History Courses For Dr. Christopher C. Lovett
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History Courses For Dr. Christopher C. Lovett |
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Updated as of 2 October 05 Today in History: On October 2, 1780, Major John André, a British spy associated with Benedict Arnold, was executed on this day in history. Quote of the Day: "In my view we are much worse off now than when we went into Iraq. This is not a partisan position. I voted for these guys." A senior figure at a military-sponsored think tank as told to James Fallows in "Bush's Lost Year" in The Atlantic Monthly (Oct. 2004) Take the Ann Coulter Quiz Where are you politically? Take the Neocon Quiz and find out. "History is Far too Important to be left to History Professors" Teaching isn't such a novel idea
Bibliography:
History of Disease Contemporary Terrorist Organizations Map of Islamic Terrorist Cells in the U.S.A.
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The Nazis Come to PowerThe HolocaustSpring 2007The Mystical Hitler• Hitler’s entry into politics started in 1919 as a police spy for the Intelligence Commando of the Reichswehr.• His job was to not only spy on the emerging parties in Bavaria, but to also manipulate other German veterans to support rightwing parties.• Instead he joined the DAP created by Anton Drexler.Dietrich Eckart• One of the people that influenced Hitler at this time was Dietrich Eckart.• Who was a member of the Thule Society.• The real objected of this organization was to promote the hatred of the Jews and support the racial purity of Germans.• Eckart taught Hitler how to speak and dress and served as his guide into respectable German Society.What Contributed to the Nazi’s Appeal?• The German defeat in the war.• The provisions of the Versailles Treaty.• A perception of victimization by the Allies.• All this was popular with the extreme right.• And won some supporters among elements within the Reichswehr.What Germany Lost in World War I• All gains from treaties with Russia and Rumania.• Lost Poland and Alsace-Lorraine.• Lost Eupen and Malmedy to Belgium.• Lost Memel to Lithuania.• Lost the Polish Corridor to Poland.• Danzig became a free city.• The Saar would be administered by the League of Nations for 15 years.• A plebiscite would determine the fate of Schleswig.• German war criminals would be tried.• Germany would have to pay reparations.Military Provision of Versailles• The Army limited to 100,000 men.• No aircraft.• No cadet schools, academies, or General Staff.• No submarines.• No warships larger than 10,000 tons.Map of Versailles SettlementThe Situation After the Beer Hall Putsch• After the collapse of the Putsch, Hitler flees.• Contemplates suicide.• Turns Party over to Alfred Rosenberg.• Uses the trial as a stage to attack Weimar.• He was sentenced to five years imprisonment for treason at Landsberg Prison (April 1, 1924) and released after ten months (December 20, 1924).Hitler’s Limitations• Hitler was banned from public speaking and turned the Party over to Gregor Stasser to organize the Party in North Germany.• Later Hitler will formalize the Führerprinzip.• This is the Leader Principle.• That some are born to rule.• But the Party was in serious trouble because Germany was experiencing an economic recovery.• Why was that?The Turning Point for Hitler• Was the coming of the Great Depression.• The Weimar Republic had too many enemies and was attacked by all anti-democratic parties.• The Weimar government helped them by not effectively responding to the economic crisis.• By September 1930 the Nazis come from nowhere to win 18.3% of the vote and 107 seats in the Reichstag.Why Were The Nazis So Effective?• The captured Nationalist symbols.• Use of intimidation.• Appealed to the middle class.• Created a sense of inevitability.• Appeared as “victims.”• Use of fear of the unemployed.• Constant Elections.• Use of Propaganda.• Appeared to be all things to all people.The Failure of the Democratic Parties• The German Chancellor Heinrich Brüning worked from a position of weakness.• He never had a majority.• Had to rely on Paul von Hindenburg’s willingness to rule by executive decree.• And he didn’t want to use deficient spending either.• Consequently the situation became worse and worse as the Depression deepened in Germany.Hitler Won Support from All Elements in Germany• He appealed to Farmers• The Middle Class• War Veterans• Everyone who had experienced the pain of the hyperinflation.• But one group that did not fully embrace the Nazis was the urban workers.• Especially those in Red Berlin.But Hitler Had Problems Too• Geli Raubal was Hitler’s niece and some contend that she may have been his lover too.• This was not totally unusual for the Hitlers, since Hitler’s mother, Klara may have been Hitler’s father’s niece.• She was born in Linz in 1908 and was found dead in Hitler’s apartment on September 19, 1931, she was only 23.• Was it suicide? Murder? Or What?The Gossip• The Munich police were not totally dispassionate since they were heavily infiltrated by Nazis.• Also by this time Hitler was also seeing Ava Braun.• Also there was speculation that Geli was also seeing someone else too.• Rumors persisted that Hitler shot her for being unfaithful to him.Using Unemployment Against the GovernmentThe Depression Helped the Nazis Become the Largest Party in Germany
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