ORDINARY MEN reserve police battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland by Christopher R. Browning

This study of a killing unit comprised of older reservists not particularly Nazified, tells the story of certain actions and hunts against Jews during WWII.  A few years later, another study about the same unit came out with a much harsher conclusion: "Hitler's willing Executioners".

Mr. Browning's study is a careful study that concludes that ordinary people can commit terrible atrocities.  He coins a term 'multi-causal' to mean that there were many factors that contributed to making Police Battalion 101 murderous people.  He does not share Daniel Jonah Goldhagen's conclusion that Germany's deep seated Antisemitism morphed into a unique 'eliminationist' Antisemitism that created an accompanying alacrity to the killing of the Jews.

There are testimonies to the effect that many of the men were revulsed by killing innocent unarmed men women and children on the one hand and others that enthusiastically not only carried out the murder but rather trained others to point the bayonet to the back of the neck and fire as to be the most efficient method of killing.  Many deliberately misfired or aimed high because they just couldn't bring themselves to brutally murder.  What is clear, however, are those that protested killing only did so out weakness or squeamishness and not out of moral concerns.  Those that carried out the orders were considered 'tough' and those that did not were considered 'weak'.  Only one person, seems to have stepped away from the killings out of morality and surprisingly suffered no consequences for his protest.

Mr. Browning concludes that many factors contributed to create the monster: Antisemitism, conformity, obedience to authority, autocratic rule, fear of punishment.  He cites Stanley Milgram's famous experiments in the 1960's that seem to prove average people will easily inflict pain on other never taking responsibility, but rather, deferring to authority pressed for 'why did you do it?'  He has since rejected Mr. Goldhagen's conclusion that something distinct to Germans and German culture made them enthusiastic Jew Killers.  Mr. Browning has some compelling arguments against Mr. Goldhagen.  For example, there were culturally non Germans in the group.  He also cites Poles and Lithuanians as enthusiastic killers.  He demonstrates that Germans did not have a monopoly on deep seated Jew Hatred.  The dispute, I believe can be summed up about 'alacrity'.  Goldhagen concludes the Germans killed with unique alacrity and Browning concludes that 'alacrity' was not clearly present in the majority of cases as much as conformity and obedience to do one's duty.

This is an excellent study that employs the tools of the prudent historian.

Coolidge by Amity Shlaes

The President of the famed 1920's is the focus of this biography.  Calvin Coolidge lived by principles of economy: of speech, of spending, of government.  That he was put through a pressure cooker of politics in the office of the presidency makes him all the more impressive.  Diminutive in size, with red hair, he was constantly challenged by the likes of very powerful people like Henry Cabot Lodge.  The pressure of politics probably caused his death before he was able to enjoy any real retirement.

He was educated at Amherst, became known to speak briefly but efficiently and knew how to turn a phrase. His speeches reflected carefully crafted sentences.  His nickname was 'silent Cal' because he only spoke when he felt it necessary, thus, preferring listening to pontificating.

Coolidge preferred saving to spending and he believed in lowering taxes.  By lowering taxes, he felt he was putting money in people's pockets that would stimulate the economy.  He believed higher taxes stifled business since there was less discretionary money to move.  He was one of the few presidents that not only balanced the federal budget but showed a surplus!  He believed in the private sector - private organization should take care of the social ills and problems (the Red Cross, the Salvation Army are just a couple of examples non government agencies that care for the welfare of the public instead of the Federal Government)

The government did not grow as fast under his watch because he believed in the constitutional idea of 'Limited Government'.

Progressives assailed him.  For example, Samuel Gompers, the famous union leader was a constant rival and yet it was Coolidge that would not cave to the pressures demonstrations and strikes.  Coolidge developed the reputation of a strike breaker and actually gained the respect from Gompers.  He valued personal freedom over equality for all. When the Boston Police department went on strike, Coolidge won and proved that public servants that restore the public peace cannot go on strike because that would only create and encourage anarchy.

For anyone who is interested in conservative values and wants to see how such principles can be implemented and succeed, and created one of greatest peacetime economic boons, this is a great study.