SUICIDE OF A DEMOCRACY

Here is the best of the books to come, so far, out of the welter of books from France, the first to probe, to illustrate, to condemn without fear the reasons behind the capitulation. Pol, a refugee in France for years, had watched the insidious infiltration of Fascism, hiding behind organizations, changing its slogans, penetrating business, industry, politics, the army. Traitors at the head -- and three men who might have saved France, coming to power too late, and waiting too long -- Mandel, Reynaud, De Gaulle. He blames the leftists only for apathy, lack of force. He concludes that even at the end, surrender was not the only answer. Powerful -- a challenge.