WWII+Hitler+Page+DERK

 Hitler’s Journey to Dictatorship

On August 20 1889, in an Austrian town of Braunau, a child was born with the name of Adolf Hitler. His father was Alois Hitler and mother was Karla. Adolf’s father was a vicious father. Adolf did poorly in his studies and Hitler had left secondary school in 1905 without graduating. Hitler had passion for art. He painted many things and he had sent them to the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, but his paintings had failed twice and he could not get an admission to the Academy. Then, later on in his life Karla, Adolf’s mother, passed away. Hitler then decided to go to Vienna to make a living as an artist. But unfortunately, from 1907 to 1913 he fell into depression after making postcards and advertisements for a living. At that moment in time his hatred for Jews had grown to an immense level and in his mind he had started seeing the Jews be a threat to the Aryan race. Later, he moved to Munich in 1913. In February 1914, he was recalled to Austria for a military examination. He was rejected because he was physically unfit for the job. After the break out of WWI, Hitler enthusiastically joined the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment. In the Infantry, Hitler was promoted from runner to corporal and he received the Iron Cross 1st Class on August 4, 1918. This type of job and respect gave Hitler something to follow and he had found the starting line to the road of dictatorship.
 * Hitler’s early life: **

After WWI or the Great War, Germany had crumbled after most of Germany’s Allies had surrendered. Even Kaiser had surrendered his throne. After WWI the Paris Peace Treaty, Treaty of Versailles, had convicted Germany of all the mistakes and had made Germany pay for reparations. The Treaty of Versailles was the peace settlement that put an end to WWI. The Treaty of Versailles was made by America, Italy, France, and Britain. The Treaty made four new nations from the Russian Empire including; Finland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. Yugoslavia was created from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, including Serbia and Montenegro; & Czechoslovakia was created mostly from Austrian lands. From the “war guilt clause” the treaty declared Germany as the antagonist. German army was restricted to only 100,000 men, and Germany was accountable for making reparations to the Allied nations as a punishment. That meant Germany had to pay for losses and damages sustained during war. Germany had to pay $33 billion in reparations and Germany had barley any allies left. After the Dawes Plan, Germany only had to pay $2 billion, but this was too much for Germany as well. The nations neighboring Germany loathed Germany because of the actions Germany took. Germany’s economy had decreased incalculably. Some historians believe that Treaty was less worried about world peace than it was punishing Germany. While Germany was trying to recover from its reparations the revulsion for many countries and Jews arose in the mind of Adolf Hitler.
 * The End of WWI and the Treaty of Versailles: **

In Hitler’s road to dictatorship the major weapon that was obtained by Hitler. The weapon was him being part of the German Worker’s Party. Hitler had transformed the German Worker’s Party into Nazionalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or commonly known as the Nazi Party. Later Hitler became a streetcorner orator, where he started to insult Germany’s enemies such as other nations, communists, and Jews. Between November 8-9, 1923, Hitler led the Munich Beer Hall Putsch where he tried to take control of the Bavarian government. He had failed in doing so and Hitler was seen as a rebellion and was put in jail for 5 years. During the 5 years Hitler was in jail, and he wrote a book called, “Mein Kampf” (“My Struggle”). In the book he emphasized Nazism and eternal opposition to Jews, Communists, and exploitive capitalists. He also expressed his views on racial purification and living space or //Lebensraum// in central Europe and in Russia. After Hitler was released in 1930, the Nazi Party poled 6 ½ million votes in Germany’s election. Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by Poul von Hidenberg on January 30, 1933. After Hitler became Chancellor. 1 ½ later he became dictator.
 * The Rise of Hitler and Nazis in post-WWI Germany: **

