italicizing words created only a distraction so we did not mimic the origi nal italicizing from the German edition. Many sentences were corrected to make them understandable. A number of original sentences were in a shorthand form that is common in speaking but confusing in writ ing. When we speak, we often make assumptions about the subject of the sentence or even the verb which is perfectly clear with inlection or hand gestures or based on the si tuation. However, in writing some of these sentences, which were dictated by Hitl er, seem to make no sense. Only after careful analysis can their meaning be determined. These are some of the sentences that older translations, even the so-called unexpurgated ones, omi tted. They simply could not understand what was being said so they left it out. The older versions also included obscure historical references which are explaine d now in the Ford translation. For example when Hitler says “We will inish wha t was started 600 years ago!” what does that mean? The old translations do not say and the rea der is left confused. The Ford translation includes notes which explain such references. W ithout this clariication, modern readers would be unable to understand most of the referenc es to people and places, and many other seemingly obscure sayings which had meaning to the people of the time but are not as common today. Here is the passage from the Ford Translation with the explanation inserted. We will begin our work where it was left off six hundred years ago.( A reference to the Old Prussia of the 13th and 14th century when Teutonic Knights conquered regions and brought in ethnic Germans. ) None of the older translations explained this obscure reference. Here is another example from the Ford translation: Therefore inding men from this group who were ready to sacriice their own lives in the service of the new ideal was Love’s Labor Lost, it was impossi ble. ( Love’s Labor Lost is the title of a Shakespeare comedy which came from a Greek poem that says “To do good to one’s enemies is love’s labor lost” doing good to your enemies is futile, and here is meant as an expression of futility ) Note how there is a parenthetical explanation so the reader actually underst ands the reference. Some of the older translations did not recognize the reference and transl ated in such a way that the phrase ‘Loves labor lost’ was not even included. Without this explanation most people would have no idea what the reference was or even if the y looked it up would still not know what it meant. This is an example of how the F ord translation has improved the understandability of Mein Kampf . Also notice how the Ford translation not MEIN KAMPF 34 MEIN KAMPF only used the phrase correctly, but it includes a plain English version right in t he sentence to make it extra clear what is being said. It contains many references t hat are very speciic, but which the original translators did not understand at all. The older translations included many obscure references to names and places suc h as this example from Reynal. In Reynal Hitchcock’s Translation, the name Dorten is not identiied by anything more than his last name and there is no other information on hi m. Any average reader would have no idea who this refers to or what it means in cont ext. The Ford translation gives a full account of such references to make the text clear. This is not just a generic historic reference that you may have seen elsewhere where the person’s name is listed with their birth/death and a few words about them. No, the F ord translation includes a complete description AS IT APPLIES TO THE REFERENCE. That means that you are not given generic information but speciic information that explains wha t the reference means in the text of Mein Kampf . Many of these references were well known at the time but have faded into his tory. Most Readers of 1927 knew what they meant, but their names are unknown to modern readers,