The Downfall of Hitler

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To many World War II has been the most devastating war in human history. It

had been global military conflict that caused the loss of millions of lives

as well as material destruction. The war began in Europe in September of

1939. It ended on May 8, 1945. This day was marked by the British

government as V-E (Victory in Europe) Day. The outcome of this war left a

new world order dominated by the United States and the Soviet Union.

Adolf Hitler was born in Braunuam Inn, Austria, on April 20, 1889 and died

(committed suicide) on April 30, 1945. He was the son of a minor customs

official and a peasant girl. He had a love for reading although he never

completed high school and was rejected by the Academy of Fine Arts in

Vienna due to his lack of talent. Through reading he developed his

anti-democratic and anti-Jewish beliefs, the admiration for the outstanding

individual and contempt for the masses. By volunteering for service in the

Baverian Army during World War I, he proved himself as a dedicated and

courageous soldier. Since his sponsors felt that he lacked in leadership

quantities, he was never promoted beyond private first class. In September

1919, Hitler joined the Nationalist German Workers Party later changed its

name to the National Social German Workers (Nazi) Party. To become the

leader of Germany, he took advantage of the Great Depression of 1929 and

explained it as a Jewish Communist plot. Through promises of a strong

Germany, more jobs and national glory, he gained popularity and was

appointed chancellor in January 1933. Once in power, he established himself

as a dictator.

After World War I, Germany was dissatisfied with the outcome of the war.

There were large reparations to pay, their military power had been

restrained, they suffered and resented the territorial losses some of

which, were withheld as collateral, and Germany had been held accountable

for the entire war. Germany felt that they had been treated unjustly. Their

sense of German nationalism began to grow. Thus, Hitler withdrew Germany

from the League of Nations in October, 1933.

Hitler's first step to dominate this area failed in 1934. the first

Anschluss, which is the unification of Germany and Austria, was stopped by

Italy's Mussolini. At this time, Mussolini feared Hitler and Germany but

through the Spanish Civil War, they became allies and signed...

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... the war

because all the good men are already dead. Before Germany surrendered,

Hitler committed suicide.

Many historians have compared Hitler to Napolean. Both their failures have

been the underestimation of the Russian winter. Another of Hitler's faults

is the extreme overconfidence he possessed. Had he excepted failure in

Russia and retreated to regroup, his offensive may not have ended in

complete failure. He believed in complete domination or destruction. This

belief led to his downfall and to his decition to commit suicide.

References

Baird, Jay W. Nazi War Propoganda, 1939-1945. MineapolisUniversity of

Minnesota Press, 1974.

Collier, Basil. The Second World War: A Military History. 1967.

Massachusetts: Peter Smith, 1969.

Jacobson, H.A. and J. Rower, editors. Decisive Battles of World War IIThe

German View. New YorkG.P. Putnam Sons, 1960.

Lewin, Ronald. Hitler's Mistakes. New YorkWilliam Morrow and Company Inc.,

1984.

Van Creveld, Martin L. Hitler's Strategy 1940-1941. London: Cambridge

University Press, 1973.

Zapantis, Andrew L. Hitler's Balkan Campaign and the Invasion of the USSR.

Boulder, CO: Eastern Europe Monographs, 1987.

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