Why is that bizarre? Is Preston 'today's Third Reich'?
Read a great book about the rise of the Third Reich not so long back. Looks at the hows, whys and wherefores, from the establishment of the Weimar republic up to the end. V good.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Third-Reich-.../dp/0330487574
Should be read in conjunction with Correlli Barnett's The Collapse of British Power. I read 'em back to back. Fascinating. (I had a lot of time to kill - 2hr each way bus journey to/from Manchester)