Alan Bullock
A British historian who defined the modern study of Hitler with a landmark biography that set the standard for decades of scholarship.
1914–2004 (age 90)·British historian·Birthday: December 13·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Alan Bullock emerged from a classical Oxford education to tackle the most urgent and dark subject of the 20th century. His 1952 work, 'Hitler: A Study in Tyranny,' was a revelation—a comprehensive, meticulously researched narrative that wove the dictator's personal psychology into the broader tapestry of German history and societal collapse. Written without access to vast archives that would open later, it nonetheless established the foundational framework for understanding Nazi Germany. Bullock's clear, forceful prose made complex history accessible, and the book became a bestseller, shaping public and academic perception for a generation. Later in his career, as the founding master of St Catherine's College, Oxford, and in his comparative study of Hitler and Stalin, he continued to probe the mechanics of absolute power and the human capacity for evil.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Alan was born in 1914, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1914
Alan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1914Born
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Started school
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Became a teenager
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1930Could drive
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1932Could vote
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Turned 21
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1944Turned 30
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1954Turned 40
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 50
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 60
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 70
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 80
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Died at 90
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
Key Achievements
- Authored 'Hitler: A Study in Tyranny' (1952), the first major comprehensive biography of Adolf Hitler in any language.
- Served as the founding Master of St Catherine's College, Oxford, guiding it from a society to a full college.
- Wrote the dual biography 'Hitler and Stalin: Parallel Lives' (1991), comparing the two 20th-century dictators.
- Was appointed a life peer as Baron Bullock in 1976, contributing to debates in the House of Lords.
Did You Know?
His Hitler biography was initially commissioned by a publisher for a series on 'historical trials'.
He was a talented pianist and initially considered a career in music before turning to history.
During World War II, he worked for the European Service of the BBC, producing propaganda broadcasts.
He served as a trustee of the British Museum and was involved in the creation of the British Library.
“The historian's task is to understand, and understanding is not excusing.”
