have been their view points throughout. We hear their reasoning and conversations that led them to joining the war. Much of it was quoted from actual correspondence.
AUDIO REVIEW: Most of the time I base my ratings on how much I enjoyed the novel; how entertained I was. This was definitely that. I don’t know if all the info is true, but the story and delivery kept me glued. What made it even better was the narrator, Scott Brick. I will be finding more of his audios because I believe his voice played a huge part in my enjoyment. From the first chapter, his voice was engaging. I’m not sure it would have read like fiction in my head but it definitely did with him as the narrator. I couldn’t stop listening. I just stopped, sat and listened. I didn’t want to miss a single word. I couldn’t have people in the room or any noises to interrupt. I just needed to listen. I tried to decipher what it was about him that was so good, and I decided it felt like him telling me the events second-hand. That he knew what happened and was keeping me updated.
Can I request a portion of history for Meltzer and Mensch to write? I’d love to learn more about Hiroshima and choices that lead to it. Anyone? Anyone?
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy!
The book releases January 10, 2023.
Content details:
https://www.theopenbooks.net/2022/12/...
A triple assassination plot is planned and Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill are all targeted.
I was gripped within the first few minutes. Right off, I notice it does not read like non-fiction, it reads like fiction. While I love history, I don’t read it much because most non-fiction to me is very dry and uninteresting. Fiction just doesn’t cover all the story so I’m left feeling underwhelmed. Not with this one! I felt like I got the full story for the time period.
“For without victory there is no survival.” Winston Churchill
This focused more on the political side of the war. We hear about the “mass atrocities” and many horrible events but it doesn’t go into much detail. It focuses on the leaders and their meetings and their decisions. We see the information given to them and the intellect and background used to make the choice. It may sound dull but it was truly fascinating. So much of the information was new to me.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was that it wasn’t heavy on one country or another. It showed Nazi achievements as well as others. It didn’t “take a side” as most history does. I loved this. I loved getting to know Nazi and British leaders, as well as American, and what must have been their view points throughout. We hear their reasoning and conversations that led them to joining the war. Much of it was quoted from actual correspondence.
AUDIO REVIEW: Most of the time I base my ratings on how much I enjoyed the novel; how entertained I was. This was definitely that. I don’t know if all the info is true, but the story and delivery kept me glued. What made it even better was the narrator, Scott Brick. I will be finding more of his audios because I believe his voice played a huge part in my enjoyment. From the first chapter, his voice was engaging. I’m not sure it would have read like fiction in my head but it definitely did with him as the narrator. I couldn’t stop listening. I just stopped, sat and listened. I didn’t want to miss a single word. I couldn’t have people in the room or any noises to interrupt. I just needed to listen. I tried to decipher what it was about him that was so good, and I decided it felt like him telling me the events second-hand. That he knew what happened and was keeping me updated.
Can I request a portion of history for Meltzer and Mensch to write? I’d love to learn more about Hiroshima and choices that lead to it. Anyone? Anyone?
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy!
The book releases January 10, 2023.
Content details:
https://www.theopenbooks.net/2022/12/...
December 5, 2023
In this book, Brad Meltzer, joined by co-author Josh Mensch, delves into the alleged Nazi plot to assassinate the Allied leaders during the Tehran conference in 1943. Even today, whether such a complot even existed is still up to debate. This book offers no concrete evidence for that. Surprisingly, the actual complot, occupies only a small section in this book.
Why Brad Meltzer chose to pretend there actually was one, is not clear to me. The book pivots more towards the events leading up to the Allied conference in Tehran and its historical significance, than the actual complot itself. While Meltzer introduces an element of tension, perhaps as a result of his thriller writing expertise, it falls short of delivering the expected suspense. Don't expect an assassination attempt à la The Day of the Jackal. The plot, if even if there was one, fails before it is even started.
So if you expect to read a suspenseful narrative, you may be disappointed due to the perceived clumsiness of the plot. The only positive that stood out for me were the detailed depictions of the operations of the German Secret Intelligence, led by Schellenberg and assisted by Otto Skorzeny and the background events leading up to and during the actual conference.
At the end the author describes the debate surrounding the existence of the alleged conspiracy. Perhaps it was just an imagination of the Russians, in order to drive a wedge between Roosevelt and Churchill, Russians being Russians so to say. The author's waves away this aspect by asserting that the plot just had to be true, because why would the Russians invent one if there didn't was one? For me, such overly simplistic conclusion just shows the naivety on the part of the authors.
