Understanding Hitler's Vision & Europe's Crisis: Germany's Challenges & Rise - Prof. S. Hi, Study notes of World History

Download Understanding Hitler's Vision & Europe's Crisis: Germany's Challenges & Rise - Prof. S. Hi and more Study notes World History in PDF only on Docsity! Jan. 20, 2011 Hist. 4130 Hitler’s Strategic Vision and the European Crisis  Distinctive qualities of German experience o Geography  Germany is surrounded by countries that are hostile or potentially hostile.  SO unlike France, who face no land aggression from the West and somewhat the south, they can concentrate and focus all energy on their enemy Germany. Germany may have to fight a war on multiple fronts.  In Germany, this becomes a strategic element in their view of things. They are ringed in by hostile people. o Nationalism  Because Germany is relatively new as a unified country, there was an argument that its nationalism had a keener edge than other countries. It was a little more intense.  When Germany was unified, you now have to think of a world strategy, push German policies throughout the world, figure out who their enemies are, they want to become a major world player. o Sense of national unfulfillment  Trauma of defeat in WW1  Gives them the idea that Germany has been shafted, shortchanged, wronged o Virulent anti-Semitism  Particularly strong in Germany, but at the time it was also strong throughout central and Eastern Europe, but only in Germany’s state did it become part of their strategic policy.  Weimar republic o Anytime you have a substantial change in government structure there will be tension and some flaws and now it’s magnetized because of their recent defeat.  The treaty of Versailles to end WWI placed restrictions on Germany  Military restriction  limit size of the navy, demilitarized the Rhine, no submarines, no air force, limit the size of the army to 100,000 men of long-term volunteers, could not have a general staff  Had to pay reparations  the war guilt clause said that Germany was responsible for the war so they had to pay for it.  Territorial possessions  lost all of their colonial possessions. Lost a lot of land to the east to create Poland, which separated East Prussia from Germany. o During the 1920’s the political system in Germany was grappling with massive financial problems because of the reparations. In 1923, the French were angered with the slow payment, invaded part of Germany. o Then the depression hits. This makes the conditions right, they needed a man, a leader, and Hitler stepped forward ready able and determined to exploit the problems.  Hitler o Background  Blamed Jews for all of Germany’s woes.  Served in the German army during the war.  At the end of the war, he is military unit in southern Germany as a political officer. His job was to monitor activities of subversive groups. o Post-war political Activity  A lot of right wing Para-military groups.  While doing that job, he hears about a party called the German workers party.  He goes to one of their meetings and loved everything he heard. He began regular attendance and began speaking and emerged as the dominant leader of that group.  This was the beginning of the NSDAP/NAZI party. o NSDAP  National socialist German workers party.  Formally launched in 1920.  Its voice is lost in a sea of protests and demonstrations. There were a ton of these kinds of groups at this time.  German politics is very violent.  In 1923, Hitler took part in an attempt to seize the government and as a result of this he was sentenced to time in prison and while in there he dictated to his cellmate what became the book Meinkamph (my struggle). o Meinkampf  “my struggle”  Kind of biographical.  But he lays out what he thinks Germany needs to become. His views on Jews, government, etc.  Lays out his foreign policy idea.  Says that territorial expansion is vital for Germany. They wanted to increase the productivity of their soil.  Uses a term Lebensraum (“living space”) in the east is the area he wants to grab for Germany. o Hitler as political leader  Thought Communists are the enemy.  He sees the Jewish hand behind all of Germany’s problems. So extreme anti- Semitism was at the core of his thinking.  Will launch a world war and become involved in it because of his ideology.  Had a keen sense of understanding German psychology. A good instinct for how public opinion could be shaped or influenced.  A great orator, which he practiced. He would write his speeches out and practice them in the mirror. His events were very staged. o His associates  Rudolph Hess.  As they are planning to attack the Soviet Union, he consults an astronomer, gets in a plane, flies to Scotland, and parachutes out who was known to be kind of sympathetic to the Nazis. All without talking to Hitler. He went there to make peace with England so that they could attack Germany. He was then sentenced to life in prison.  Herman Goering