Hitler: Multiple Facets of a Man Essay

Submitted By nouha17
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History assignment
Profile:
Adolf Hitler was a well-known German politician and the founder of the National Socialist German Workers Party, now referred to as Nazi Party. He was chancellor and dictator of Germany from 1933-1945. He fought in WW1 as an Australian citizen. Hitler was the starter of the Nazism and the start of World War II.
World War 1
At the outbreak of World War I, Hitler was a resident of Munich and volunteered to serve in the Bavarian Army as an Austrian citizen. Posted to the Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 16 (1st Company of the List Regiment), he served as a dispatch runner (messenger) on the Western Front in France and Belgium, spending most his time behind the front lines. He was present at the First Battle of Ypres, the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Arras, and the Battle of Passchendaele. He was decorated for bravery, receiving the Iron Cross, Second Class, in 1914 as well as the Black Wound Badge on 18 May 1918. However in 1918, Hitler learnt of Germany's defeat and— by his own account—on receiving this news, he suffered for a short period of blindness. As of Germanys defeat during World War 1 the Treaty of Versailles predetermined that Germany must hand over several of its territories and demilitarize the Rhineland. In Germany the people suffered the burden of repayments, 30% of unemployment, hyperinflation and they become utterly worthless.
Hitler with his army comrades of the Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 16 (c. 1914–1918)

Hitler's rise to power
The Great Depression that was taking place in Germany was a huge political opportunity for Hitler. Hitler joined a political party called the NSDAP (or the Third Reich). The owner of this party died in 1930 and Adolf Hitler became the leader of this fascist party from 1933 to 1945. He gained public attention by vowing that he will return Germany to its original glory and reverse the effects of the Great Depression and the Versailles Treaty. He formed his own party the National Socialist German Workers Party now more commonly referred to as the Nazi Party. He designed the swastika sign which was thought to mean 'to be good''. Germany withdrew from the League of Nations, the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War, in October 1933. In 1935, Hitler announced an expansion of the Wehrmacht to 600,000 members—six times the number permitted by the Versailles Treaty. Britain, France, Italy, and the League of Nations declared these plans as defiance of the Treaty. Germany also reoccupied the demilitarized zone in the Rhineland, in 1936, as violation towards the Versailles Treaty. In 1937, they introduced the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan. Britain, China, Italy, and Poland were also invited to join the Anti-Comintern Pact, but only Italy signed in 1937. The Anglo-German alliance Hitler wanted failed and he blamed it on the "inadequate" British leadership. He then ordered war to take place in the east. From 1938 and onwards, Hitler began to focus on ''war''.

World War 11
Hitler was known to have started the World War 11 in Europe. His intentions were very clear that he wanted the whole of Europe to be Germanys land. Once he became chancellor of Germany he also most immediately began building up Germany's army and weapons. In 1934 he increased the size of the army, began building warships and created a German air force.
In 1938, Hitler demanded that the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia be handed over to Germany. Hitler was not a man of his word and in March 1939 invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. Despite calls for help from the Czechoslovak government, neither Britain nor France was prepared to take military action against Hitler. However, some action was now necessary and believing that Poland would be Hitler's next target, both Britain and France promised that they would take military action against Hitler if he invaded Poland.
In 1939, he sent one and a half million soldiers to attack Poland by means of several