The main argument presented by Omer Bartov is that the Wehrmacht, the German military during World War II, was deeply influenced by Nazi ideology. Contrary to the post-war narrative that depicted the Wehrmacht as a professional force largely separate from Nazi beliefs, Bartov shows that ordinary soldiers were indoctrinated with Nazi ideology and saw their actions as a defense against perceived threats.

Omer Bartov supports his claims by meticulously examining letters, diaries, and military reports from soldiers on the Eastern Front. These personal documents reveal the brutal conditions they faced and the psychological transformation they underwent, illustrating how deeply Nazi beliefs permeated their actions and justified their brutality.

Hitler's Army: Soldiers, Nazis, and War in the Third Reich is considered essential because it provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the Wehrmacht's true nature. By challenging the sanitized post-war narrative and revealing the extent of Nazi indoctrination among ordinary soldiers, Bartov's work offers crucial insights into the Wehrmacht's complicity in the atrocities of the war.