On August 2, 1934, Hitler required all members of Germany's re-emerging military to take an oath of allegiance to his regime. As the war progressed and Hitler's commands became more erratic and less humanitarian, this left his more conscientious generals in a moral predicament--to live up to their oath and follow the questionable commands of the Fuhrer or violate their oath and, consequently, one of their most basic beliefs. Through a critical examination of memoirs, postwar trial testimony and peer analysis, this volume explores the motivation behind the Wehrmacht leadership's support of Hitler and his geopolitical agenda. Beginning with the atmosphere prevalent in post-World War I Germany, it details the conditions and mindset which left all of Germany--and the military in particular--ripe for a politician of Hitler's charisma. The main body of the work uses contemporary sources to delve into the seemingly incomprehensible reasoning behind the loyalty of Hitler's chief lieutenants. These include the possibility of personal gain, the natural culmination of their chosen career, and the lure of Napoleonic dreams spurred on by Germany's initial victory in Poland. In addition, it discusses those who apparently attempted, to no avail, to dissuade Hitler from his course of action. Appendices contain a list of postwar indictments; a chronology of the Third Reich; information regarding treaties and agreements; and comparative army ranks.

He's on the lam
Debt-ridden drifter Waylon Boyd fakes his own death. He reinvents himself as Duncan Seaver, leaving a neglected wife and stacks of unpaid bills behind in Token Creek, Arkansas. After landing in Los Angeles, Duncan finds that his good looks and sex appeal make him a "star" in the seedy world of blue movies.

Her career's on the skids
Out-of-work actress Madeline Vaughn needs a job, now Fifteen years have passed since her hit series "Hollywood Crime Scene" was canceled. She's forced to hit the streets of Los Angeles to land that one juicy part that will put her back into the spotlight.

He's unlucky in love
Madeline's neighbor, vintage furniture dealer Bradley Fontaine, has given up on finding the right guy. But after meeting Duncan, he's renting him his vacant pool house. Duncan's ability to manipulate both Madeline and Bradley propels him deeper into an ambitious vortex of money, power and notoriety.

She's got a gun
Once Duncan's abandoned wife Rhonda suspects her "dead" husband isn't really dead after all, she scams her way west, following his trail of lies and deceit. In a town where image is everything, Rhonda's search for the truth comes at a higher price than she ever imagined.