Hello, and thank you for listening to The History of World War II, Episode 40, Gentlemen,

there will be war.

The more I read about Adolf Hitler, especially at the time before the Battle of Britain,

the more I'm convinced that he did not want to rule the world.

He was maniacal, his was a tortured soul, and with all the accompanying desire for control

and freedom from his fears that are included.

And at the risk of oversimplifying things, he was evil.

He wanted what he wanted, and he was willing to do anything to obtain them.

He would lie and deceive, and he knew he was lying and deceiving.

There was no struggle of guilt inside him.

However, I'm convinced that he did not envision himself with his foot on the world, just

on Europe.

But it makes sense that anyone born and raised in Europe would consider it for the most

part, the world.

He studied Napoleon, Frederick the Great, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Bismarck Caesar, Alexander

the Great, and anyone else of note who attempted what he was attempting, the control, the conquering

of Europe.

To be Europe's undisputed master would have made him his content as anyone with his mental

and emotional makeup could be.

And in the summer of 1940, the British, and in particular Winston Churchill, were disturbing

his contentment by not recognizing his obvious mastery of Europe, his world.

It was even more galling that Britain was, in his view, already beaten and unable to

...