This book investigates the historical intersection of psychoanalytic theory and the Allied effort to understand the psychological underpinnings of Nazi leadership during and after World War II. Daniel Pick, a professor of history, examines how Allied intelligence and psychiatric experts applied Freudian and other psychological frameworks to analyze figures like Adolf Hitler and Rudolf Hess. The work argues that these efforts were not merely clinical exercises but were deeply embedded in the political and military strategies of the era, reflecting a broader attempt to diagnose the pathology of fascism itself.

Historians and scholars of psychology frequently note the academic rigor and archival depth of Pick's research. Experts highlight this as a significant contribution to the history of ideas, particularly regarding how psychiatric expertise was mobilized for state intelligence purposes.