Munich 1938 - Appeasement or buying time?

[Hagar]

Hitler was a guy like you and me with some strange views and ideas and that's about it.

I suppose that depends on your definition of ordinary. But then, I'm just a harmless old nut who never had the slightest interest in world domination.

[ATI_7500]

I'm sure that if you had had the same experiences and environments that Hitler had in his youth, you would have been just like him.
If there would have been only a slightest difference in his youth, he wouldn't have become the man he was in the end.

[dcunning30]

I'm sure that if you had had the same experiences and environments that Hitler had in his youth, you would have been just like him.
If there would have been only a slightest difference in his youth, he wouldn't have become the man he was in the end.

You sound like you're making excuses for Hitler.

[Hagar]

I'm sure that if you had had the same experiences and environments that Hitler had in his youth, you would have been just like him.  
If there would have been only a slightest difference in his youth, he wouldn't have become the man he was in the end.

There must have been tens of thousands of Germans with similar (if not worse) backgrounds to Hitler. They might well have bemoaned their fate but he was different in that he not only had these fanatical ambitions but somehow found a way to put them into practice. This involved a seemingly insignificant little man from the lower classes persuading the majority of German people from all walks of life to believe in & follow him. There have been similar examples throughout history but I suggest that makes him far from an ordinary man.

[ATI_7500]

You sound like you're making excuses for Hitler.

Just trying to de-demonize him.

[dcunning30]

Just trying to de-demonize him.

Hitler singlehandedly ignighted Europe into flames.  The National Socialists were some pretty bad fellows.  Seems to me he's earned his reputation.

[Hagar]

If anything, Josef Stalin was far worse than Adolf Hitler & he got away with it. I don't know what drives these fanatical dictators or persuades people to support them but there's still some like them in power today. There's an old saying which seems appropriate although I forget who said it now:
Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[Flt.Lt.Andrew]

I can only say that at least Hitler attempted to be rational, with the whole scientific racism thing....this is little better than Joseg Stalin (not his real name), who threw people into gulags on a whim.
Both were very bad, yes.


A.

[H]

Just trying to de-demonize him.

Unfortunately*, you came way too late for such an accomplishment.
*Then, again, to consider the possibilities of what may have happened to you, maybe I should have begun with Fortunately.

There's an old saying which seems appropriate although I forget who said it now:
Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Lord Acton stated, "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." I'd make a quick search for the exact source but I fear it may take too much time.

Hitler singlehandedly ignited Europe into flames. The National Socialists were some pretty bad fellows.  Seems to me he's earned his reputation.

Your second sentence correctly refutes the "singlehandedly" part of your first. None of them would have gotten so far, so fast, without the rest.
This is the sad part, as indicated by Hagar; it didn't stop with Caligula, Vlad the impaler, etc. We are all individuals and not all respond to the same stimuli the same way every time; some are more prone to adverse actions than others. I can only hope hope I'm not next .

[Hagar]

Josef Stalin (not his real name)

Hitler was not his original name either. The man who was to rule Germany & most of western Europe was born in Austria so he wasn't even German himself. His real name was Adolf Schickelgruber, a name he thought sounded weak. (His father's name was Alois Schickelgruber-Hitler so he obviously adopted the second part of this, although he hated his father). What I find strange is that none of the Nazi hierarchy faintly resembled their Aryan ideal of a master race of tall & handsome fair-haired people. This makes it difficult to understand how an insignificant-looking bunch like that managed to persuade people to take them seriously & follow them in the first place.

Lord Acton stated, "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." I'd make a quick search for the exact source but I fear it may take too much time.

Thanks for the reminder. I could easily have looked it up myself but I was tired & too lazy for once. I think my condensed misquote sounds better.

PS. Come to think of it, when was the last time you saw a good-looking dictator, world leader or any top politician?

[ATI_7500]

This makes it difficult to understand how an insignificant-looking bunch like that managed to persuade people to take them seriously & follow them in the first place.

They could talk, they made promises and they had visions, which most of the people shared.
Nuff said.

PS. Come to think of it, when was the last time you saw a good-looking dictator, world leader or any top politician?

I'd say that Mr. Putin looks relatively good for a politician.

[Woodlouse2002]

If you've ever seen a film of Hitler giving one of his speeches then you can easily see why everyone followed him. He may have been a lousy tactician but he was a fantastic public speaker.

[Hagar]

If you've ever seen a film of Hitler giving one of his speeches then you can easily see why everyone followed him. He may have been a lousy tactician but he was a fantastic public speaker.

I've seen those newsreels you mention Woody & not understanding German I could never understand why Hitler was considered a great orator. When in full flow at one of those mass rallies he seemed more like a ranting lunatic to me. The whole thing was carefully orchestrated for maximum effect. He seemed to have a hypnotic presence which caused mass hysteria. I don't think it would have mattered what he actually said or how he said it. He could have spoken a load of gibberish & they would still have cheered every sentence & got carried away with the occasion.

I've seen similar response at other mass rallies over the years & I suspect that all these people know the secret of playing to the crowd, they're talented actors rather than great orators. If you've seen film of Hitler in the relaxed atmosphere of his favourite retreat at Berchtesgarden or out meeting people in the street you will see a completely different side of him. It's almost like two different people & he might well have suffered from some form of schizophrenia. I don't know which of the two was nearer the real Adolf Hitler.

[dcunning30]

Your second sentence correctly refutes the "singlehandedly" part of your first. None of them would have gotten so far, so fast, without the rest.

As a matter of technicallity and accuracy, you are correct.  However, in the spirit of the point I was making, and assuming everyone has a general knowlege of how the Nazis came into power, I believe you should see my point.

[dcunning30]

What I find strange is that none of the Nazi hierarchy faintly resembled their Aryan ideal of a master race of tall & handsome fair-haired people. This makes it difficult to understand how an insignificant-looking bunch like that managed to persuade people to take them seriously & follow them in the first place.

I have pondered that for some time as well.  Odd, very very odd.