Quote:
Originally Posted by icenine
Actually he was elected....he won a plurality of votes in 1932 was a member of a coalition of various politicians that were trying to set up a Government under Hindenburg. He had to get two other rivals out of the way Von Papen and a guy named Schliecher and became Chancellor in early 1933.
I do not know where you get the idea he was not elected to an office. You have to remember that he made the decision to use legitimate means to achieve elective office after the failed coup of 1923.
He used the system to destroy it of course.
Hitler was very popular and I do not buy the myth that he sort of hoodwinked everyone. If you watch some of the footages of the rallies (the early Nuremberg ones) you will see women swooning when they see him.
People wanted him to fix Germany's economic system and some historians can point out similarities between his efforts to end the Depression in Germany and the New Deal programs FDR was trying in the States at the same time.
I am sure the Germans who supported him during his time as Dictator did not see him as criminal.
You do not get within 16 miles of Moscow with a willing German army perceiving their Commander In Chief as a "criminal".
The use of the term criminal in relation to the Third Reich is a euphemism to me.
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Last first--I hardly mean 'criminal' to be an ephumism. I think it's very bad. Maybe if I used the word 'sociopathic' you'd feel better about it? My main point in using it is to avoid 'over-exceptionalizing' the Nazis. There is this attitude that Hitler and his gang were in some way unique, were special in their evil. But if you look at their activities from the beginning through the 20's they are replete with all sorts of typical criminality--blackmail, extortion, assault, poisoning, murder. Hitler strategized to obtain political power, not just 'gangster power' and riches, which is different from the usual criminal gang. But their attitudes were criminal. They did nasty criminal stuff not just because it worked for them. They did it because that's how they thought--that's how they were.
There is danger in over-exceptionalizing the Nazi's--it leads to 'it can't happen again' and 'it can't happen here.' I'm here to tell everyone to watch out--it can.
(Continued on next rock)