《第三帝国的兴亡》一书的作者威廉·夏伊勒(William L.Shirer)是美国的记者、作家,一九○四年生于芝加哥。远在希特勒上台前的一九二五年,他就注意到那股法西斯力量抬头的情况。在第二次世界大战前夕,他作为美国环球新闻社和哥伦比亚广播系统的记者,又多年驻在德国。他亲眼目睹希特勒怎样耍尽阴谋诡计而戏剧性地登上政治舞台,夺取政权,巩固地位,疯狂备战,穷兵黩武。当时夏伊勒巧妙地采访到纳粹统治集团活动的一些情况。他接连 William L. Sylvanr, author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, was a U.S. journalist and writer born in Chicago in 1904. In 1925, just before Hitler took office, he noticed the rise of Fascist forces. On the eve of World War II, he was also based in Germany for many years as a reporter for Global Press USA and the Columbia Broadcasting System. He witnessed how Hitler drastically put himself on the political stage, seized power, consolidated his position, prepared himself for war, and did his best. At that time, Shillet skillfully interviewed some activities of the Nazi regime. He followed