1. Why, in maybe the most literate and cultured country in Europe, was Hitler able to rise to power?
Hitler’s public speaking prowess made him rise from a simple party informer to a serious recognized party member, at a German workers rally it was suggested that it could be better for Bavaria to secede from the larger Germany, Hitler a nationalist was not for the idea and he argued against it, his argument and his eloquence impressed the party leader who immediately asked him to enroll as a party member. On 12th September 1919 he joined the party having been permitted by the military (Konrad,56). He was talented in organizing which easily pushed him to the party’s top leadership; in 1920 with other leaders they changed the party’s name from German Workers Party to a new name National Socialist German Workers Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, inshort Nazi), he ascended to party chairman in 1921 taking total control of the party, the party that was once no so popular drew members in large numbers absorbing other groups. (Volker ,45).
Hitler was bold enough to attempt overthrowing the government of the time, hoping eventually to do the same to the national government based in berlin, which didn’t work but he earned a great deal of sympathy for his goals, factors that led to his acceptance in the country at large were the economic depression and the hatred of the Treaty of Versailles that concluded World war 1, he managed to grow his appeal via media in 1932 he lost in the presidential race but due to the support he had from industrial interests and failure by parliament to attain a majority government the president Paul Von Hindenburg was pressurized and named Hitler as chancellor representing majority party in government (Volker,57).Having communists and other people who opposed him placed under arrest he was able to strong arm his way to dictatorship, through his outstanding organization, good public relations and oratory, Hitler become not only the chancellor of Germany, but also a loved celebrity. His transformation was complete (Konrad,87).
2. How did the US economy and home front affect the war?
In 1929 Americas stock Exchange collapsed leading to economic depression and Americans recalled its foreign loans which devastated Weimar Germany, leading to a rise in unemployment to up to 6 million. With the German government confused in 1930 Chancellor Bruning reduced the government’s expenditure, unemployment stipends and salaries, which was a bad decision in tackling the depression, not being able to secure Reichstag agreement to his decisions the president used Articles 48 to see through the measures by decree this leading to anger and bitterness which helped the Nazis gain supporters who volunteered to go to war eventually (Volker 78).
With the country in chaos Hindenburg decided to get the NAZIs on board by offering Hitler the position of vice chancellor which he turned down and demanded the chancellor’s position and they agreed hoping to control him, In 1933, Hitler was made chancellor, and immediately maneuvered to make himself the absolute ruler of Germany using the Article 48 who lead Germans to war (Konrad, 89).
3. Examine the impact the war had on gender relations.
v Wage Work and Opportunity-Opportunities for women to develop Economically were available with women shifting from care giving roles in their home to bread winners as men had gone out to war in large numbers (Konrad, 95).
v Military Service-Women volunteering military service posed a major challenge to the consciousness about sexual and gender norms and gender categories, more so regarding who could be a, sailor, soldier or marine (Volker,102).
v Sex, Marriage, and Motherhood-Loosening sexual moral, increased marriage rates, and an increase in child birth featured during the war years. Casual sexual relations between the unmarried surprised many Americans, who pointed the finger of blame to young women who worked outside their homes (Allan, 98).
v Mobility, Sacrifice, and Patriotic Duty-Women’s independence grew during World War II characterized by their mobility. Cities, towns, and camps were attractive to them located on coasts and everywhere (Allan,88).
4. Examine the role the war hard on issues of race
In America the army accepted to enlist black people during the 2nd world war but created separate infantry for black people but they were headed by white people, the army Air corps black fighter wing was completely separate and training was done at an all blacks university in Alabama, the navy separated black negro units and they were given menial work on ships the marines didn’t accept black Americans (Allan, 48)
In the chaos brought about by the war, segregation drastically reduced, as it was hard to keep the races separate while they were both being attacked, awareness of racism grew and came to a popular culture, Josh White a musician wrote songs pointing out the segregation experienced by African Americans during the war (Allan, 54). After the war the returning soldiers found little change pertaining to discrimination but the seed for change had been planted by birth of movement for the expansion of civil rights, black Americans having acquired skills in the military moved to cities from farms to practice what they had learnt in the military (Allan, 67) the war helped break up discrimination in America.
5. Examine the issue of racism in the Pacific theater of the war
v The axis-Racism was a primary factor the war in the Axis Military alliance, it was conceived by Hitler as a racist war with great conflict against Jews; Hitler viewed the war as not a German affair but as an Aryan war.
v The allies– America joined the war as still a greatly racist nation, unlike japan and Germany it dint affect its foreign policy, the south were segregated with black Americans not being allowed to vote and other civil rights (Konrad, 120).
v The Soviet Union-the soviets alongside the Germans fought against their neighboring states, NAZI atrocities were done along racial lines while the soviet atrocities were ethnic (Konrad, 122).
v Asia- most ignored were the prevalent racial attitudes in Asia. Racial feelings were evident in china, India then a colony of the British as skin factor was important in Indian marriages (Konrad, 126).
6. Examine the role and success of resistance groups in areas such as France
Resistance during the 2nd world war happened in France; it was hundreds of groups with different ways of resisting, tension between different groups and factions existed as they operating independently, the movements in France were of marginal significance rarely posing great threat to the occupiers making only minor contribution to the French liberation. (Volker,108). It was crucial psychologically for morale and salvaging national honor also important in transition of power after liberation.
Resistance developed in various phases, the Germans invading the soviet union in 1941 resulted in communists being more involved in resistance practicing very violent strategies, in 1942 there was an increase in supplies due to establishment of links with London, greater unity was achieved with establishment of resistance council by groups in1944 as allied invasion began (Volker,110).The collaborators viewed Hitler as the savior of Europe alongside individuals who had hopes on Hitler for personal gains ordinary women and men still risked their lives resisting
7. Compare the decisions to drop the two bombs on Japan. Is there a difference in the two? Has the decision to drop the bomb on Nagasaki been viewed in a different light?
President Truman’s decision was straight one. In 1945, America as a state was tired of war. Japan was the bitterly hated enemy. The nation dreaded the cost of invading the Japanese mainland both in finances and lives (John,25).
The two decisions are that America was weary of the war with japan as the bitter enemy and that the state was not ready to invade the Japanese mainland due to the losses it would incur, there is no difference in the two reasons as they both mean the same thing as in both cases the Americans were exhausted as not being ready to incur the cost of invading the mainland meant they were tired of war (John,34).
Critics see the act had ulterior motives, the soviet union had joined the war against the Japanese, and the bomb was a warning message for the union to watch its steps , in that respect the two bombs marked the end of world war 2 and the start of the cold war.
Works cited
Konrad Heiden, Der Fuehrer–Hitler’s Rise to Power, Gollancz, 1944 Print
Volker Ullrich, Hitler Ascent, Knopf publication, 1939 Print
John Hersay Hiroshima Alfred A Knorf 1946 Print
Bérubé, Allan. Coming Out Under Fire:The History of Gay Men and Women in World War Two. Free Press, 1990 Print
