After World War I and The Great Depression, Germany was left broken and wounded economically, socially, and politically. Under the Weimar Republic unemployment peaked at six million which is about 33% of Germany’s working population. The loss of World War I and the Great depression severely injured German pride, this gave Hitler the perfect opportunity to gain totalitarian power. The Nazi Party or the National Socialist German Worker’s Party completely controlled every aspect of German life and the German people were unconditionally obedient. The Nazis used nationalism, comradery, power, fear, propaganda, and indoctrination in order to have the utmost control over the German people which ultimately led to anti-semitism, mass killings, and World …show more content…
“The art of propaganda lies in sensing the emotional temper of the broad masses, so that you, in psychologically effective form, can catch their attention and move their hearts…” (Hitler 363) He was able to move their hearts because he used the peoples hatred and feelings of suffering after WWI and the Great Depression to his advantage. Not only did he capture the minds of the people by promoting aspects of life they wanted to change but “driving home your own point of view.” (Hitler, 263) His point of view and goals were to become a top european power militarily, socially, and economically. This required the elimination of people he didn’t have pure German blood and complete support from the people. Indoctrination, brainwashing and manipulation, was an effect of extreme propaganda. The people were completely brainwashed and their mindset absolutely changed and the Third Reich controlled the people “like a puppeteer manipulates the arms of his marionettes…” (Haffner 6) Hitler especially focused on the youth of Germany, in January 1933, the Hitler Youth had only 50,000 members, but by the end of the year it increased to more than 2 million. It later became mandatory to be in the Hitler Youth in 1930 which gave Hitler complete control of Germany. Hitler also manipulated history in order to gain support. “The Germans have a very different picture of the Battle of the Marne from the rest of the world…,” it portrayed that “a German victory was prevented only by abandoning the field, because of unfortunate misunderstandings, just as the decision was going their way.” (Haffner 9) The German people also were completely brainwashed to the fact they weren’t aware of the atrocities they were committing. “This simple truth of the matter created a dilemma for