Avoiding the Fate of 1930s Germany

1
Avoiding the Fate of 1930s Germany

• Alice Copeland Brown
• Military Families Speak Out
• International Women for Peace (Code Pink)

2
Lessons from Nurenberg

• Nazi policies were carried out under the belief
  that Germans were entitled to subjugate, dominate
  or exterminate other races and peoples.
• US Prosecutor proved that Nazis wreaked wanton
  violence at unprecedented levels, systematically
  murdering millions of people.
• Justice Jackson The wrongs we seek to condemn
  and punish have been so calculated, so malignant
  and so devastating that civilization cannot
  tolerate their being ignored.

3
Hitlers Promises

• I shall give a propagandist cause for starting
  the war, never mind whether it be true or not.
  The victor shall not be asked later on whether he
  told the truth or not.

4
Parallels with 1930s Germany

• Censorship by the Media
• Failing economy
• Rising Militarization Expenditures
• Burning of the Reichstag ..9/11
• Brightest given only left-brain education

5
Goerings Propaganda Message

• "Voice or no voice, the people can always be
  brought to the bidding of the
  leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell
  them they are being attacked, and
  denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and
  exposing the country to danger." - Hermann
  Goering at the Nuremberg Trials

6
1933 Propaganda and Radio

• Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels employ power of
  radio to influence the masses.
• FDR begins radio Fireside Chats, bypasses
  hostile newspapers.
• Nazis use "big lie" technique in mass media
  propaganda.
• Nazis begin burning of books.
• U.S. newspapers pressure AP to cut service to
  radio, start "Press-Radio War."

7
Suspension of Rights in Germany

• Suspicious burning of Reichstag led to
• Roundup of 1000 Communists and their expulsion
  from Germany
• Suspension of basic civil rights of German
  citizens in atmosphere of fear
• Execution of suspected arsonists, but suspicions
  still lead to Chancellor Hitler Goebbels has
  tunnel leading to Reichstag

8
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

• Lutheran pastor executed in concentration camp
  1945
• Fought Nazification of church, pledge of
  allegiance to Hitler
• Attempted to overthrow Hitler

9
Brave Martin Niemoeller, Protestant pastor

• First they came for the Communists, but I was
  not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then
  they came for the Socialists and the Trade
  Unionists, but I was neither so I did not speak
  out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not
  a Jew so did not speak out. And when they came
  for me, there was no one left to speak out for
  me.
• Spent 7 years and 7 mos in prison

Kristallnacht
10
More Parallels with 1930s Germany

• Roundup of religious minorities Jews then,
  Muslims now
• Hitler appealed to frustrations of out-of-work
  Germans, scapegoating Jews.
• Fear of Communists/terrorists used as excuse to
  lift rights

Roundup of Jews after Kristallnacht
11
Bibliography

• Internet sites
• www.traprock.org
• www.mfso.org
• www.ibisradio.org/alicecopelandbrown.htm
• http//www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWgoring.htm
  
• http//www.projectcensored.org/
• Trial of the Germans by Eugene Davidson