Figure 1.--Here an ethuastic German boy has climbed a street sign to get a good view of the Berlin victory parade following the fakk of France abd German victory in the West, we think in (July 1940). Troops returning from the front pass through the Brandenburg Gate. They are welcomed by Goebbels who kin addition to the Oropaganda Minister, was mayor of Berlin. Garlanded machine guns, horses in lorries, and troops marching and on bicycles pass by. Lghtly wounded soldiers shake hands with parading troops. Mounted troops pass the statue of Frederick the Great. The crowd is jubilant. We see civilians eaving small NAZI flags. Girls and women throw flowers at the troops. Goebbels would not approve of the parade necsuse horses rather than tanks play a major role in it. The reason for the jubilation was not only the victory in France, but a general belief that the War was over and Germany has prevailed without the horrors of World War I. This more than any thing bound the German people to their Führer. Click on the image to see the victory parade.

About a third of the German people supported Hitler and the NAZIs at the time President Hidenberg handed the Chancelorship over to Hitler (January 1933). A good portion of his support came from people who were adversely affected by the Depression, but did not share his pathological obsession with the Jews or in particular his desire for another War. Through careful management of the news, and economic policies that were not well understood, Hitler steaily grew in popularity. Regaining the Saar and remilitarized the Rhineland alo helped as well as he Austrian Anschluss and peacefully obtaining the Sudetenland. All without war. Thus on the eve of World War II, Hitler was a very popular figure and could have won a free election, or at least as free as can be with NAZI control of the media. He still had to desguise his march yoward war. Most Germans still did not want another war, espdecilly older Germnns.The quick victories and relatively low casualties caped by the fall of France (June 1940) cemented Hitler's hold on the German people. One historian describes the unprecedented achievements. "[The] first-forty one weeks of World War Two constituted in essence the last European war, a war veey rapidly won by Germany. It had taken Napoleon five years to become master of Europe, with battle of Austerlitz in 1805. It tool Hitler 9 months, his troops, in June 14, 1940, marched past the Arc de Triomphe that Napoleon had put up in Paris to commemorate that battle." 【Stone】 We think the fall of France was the turning point (June 1940). This convinced countless Germans that Hitler was right. He had achieved the unthinkable. And done it ar remarably low cost in blood and treasure. Hitler had achieved what the Kaiser failed to achieve and without the huge effort and bloosshed of World War I. With the victory over France and driving Britain off the Continent, Hitler and the German people were inextricably linked. A linkge which would not end until Hitler put a bullet in his head and German cities were reduced to vast mountins of rubble. It shoulxd vbe added not all Germans immediately changes their minds. Many did. Others commtted suiside. Many others thought that Germany had been ovewheakmed by the massive Alied coalition, but had not been wrong. Only over times with many Germans come to term with their country's past. Here a major steps in this process was the Berlin Air Lift (1948) and the German Economic Miracle (1950s).

Sources

Stone, Rhode. "A childhood strafed by war," The Washington Post (May 28, 2004, p. W11.

Created: 12:06 AM 5/24/2023
Last updated: 12:06 AM 5/24/2023