Hitler and his rise to power

Hitlers Rise To Power

Hitler's rise to power was based upon long-term factors - resentment in the German people, the weakness of the Weimar system - which he exploited through propaganda (paid for by his rich, Communist-fearing backers), the terror of his stormtroopers, and the brilliance of his speeches.

During the 'roaring twenties' Germans ignored this vicious little man with his programme of hatred. But when the Great Depression ruined their lives, they voted for him in increasing numbers. Needing support, and thinking he could control Hitler, President Hindenburg made the mistake in January 1933 of giving Hitler the post of Chancellor

Woodrow Wilson

• Woodrow Wilson • Wilson got: • 1. A League of Nations,• 2. Self-determination for the peoples of Eastern Europe, • But he was disappointed with the Treaty: • a. Some of his ‘Fourteen Points’ did not get into the

Treaty, • b. When Wilson went back to America, the Senate

refused to join the League of Nations, and even refused to sign the Treaty of Versailles.

Georges Clemenceau

• Georges Clemenceau • liked the harsh things that were in the Treaty: • 1. Reparations (would repair the damage to France), • 2. The tiny German army, and • 3. The demilitarised zone in the Rhineland (would both

protect France), • 4. France got Alsace-Lorraine, and German colonies. • But he was disappointed with the Treaty:• a. He wanted the Treaty to be harsher• b. He wanted Germany to be split up into smaller

countries.

David Lloyd George

• David Lloyd George • Many British people wanted to ‘make Germany pay’, and

Lloyd George liked: • 1. The fact that Britain got some German colonies

(expanded the British Empire), • 2. The small German navy (helped Britain to continue to

'rule the waves'). • But Lloyd George hated the Treaty:• a. He thought that the Treaty was far too harsh and

would ruin Germany,• b. He thought it would cause another war in 25 years

time

• Activities:

• Imagine you are David Lloyd George. What would you have said about the following articles of the Versailles Treaty:

• a. Article 231.

• b. The German army set at 100,000 men and the German navy disbanded.

• c. £6,600 reparations for the damage done during the war.

• d. Germany lost Alsace-Lorraine, other land in Europe, and all her colonies.

Study this and work out what you think the artist is trying to convey?

• The cartoon means that future cannon fodder (cannon food), being the kids of today are going to be the ones that suffer from the Treaty of Versailles, due to it being so harsh towards the Germans they are bound to want revenge and Clemenceau who is French and the also who wants to be harshest on the Germans “ curious I seem to hear a child weeping?” they don’t really care about the future.

Quick Facts

• Germany did not pay off the reparations bill until 2010. Repayment was interrupted by Hitler during his time in power, which delayed the final pay off to 1996.

• However, a clause in the agreement said that Germany would have to pay interest on the bill if Germany were ever to reunite, which of course it did in 1990. So the final historic payment of £59m was made on Sunday, 3rd October 2010, ninety-two years after the war ended.

Munich Putsch• By 1923 Hitler was the leader of the Nazi Party. With inflation

running high, Hitler thought the time was ripe for his party to seize control in Germany. With a group of ex-soldiers, including a war time air ace Hermann Goring, and Field Marshall Ludendorff, the Nazis plotted to seize control of Munich, the capital of Bavaria, and then stage a march on Berlin. It was a disaster. The plotters had not planned things carefully enough and Hitler lost his nerve. He spent most of the crisis making speeches to his own supporters in a beer hall. When Ludendorff finally persuaded him to lead a march through the streets, the police fired on the marchers and Hitler and the Nazis ran away. Two days later Hitler was arrested.

• Hitler received a five year prison sentence for the Munich Putsch, but prison was very comfortable and he was let out after serving less than a year. He spent the time writing a book about his ideas - Mein Kampf.

• In 1929, the American Stock Exchange collapsed, and caused an economic depression. America called in all its foreign loans, which destroyed Weimar Germany. Unemployment in Germany rose to 6 million.

• The government did not know what to do. In July 1930 Chancellor Brüning cut government expenditure, wages and unemployment pay - the worst thing to do during a depression. He could not get the Reichstag to agree to his actions, so President Hindenburg used Article 48 to pass the measures by decree.

Bibliography

• http://www.johndclare.net/

• http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/lessons/riseofhitler/

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/germany/hitlerpowerrev1.shtml