SOURCE: "Of Diplomatic Thrust and Counterthrust," in The Christian Science Monitor, December 15, 1967, p. 13.

Tetlow is an English journalist and nonfiction writer. In the following highly positive review of Prelude to Downfall, he praises the "self-effacing zeal" with which Friedländer writes and relates some of the dramatic political machinations that preceded American entry into World War II.

Looking back a quarter of a century, one sees now that it should have been apparent to all concerned that, once Hitler had turned away from an undefeated England and decided instead to take on the sprawling colossus of the Soviet Union, he had lost his war. He had staked everything on a quick kill, and even by the end of 1940 the gamble had obviously failed. But the moment had long ago passed when he could evade paying forfeit. He, and everybody else, had to play to the end the tragedy...