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Summary and Reviews of The Nazi Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer

The Nazi Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer, Josh Mensch

The Nazi Conspiracy

The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill

by Brad Meltzer, Josh Mensch
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  • Critics' Consensus:
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  • First Published:
  • Jan 10, 2023, 400 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jan 2024, 400 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

From the New York Times bestselling authors of The First Conspiracy and The Lincoln Conspiracy comes the little-known true story of a Nazi plot to kill FDR, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill at the height of World War II.

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.

1

TWO YEARS EARLIER …
The Pacific Ocean
December 7, 1941

The ships have been traveling—secretly—for ten days.

Now, on this quiet Sunday morning, as the first light of dawn winks from the Pacific Ocean, the fleet prepares to change course.

There's no land in sight. Measured against the vast scale of the Pacific, this collection of warships is a tiny blip. But on a human scale, the fleet is enormous: six massive aircraft carriers, two battleships, nine destroyers, three cruisers, eight fuel tankers, and several small support ships. Below the waves are twenty-three accompanying submarines. On each carrier, the flight decks are lined with dozens of planes. In total, tens of thousands of crewmembers are aboard and mobilized.

For most of their ten-day journey, these ships have traveled eastward. Astonishingly, their movement across more than 3,500 miles of water—from a secluded bay on East Asian shores to here in the Central Pacific—has remained undetected by radar ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
  1. What characteristics do you feel a leader should demonstrate during a time of war? Do you think Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin displayed those characteristics? Which traits did each possess that hindered their ability to be an effective leader, in your opinion?
  2. Do you see similarities between the present political or cultural climate in the United States and those of the years leading up to World War II in Germany? If so, what are they? Can we keep history from repeating itself, and if so, how?
  3. The United States and Russia were at one point very close allies, yet a few years later the countries were embroiled in the Cold War. What do you think led to this shift?
  4. Toward the end of the book, the author explores the possibility ...
Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers!

Here are some of the comments posted about The Nazi Conspiracy.
You can see the full discussion here.


Can we keep history from repeating itself, and if so, how?
According to historians Will and Ariel Durant, history only repeats itself in outline and in the large. This occurs because "human nature changes with geological leisureliness, and people are equipped to respond in stereotyped ways to ... - emilyc

Churchill used the words "storm and ruin" to describe the state of the world at the start of 1943. What word or two would you choose for this time period? What about today?
I would use the words division and tribal righteousness. It is unnerving that Congress doesn't want to find solutions but wishes to "dig in" to obstruct Biden's agenda. Nothing is being done to HELP people who have great needs. ... - helenp

Did your opinion of any of the three leaders change as a result of reading this book?
Yes and no. My father, a lifelong Democrat, who served in WWII in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Austria had tremendous regard for Roosevelt, not only because of his leadership during the war, but also because of what he did to preserve our ... - BuffaloGirl

Do you believe the conspiracy was real? Why or why not?
Paulagb: spoilers are fine in all threads except the “What did you think” one. And I’m curious! Please post more! 😊 - kimk

Do you think the level of secrecy required to pull off an attack as large as Pearl Harbor would be possible today?
This type of attack would be very difficult today with all the imaging we have and all the spying that is done, even on friends, as we just saw from the leaks in the past few weeks. - tamih

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Reviews

BookBrowse Review

BookBrowse

Highly recommended to anyone who is already a fan of WWII history and wants to explore a different perspective or those who want to expand their knowledge of iconic events and leaders of the 20th century (Florrie C). Would provide plenty of fuel for book club discussions. And you don't have to be a WWII fan to enjoy this book (Vicky S)...continued

Full Review (722 words)

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(Reviewed by First Impressions Reviewers).

Media Reviews

Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
A colorful trek through a labyrinth of twists and turns that could have changed history.

Booklist
Thrilling account....A fascinating and potentially controversial book.

Publishers Weekly
Meltzer and Mensch acknowledge doubts about the plot's actual existence yet convincingly argue that it was real, and provide necessary historical context while setting a brisk, thriller-like pace. WWII buffs will be enthralled.

Author Blurb Brian Kilmeade, bestselling author of The President and the Freedom Fighter
Nazis, body-doubles and WWII like you've never seen it. Here's the assassination plot that nearly changed history! Reads like a thriller, but it's all true. One of the best books of the year. Read it now!

Author Blurb Jon Meacham, author The Soul of America: The Battle for our Better Angels, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, and American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
History is full of fascinating twists and near twists―and Meltzer and Mensch are masters of the tales of such moments.

Reader Reviews

Lloyde Newman

History Uncovered......What Might Have Been
I totally enjoyed reading Brad Meltzer's latest book "The Nazi Conspiracy". There is much to the ending of World War II that is just now becoming known. The writing is fast paced and crisp, yet able to clearly draw a picture in the reader's eye ...   Read More
BeckyH

Scary, and real
The plot to kill the three leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union at the Tehran Conference (World War II) was led by an untrained, unskilled and abandoned “spy” who had been sent to Tehran very early in the war. His ...   Read More
BuffaloGirlKS

As Fast Paced as Any Espionage Thriller
Although Nonfiction History, The Nazi Conspiracy is as fast paced as any espionage thriller. About the Nazi plot to assassinate the three supreme WWII Allied leaders; Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin; during the Teheran Conference in the Fall of 1943...   Read More
Charles Francis

CF Review of The Nazi Conspiracy, The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill
This review expresses my own personal opinion. I have not been asked to post it by the author, their publishing company or anyone connected with the book or author. The setting is 1943 and the Second World War is raging across the globe. The Allied ...   Read More

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Beyond the Book



Operation Long Jump

Black-and-white photograph of Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill seated in a row at the Tehran Conference The Nazi Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch centers on an alleged plot by the Germans during World War II to kill or kidnap the three major world leaders representing the Allied powers: American president Franklin D. Roosevelt, British prime minister Winston Churchill and premier of the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin.

The plan, known as Operation Long Jump (Operation Rösselsprung in German) was meant to be carried out during the Tehran Conference, also known as Eureka, when the three met secretly in Iran in November of 1943 to discuss the particulars of winning the war. The meeting's location was chosen mainly for its strategic advantages. At the time, Iran was occupied by both the Soviets and Britain, and it served as a ...

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