Hitler and the Nazi Party became very popular and Adolf Hitler became known world wide. On March 23, 1933, Hitler put together the Enabling Act which contracted him 4 years of dictatorial power. In 1934 he murdered Ernst Roehm, an army staff officer, and other Nazi’s who would change their minds on Hitler’s plan about absolute domination. He was known for his private army called //storm troopers.// Most of the “Brown Shirts” were changed to the SS by the //F// //ührer. //The murders that Hitler committed he didn’t get punished for. That showed that he had become a vile dictator. In 1935, Hitler changed the Nuremberg Racial Laws so they would take away the citizenship of Jews. In 1936, Hitler had made an alliance with Benito Mussolini, the fascist leader of Italy. In a short period of time he annexed Austria, Czechoslovakia, and split ½ of Poland with the Soviet Union. Hitler served from 1933 to 1945 and he was known as the //Führer.//
 * Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany and then how he becomes dictator: **


 * Additional Points **

Anti-Semitism was a hostile behavior toward Jews. Hitler expressed this behavior when the Holocaust occurred. Approximately 6 million Jews died in gas chambers, starvation, and diseases. During the holocaust Hitler found several ways to get Jews killed. Hitler had blamed Jews for everything bad that had happened to Germany, from the loss of WWI to Germany’s economy problems. Adolf Eichmann was an SS official. He committed genocide and he ran away. He was discovered in 1961 in Argentina and he was sent to Israel, where he was executed. Blitzkrieg is translated into "lightning war." Blitzkrieg was a war tactic used by the Germans. This tactic helped them to take over neighboring countries hurriedly. Gestapo was Hitler’s Nazi secret police force. Gestapo would usually guard the gates that would separate ghettos. At times Gestapo would let you cross from one side to another but at times if they didn’t like your face they would simply shoot you. The SS or //Schutzstaffel// served as Hitler's bodyguards. The SS was a dominant group and their job was to spread chaos and fulfill appalling activities. The SS were in charge of several camps just like the Gestapo.
 * Anti-Semitism **
 * Adolf Eichmann**
 * Blitzkrieg**
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Gestapo **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">SS **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Primary Documents: **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">AUSCHWITZ **

<span style="color: black; font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the gate is the entrance to Auschwitz, Germany’s largest concentration camp during WWI. The German words above the gate, “Arbeit Macht Frei” means, “Work Sets You Free.” In front of these gates was where Gestapo and the SS stood to guard.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">When the full extent of the Holocaust became known, the Allied countries of France, Great Britain, the United States, and the USSR forced Nazi leaders to stand trial at war crimes tribunals for "crimes against humanity." A tribunal of eight judges, two each from the victorious powers, tried 182 defendants, including numerous high-ranking officials. Eleven were sentenced to death.
 * NUREMBERG TRIALS**


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Citation **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Axelrod, Alan, and Charles Phillips. "Hitler, Adolf." //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dictators and Tyrants: Absolute Rulers and Would-Be Rulers in World History. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> New York: Facts On File, Inc., 1995.//American History Online//. Facts On File, Inc. []

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Edelen, Annamarie. "Treaty of Versailles." In Faue, Elizabeth, and Gary B. Nash, eds. //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Encyclopedia of American History: The Emergence of Modern America, 1900 to 1928 //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, Revised Edition (Volume VII). New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2010. //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">American History Online //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">. Facts On File, Inc. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none;">[]

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Edelen, Annamarie. "World War I." In Faue, Elizabeth, and Gary B. Nash, eds. //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Encyclopedia of American History: The Emergence of Modern America, 1900 to 1928 //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, Revised Edition (Volume VII). New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2010. //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">American History Online //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">. Facts On File, Inc. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none;">[]

<span style="color: #121917; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Entrance gate at Auschwitz." Image. Corel. //<span style="color: #121917; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Daily Life through History //<span style="color: #121917; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. [] 18 Sept. 2011.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Nuremberg Trials." National Archives and Records Administration. //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">American History Online //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?

ItemID=WE52&iPin=AHI1038&SingleRecord=True

<span style="color: #121917; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Salisbury, Joyce E. and Andrew E. Kersten. "Anti-Semitism in Europe: Modern World." //<span style="color: #121917; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Daily Life through History //<span style="color: #121917; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">.ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. [] 18 Sept. 2011.

<span style="color: #121917; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Soumerai, Eve Nussbaum and Carol D. Schulz. "Coping with Life in a Concentration Camp." //<span style="color: #121917; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Daily Life through History //<span style="color: #121917; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">.ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. [] 18 Sept. 2011.