When people hear Germany they think of hitler and WW2 and how bad the nazis were. But the question is in their point of view were they bad people? Sure they killed jews. But when your country calls you have to go. their was rebellions, but none succeful. Try to flee the country instead of serving you would be shot. Most were excited and glad of what hitler said. He was gifted in the art of speech. Jews were also thought of as the enemy of Germany, and bringing their country down. What do you think of nazis?
My belief, is that Hitler's main bad point is that he and the Nazi were rascist. Holocaust and the rest. But his economic/ social policies benefited people in general. Compare his regime to the Weimar republic. His was way better. People's standard of living increased. Railroads were build. Industries revived( though many were arms factories). The percentage of jobless people decreased. ( though due to women being sacked). Also, his actions against the harsh Treaty of Versailles were brave and nationalistic. The Treaty of Versailles was indeed a factor that caused Hitler's motives. ( He apparently cried in his hospital bed at the end of WWI after hearing it.) He was nationalistic and cared for his people.( Though only the Aryans sadly).
Abit out of point here but Fascism is not evil or rascist. Look at Mussolini's Italy. Franco's Spain. Read Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism. You could call Fascism in Germany Hitlerism cause Hitler defined it but Hitler did not define Fascism in general. Mussolini is the Father of Fascism actually.
But his economic/ social policies benefited people in general. Compare his regime to the Weimar republic. His was way better.
The Weimar Republic was doomed to fail. If the Nazis were in power when they were, they would have done just as badly. The hyperinflation and reparation payments they had to make were largely out of their control. Any economy coming out of a war does badly initially.
Hitler's econnomic policies did not improve Germany as a whole. Even in 1939 the wages were still below the pre depression levels. Unemployment was kept low only through large government schemes in which the workers were paid less than unemployment benefits during the Weimar years.
I am puzzled as to why you belive his social policies benefitted the people. Or perhaps only those he didn't consider asocial and send to Dachau concentration camp, which, dont forget was set up in 1933. On the whole his social policies werer typical totalitarian. His Volk ideals were pretty regressive. In general I don't belive they were very good.
Mussolini is the Father of Fascism actually.
I would say the first successful example of Fascism was ancient Egypt. During their 'golden age', individual leaders-pharaohs-individuals ruling with an iron fist, leading their nation to be the most poweful empire on the planet.
Ancient egypt didn't have fascism it was despotism. The key difference between facism and despotism is that fascism is all about the power of the country and despotism is the opposite its the leader that has all the power.
Hitler was a great illusionist he made the german people believe he was the best thing since sauerkraut, which is pretty damn tasty. He provided jobs for the unemployed and provided a scapegoat for all the germans problems. Hitler also restored Germany to its former greatness by taking the rhineland back and stood up to france and Britain. Unfortunately for him his illusion started falling apart, around late 1943. He was so good at making people believe what he wanted that until about 1960 the german people still thought he was a great leader.
Ancient egypt didn't have fascism it was despotism. The key difference between facism and despotism is that fascism is all about the power of the country and despotism is the opposite its the leader that has all the power.
True, although a leader is still very important in fascism. Aside from his obvious nationalistic aims, Hitler was still very much the holder of the power in Germany.
until about 1960 the german people still thought he was a great leader.
Unfortunately many still do. I mentioned before in this threasd that gradually Hiter will become more humanised rather than vilified.
I believe that the main thing being repeated in this thread is that Hitler did many good things as well as bed. While that IS true, imagine what would have happenned if he just did the good stuff. And before anyone says anything else, I know that what I just said is virtualy impossible. Anywa, it's just a thought.
All I have to say is that I am not racist and I believe everyone has equal rights. Hitler and the Nazi Party are very stupid for blaming Germany's problems on Jews and persecuting them. However, Hitler did make Germany a very strong country, with a great military and advanced technology. Everyone has a flaw, but he had a tragic flaw.
here are the good points for a change. Hitler was a vegetarian, and hated animal cruelty. Himmler was an animal activist. Nazi scientists with hitler's backing tried to tell the public smoking was a cause of cancer. Hitler wasnt the first to hate Jews. Look at the romans, Russians, English ( King Edward I drove them out of England), Germans, Italians,, the Spanish ( the visigothic king, forgot his name I think it was Eric III or Eric II, passed harsh anti-Jewish laws). So hitler wasnt very original with that idea...
And yes german wages during Hitler's time was worse than pre depression times but! how do you expect a country to recover fully in so short a time?
What people should learn is the Japanese cruelty in the Pacific war.
a lot oh historians seem very divided on the issue.
Indeed. Any 'facts' about Hitler's personal life should be treated with suspicion. The fascination surrounding him seems to have spawwned vast numbers of theories on his personality/habits etc.