Read in Dutch
Why Brad Meltzer chose to pretend there actually was one, is not clear to me. The book pivots more towards the events leading up to the Allied conference in Tehran and its historical significance, than the actual complot itself. While Meltzer introduces an element of tension, perhaps as a result of his thriller writing expertise, it falls short of delivering the expected suspense. Don't expect an assassination attempt à la The Day of the Jackal. The plot, if even if there was one, fails before it is even started.
So if you expect to read a suspenseful narrative, you may be disappointed due to the perceived clumsiness of the plot. The only positive that stood out for me were the detailed depictions of the operations of the German Secret Intelligence, led by Schellenberg and assisted by Otto Skorzeny and the background events leading up to and during the actual conference.
At the end the author describes the debate surrounding the existence of the alleged conspiracy. Perhaps it was just an imagination of the Russians, in order to drive a wedge between Roosevelt and Churchill, Russians being Russians so to say. The author's waves away this aspect by asserting that the plot just had to be true, because why would the Russians invent one if there didn't was one? For me, such overly simplistic conclusion just shows the naivety on the part of the authors.
Read in Dutch
November 18, 2023
Warning: some of the details in this book are incredibly graphic. It’s a good book and an interesting story but I’m not sure why it isn’t always told chronologically. There’s a lot of information here I didn’t know about before. I thought it was well-researched and well-told. 4 stars even
October 1, 2023
could have been an email
January 8, 2023
This is the third of Meltzer's "conspiracy" books that I have read and it was my favorite. I had trouble following the various story threads in the Lincoln Conspiracy, and for some reason, I did not have that issue with this book. In general, I quite enjoyed this series of books as they read like a novel and may make history more accessible to those who have trouble slogging through dry facts. I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.
February 8, 2023
I was disappointed in this book. Being a history teacher, most of the information was not new to me. I didn't think there was enough information on the assassination to make the book interesting
January 14, 2023
There are not many authors and researchers out there who have a firm grasp on history as Brad Meltzer. In THE NAZI CONSPIRACY, he teams with author and documentary television producer Josh Mensch to re-tell a historical event from WWII that I guarantee most readers, myself included, were never aware of.
In 1943, during the height of the Nazi Germany campaign to take over Europe, Russia and possibly the world, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt makes a plea to meet face-to-face with the leaders of the Allied powers --- Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill --- in a clandestine location. They decide on Tehran, Iran, mainly due to their support of Stalin’s Russia, but are not alone in that Middle Eastern city. A small band of Nazi assassins are there incognito and using all of their espionage might to uncover the location of this meeting and assassinate the three Allied leaders. This act would essentially hand Germany and the Axis powers of Italy and Japan a guaranteed win in the War and a potential route to global domination.
The novel is written in a non-linear manner, jumping from the meeting in Tehran to significant moments in history that brought the meeting about. The opening passages set in 1943 at the time of the meeting are stunningly depicted and full of an enormous amount of suspense --- especially considering that these are real, historical events whose outcome is already known by everyone who reads this book. That fact still does not detract from the reading enjoyment provided by THE NAZI CONSPIRACY. When you imagine FDR huddled in the backseat of an alternate vehicle to try and fool the would-be Nazi assassins as he is rushed to the Tehran meeting is an image that immediately becomes indelible in your mind’s eye.
The story jumps back in time to the fateful day of December 7, 1941, when the empire of Japan forced FDR’s hand by attacking the naval base and fleet in Pearl Harbor, HI, and thereby entering the United States into WWII. However, we also are reminded that FDR was unable to request a declaration of war against more than one opponent and the U.S. initially would still stay out of the battle in Europe against Nazi Germany. This is all much to the chagrin of our main ally, Winston Churchill and the U.K., who fear that without the assistance of the U.S int eh European campaign, all would be lost to Hitler and his cronies.
Many events eventually lead to the U.S. taking their place alongside both the U.K. and Russia in their fight with Nazi Germany, including FDR’s fear over the internal rise of Nazi sympathy and anti-Semitic feelings within the U.S. itself via the rise of racist hate groups such as the Bund. That coupled with the atrocities that have been revealed surrounding the attempted extermination of the Jewish race at the hands of the Nazis fully forces FDR’s hand to step up and fight this evil.
