Nazi Ideology

Consider your homework on the Nazi 25-Point Program, Hitler's writings in Mein Kampf, and Hitler's background. Take all of your knowledge of the above and develop several solid paragraphs that discuss and analyze Nazi ideology.

The Nazi's 25-point program discussed three of the party's main ideologies: extreme nationalism, racism, and socialism. None of the concepts was entirely new. Extreme nationalism, which is defined as believing that your country is superior to others, thrived in Germany. The Nazis demonstrated their belief in it when they demanded the unification of Greater Germany (Germany & Austria) because of the right of self-determination of peoples. The Nazis also showed their support for extreme nationalism when they suggested that the Treaty of Versailles must be destroyed because the German people should have equal rights of people in other countries. This had broad appeal because Germans felt stabbed by the Treaty. The Nazis' demand for land and territory for the well-being and colonization of Germany's surplus population (lebensraum) through this program also demonstrated extreme nationalism. Secondly, the Nazis were racist against anyone who was not German. Only a "member of the race" could be a citizen, and only citizens were allowed to live in Germany. All non-Germans who had immigrated to Germany since August 2, 1914, were forced to leave the country as a result of the Nazis' racism. The Nazis did not allow any Jews to be members of the race, and Jews were not allowed to come to German when they fled pogroms in other countries. Lastly, the Germans favored a socialistic society, meaning that they supported a collective ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods. Two socialistic goals of the Nazis were to extend old age welfare and reconstruct the German national education system. The reformed education system was designed to teach children the "German way."

Mein Kampf, which translates to "My Struggle," was written by NSDAP member Adolf Hitler, and the book discussed the Nazi ideologies which Hitler considered most important. In this book, it is evident that Hitler considered propaganda to be an extremely useful political artifice to achieve Nazi goals. Hitler believed that the purpose of propaganda was to call the masses' attention to certain facts because people easily forgot things. The book also made it clear that Hitler did not blame Germany's problems on the German people but rather on the Jews. He stated that only Jews would be unscrupulous enough to blame the war entirely on the military defeat. As Hitler did not consider Jews to be "true" Germans, he used Jews as scapegoats on which to blame Germany's problems. This appealed to many Germans because they were envious of the wealth of the Jews. Additionally, Hitler emphasized that nature did not desire the mating of the weak (Jews) and the strong (Germans) because the Aryan people were the "Master Race." Hitler claimed that all other races, especially the Jews, were inferior to the Aryans. Finally, Hitler believed that Germans had to secure the land and the soil to which they were entitled. He stressed that Germany had to acquire nations which were doomed for destruction or there would not be a Germany. Hitler supported lebensraum, which was the belief that Germans could expand into Poland or Russia because it was their right.

Hitler's background influenced the three core principles of Nazi ideology. Hitler's family background caused his hatred of the Jews, and Hitler took advantage of the widespread hatred of the Jews in the Nazi party's platform. Hitler had despised his repressive father who may have been of Jewish heritage. Hitler grew increasingly anti-Semitic after he lived in Vienna's slums which were also known as the Jewish quarters. Hitler's family background caused to claim that the purity of German blood was defiled by the Jews when he and the NSDAP sought power. Hitler was trying to obliterate traces of his ancestry with his anti-Semitism. Hitler's failed career ambitions caused him to believe that he was destined for a great role in history and believed that he could gain the power necessary for this position through the Nazis. Hitler left his school in Lintz in 1905 without any qualifications and failed to earn a place at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 1907. Hitler believed that he had finally found his purpose in life in 1914 when he joined a Bavarian regiment, but he supposedly lacked leadership skills and was never promoted higher than a corporal. Hitler then joined the Nazi Party. Hitler became a great orator and excited the German people by telling them that they were not the cause of their economic woes. His actions were motivated by the belief that he was destined for the great role that he had dreamed of having.