Hitler And World War I Essay Research

Hitler And World War I Essay, Research Paper

The ambition to unite Germany under ein Volk, ein Reich (one people, one empire) was the primary goal of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party from the beginning of World War I to the end of World War II. This was not, however, a simple goal to achieve. Like most of Hitler’s speeches, his road to power similarly began slowly and quietly. His speeches and rise of power were both carefully planned and the mass hysteria at the end of each was also planned and instrumental. Hitler did not instantly gain power in Germany by becoming Chancellor; he gained consolidation of power in Germany by using energy, by utilizing propaganda and by succumbing to the immediate material interests and difficulties of the German society.

After World War I, the “guilt clause” in the Treaty of Versailles caused Germany to lose not only territory and money, but German pride as well. Weimar government members had to bear the disgrace of signing the treaty. This, in Hitler’s view, was humiliating Germany. Moreover, he and the German army denied being defeated in the war and blamed the loss on cowardly politicians. The treaty restricted the size of the German army and forbid Germany to join together with Austria. Adding to Germany’s already vast economic problems, the country had to pay financial reparations for the war. Hence, the Treaty of Versailles fueled nationalist propaganda and played a major role in collapsing the Weimar Republic in the early 1930s.

Besides the Treaty of Versailles, several other factors affected the Weimar Republic. Parties in the Weimar Republic were closely aimed at specific socioeconomic interest groups. For example, the Social Democrats (SPD) were concerned with representing the working class and the German People’s Party (DVP) was interested in big business. The inability of the government to work together led to a period of presidential rule. Also, continuous economic and financial difficulty weakened the Weimar Republic after the World War I. Germans faced high unemployment and inflation, in the years to follow.

Hitler and the Nazi party made their first substantial gains during the depression. Hitler’s energy towards the problems of agriculture fell on ready ears. From 1924 to 1928, the “golden years” of the Weimar Republic, inflation was conquered and economic output grew. However, Germany was dependent on foreign loans, especially from America. The Wall Street Crash of October 1929 collapsed already-falling agricultural prices in the depression of 1929 to 1933. Hitler and the Nazis reconsidered their strategy. Instead of directing propaganda towards the urban working class, which they had been doing, they concentrated on rural areas and agricultural problems. This proved somewhat helpful in the election of 1930.

Although Hitler and the NSDAP did not have a majority of the vote, they were gaining ground. Germans looked for “some kind of saviour to lead them out of the morass and found that saviour in the F hrer” (p.23). Germans wanted someone who would be active instead of passive. They wanted to feel proud to be a German, and Hitler promised that. By July 1932, Nazi electoral support was strong in Protestant rural districts. The Nazis enjoyed more success in small to medium-sized towns then they did in large ones. The NSDAP did not gain votes from just the lower-middle class, however. Wealthier parts of Protestant towns and white-collar workers were prepared to cast their vote for Hitler by 1932. A substantial number of women also voted Nazi. With large numbers of Germans employed in agricultural, self-employed and white-collar jobs, Hitler and his party started to receive a substantial percentage of the vote. However, the unemployed were more likely to vote Communist instead of for the NSDAP. Nazi support was energetically increasing.

Propaganda played as extraordinary role by influencing different parts of society. Nazis promised the small man protection against big business and large stores. On the other hand, it promised big business the destruction of the Weimar Republic and the restoration of management’s right to manage. Moreover, the Nazis pledged to women the return of traditional moral and family values. Although Nazis were promising different things to different people, they were able to get away with it for a couple of reasons. First, there was no media coverage, so one group had no idea what the NSDAP was promising to the other. Second, the Nazis targeted emotion with their propaganda. They attempted to explain the problems of society by blaming the problems on other factors in local society. The Nazis targeted specific interest groups with specific messages and their message reached parts of Germany other parties did not reach. Nazis gained support slowly but surely.

From 1930 to the beginning of 1933, Germany appointed Chancellors four times, the last one being Hitler. A lack of popular mandate proved to be problematic for previous Chancellors. Hitler, however, came to an agreement with conservatives which gave him a popular mandate for the NSDAP. The conservatives and the Nazis shared the same values. Former Chancellor Papen and a majority of conservatives and nationalists thought since Nazis were a minority in the new Cabinet, they would be able to control Hitler. Social Democrats hoped Hitler’s period of office would be short-lived and finished by the following