We are also regaled to the previously uncovered story of Nazi master-spy Franz Mayr, who is leading the plot to assassinate the Allied Big Three. Aiding Mayr in this effort is a senior member of the Nazi Party named Karl Korel. They put together a formidable group of enemy infiltrators committed to succeeding at all costs. On top of this, Nazi foreign-intelligence leader Walter Schallenberg tasked SS Officer Otto Skorzeny to lead an expanded Special Operations team also set to stop the Allied forces.
Some of the more tense moments in this story involve the fact that the Big Three nearly never got together at all. Stalin and Churchill rarely saw eye to eye and even FDR himself met secretly with the Russian leader without the knowledge of his friend Churchill, which made for some sore feelings and nearly hamstrung this allegiance before it could ever get rolling. The code word for the eventual meeting became Eureka and, of course, the three were able to successfully meet and collectively turn the tide of WWII.
In the 1960’s there was a movement in literature which adopted the phrase of New Fiction. This writing style represented coverage of non-fiction events but composed in a style that resembled and read like fiction. I was reminded of New Fiction as I read THE NAZI CONSPIRACY because Meltzer and Mensch were able to cleverly achieve the same style of writing in their creation of a historical retelling of events in a manner that rivaled the best thrillers they could conceive of. Meltzer and Mensch have been working together for a decade and it shows in the smooth blending of styles and in-depth research that makes THE NAZI CONSPIRACY an extremely memorable reading experience and a must-read for any fans of historical WWII coverage.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
In 1943, during the height of the Nazi Germany campaign to take over Europe, Russia and possibly the world, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt makes a plea to meet face-to-face with the leaders of the Allied powers --- Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill --- in a clandestine location. They decide on Tehran, Iran, mainly due to their support of Stalin’s Russia, but are not alone in that Middle Eastern city. A small band of Nazi assassins are there incognito and using all of their espionage might to uncover the location of this meeting and assassinate the three Allied leaders. This act would essentially hand Germany and the Axis powers of Italy and Japan a guaranteed win in the War and a potential route to global domination.
The novel is written in a non-linear manner, jumping from the meeting in Tehran to significant moments in history that brought the meeting about. The opening passages set in 1943 at the time of the meeting are stunningly depicted and full of an enormous amount of suspense --- especially considering that these are real, historical events whose outcome is already known by everyone who reads this book. That fact still does not detract from the reading enjoyment provided by THE NAZI CONSPIRACY. When you imagine FDR huddled in the backseat of an alternate vehicle to try and fool the would-be Nazi assassins as he is rushed to the Tehran meeting is an image that immediately becomes indelible in your mind’s eye.
The story jumps back in time to the fateful day of December 7, 1941, when the empire of Japan forced FDR’s hand by attacking the naval base and fleet in Pearl Harbor, HI, and thereby entering the United States into WWII. However, we also are reminded that FDR was unable to request a declaration of war against more than one opponent and the U.S. initially would still stay out of the battle in Europe against Nazi Germany. This is all much to the chagrin of our main ally, Winston Churchill and the U.K., who fear that without the assistance of the U.S int eh European campaign, all would be lost to Hitler and his cronies.
Many events eventually lead to the U.S. taking their place alongside both the U.K. and Russia in their fight with Nazi Germany, including FDR’s fear over the internal rise of Nazi sympathy and anti-Semitic feelings within the U.S. itself via the rise of racist hate groups such as the Bund. That coupled with the atrocities that have been revealed surrounding the attempted extermination of the Jewish race at the hands of the Nazis fully forces FDR’s hand to step up and fight this evil.
We are also regaled to the previously uncovered story of Nazi master-spy Franz Mayr, who is leading the plot to assassinate the Allied Big Three. Aiding Mayr in this effort is a senior member of the Nazi Party named Karl Korel. They put together a formidable group of enemy infiltrators committed to succeeding at all costs. On top of this, Nazi foreign-intelligence leader Walter Schallenberg tasked SS Officer Otto Skorzeny to lead an expanded Special Operations team also set to stop the Allied forces.
Some of the more tense moments in this story involve the fact that the Big Three nearly never got together at all. Stalin and Churchill rarely saw eye to eye and even FDR himself met secretly with the Russian leader without the knowledge of his friend Churchill, which made for some sore feelings and nearly hamstrung this allegiance before it could ever get rolling. The code word for the eventual meeting became Eureka and, of course, the three were able to successfully meet and collectively turn the tide of WWII.
