For this chapter I will be discussing what I found to
be the most interesting aspect of these chapters in my opinion, which is the
leading up to WWII and Hitler’s leadership in the country beginning at WWI. As previously
stated in my last blog, many of the changes happening after the end of the Holy
Roman Empire, created many questions of identity in the Germany eyes, leaving
them desperate to find these answers.
-France WWI-
Germany went into WWI believing that it would be over
in a matter of weeks (Schulze, 191). They believed that this would be possible
through the Schlieffen plan. The general staffs strategy could work if and only
if the Germans won decisive victories (Schulze, 192). Through 1914-1918,
Germans dug themselves in because they barely moved. Because of this, the
enthusiasm at home started dying of the years. Protestant leaders, religious
and military workers started protesting that this was now an act of Satan and
should no longer be done. This was just the beginning. During this time, with
spirits running low on the home land, there was now food shortages that plagued
the nation. “As far as the management of food supplies was concerned, the war
was already lost by the beginning of the third year” (Schulze, 193). Although this
battle was still taking place, it was clear that there would no longer be a victory
in sight. The Germans began this battle pushing to answer the identity
questions they’ve had for many years, but this battle just left them defeated
in every sense possible. The next problem to arise was changing the government
from an authoritarian government to a democratic one. But this wouldn’t be as
hard as they assumed. They only needed to change a few sentences written in the
Bismarck Constitution. The German people didn’t necessarily understand the
changes that were now being made, but they believed the progress to peace was
through these changes. With this new form of government the people needed to
have a voice and through the voting 76% of the country voted for the new government
and were happy! Until May 7, 1919 when the allies spoke out and took away their
land and power, leaving themselves unable to protect their people in anyway.
The allies forced the Germans to sign the treaty of Versailles, which places
the Germans under legal sanctions, demilitarization of the any military power,
economically ruined, and politically humiliated. The leaders chose to sign this
in order to help their people, but this led to creating the platform of the
rising and falling of the Weimar Republic.
-Hyperinflation during the Weimar Republic-
During the Weimar Republic, the Social Democratic
Party continued to try to hold together the pieces of the country that were
left torn apart by the allies created. But some of these policies were not what
the right-wing parties wanted (Schulze, 215). Between 1924-1929, Stresemann led
the country in regaining its identity, but worn out from constant domestic
(national) struggle, he had a heart attack and passed away. After passing away
Bruning became president but shorty resigning on May 30, 1932. In this time,
Hitler came to public’s eye with his National Societal Germans Word Party. He
was talented and charismatic and held it together, which is exactly what the
people needed. The new president Hindenburg, didn’t trust Hitler and waited
until the last moment possible to establish him as the chancellor. January 30,
1933 Hitler became the official chancellor marking the end of the Weimar
republic (Schulze, 243). He only did
this because his other political advisors wanted this and so did the people.
But once in power he made his move. The
first motion he started was pushing the signing of the Enabling Act. What this
act did was made it legal to make decisions and laws without the legislature’s approval.
He then started to convince the people through positive and negative
reinforcements. He created fear in the people and especially in his opposes.
Ernst Rohm was the chief of staff for the SA that was assonated. It was soon
discovered the Hitler’s Nazis were found to be the hand in his unfortunate death.
He started using propaganda and the silencing of academic leaders from changing
any view from straying from his own personal agenda. March 12, 1938 Germans
marched into Austria seizing force and creating an example the whole world was
meant to fear. Soon Hitler also declared war on the United States of America,
only four days after Japan. His main goal in this was to make sure that the US didn’t
come to terms with Japan and make amends before his goal was met. If the US was
fighting Japan it would be preoccupied and without additional resource and although
his hopes were large, he knew that the Western Allies could stop him if given
the chance.
-Hitler-
These were just the beginnings of what he implemented across
the world and too many individuals of certain demographics. Although this mas
was truly someone to fear and hate, he was ingenious is his technique of
gaining power through fear and also use of authority. I also find this
extremely interesting because of Zimbardo’s further testing of authority in the
psychology world, which is my academic field. What’s most interesting is how
Zimbardo research and looked into how Hitler created such a huge level of trust
in the people and how a majority of how it happened was through his general authority
as chancellor of Germany.
