Hitler's policy is a position of racial discrimination, the superiority of one people over others. This is what guided the Fuhrer in the domestic and foreign political life of the country. The goal was to turn Germany into a "racially pure" state that would stand at the head of the whole world. All the actions of Hitler, both in internal and external state activities, were aimed at fulfilling this super-task.
Three periods of foreign policy activity
Hitler's foreign policy can be conditionally divided into three periods. The first period (1933-1936) - the strengthening of the power of the NSDAP and the accumulation of resources to take revenge for the defeat in the First World War.
The second period falls on 1936-1939, when the government of Nazi Germany gradually begins to introduce a forceful component into foreign policy. We are not yet talking about open hostilities, but a test of strength and waiting for the reaction of the world community in the fight againstcommunist forces are already taking place. Germany, committing aggressive actions against the designated enemy, does not receive condemnation or rebuff from the European states, which unties her hands. Thus, a springboard is being prepared for her planned military operations to reshape the world.
The third period can be attributed to the entire Second World War from the day of the occupation of Poland until 1945.
Hitler's rise to power
On the day of the death of President Hindenburg on August 2, 1934, Adolf Hitler announced to the country that he was taking on the title of "Fuhrer and Reich Chancellor", which provided him with sole power. Immediately he takes the oath of the army, given to him personally; seeks the adoption of a law that assigns Hitler both the highest posts, president and chancellor, for life. These very important first steps enabled the Nazis to become active in foreign policy. Hitler led the first period.
From the first minute, Hitler knew that his country would fight in arms to revise the humiliating results of the Treaty of Versailles. But until such time as a powerful military potential is prepared, Germany pretended to be very worried about maintaining peace on the planet, even spoke in the international arena for general disarmament.
In fact, all the steps taken by Hitler in the foreign policy of these and subsequent years led to the seizure of the territory of the USSR, the expansion of the German "living space" in the east. In the meantime, it was necessary to resolve economic issues within Germany.
Economic surge
Hitler understood that the achievement of the most important task, namely world domination, is possible only with the intervention of the fascist state in the country's economy. In this, the interests of both the ruling fascist party and the magnates of German industry coincided. Back in 1933, a body was created to direct the development of the country's economy, which operated until the mid-forties.
For Hitler, economic policy was secondary, it was only a means to achieve political goals. But on the way to his most important task, he still worried about the possibility of causing popular discontent. The Fuhrer was most afraid of rebellion.
Unversed in economic matters, Hitler understood that the presence of six million unemployed in the country would keep the national economy paralyzed. Therefore, the first priority was to create jobs. For help, he turned to his compatriots, who proved their professionalism in practice. Such a step was the appointment of Y. Shakht, an outstanding banker and financier with a we alth of experience, to the post of Minister of Finance.
Four-year plans in the German economy
In the summer of 1936, a four-year plan was adopted, which was to turn the entire economy of the country into preparation for war. The organizational abilities of the authorities encouraged businessmen to invest in the implementation of plans, the citizens of Germany were more and more imbued with confidence in the Fuhrer, consumers were more confident in spending the money that appeared in the family, and prices for essential goods decreased.
For mostGermans wages grew, from 1932 to 1938 the real income of the population increased by 21%. Unemployment was almost completely overcome; at the end of 1938, one million unemployed, able-bodied population remained in the country.
Hitler's social policy
Hitler attached great importance to the creation of a socially homogeneous society in the German state. He called for educating the German people in respect for each other, regardless of the class position of a compatriot. “Any work and any working person should be respected,” the Fuhrer taught.
When Hitler came to power, fearing popular discontent, he began to generously allocate funds for social programs. In the implementation of the plans, not only permanent jobs were created, but also public works were organized, which were also generously funded. Large funds were thrown into the construction of roads. If earlier rail transport was developed in the country, now great attention was paid to the creation of autobahns.
The concept of the "people's car" also emerged during this period of economic recovery. The construction of factories and the production of Volkswagens were carried out in a short time. Hitler even thought that his compatriots, traveling in a German car along the new German roads, would have the opportunity to admire the beautiful structures created by German hands. On his personal instructions, bridges on the autobahns were built in different styles: either in the form of Roman aqueducts, or in the style of medieval castles or modern.
Agitation and propaganda
Competitions were organized at the factories, as a result of which not only the volume of output increased, but there was a significant encouragement of individual workers: climbing the social ladder or serious financial incentives. Mass, cultural and sports holidays and events were welcomed. Extensive propaganda work was carried out.
Informing the whole country about his desire to create the "highest possible standard of living" for the Germans and, having done a lot for this, the Fuhrer won the unlimited confidence of the German people.
Peasant policy
In addition to the industrial development of the country, for the conduct of hostilities it was necessary to create conditions in agriculture in order to provide the army and the population with food. Solving the peasant question is one example of Hitler's policy.
In 1933, the Fuhrer threw out the slogan: "The collapse of the German peasantry will be the collapse of the German people", and all the forces of the domestic machine were thrown into the rise of the food sector.
