Looking back at the Germans in 1929, and then at the United States today, I understand why Hitler came to power. The Germans made the wrong choice at a critical moment in history, leading to the outbreak of World War II and the loss of countless lives. Now, when we look back, it seems that there are some troubling signs – is the United States also on the road to disaster? The fate of a nation often depends on the choice of its leader by the people. When the economy and society are in turmoil, people are easily attracted to distorted promises and radical claims. So, in this day and age, can we learn from history and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past?
I. The trajectory of the fate of the Germans
As a traditional power on the European continent, the ups and downs of Germany's national destiny have really added a lot of glory and shadows to world history. Since the middle of the 19th century, the process of German unification, which was conceived by Prussia, has united this once-divided nation under the banner of a single nation. With the resourcefulness of Bismarck's iron-blooded prime minister, Germany occupied a pivotal position on the European continent.
However, just as Germany's power was growing, the smoke of World War I was rising in Europe. The young German Empire struggled passively through the Holocaust and finally surrendered to the Allies in 1918. The fate of the defeated countries was not destined to be easy, and the Treaty of Versailles dealt a heavy blow to Germany. A series of harsh clauses, such as huge reparations, territorial cessions, and military restrictions, undoubtedly planted the seeds of national hatred in the hearts of the Germans.
At a time when Germany was in the midst of a downturn, Adolf Hitler, an Austrian man of civilian origin, began his political journey. Growing up in a slum and suffering from life's setbacks, the young man quickly demonstrated eloquence and leadership. He had an innate appreciation for the frustration and humiliation of the Germans, and his fanatical pursuit of "Aryanism" permeated the Nazi movement he would later establish.
II. The Rise of Adolf Hitler
Hitler's political career began in 1919 when he joined the Workers' Party, a small extremist party. He first attracted a large number of followers with his oratorical talent and inflammatory rhetoric, and then, with his organizational skills and leadership, he reorganized this small obscure party into what would become the infamous National Socialist German Workers' Party, or Nazi Party for short.
After the defeat of the "Beer Hall Coup" in 1923 and reflections in prison, Hitler realized that the violent overthrow of the existing regime would not work. Instead, he decided to seize power through legal means and embarked on a comprehensive reform of the Nazi Party to prepare for the future of power.
First, Hitler consolidated the authority of the party and concentrated power within the party to a high degree. He appointed loyal cronies to key party positions and severely suppressed dissidents; At the same time, the Pro-Guard was established, an armed force loyal to him. Second, Hitler also vigorously promoted Nazi ideology and injected it into the hearts of the German people. He set the grand goals of the "Third Reich" and "Greater German nationalism", and advocated the expansion of "living space" by force. Anti-Semitism has become an important part of this extreme ideology.
In order to better promote Nazism, Hitler and his men actively used the new mass media of the time, such as radio stations and films. At the same time, Hitler personally spearheaded the massive demonstrations of rallies and marches, where his oratorical prowess made him famous. In order to expand its influence, the Nazi Party also set up a special "Propaganda Unit", which was responsible for the production of various propaganda materials.
In addition, Hitler also focused on packaging his personal image to create a heroic image of the "German Savior". He glorified his life as a legend of hardship and suffering, and claimed to be the only leader who could save Germany.
3. Stresemann: The Misunderstood Diplomat
At the same time as Hitler's rise, another German politician, Gustav Stresemann, was sparing no effort for the revival and revitalization of the country. As Foreign Minister and Chancellor, he employed a series of wise and thoughtful diplomatic tactics that won Germany a precious respite.
In 1923, French and Belgian troops, in order to force Germany to pay reparations, suddenly occupied the Ruhr, Germany's most important industrial region. This event plunged the German government into a huge crisis, with Chancellor Wilhelm Penn adopting a policy of "passive resistance", which led to soaring inflation and economic collapse. At the moment of crisis, Stresemann was appointed as the new chancellor and foreign minister, and he immediately set out to solve this thorny issue.
Stresemann understood Germany's current predicament and that it was impossible to retake the Ruhr from France alone. So he used his superb diplomatic skills to first ease relations with the Soviet Union and win the support of this great power. He then improved relations with Britain and the United States, and succeeded in convincing the governments of both countries to pressure France to withdraw its troops from the Ruhr. In this way, Germany, under the wise leadership of Chancellor Stresemann, emerged from this crisis.
However, the Germans did not thank Stresemann for his contributions, but instead he was viled as a "traitor" by some nationalists. It is true that Stresemann made some concessions in order to rebuild Germany's national power, but this was a stopgap measure, in order to buy Germany time to breathe and develop. In fact, during his tenure, Germany not only regained its economic strength, but also gained an unprecedented diplomatic standing, becoming a permanent member of the League of Nations.
In 1926, Stresemann succeeded in signing the Locarno Treaty, ending the country's "reparations hell" since the First World War. The content of the treaty was extremely beneficial to Germany, significantly reducing the amount of reparations, giving Germany a longer period of time and allowing it to stop paying reparations for years to come.
The predicament of America today
Looking around the United States today, people may feel a familiar unease. Since the outbreak of the international financial crisis in 2008, the U.S. economy has been struggling to recover. Despite the government's trillion-dollar quantitative easing, improvements in key livelihood indicators such as domestic employment and real wages have been slow.
Against the backdrop of the economic downturn, social contradictions are also intensifying. In recent years, a series of old and stubborn diseases, such as racial discrimination, disparity between the rich and the poor, and immigration issues, have erupted one after another, bringing unprecedented divisions to American society. Demonstrations and demonstrations have occurred one after another, violent clashes have occurred from time to time, and some extremists have openly challenged the existing system and authority.
At the same time, America's global influence is waning. Long-term foreign military intervention and unilateralist policies have put their alliances in jeopardy, while the rapid rise of emerging powers such as China and Russia has become a new challenge. In the context of the current contest for supremacy, the United States seems to have stepped into a situation of passive defense.
In the face of the grim situation of domestic and foreign difficulties, more and more extremists have emerged in US political circles, and their ideas are exaggerated and simplistic and lack a basis in reality. Among them, some people advocate patriotism and nationalism, call for "making America great again", and seek to rebuild American power through closed and confrontational methods; