- Summary
- For the entire history of human civilization, gold has enraptured people around the globe. The Nazis were no less enthralled by it and felt gold was the solution to funding Hitler's war machine. Gold was also on the mind of FDR across the Atlantic, as he worked with Europe's other leaders to bring the United States and the rest of the world out of a severe depression. FDR was hardly the first head of state to turn to gold in difficult times. Throughout history, it has been the refuge of both nations and people in trouble, working at times when nothing else does. Desperate people can buy a loaf of bread or bribe a border guard. Gold can get desperate nations oil to keep tanks running or munitions to fight a war. If the price is right, there is always someone somewhere willing to buy or sell gold. And it was to become the Nazi's most important medium of exchange during the war. Chasing Gold is the story of how the Nazis attempted to grab Europe's gold to finance history's bloodiest war. It is filled with high drama and close escapes, laying bare the palate of human emotions. Walking through the tale are giants of world history, as well as ordinary people called upon to undertake heroic action in an extraordinary time.
- Format
- Book
- Author/Creator
- Taber, George M., author.
- Published
- New York : Pegasus Books, 2014
- Locale
- Europe
Germany
- Edition
- First Pegasus Books cloth edition
- Contents
-
The glitter of gold
Spanish prelude
Adolf Hitler's argonaut
Franklin D. Roosevelt's argonaut
Hermann Göring grabs control
The club for central bankers
Austria becomes the first easy piece
An inside job against Czechoslovakia
Mutiny at the Reichsbank
Poland's long odyssey
Northern lights go out
The world's Fort Knox
Denmark and Norway fall quickly
Italy crushes Albania
Holland falls in four days
Belgium and Luxembourg trust France
The fall of France
The Vatican's secret gold
Escape to Casablanca
Britain on the brink
Destination Dakar
Balkan distractions
The Soviet Union stares into an abyss
Melmer gold
Dragging everything out Italian style
Partners in gold
The Allies finally crack down
Rich discovery in a salt mine
The Götterdämmerung of gold
The end of a sordid tale.
- Notes
-
Includes bibliographical references (pages 446-497) and index.
The glitter of gold -- Spanish prelude -- Adolf Hitler's argonaut -- Franklin D. Roosevelt's argonaut -- Hermann Göring grabs control -- The club for central bankers -- Austria becomes the first easy piece -- An inside job against Czechoslovakia -- Mutiny at the Reichsbank -- Poland's long odyssey -- Northern lights go out -- The world's Fort Knox -- Denmark and Norway fall quickly -- Italy crushes Albania -- Holland falls in four days -- Belgium and Luxembourg trust France -- The fall of France -- The Vatican's secret gold -- Escape to Casablanca -- Britain on the brink -- Destination Dakar -- Balkan distractions -- The Soviet Union stares into an abyss -- Melmer gold -- Dragging everything out Italian style -- Partners in gold -- The Allies finally crack down -- Rich discovery in a salt mine -- The Götterdämmerung of gold -- The end of a sordid tale.
