Deadly Dictators: Masterminds of 20th Century Genocides Paperback – August 11, 2010

Mans inhumanity to man! About every evil dictator that you can think of! Interesting, none-the-less!

Always a pleasure to add to my Kindle...great vendor...will seek more from this vendor good experrience. Nice selection of books

Loved it. A little too short.

The 20th century! A bounty of material progress overshadowed and nullified by episodes of catastrophic violence and slaughter! It seems almost too vast an evil to fully comprehend, but now, at last, in the newly released history "Deadly Dictators" author Terry Stafford has given us a comprehensive, informed portrayal of the worst events that darkened this vicious century. In 10 chapters, each devoted to an individual personage, Stafford sets forth a brief biography, a description of the prevalent political circumstances, and the psychological evolution of the most egregious dictators of the past 100 years. These are the principals, the major architects of the most brutal acts committed by man upon man. The list is straight out of the headlines of the 20th Century, from Stalin and Hitler to Papadoc Duvalier to Theoneste Bagosora, the arch-fiend of the Rwanda massacres.In each segment, the historical and family background of the subject dictator enables the reader to develop an insight into the full human complexity. Several commonalities among the principals are examined, notably a discordant, often abusive childhood, and unbridled libidinous excess. In the case of Adolf Hitler the bizarre, erotic deviances assume a particularly cringe-inducing, graphic manifestation. Moreover, Hitler, clearly the most notable of the subjects, is revealed to be from the outset utterly devoted to the extermination of European Jewry, as made clear in a penetrating quotation from Hitler's confidant, Albert Speer.The major themes of "Deadly Dictators" are reprised in the Epilogue, where the dangers of GreatPowers' neglect are emphasized, together with the etiology of evil. This remarkable book combines history, sociology, and psychology in illuminating the most heinous aspects of human behavior. It should be required reading for students, educators, and government officials. All will benefit from this compelling work.

Terry Stafford has created a masterpiece that should be required reading in all universities. It is equally fascinating for anyone who is interested in humanity and human nature. He has documented the rise to power of many 20th century dictators and writes about genocide in a compelling manner. Although some of the facts are disturbing, all readers will benefit from this amazing work. The clarity of each chapter makes this book hard to put down. For the benefit of mankind, all generations must confront the savage and painful aspects of history that Terry Stafford's book, "Deadly Dictators" examines. This book is an absolute MUST read!