I wonder if people will think that I am sick if I say, "Hitler was a great leader." Of course, I know what he did regarding the Holocaust. But if Japanese never attacked Pearl Harbor or if Germans did not try to take over Russia, then maybe Germany would have became one of the most powerful nations in the world.
After World War I, Germany went into the depression because the nation was blamed for starting the war. Out of all people, Hitler came and rescued Germany. Under Hitler's leadership, the relationships between the workers and factory owners improved, work breaks were increased for workers, concerts and other forms of entertainment were available at the work places, crime rates went down, health and family values advanced, researches on cancers were funded, education concerning health issues were started, cars were made affordable to the working-class, new roads and bridges were built, unemployment rates decreased...and the list can probably go on and on.
While others think Hitler was stupid, my belief is the opposite. I'd like to see them try taking over a nation and improving a country's economy from depressions. In order to gain such enormous trust from the people, one needs talents, intelligence and passions. Hitler was obviously a German nationalist and the perfect candidate for the country. If Hitler was insane, then everybody who believed him must also be insane or dumb enough to trust an insane person. This man was even nominated for Noble Peace Prize in 1938 and 1939 for his achievements.
What Hitler did with the people in concentration camps was the only thing that overshadowed all of his accomplishments. It was immoral, sick, evil, and cruel in every possible way. But Hitler sure was not the only person involved. If you're going to blame Hitler, you should also blame other people who were involved. There were even many Jewish people who worked with Hitler and supported him, but I suspected that they didn't know about the concentration camps. I am not talking about Hitler supporters who knew nothing about the Holocaust while it was happening at the time. I am talking about the concentration camps staff who did their jobs voluntary while knowing fully well what they were doing.
Hitler's plans in taking and killing all of his enemies makes sense, although I do not support the way he went about it. People die in every war. It is natural, isn't it? You can either win the war through compromises or fight until there is no enemy left. If I was a close-minded person who wants everything to be under my rule, I would have done the same thing Hitler did. Then again, it would be too tiring if you have to kill everyone on the planet that ever disagree with you.
To many of us, Hitler is an evil man for killing millions of innocent people in the concentration camps. However, if you're looking from a German nationalist's point of view, Hitler would probably be the perfect leader. It is because Hitler was willing to do everything to bring prosperity to Germany again...even kill millions of Jewish, gays, and others. Maybe Hitler's personal hatred against those victims had a lot to do with it. Nonetheless, his tactic worked while the war lasted. He truly did love himself and his country.
In conclusion, Hitler was a smart leader with "evil" intentions. I also realized that he was unstable towards the end of World War II. He took the easy way out and committed suicide along with the rest of his family. Perhaps it would be considered as a honor killing since he knew if he got caught, he would be killed eventually. His wife and children would be under a lot of pressure too. Committing a suicide was the only notable way for a man like him to die after all.
Disclaimer: I am not a Nazi or a Hitler supporter. I wrote this to bring another perspective about Hitler since it's been a long time since I've read anything with Hitler being a good leader.
Some of the websites you should check out:
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=928024
http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/2794.php
http://www.adolfthegreat.com/index.html
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There isn't really anything arguable in your presumptions. Hitler was obviously a intelligent, creative, inspiring leader, who just happened to be motivated by evil causes. If Hitler had not ever attempted to go outside Germany's borders there is little doubt in my mind that he/Germany would have become one of the most powerful nation in the world, easily surpassing the US. But as I've said before, it is very diffiuclt to predict what would have happened regarding WW2 since it was such an earth altering event, virtually nothing would be the same without WW2. But I do agree that he was a great leader, simply poorly motivated.
