Hitler was a genocidal lunatic who is as close to evil as we may ever see. He was also, quite possibly, the most brilliant propagandist and motivator the world has ever seen... and his timing was impeccable. If he had only used his power for good instead of evil.
In today's world, he's be some really famous motivational speaker making millions selling his book on TV.
I dont know if I could call Hitler brilliant. Antisemitism was rampant in Europe at that time. Many Germans felt like they didnt lose WWI and many people were like minded to his cause. The country was ripe for revolution and I think he just came at the right time for it.
Does it matter if we did?
First, let me say this right off the bat: Hitler was a scumbag, racist genocidal maniac. Of that there is no doubt. But, there may be some things we don't quite get, and discussing those things may lead to a more thorough understanding of what exactly created this monster.
I watched this video last night. It provided a glimpse into our favorite Godwin character.
Highlights:
1. Hitler's desensitization to human suffering and his cheapening of human life may been the result of the three years he spent running between the trenches of WW1, where he served as a sort of messenger service. FYI: He received the Iron Cross for his efforts.
2. His hate of Jews could have been a result of propaganda he himself was fed early on in life, especially as to why Germany lost WW1.
3. He may himself have been a Jew. He most certainly could not prove he was not one, since he had no idea who his paternal grandfather happened to be.
4. Germany did get a raw deal after WW1, and the allies definitely exploited the little country in a very inhumane fashion. At the very least, he had a right to hate France, US and England.
5. The part of Poland he attacked had always been a part of Germany. It was land stolen by France, England and the US which was then given to Poland.
6. Communists. The battle to keep communists out of Germany began almost immediately after the Russian revolution. Back then, most people in that region saw communism as a Jewish thing. There were several armed confrontations between communists and right wingers in Germany during the two decades between wars.
7. Hitler really was a socialist. A national socialist who hated capitalism, which he considered another Jew thing.
8. He was a gifted speaker who was used by the German Right after WW1 to persuade people to hate communism, and by default Jews.
9. The WW1 vets loved him. He was a hero who spoke their language.
10. Hitler understood that to build a national coalition you need a common enemy. Jews served that role.
Well, we are all products of our environment. I think it is worthwhile examining the factors that made Hitler who he is. I highly doubt he was just born evil.
Any time there is a war, there will be propaganda to make sure the people support it. Afterwards, history is written by the winners as they say. You do kind of get a sense of what the Allied propaganda scheme was from this. How the Germans might have seen things and the historical points that sort of support Hitlers rhetoric and rise in power. How the Allies had a heavy interest in making sure the world saw things from their perspective and gloss over anything that might have garnered some sympathy with Germany's situation and history. Honestly, I think this makes it all look more real.
What I was taught in school sounded like a story with a bad plot, full of holes and bad connections. The Nazi's I always pictured as some sort of human-looking robot army, devoid of morals and mindless in their pursuit of killing. Granted I didn't pay as much attention as I should have, but I always had that feeling. I'm not suggesting none of it happened or anything crazy like that, just that a lot was left out and the major lesson was learning to unconditionally accept that Nazi Germany was the epitome of human evil. Not saying it wasn't, but I had a hard time figuring out why they did everything they did. "They hated the Jews and wanted to take over the world" was pretty much the only answer given. To hate a group of people so much that you'd, as a nation, round them up and systematically exterminate them down to the youngest infant. To blame so much on a group that obviously couldn't have caused half of what they were accused of. To go along with and support something that was such an obvious sham, with such horrible consequences. These are the parts that were glossed over or rewritten by the winners.
I would say that, if looked at this way, there is a lesson there. On how to approach war, and how to handle victory in a way that does not perpetuate it. You have to look past both sides propaganda to really see it though.
Any time there is a war, there will be propaganda to make sure the people support it. Afterwards, history is written by the winners as they say. You do kind of get a sense of what the Allied propaganda scheme was from this. How the Germans might have seen things and the historical points that sort of support Hitlers rhetoric and rise in power. How the Allies had a heavy interest in making sure the world saw things from their perspective and gloss over anything that might have garnered some sympathy with Germany's situation and history. Honestly, I think this makes it all look more real.
