Did I miss something in my WW II history regarding Hitler?

[WItoTX]

I googled Hitlers early years
pretty much identified as a raciest in about 1909 going forward

Nah, he really wasn't until the end of WWI, when he claimed the Jews (Among other impure races) in his country were who caused Austria to lay down rather than fight when they hadn't lost yet, and their country had never been occupied.

Now his early years he was ****** off, but he was basically a gypsy, and broke. He was a failed painter, who sold his watercolors as that stock photo you get when you buy a picture frame. WWI was was saved him from poverty.

[Big Al]

The unnamed adult sounds as smart as Obama's minion, Anita Dunn, White House Communications Director, who stated in an address to high school students that Chairman Mao Tse-tung was one of the two "philosophers" she most often turns to.

[WItoTX]

I had read an interesting article written by a Austrian citizen on how Hitler was able to take over their country without firing a shot. He simple led people to believe they would be much better off under Socialism. He promised many things free education, free food, better housing for free etc. then once he took control he began the slow destruction of the country my controlling what they read, mandatory service to the government etc. So in that regard yes he was a great leader just a very evil one.

I think you mean Germany. He fled Austria because Gemany was more "pure".

[Playa]

Just based of the definition of leadership Hitler was problem one of the greatest leaders ever. There is no denying that he was able to take Germany from near ruins and turn them into one of the biggest superpowers the world has ever seen. You don't have to like his politics or his values but you can't deny what he was able to accomplish.

The same can be said of Putin. His is a thug but you can't discount his leadership. You have to respect that because if you don't and discount him you end up with a Hitler on your hands.

No denying he was a great leader, it is a requisite of all dictators, otherwise how would they accumulate so much power to begin with. The statement in question and factually documented as patently false is that he wasn't a racist from early on.

[SoTxHunter]

Never underestimate the power of a great SPEAKER. He would grab onto the podium and yell into the microphone in big rallies. The German people had not recovered after WWI and their country was in shambles. He was great at electrifying and arousing the German people into believing that he could make Germany the most powerful and richest country for the next 1000 years. He blamed the Allies after the Treaty of Versailles and it was easy to manipulate the German people at a very vulnerable time in their history. I would not say he was a great leader because he ruled and led with fear and intimidation. He would have his own generals shot if they were not loyal or disobeyed his orders. Remember, there were several attempts on his life. He was loony and heavily dependent on drugs--NOT A GREAT LEADER!!!

[Playa]

I think you mean Germany. He fled Austria because Gemany was more "pure".

No he is correct, Austria was Hitler's 1st victory and it required no battle, only to stoke the embers of what remained of the alliance between Germany and Austria from WWI

[Trust]

Some on these responses are exactly in line with my thinking such as he was a great leader in having people follow him blindly and technology advances related to the war effort.

But, I can not see how you would say he "fell in" with a racist crowd when Mein Kempf was written in 1925 and he was names Chancellor of Germany in '33 to garner completed power.

Needless to say I was floored and what the "not to be named adult" said about Hitler goes along other things said such as "interrogating children" and groups of kids gathered on the playground in groups of 5 of more will be "interrogated" and considered a gang.

Needless to say this is the "not to be named adults" 1st year and I don't see a 2nd year of employment happening, at least in our school district.

[bdchorn]

I don't think you "missed" anything but it is amazing what is not taught in our schools. Read the Rape of Nanking as one example. Maybe things have changed in the last 30 years but the Japanese / Chinese atrocities were nothing more than a footnote when I was in school. Horrible stuff

[WItoTX]

No he is correct, Austria was Hitler's 1st victory and it required no battle, only to stoke the embers of what remained of the alliance between Germany and Austria from WWI

Ahh yeah, my bad, I misunderstood the original statement. You are correct.

[Crazy Horse]

Hitler had spread his beliefs of racial "purity" and in the superiority of what he called an Aryan "master race" from day one...

Hitler hated Jewish people for several reasons, foremost he blamed the Jews for the loss of WWI & the economic crisis that crippled Germany...

Hitler was a charismatic man who knew how to play to a crowd & could get people to follow him with his words. He was a great leader that rescued Germany, BUUUUUT...

Hitler was essentially a military tactic idiot.
He was a government person, and he was not fit to command any army.
When faced with a military campaign, he basically knew nothing of tactics, or what weapons would be successful in war (which is strange because he was a soldier in WWI).

Had he left his forces in the hands of his very capable generals, Hitler's Reich, and his genocidal goals might have come to fruition...

Basically Germany lost the war because of his military incompetence, and had the attempts on his life by his own generals been successful, then the war might have turned out differently...and quite possible world domination by the Germans...

Luckily for us he remained in place, and continued to make incompetent decisions time after time.
Many debate the out come had Germany (per Hitler) not attacked Russia..



.

[Clay C]

Hitler was a spawn of Satan, and one of the most evil men in the history of the world.

Not even close.

Edit: Sorry I thought your post said THE most evil man in history.

He was absolutely one of the most evil human beings ever to walk the earth.

[bdchorn]

Not even close.

Edit: Sorry I thought your post said THE most evil man in history.

He was absolutely one of the most evil human beings ever to walk the earth.

There are several evil men throughout history, but surely Hitler is top 5. I'm curious who you rank above him?

Ahhh........never mind. Just saw your edit

[WItoTX]

Never underestimate the power of a great SPEAKER. He would grab onto the podium and yell into the microphone in big rallies. The German people had not recovered after WWI and their country was in shambles. He was great at electrifying and arousing the German people into believing that he could make Germany the most powerful and richest country for the next 1000 years. He blamed the Allies after the Treaty of Versailles and it was easy to manipulate the German people at a very vulnerable time in their history. I would not say he was a great leader because he ruled and led with fear and intimidation. He would have his own generals shot if they were not loyal or disobeyed his orders. Remember, there were several attempts on his life. He was loony and heavily dependent on drugs--NOT A GREAT LEADER!!!

The treaty of Versailles was what created the 2nd world war. German was paying massive reparations to France, and no one in Germany liked it. France boomed after WWI, while Germany suffered. Technically it was the Allies fault, because they crammed the treaty (Mainly France) down Germany's throat.

If they had used Woodrow Wilson's 14 point plan, Germany would have been far better off after WWI, and good chance WWII never happens.

[WItoTX]

There are several evil men throughout history, but surely Hitler is top 5. I'm curious who you rank above him?

Ahhh........never mind. Just saw your edit

I'd give him top 5. My book:

1. Alexander the Great
2. Alexander the Great's dad
3. Stalin
4. Hitler

[SaltwaterSlick]

I had read an interesting article written by a Austrian citizen on how Hitler was able to take over their country without firing a shot. He simply led people to believe they would be much better off under Socialism. He promised many things free education, free food, better housing for free etc. then once he took control he began the slow destruction of the country my controlling what they read, mandatory service to the government etc. So in that regard yes he was a great leader just a very evil one.

DANG! This sounds a LOT like the Democrat Party! Sure glad Hitlery didn't win the presidency!