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted
relationships between the workers and factory owners improved - that's because the factories were essentially taken over by the government and the people were brainwashed into the fascist "work for the state Deutchland Uber Alles" mentality. Naturally, workers and their bosses would get along. They were serving the same God.
work breaks were increased for workers - that's because Soviet Hitler (yes, I just called him Soviet Hitler) ensured jobs for everyone. Needless to say, people were working less hours because there really aren't enough jobs to go around...well, until you start killing Jews.
concerts and other forms of entertainment were available at the work places - ???
crime rates went down - well, that will happen when you have a Gestapo. Crime rates went down because the government struck the population with fear of being shot on sight if out after curfew.
health and family values advanced - I don't know what this means...I don't think you know what this means. Maybe Reagan knows what this means...if he could remember.
researches on cancers were funded - and who did they experiment on? (the answer is the Jews)
education concerning health issues were started - is that really a consequence of Hitler's rule at all?
cars were made affordable to the working-class - But that happened world-wide, which has nothing to do with Hitler's rule.
new roads and bridges were built - That happens all the time.
unemployment rates decreased - because work breaks extended.
Your reasoning is rather simplistic. You don't really analyze what your saying. For instance, that "concentration camp staff" would have been court martialled and killed (or just killed) if they didn't do what they were told to do. This wasn't My Lai.
In conclusion, Adolf Hitler is Josef Stalin in a trenchcoat.
--Mike
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I find myself strangely agreeing with you.
Adolf Hitler and Stalin WERE of the same ilk.
For some reason, the democrats here opposed Hitler, but cozied up to Stalin.
Both were just as militant, both aquired great deals of land, both imposed police-state tactics, both disarmed the populace....
THANKFULLY, we fought against Hitler before his death toll reached the 100 million of Stalin.
Unfortunately, FDR and Truman buddied up to Stalin, calling him "Uncle Joe" and dismissing any reports of mass starvation or execution as 'rumor' started by 'anti-communist propaganda' (the starvations, the ussr eventually said, was caused by '70 years in a row of bad weather' . . . and the press and liberals here believed it.)
http://www.progressiveu.org/090204-dont-miss-this-chance
That depends on your definition of great leader. If you think great as worthy of praise, great by benefiting the world, he is a great guy then I have to disagree with you. If you think that great leader means a SKILLED leader, one who knows how to persuade the crwod then I have to agree with you.
DISCLAIMER: I am not being rude. I'm stating my opinion. No personal attacks are meant. Please give some leniency on how you take my words. imagine me saying them with a smile. ^__^
The odd thing is that Hitler wasn't even German--he was Austrian. I have a friend who comes from Germany and she laughs every time someone says Hitler was German or when she hears recordings of his speeches. She says his accent is really bizarre.
From her point of view (with grandparents who were Hitler Youth), Hitler essentially brainwashed the German people using a combination of brilliant speechmaking skills, an understanding of mob psychology, and a reckless disregard for human life. By making the Jews a scapegoat for the rest of the Germans to hate, he made it easy to take power. Once in power, he used the extraordinary German language to keep himself there. I understand some German and can understand his speeches pretty well, and the power in his words is unbelievable. Any kind of translation cannot compare, because the emotion the English words summons is completely different. When Hitler spoke of "Die Deutsches Volk" (or something like that, I'm not great with German grammar), the meaning was not simply "The German people." It means something much more, something that cannot be translated.
I don't agree that he was a great leader; a clever person certainly, possibly even a genius, but too twisted to qualify as a great leader. He got where he was by bullying and manipulating people and taking advantage of their emotions. A great leader is in it for the people; Hitler only helped the people because they gave him power.
CEM
His accent was weird because he spoke with the classical German accent.
--Mike
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how was he great?
Hitler had no children, and he married his mistress hours before they committed suicide together. I think he took the coward's way out so he didn't have to face the world for what he'd done, and probably be executed anyway.
He knew how to manipulate people and used scare tactics and threats to keep the people in line. I fail to see how that makes him great.
I believe one of the only reasons Hitler came to power is during extreme times, extreme leaders are usually supported. The Germans needed somebody that made them feel like Germany was a good place despite the poor economy. Hilter gave them resoluations to their economic hardships and empowered the people.
Hitler ruled with a Machiavellian attitude: "It is better to be feared than loved." Most dictators, I would say, rule in this style. Also I think he believed in Trotsky's theory that, "The ends justify the means." In Hitler's eyes kiling millions was necessary to reach his goal.
His ability to empower a country is what made him great. What he did to get there is not.
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"Is it true, said Candide, that people in Paris are always laughing?"
-Voltaire