During the Holocaust, approximately six million Jews were murdered as a result of Hitler's plan to rid Germany of "motley people," as stated in the novel Life and Death in the Third Reich by Peter Fritzsche. Shortly after a period of suffering, Hitler began to lead Germany in 1930 to begin the period of his rule, the Third Reich. Over time, his power and support from the country increased until he had full control over his people. Starting from saying “Heil Hitler!” the people of the German Empire were cleverly forced to follow Hitler through terror and threat. He had a group of leaders, the SS, who were Nazis who willingly accepted any assigned task, including the mass murder of millions of Jews because of his belief that they were enemies of Germany. German citizens were persuaded to participate in or believe in the most extreme things, such as violent pogroms, deportations, attacks and executions. Through the novel's insight into the Third Reich, readers can see how Hitler's reign was a controversial time, summed up by courage, extremity, and, most important of all, loyalty. The book's main purpose was to highlight the extent to which Hitler's fear of power, motivation to create a powerful Germany, and loyalty to the cause took Germany during the Third Reich. During the Third Reich, Germany was able to successfully conquer all of Eastern Europe and many parts of Western Europe, primarily through inducements. Because of people's desires and aspirations for success, both civilians and soldiers were equally willing to sacrifice luxuries and accept harsh realities for the fate of their country. Without that driving force, the Germans would have given up on Hitler and Nazism, believing in their plan of a powerful Germany... middle of paper... then as now due to the immense controversy involved and the large amount of faith, responsibility and courage necessary for people. Putting aside the serious setbacks Germany suffered, people today know Nazi Germany as the country that had always found a solution and made it through, even in the least hopeful moments. However, people also know the Third Reich as the horrible time of oppression and discrimination by Hitler and his colleagues; according to some, these actions that made Hitler omnipotent and everyone else weak or non-existent actually brought Germany success. This time period will always remain a topic of multifaceted debate due to the many ways in which the Nazis were victors, victims, and totalitarians. Works Cited Fritzsche, Peter. Life and death in the Third Reich. 1st ed. and. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2008. 1-307. Press.