Hitler Myth and Propaganda Content

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• Hitler Myth vs Hitler Reality

1. People started to believe in him once he had admitted to the Night of the Long Knives as they believed he would sort out many of the SA if he knew about it as he had that night
2. Reduction in unemployment and actions to protect German Farmers showed he was getting grips of the German economic problems

1. Propaganda Methods

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   • Methods of Propaganda
   1. Used to promote the Cult of the Fuhrer
2. What People Wanted
   1. During the Weimar Period many regarded the Government as backstabbers and nicknamed them the 'November Criminals'
      1. Many wanted a return of traditional values for order and for a heroic figure. So there was a major political culture which was anti-democratic and were readily receptive of Nazi Propaganda
3. Suppression
   1. By brutally suppressing the left-wing partys Hitler won the support of the middle and upper classes.
      1. By suppressing the SA he proved his strength, determination and ruthlessness
4. Events such as opening of the Reichstag after the March 1933 election had to be carefully stage-managed to create a piece of pure political theatre with Hitler as the central character.

1. Recovery -
   1. pumped money into building homes and autobahns
   2. stimulated consumer demand by giving tax concessions and grant to particular groups
   3. Giving subsidies to private firms to encourage them to take on more workers
   4. Controls on wages and prices to control inflation
   5. Introduced 'New Plan' '34 to control Germany's foreign trade and improve the country's balance of payment
   6. First steps toward rearmament
2. Rearmament and war economy
   1. Rearmament
      1. Many people wanted to destroy the Treaty of Versailles but was also fearful of war. Hitler's build up and propaganda over war won the public over more but there was still no overwhelming joy like in 1914
      2. Conscription and rearmament in 1925 was welcomed by the Germans and there was great enthusiasm over the re-occupation of the Rhineland in 1936 as well as for Anschluss in March 38.
      3. There was a slight decline in support when Germany invaded the Sudetanland as it appeared that France and Britain might actually go to war over it Munich Appeasement however boosted Hitlers image as a skilled statesman
      4. Germany's success in Blitzkrieg enhanced Hitler's reputation especially in 1940 when France was easily defeated
   2. Problems
      1. Decline in support (35-36)
         1. low wages, food shortages and high unemployment waned the enthusiasm of support
            1. However, success in foreign and defence policy helped maintain the idea of Hitler Myth
      2. Balance of Payment and shortage of foreign exchange
      3. Food shortages, rising prices and lower living standard
      4. Schacts was much too cautious and slow
      5. A new Four Year Plan was devised and taken over by Goering - controls on labour supply, prices, raw materials and foreign exchange - settling production targets for private companies to meet - New State-owned industrial plants - increasing production of commodities - encouragig research and investment into the production of substitute products which would reduce Germany's dependance on imports
3. Short-term: Prioritised economic recovery from the Depression and reduction of unemployment.
4. Long-term: Create an economy capable of sustaining a major rearmament programme and geared to the need of a future war. ' economic autarky' in food and vital raw materials

Attachments:

• Hitler Myth vs Hitler Reality

1. Total War
2. 1914/1939; 1930's aims to instill military spirit into the German people although there was support in opposition of ToV, enthusiasm for war was met with limited success
   1. There was no cheering on the day the Second World War had been declared like there had been back in 1914
3. Blitzkreig
   1. There was flag-waving and rejoice over the initial victories of the Blitzkreig However this was in response to directions from local Nazi Party officders
   2. Maintaining morale in these first couple of years of easy victories was easy However Hitler made sure that war did not impose too much on the civilian population, there were no major squeeze on consumption and production
   3. Made it seem as though Germany was on the defensive 'Germany is fighting for it's freedom, fir it's honour, for it's future' - Goebbles
4. Stalingrad
   1. There was no immediate change in propaganda. However once the Eastern Front were hit with the Russian winters Gobbels ordered a more sober and realistic tone
      1. Air raids and cuts in food rationing damaged morale
         1. Change in Propaganda
            1. Anti-Bolshevism; used to frighten Germans with the threat of Soviet invasion Encouraged to keep up the fight
            2. Anti-Semitism; Major preoccupation 'war guilt of international Jewry which, through its Bolshevist-plutocratic satellites has imposed thsi struggle
            3. Strengthening Resolve; Goebbles concerned cumulative effect of the air-raids and high casualty rates suffered by the civilian population would weaken the resolve of the German people to continue the war
            4. Retaliation; The Country stioll possessed the means, and the will, to strike back at the enemy Hopes were kept alive by claims that Germany possessed a secret weapon of mass destruction which would be used at the appropriate moment - flying bombs 1944
5. Overall impact