What I was taught in school sounded like a story with a bad plot, full of holes and bad connections. The Nazi's I always pictured as some sort of human-looking robot army, devoid of morals and mindless in their pursuit of killing. Granted I didn't pay as much attention as I should have, but I always had that feeling. I'm not suggesting none of it happened or anything crazy like that, just that a lot was left out and the major lesson was learning to unconditionally accept that Nazi Germany was the epitome of human evil. Not saying it wasn't, but I had a hard time figuring out why they did everything they did. "They hated the Jews and wanted to take over the world" was pretty much the only answer given. To hate a group of people so much that you'd, as a nation, round them up and systematically exterminate them down to the youngest infant. To blame so much on a group that obviously couldn't have caused half of what they were accused of. To go along with and support something that was such an obvious sham, with such horrible consequences. These are the parts that were glossed over or rewritten by the winners.
I would say that, if looked at this way, there is a lesson there. On how to approach war, and how to handle victory in a way that does not perpetuate it. You have to look past both sides propaganda to really see it though.
Yes, exactly. The reason I posted this is to dig deeper than the official story, which I too find at least a little lacking. That's not to say I do not believe the basics. I just do not buy the ascribed motives.
What created this evil? Surely something like this does not just appear from nowhere. It takes years of...something (I am still not sure what it is exactly) to drive a whole nation of normal people to suddenly reach this level of insanity. And, even more so, what was it that took Hitler himself to this place? Surely, he was just not some nut who hatched into existence in early 1933.
When attempting to identify his potential modern successor, yes, it would matter. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana
Then we're all doomed to repeat it as the only ones who really know history are those who lived it first hand. What we call history are our impressions of what happened garnered from knowledge that is written largely by the people and attitudes in power.
First, let me say this right off the bat: Hitler was a scumbag, racist genocidal maniac. Of that there is no doubt. But, there may be some things we don't quite get, and discussing those things may lead to a more thorough understanding of what exactly created this monster.
Highlights:
1. Hitler's desensitization to human suffering and his cheapening of human life may been the result of the three years he spent running between the trenches of WW1, where he served as a sort of messenger service. FYI: He received the Iron Cross for his efforts.
2. His hate of Jews could have been a result of propaganda he himself was fed early on in life, especially as to why Germany lost WW1.
3. He may himself have been a Jew. He most certainly could not prove he was not one, since he had no idea who his paternal grandfather happened to be.
4. Germany did get a raw deal after WW1, and the allies definitely exploited the little country in a very inhumane fashion. At the very least, he had a right to hate France, US and England.
5. The part of Poland he attacked had always been a part of Germany. It was land stolen by France, England and the US which was then given to Poland.
6. Communists. The battle to keep communists out of Germany began almost immediately after the Russian revolution. Back then, most people in that region saw communism as a Jewish thing. There were several armed confrontations between communists and right wingers in Germany during the two decades between wars.
7. Hitler really was a socialist. A national socialist who hated capitalism, which he considered another Jew thing.
8. He was a gifted speaker who was used by the German Right after WW1 to persuade people to hate communism, and by default Jews.
9. The WW1 vets loved him. He was a hero who spoke their language.
10. Hitler understood that to build a national coalition you need a common enemy. Jews served that role.
Germany got what they deserved at Versailles. They started WW1, they paid the price.
The part of Poland that "had always been part of Germany" was only part of Germany after the Germans joined Russia and Austria in the three partitions of Poland.
First off, giving them "what they deserved" resulted in 50 million deaths a few short decades later. And, second, I'm not so sure it is as simple as "Germans started the First World War."
There was going to be a second war no matter what. And yes, the Germans started WW1.
Considering you got which side the Russians fought on wrong, I am certainly not taking your word for it.
I assume you mean "were completed by the end of the 18th century".I haven't mentioned the Russians except for the partitions of Poland, which ended in the 18th century. I fear your knowledge of the history of the region is deficient.
I assume you mean "were completed by the end of the 18th century".
Poland didn't really come into being as a sovereign state again until 1918.
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