Was Hitler A Riddle? is the first comparative study of how British, French, and American diplomats serving in Germany assessed Hitler and the Nazi movement. These assessments provided the governments in London, Paris, and Washington with ample information about the ruthlessness of the authorities in Germany and of their determination to conquer vast stretches of Europe. Had the British, French, and American leaders acted on this information and taken measures to rein in Hitler, the history of the twentieth century would have been far less bloody: the second world war might well have been avoided, the Soviet Union would not have expanded into central and eastern Europe, and the world would have been spared the Cold War.

"This is a pioneering work of great importance." - Walter Laqueur

"Ascher takes on in a most intelligent manner an after-the-fact evaluation of Adolf Hitler's decision-making process prior to the outbreak of World War II . . . The quality of the critique and the book's readability warrant its inclusion in an academic collection as well as a synagogue library that serves a highly literate congregation." - Association of Jewish Libraries

"Ascher is succinct, insightful, and convincing." - University of Arkansas

"The book is well written and well documented . . . Recommended." - CHOICE

"In its collective approach, Abraham Ascher's Was Hitler a Riddle? is a welcome addition to the substantial literature on individual British, French, and American diplomats working in Hitler's Germany . . . In the end, Asher's thoroughly researched and well-written study indicates without a doubt that Western diplomats reported frequently on Hitler's racial and imperial pretensions." - Journal of Modern History