Personal Loss To Hitler example essay topic

Hitler Fell... Many aspects of World War Two have been the cause for debate for many years. Not only has the loss of Germany been discussed at great lengths, also have the reasons. It can be said that although much thought and fact has been taken into consideration when discussing Germany's loss as a whole; not as much attention has been given to that of the loss of Hitler as a man and a leader. Germany's loss of World War Two was not only a loss on behalf of the country as a whole, but a personal loss to Hitler. Why was this such a loss to Hitler?

Why did he experience a personal downfall? How did he create his own demise? There are many reasons as to why this is so, but the fact that his ideas were behind the war is a reason why it was not only Germany's downfall, but Hitler's also. He was a man of influence in Germany; the timing was right, and he was in the hot spot. He was the leader of a highly populated European country, he wanted more for himself and for his people. He had ideas, he made decisions based on them.

What were his ideas? What was behind them, what did he intend them to accomplish? Where did they lead, and how did this lead to a countrywide and worldwide loss, and even a personal loss? In discussing some of Hitler's ideas such as, lebensraum (which ties in with treaty issues), purity of the state of Germany and a zeal for his people and the desire to make changes for the betterment of his country; it will be seen that although his ideas might have been initially pure, they led to the war, the downfall of Germany and ultimately Hitler's own personal demise.

What were his ideas? What were his visions for a more pure Germany? What did he want for his people, for himself? Firstly, today, Hitler is seen as a white supremacist. He wanted all of Germany to be pure. Why was this so?

In Germany at the time, the economic status of the country was not very good. Hitler saw the Jews as to be shrewd business people who were taking advantage of the poor German economic situation. They were convincing the lay German people to sell their land (which was all they had) for the German Deutsch mark, which was virtually worthless. Therefore, the people who had fallen into the Jewish 'trap' had been taken advantage of. The Jews then were buying up much of Germany and had more power than Hitler had appreciated. His ideas of making Germany pure initially started there.

He wanted the German people to have a chance at maintaining jobs and land, not to be taken advantage of. The best possible way in Hitler's mind was to persecute the Jews. His intentions were good, but the execution of them was not. Another good intention of Hitler was his idea of 'lebensraum' for his people, which in a direct translation means, 'more living space. ' '3. We demand land and territory (colonies) for the maintenance of our people and the settlement of our surplus population.

' (Adolf Hitler, pg. 1, The 25 points of Hitler's Nazi Party) Germany was and is now the most populous and most dense of European nations. The natural resources and agriculture of the land alone was not enough to support the population. Germany as a whole, was forced to accept an unfair agreement that limited the country's industry, thereby depriving the country of what it needed to be on terms of high scale trade with more agricultural nations. The country needed money and work. The unemployment rate in Germany between the wars was quite high as was the inflation rate. Most money entered the German economy by way of charity from other countries.

The Treaty of Versailles had taken away the Sudetenland, a small area of land consisting of the previously conquered areas of Prussia and also around the western side near France. Also, unlike Britain, France and other European nations, Germany was without colonial states. These too were taken away after WWI by the Treaty of Versailles. To the German people, there was not enough room in their home country, no opportunity for the betterment of the economy and no room for the expansion of land. Hitler's response to these problems was to take back the land he felt they deserved and needed. Next we ask ourselves, what did his ideas show about him?

'4. Only those who are our fellow countrymen can become citizens. Only those who have German blood, regardless of creed, can be our countrymen. Hence no Jew can be a countryman. ' (Hitler, pg 1) By Hitler trying to implement white supremacy, he showed the world that his ideals were foolish because they were virtually unattainable. Did he not think of future consequences?

Did he not realize that all humans have rights and that to segregate Aryans from the rest of the world even in that day was going to lose him respect? It is true that he might have had a hint of good intention for his German people, but that does not justify the extent to which his ideas drove him and his people. Hitler either saw the consequence and did not care to realize the drastic nature of the outcome; or he really just wasn't prepared. Perhaps he did not realize that the treaties signed in previous years still were valid and would have a domino effect should he invade.

When Hitler invaded Belgium, he openly disregarded the treaty of St. Germain issued in 1919. This invasion involved the countries who were tied to treaties and thus he started a war. A world war, one who's magnitude has not yet been matched until even today. That has to be a downfall, when is war a good thing? War is expensive for a country, decreases country morale and the loss of population (primarily healthy males of working age) does not help the economy. Not only did his ideas provoke a world war, they caused the world to lose all respect for not only Germany, but Hitler himself.

Why didn't Hitler's ideas work? The main reason Hitler's ideas didn't work was because they lead to war. Also, Hitler never thought about the consequence of previous treaties (e.g. the Treaty of St. Germain protecting the neutrality of Belgium), in the end he, his troops and his country lost the war. They lost for many reasons. Too many countries stepping in such as Britain, France, Russia and the United States of America, equaled a catastrophe for Hitler, he ended up with a war on two fronts. Hitler may have been prepared for a war but surely not a world war.

A bigger problem is, when Hitler was taken to war, he began to make it personal. Hitler kept pushing, he was stubborn. He must have taken many things personally. He must have felt responsible for many problems in Germany and in the world.

Not only were his ideas the root of most actions, they lead to death and destruction to his own people. Surely this could not have been is his master plan (if there was one). Not only did he and his country get defeated, the world knew who he was and what he did. Most would say even today, that he committed a heinous crime to the people of the world and primarily the Jews. Because of this, the tables turned, instead of him fulfilling his dreams of being a great leader of a great European country, and for making decisions for the betterment of the German people; he made a name for himself that the world would not and will not ever forget. Surely he experienced a personal downfall.

There is no way that he did not. If he was the great leader that he believed himself to be, then he obviously experienced defeat, because his people did. All of these above mentioned points have proven to show that Hitler's ideas not only started a world war, (not yet to be matched even to this day) but led to personal downfall. Hitler did not achieve his ideals. Yes, he had some good ideas for his people and the betterment of his country, but no, he did not achieve his ideals to their fullest extent. In the end, what does today's average layman have to say about Hitler?

What response is given when his name is heard? Surely you do not see a smile on one's face when his name and accomplishments are mentioned. Not only did he fall away from his original plans and get utterly defeated, all the ideas that he strove for turned around and kicked him in the face. The tables turned for Hitler.

He wanted respect from the world, he got hatred. Many would say then and today that Hitler is the anti-Christ and the devil. Many express hatred towards a man they have never met and probably do not know much about. How is that not a downfall. Hitler definitely fell hard. He lost all he was striving for and ultimately led Germany into shackles and chains.

He wanted his people to be free and they were separated and monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He accomplished nothing but hatred, dissent, racism and corruption among not only the Germans, but the world.

Bibliography

Murray, Bill 'Living in Vienna, 1890-1939', History Today, (May 1996) pg.
2 Abelard. ' The 25 Pints to Hitler's Nazi Party. ' The Psychology and Development of Adolf Hitler. December 28 2000.