There are several important studies in Allied efforts to re-educate German civilians after the fall of Nazism. The simultaneous major program of the U.S., Britain, and Soviet Union to influence the future of German politics and society through the re-education of prisoners of war has not previously been studied.

Based on extensive archival research, including hitherto unknown material from the Soviet archives, as well as interviews with participants, this book draws a fascinating picture of the war for the postwar German mind. It also explores the question of the impact of the returnees upon the two German states that emerged after 1945. The unique value of this study lies in its genuinely comparative approach which also examines the program that the Soviets introduced in their POW camps.