By the end of January 1945, it was clear that the war was lost for Germany. The Third Reich was in free fall, and its leaders, apart from those gathered around Hitler in his bunker in Berlin, were trying to escape before being encircled. However, they wanted to take their wealth with them. Their escape routes were varied: Sweden and Switzerland offered proximity, banking transactions, and industrial relations, while Spain and Portugal had an attractive Atlantic coastline and sea routes to South America. Each of these so-called neutral countries welcomed the escaping Nazis, as well as the hidden wealth they carried. Cashing Out tells the fascinating story of the struggle to seize the stolen properties before they disappeared and before the will to punish Germany was replaced by the political considerations of the impending Cold War. Best-selling author Neill Lochery wonderfully describes the flight of the wealth looted by the Nazis—the last great escape of the Second World War—and the Allies' effort for justice.