Two laws that were signed by Hitler at this time, regulated the process of reorganization of agriculture. The Reich received the right to control all processes of production, processing and marketing of products. And the state also set fixed prices.
The second law de alt with the inheritance of land. As a result, the peasant got rid of the threat of losing his plot, but at the same time he attached himself to it, as in feudalism. The state lowered production plans and controlled its execution. As a result of Hitler's policy, the state, without abolishing private property, became the owner of the domestic agricultural industry.
Internal political events in Germany
Against the backdrop of the development of the economy and its preparation for the war period, Hitler's domestic policy was carried out to strengthen Nazi power in the country. First, the communist and then the social democratic parties were banned. Trade union organizations were liquidated, and many party groups, under pressure from the authorities, announced their own dissolution. In essence, Germany became a country with one ruling party, the Nazis.
Opponents of the authorities were sent to concentration camps, mass persecution of "foreigners" began, which a few years later were aimed at the physical extermination of Jews. Hitler's rivals in the party were also subjected to repression. Former comrades-in-arms suspected of disloy alty to the Fuhrer were physically destroyed. The victims were Rehm, Strasser, Schleicher and other statesmen.
The relationship of power with the church
Hitler's policy in Germany, aimed at monopoly ownership of the souls of the Germans, complicated the already controversial relationship between Adolf Hitler and the church. The leader of the German people in public speeches repeatedly noted the role of Christianity in preserving the soul of a German person. As a sign of trust, an agreement was signed between the Vatican and Germany, in which Hitler guaranteed the freedom of the Catholic faith and the independence of the church in the territory.state.
But the actual actions of the authorities were contrary to the terms of the contract. A sterilization law was passed. It was called the decree “On preventing the appearance of hereditarily ill offspring,” and according to it, Germans were subject to forcible sterilization, who, in the opinion of the authorities or doctors, could not give truly Aryan offspring. By the way, children who skip school were classified as mentally unstable. Such was Hitler's policy in the struggle for a pure-blooded Aryan nation.
The country carried out mass arrests of clergy, most often this was done on trumped-up charges. The Gestapo forced the ministers of the church to violate the secrecy of confession. As a result, in 1941, Martin Bormann, Hitler's deputy for the party, concluded that "National Socialism and Christianity are incompatible."
Hitler's racial policy. Anti-Semitism
Hitler, without hiding his goal, advocated an unwavering purge of the national ranks of the German people. But the main blow of fascist Germany was aimed at people of Jewish nationality.
Inexplicable hatred of this people, Adolf Hitler experienced since childhood. Even before the Brownshirts came to power, the assault squads staged pogroms. After the Nazis came to power, anti-Semitism became the national policy of Adolf Hitler and his associates.
The Fuhrer made no secret of his hatred of the Jews and spoke publicly with such statements: "If there were no Jews in Germany, they should have been invented." Or: “Anti-Semitism is the most powerful weapon in mypropaganda arsenal.”
At the beginning of the movement against the Jews, they were limited in their government positions, in the right to engage in finance and medicine. In 1935, Hitler signs a number of laws with prohibitions for people of Jewish nationality. They talk about the possibility of depriving a Jew of German citizenship, about the prohibition of marriages and extramarital affairs with the Aryans, about the impossibility of a Jew to keep servants of German blood, and so on. Civilians soon joined in the persecution of the Jews. Signs appeared on the doors of shops, institutions, and pharmacies: “Jews are not allowed to enter.”
The night of November 9-10, 1938, which was the result of Hitler's anti-Semitic policy, went down in history under the name "Kristallnacht" because of the number of broken windows and shop windows in Jewish shops. Stormtroopers destroyed everything that caught their eye, while robbery was not considered a shameful thing. Thus began the mass extermination of Jews, which was widely unfolded during the war years.
Start of action
Since 1937, fascism deliberately provoked international conflicts, creating a pre-war environment. Despite the measures taken to restructure all aspects of the state, the regime created at such a speed was not very durable from the inside. To strengthen it, finally, foreign policy successes were required. That's why the Fuhrer took action.
A plan was developed to invade Austria called "Otto". On March 12, German bombers appeared over Vienna, the next day Austria was declared a German province.
In May, Hitler annexed part of Czechoslovakia to Germany, allegedly protecting the rights of the Germans living there. The country surrendered without firing a shot. European neighbors, England and France, silently looked at the aggressive actions of the Fuhrer.
World War II
Germany put forward more and more claims to Poland, Hitler planned to start a war with the Soviet Union from Polish territory. Tension was artificially created between the two states, a reason was sought for the start of the occupation.
On September 1, Wehrmacht divisions entered the territory of a sovereign country. The Second World War has begun, unleashed by one of the most brutal dictators in the history of mankind.
Summing up the information received and based on the characteristics of Hitler's policy given by experts who study this issue in depth, it can be argued that Hitler was a flexible politician. His beliefs and the methods used to achieve his goals were often adapted to suit the circumstances. Although there were themes and views that were well-established and unchanged. These are anti-Semitism, anti-communism, anti-parliamentarianism and belief in the superiority of the Aryan race.