In the 1960’s there was a movement in literature which adopted the phrase of New Fiction. This writing style represented coverage of non-fiction events but composed in a style that resembled and read like fiction. I was reminded of New Fiction as I read THE NAZI CONSPIRACY because Meltzer and Mensch were able to cleverly achieve the same style of writing in their creation of a historical retelling of events in a manner that rivaled the best thrillers they could conceive of. Meltzer and Mensch have been working together for a decade and it shows in the smooth blending of styles and in-depth research that makes THE NAZI CONSPIRACY an extremely memorable reading experience and a must-read for any fans of historical WWII coverage.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
August 20, 2024
Zoals jullie weten heb ik een grote interesse in de Tweede Wereldoorlog en lees ik er daardoor ‘graag’ boeken over. Ik vind het daarbij ook weleens interessant om mogelijke complotten te lezen en zodoende raakte ik erg nieuwsgierig naar ‘Het Nazicomplot’ geschreven door Brad Meltzer en Josh Mensch uitgegeven bij Uitgeverij J.M. Meulenhoff.
‘Het nazicomplot’ gaat over de ontmoeting van ‘de grote drie’ die mogelijk uitliep op een catastrofe samenkomst die de hele Tweede Wereldoorlog een andere koers had kunnen geven. Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill en Jozef Stalin kwamen in 1943 samen in Teheran om cruciale, strategische beslissingen te kunnen nemen over de aanpak om nazi-Duitsland terug te dringen. Dit is uiteraard een samenkomst waar Hitler en andere leden van de nazipartij niet blij mee waren, uiterste voorzichtigheid en goede beveiliging was dan ook noodzakelijk.
De twee auteurs nemen je mee in een stukje geschiedenis waarbij je leest over de totstandkoming van de Tweede Wereldoorlog, hoe Amerika erin verzeild raakte, hoe Roosevelt, Churchill en Stalin omgingen met de situatie en meer. Meltzer en Mensch houden zich aan de feiten en laten zien hoe het complot tot stand is gekomen. Uiteindelijk blijft de vraag of er wel een moordmissie was om de drie om te leggen, de auteurs laten de lezer vrij om te kiezen waar zij in geloven maar laten zien dat het waar zou kunnen zijn. Of is het toch een fictief spannend verhaal dat helemaal niet zo plaatsgevonden heeft?
Mijn gevoel? Ik denk dat het complot best wel eens waar kan zijn! Maar zeker weten doen we het nooit, aangezien er nooit daadwerkelijk documenten gevonden of bevestigende gesprekken over gevoerd zijn.
‘Het nazicomplot’ omvat dus veel meer dan alleen het complot zelf, wat het geheel een interessant boek maakt. Zo heb ik via dit boek ook geleerd dat Captain America daadwerkelijk ontworpen is in de Tweede Wereldoorlog om zich als Amerikanen tegen het Nazisme in te gaan (ik wist wel dat Captain America zich in de Tweede Wereldoorlog bevindt - maar dat het toen daadwerkelijk met die reden ontwikkelt is, wist ik dus niet). Een leuk feitje! En de allereerste cover is er ook bijgevoegd. Zo zijn er meer feiten die in het boek verwerkt zijn samen met afbeeldingen, waardoor het een levend geschiedenisboek wordt. Wat dat nog meer versterkt? De schrijfstijl en gebruikte taal. Ondanks dat het om non-fictie gaat, is het zeer goed te volgen en bovendien ook prettig om te lezen. Ik vergelijk het een beetje met een geschiedenisdocent die vol passie over een onderwerp lesgeeft. Ik hou daar wel van!
Een quote dat mij nog is bijgebleven: “Eén man haten is makkelijk. Maar Hitlers wanstaltige beslissingen werden gesteund door ontelbaar aantal moedwillige collaborateurs - door een breed en machtig politiek netwerk en culturele beweging.”
‘Het nazicomplot’ is bij mij dus goed in de smaak gevallen. Ik vind het zeker een aanrader voor andere lezers die graag boeken lezen over de Tweede Wereldoorlog en het leuk vinden om hun kennis erover uit te breiden.
