Choice 评论
The Sturmabteilung (storm troopers)--the SA or Brown Shirts--became a major force in helping Adolf Hitler achieve power in Germany. Campbell (Old Dominion Univ.) has analyzed the lives and careers of 178 men who held the three highest ranks in the SA and who were responsible for its organization, planning, and administration. These men created the basic structure of the SA, which Campbell argues was responsible for the success of the Nazi Party. Campbell focuses more on the careers of these men before they became Nazis and less on their careers in the SA. They formed a homogeneous group dominated by military specialists who had not only served in the Imperial German Army but who had also been politically active during the unrest in 1918-1919. Most of these men were also members of paramilitary organizations, and all had right-wing backgrounds. Based on archival research, Campbell's book offers an unusual insight into the lives and careers of the founding fathers of the SA. Highly recommended for all European history collections. All levels. K. Eubank; emeritus, CUNY Queens College