Figure 1.--The great bulk of the German people, even after 6 yeas of NAZI propaganda did not want another War. Hitler knew from the beginning, however, tht he could not achieve his objectives without a war. And when he finally launched the War, the German people supported him. This seems to be a family that stronly supported the Führer. Note his portrait on the wall and the NAZI flag behind the tree. The boy here is playing with Lineol (composition) toy soldiers. Metal was needed for the War.

One of the major charges in the political campaigns before Hitler and the NAZIs seized power was that he would launch another war. There were still many terrible memories of World War I. Hitler at first pursued a moderate foreign policy while launching a vast new rearmament program. And as Hitler began to pursue a more agressive foreign policy, the results were spectacular. The German people were elated with the success of Hitler and the NAZIs in regaining the Saarland (1935), remilitarizing the Rhineland (1936), uniting with Austria--the Anschluss (1938), and finally reclaiming the Sudetenland (1938)--all without war. It is unquestionable that Hitler was enormously popular with the German people. Had he stopped with the Sdetenland, there would have been no War and Hitler would have been the most popular German starsman since Bismarck. Hitler had asured Chamberlain that he wanted no Czechs in the Reich. He was, however, actually disappointed at Munich. He felt that Chaberlain had denied him his war in 1938. He kept his plan to launch a new war from the German people whose martial spirit in early 1939 disppointed him. There are many indications that there was no desire for war anong the great bulk of the German people. War when it came at first resulted in spectacular German victories nd very limited casualties. This added to Hitler's popularity. Germans, even many doubters, began to believe increasingly in Hitler and his program. Hitler for his part was an extrodinarily effective politican. He did not want to be a politican, he wanted to be a great German war leader and he was determined to go down in history as the German war commander that would reshape Europe and history.

Campaign Charges

One of the major charges in the political campaigns before Hitler and the NAZIs seized power was that he would launch another war. There were still many terrible memories of World War I.

Moderate Foreign Policy

Hitler at first pursued a moderate foreign policy while launching a vast new rearmament program. This disappointed some of his committed followers, especially the Party army-the SA Stormtroopets. Hitler had two reasons for his initial moderation. The first was to avoid Allied intervention while Germany was still milkitarily weak. This was, however, not his only reason. While his habds were still not firmly in control pn the levers of power, he did not want to alienate the German public who were still firmly opposed to another War. Many had not voted for him and were concdrned anbout charges thst he would lead Germany into another disasterous war.

Early Aggressions

And as Hitler began to pursue a more agressive foreign policy, the results were spectacular. The German people were elated with the success of Hitler and the NAZIs in regaining the Saarland (1935), remilitarizing the Rhineland (1936), uniting with Austria--the Anschluss (1938), and finally reclaiming the Sudetenland (1938)--all without war. It is unquestionable that Hitler was enormously popular with the German people. But this was not only because of his achievements, but bdecause he had avoilded war. Had he stopped with the Sdetenland, there would have been no War and Hitler would have been the most popular German starsman since Bismarck.

Hitler and War

Hitler had asured Chamberlain that he wanted no Czechs in the Reich. He was, however, actually disappointed at Munich. He felt that Chaberlain had denied him his war in 1938. He kept his plan to launch a new war from the German people whose martial spirit in early 1939 disppointed him. He was unquestinably a brilliant politiciuan. He did not, however, like what politics required, compromise and in his case deception. What he most admired was military prowess and martial skills.

Martial Spirit

There are many indications that there was no desire for war anong the great bulk of the German people. He was not pleased during the Munich Crisis when a kind of national gloom descended upon Berlin. There was none of the entthusiam and war fever he remembered at the onset of World war I. And the same was true when war finally came. American journalistWillian Shirer recalls the reaction of Berliners to news that war had begun. Unlike World War I, Germans beyond their 20s knew what war meant, this is what separated the popuilasr mood in 1939 from that in 1914. As he walked the streets of Berlin, Shirer found 'on the faces of tge people astonishment, depression'. [Shirer]

Stunning Victories

War when it came at first resulted in spectacular German victories and very limited casualties. This added to Hitler's popularity. Germans, even many doubters, began to believe increasingly in Hitler and his program. Hitler for his part was an extrodinarily effective politican. He did not want to be a politican, he wanted to be a great German war leader and he was determined to go down in history as the German war commander that would reshape Europe and history.

Reverses

Sources

Shirer, William. Berlin Diary (1941). Shrier who spoke German, knew the both the German people and the vNAZIs intimentally. His book after the War, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich isa onumental work.

Created: 3:32 AM 2/5/2009
Last updated: 11:17 PM 12/21/2011