‘Het nazicomplot’ gaat over de ontmoeting van ‘de grote drie’ die mogelijk uitliep op een catastrofe samenkomst die de hele Tweede Wereldoorlog een andere koers had kunnen geven. Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill en Jozef Stalin kwamen in 1943 samen in Teheran om cruciale, strategische beslissingen te kunnen nemen over de aanpak om nazi-Duitsland terug te dringen. Dit is uiteraard een samenkomst waar Hitler en andere leden van de nazipartij niet blij mee waren, uiterste voorzichtigheid en goede beveiliging was dan ook noodzakelijk.
De twee auteurs nemen je mee in een stukje geschiedenis waarbij je leest over de totstandkoming van de Tweede Wereldoorlog, hoe Amerika erin verzeild raakte, hoe Roosevelt, Churchill en Stalin omgingen met de situatie en meer. Meltzer en Mensch houden zich aan de feiten en laten zien hoe het complot tot stand is gekomen. Uiteindelijk blijft de vraag of er wel een moordmissie was om de drie om te leggen, de auteurs laten de lezer vrij om te kiezen waar zij in geloven maar laten zien dat het waar zou kunnen zijn. Of is het toch een fictief spannend verhaal dat helemaal niet zo plaatsgevonden heeft?
Mijn gevoel? Ik denk dat het complot best wel eens waar kan zijn! Maar zeker weten doen we het nooit, aangezien er nooit daadwerkelijk documenten gevonden of bevestigende gesprekken over gevoerd zijn.
‘Het nazicomplot’ omvat dus veel meer dan alleen het complot zelf, wat het geheel een interessant boek maakt. Zo heb ik via dit boek ook geleerd dat Captain America daadwerkelijk ontworpen is in de Tweede Wereldoorlog om zich als Amerikanen tegen het Nazisme in te gaan (ik wist wel dat Captain America zich in de Tweede Wereldoorlog bevindt - maar dat het toen daadwerkelijk met die reden ontwikkelt is, wist ik dus niet). Een leuk feitje! En de allereerste cover is er ook bijgevoegd. Zo zijn er meer feiten die in het boek verwerkt zijn samen met afbeeldingen, waardoor het een levend geschiedenisboek wordt. Wat dat nog meer versterkt? De schrijfstijl en gebruikte taal. Ondanks dat het om non-fictie gaat, is het zeer goed te volgen en bovendien ook prettig om te lezen. Ik vergelijk het een beetje met een geschiedenisdocent die vol passie over een onderwerp lesgeeft. Ik hou daar wel van!
Een quote dat mij nog is bijgebleven: “Eén man haten is makkelijk. Maar Hitlers wanstaltige beslissingen werden gesteund door ontelbaar aantal moedwillige collaborateurs - door een breed en machtig politiek netwerk en culturele beweging.”
‘Het nazicomplot’ is bij mij dus goed in de smaak gevallen. Ik vind het zeker een aanrader voor andere lezers die graag boeken lezen over de Tweede Wereldoorlog en het leuk vinden om hun kennis erover uit te breiden.
June 7, 2023
This book should have been a six to seven page essay. It’s verbose, repetitious, and overly dramatic. It reads more like historical drama than historical non-fiction. I was tempted to stop multiple times but trudged through only to arrive at a non-climatic ending. The plot may have been a conspiracy and not based in fact at all.
The narrator has a pleasant voice, but read so slowly that I sped up to 1.15 speed and likely could have gone to 1.20.
Overall, quite disappointing. I read through other reviews to see if I was out in left field, and found a brilliant reflection from another reader. Highly recommend checking the review out: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The narrator has a pleasant voice, but read so slowly that I sped up to 1.15 speed and likely could have gone to 1.20.
Overall, quite disappointing. I read through other reviews to see if I was out in left field, and found a brilliant reflection from another reader. Highly recommend checking the review out: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 2, 2023
While I enjoyed the book, I don’t care for the broken up style the authors use to jump between storylines. I also expected more details of the assassination attempt but understanding that they provided as much as is available on the topic then the book does a good job of making what is present a good read.
June 18, 2023
Another Page-Turner
I’ve read or listened to all of the books in this series from Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch (Washington and Lincoln). I enjoyed THE NAZI CONSPIRACY. The history combined with page-turning fiction-style writing make this book fascinating. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books including his recent 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed .
I’ve read or listened to all of the books in this series from Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch (Washington and Lincoln). I enjoyed THE NAZI CONSPIRACY. The history combined with page-turning fiction-style writing make this book fascinating. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books including his recent 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed .
