This was a great read, with its focus on trying to explain how Nazi control over Germany extended until the very end, even when it was clear they had lost the war. Americans would enter a village where 15 minutes earlier residence had put up white flags in an effort to prevent their village from being destroyed, only to find those citizens dead, executed for treason by fleeing Nazi officials and SS.
While a fascinating read, I don’t think that is applicable to the current situation in Russia. I’m guessing, but it strikes me that loyalty in Russia exists only in so far as it allows an opportunity to steal or to be employed by oligarchs who steal. I don’t see unquestioned loyalty to Mother Russia, or unquestioned loyalty to Putin. Unlike Germany, that Russian loyalty is transactional and temporary, and will be discarded as soon as a Russian receives no benefit from that loyalty.
Unlike Germany, when Russia folds, I think it will almost completely fold, and fold quickly. We will see.