History 158C 10.5.2010 Hitler & Stalin I.

Hitler How did democracy turn into one of the most brutal dictatorships in history? Weakness of the Weimar Republic o Compromise regime moderate socialists, moderate centrists o Dolchstoss stab in the back legend Troops on Western front betrayed by socialists at home o Signed Treaty of Versailles always associated with defeat o Fledgling democracy Politicians had never exercised power on a nationwide scale Disconnect between outward form of German democracy and reality of lack of democracy o German separatism 1923 French occupation of Ruhr Kap Putsch Hitlers Munich Putsch Politics shifting to the Right Election of Hindenburg 1925 chief of military elites, replaces Ebert (socialist) 1918/1919 German Revolution only halfway Empire institutions unchanged judiciary, education, etc o German population against reparations Weimar committed to it Final payment? Oct 3, 2010 last interest payment on loan bonds The Great Depression o Black Tuesday Oct 29, 1929 o Germany 2nd largest industrialized economy after the US Reparations US bought German bonds, etc inject $ into German economy to help them pay some of reparations Hit quickly large scale unemployment 1932 30% of workforce unemployed Only economic theory classical Savage deflation Keynesian didnt develop until 1936 Polarizes society in advanced economies especially Germany Increased attractiveness of the extreme Right and Left Weimar transition into a proto-dictatorship Spring 1930 Article 49 Emergency Powers rule by decree 1930-33 General Elections Hitler, the Fuhrer o Handicap Austrian, Bavarian provincial o Messianic Figure Triumph of the Will Response, solution to Germanys crisis o Key to Genius? learn lessons quickly Mole-like strategy tunnel into constitution Turn party into a National party Great Depression general elections 1932 dramatic increase in Nazi votes The Nazi Revolution o 2 stage seizure of power

Jan-May 1933 Hitler becomes Chancellor of coalition government By end Spring Hitler has established almost absolute power Hitler works with Hindenburg gets what he wants Nazis have police power Burning of the Reichstag Feb 1933 Blame Communists Hitler takes more power Enabling Law March 1933 1933 last general election Gives govt full powers during any type of threat Spring 1933 Summer 1934 August 1934 Hindenburg dies Hitler takes new title Fuhrer Fuhrer Principle Night of Long Kinves Nazis emphasize national union Element of violence, repression Regime Stabilization o Stimulus package public works, etc (get rid of unemployment) & rearmament

II. Stalin Acton power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely o Great men are almost always bad men What is Stalinism o Early 1930s-1953 system of personal autocratic rule o Cult of personality o Use of terror & violence Gulag death camps Secret police o Highly centralized control of society Dual role Stalin & state o Command economy What did Stalin do o Collectivization state takes over the land system of collective famrs Provide serfless slave labor o Industrialization peasants forced to work, at gun point even State engineered famine in Ukraine 1932 o Social Reform women brought into economy War against illiteracy technocracy o Gorky Park baseball League Results o Positive Successful industrialization Backbone of resistance against German invasion survived WWII Creation of a new class careers for talented Technocracy managerial elite o Negative Dystopia hell on earth Only ruler to make internal war on his people Average worker life is worse Built-in instability III. Conclusion Any attempt at utopia is flawed ends in dystopia