Gellately believes that there would've been at least some organized resistance to Hitler's actions, but as his policies turned bloodier and more barbaric, the population's opinion was never changing, despite a minority of contrasting views. He says that Hitler's demonizing of the Jews was extremely successful as anti-Semitism became even more popular amongst the people of Germany as time went on.
The first and second chapters are bulked by Hitler's takeover with delineation of the Gestapo's and other police and judicial powers. These two chapters are the normal description of into the mid 1930's, and are really a basic summary of events leading to Hitler's reign. The third chapter is entirely based on "concentration camps and the media reports." He argues that it was never fully intended to keep people from knowing about the extensive number of death sentences, concentration camps, and severe acts it took to keep strict control of there enemies and the undesirable. All of this was openly printed in the newspapers of the time, endless crime and punishment stories. This was ultimately designed to serve two proposes of legitimating the new system and effectively scaring thoughts of violating the system by partaking in movements and criminality. Clearly the Nazi regime made great strides to hide the most inhumane of its motions, but Gellately wants the reader to know that the people do have knowledge of the harshness when treating the undesired and criminals. But Gellately isn't just saying how the inhumane actions were reported; he thoroughly explains how they were selectively published to serve an overall strategic purpose. The information, which was allowed to the public, served as propaganda for civilian population by selectively informing them about the extreme efforts taken to rid society of criminals, gypsies, beggars, prostitutes, a-socials and especially political opponents.
