The Slow Creep of Totalitarianism: How Germany Fell Silent
This excerpt from Milton Mayer's *They Thought They Were Free* details the gradual descent of the German people into silence and complicity under the Nazi regime. A philologist recounts how the widening gap between government and people allowed the Nazis to implement their horrific policies incrementally. Each seemingly small step, disguised as an emergency measure or patriotic duty, eroded individual resistance. The author highlights the difficulty of predicting the consequences of inaction and the pervasive uncertainty that stifled dissent. Ultimately, the horrifying reality of the Nazi regime is revealed, but only after it was too late for many to act.
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