"The historical record of fascism numbs the imagination," Mr. Weiss writes. "The Nazis shot, gassed or buried alive some six million Jews. Three or four million other passive or potential opponents of the regime were slaughtered. Perhaps as many as two million prisoners of war were shot or starved to death. Entire populations of hundreds of villages in Eastern Europe were destroyed by fire or bullet, often down to the last woman and child. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary civilians were enslaved, tortured, and otherwise abused to further the economic aims of the Third Reich. In this moving survey of that fateful period, Mr. Weiss has relied on the writings of many of those who were on the scene. His selection of articles from the New York Times explores the reasons behind the history. The book begins by illuminating the political situation that allowed the Nazis and fascists to seize power. It then analyzes the political and social policies of totalitarianism in practice; the development of fascism in Europe outside Germany and Italy; and finally the experience of war. - Jacket flap.