July 5, 2023
This book shines a light on one of the most important non-events of the 20th century; a plot to kill off the Allied leaders during WW2. While it was highly suspenseful, I was most interested in the what-if presented in the narrative. What if Stalin, Churchill, and FDR had been killed in the midst of one of the greatest battles ever against fascism? The book focuses on the Tehran Conference; the events leading up to it and the security necessary to make it a success. Highly readable and a worthy effort.
January 15, 2023
I learned quite a few interesting facts while reading this book. I'm a big history fan and this added to my knowledge of ww2. Brad Meltzer is one of my favorite authors.
October 25, 2023
Excellent - a more palatable look at history than was ever put forth in a high school textbook.
I have been reading accounts of World War II for the past 60 years, I learn something new with every book. I had no idea of the important role that Iran played during the turmoil nor had I heard of the assassination plot. Very eye opening.
The Nazi atrocities were hard to read, but the writing was very good. It read more like fiction. Anyone who thinks that the Holocaust was a hoax should read this and think again.
I have been reading accounts of World War II for the past 60 years, I learn something new with every book. I had no idea of the important role that Iran played during the turmoil nor had I heard of the assassination plot. Very eye opening.
The Nazi atrocities were hard to read, but the writing was very good. It read more like fiction. Anyone who thinks that the Holocaust was a hoax should read this and think again.
November 22, 2025
This is a young readers version of the best seller of the same name. For ages 9 – 12, grades 4 – 7. Well done and it makes me want to pick up the version of the book which is for adults. Thank you to Scholastic Books for the Uncorrected Proof.
February 23, 2025
A fantastic recommendation from Alpesh. This gave a great description of the turning point of the war, and the last few chapters helped expand on the relationships between Stalin Roosevelt and Churchill
August 13, 2023
Yes, the plot to assassinate the Big 3 is assumed but not proven. However, the story actually revolves more around how the Big 3 ended up in Tehran in November 1943 to begin with, along with some of the back channel goings on in Hitler's Germany.
Fast-paced, interesting look at WWII through another lens.
Fast-paced, interesting look at WWII through another lens.
January 21, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill is, unfortunately, anticlimactic. The assassination plot mentioned in the title was foiled so early on that historians are still debating whether or not it was even real, or rather something fabricated by the Soviets in order to spy on the Brits and Americans. The Nazi Conspiracy instead functions more as a history of the Tehran Conference, including the logistics of planning the meeting, the clashing of egos of three of the most powerful men on the planet, FDR's successful mediation between Churchill and Stalin, and the eventual agreement for the Allies to invade France. This alone is worthy of a book, but the manufactured suspense provided by the author for what was ultimately a half-baked plot to take out the Big Three only serves to leave the reader wanting.
And of course, because this is a book written after 2016, we are repeatedly hit over the head with allusions to Orange Man, who Meltzer paints as a mini-Hitler. It's a wonder he didn't also try to compare him to Stalin (or perhaps he did and I just missed it).
The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill is, unfortunately, anticlimactic. The assassination plot mentioned in the title was foiled so early on that historians are still debating whether or not it was even real, or rather something fabricated by the Soviets in order to spy on the Brits and Americans. The Nazi Conspiracy instead functions more as a history of the Tehran Conference, including the logistics of planning the meeting, the clashing of egos of three of the most powerful men on the planet, FDR's successful mediation between Churchill and Stalin, and the eventual agreement for the Allies to invade France. This alone is worthy of a book, but the manufactured suspense provided by the author for what was ultimately a half-baked plot to take out the Big Three only serves to leave the reader wanting.
And of course, because this is a book written after 2016, we are repeatedly hit over the head with allusions to Orange Man, who Meltzer paints as a mini-Hitler. It's a wonder he didn't also try to compare him to Stalin (or perhaps he did and I just missed it).
February 10, 2023
This is a superbly written historical work. Obviously, both Meltzer and Meansch are very experienced writers and researchers. But their ability to bring a long termed ignorance (to me, at least) of an extremely important part of World War 2 history to life was exceptional. As a long time reader of WW2 literature, I had thought my knowledge of the main elements of both Axis and Allied planning and completion of actions covered ALMOST everything. I was wrong! If your interest in WW2 still exists, read this book!
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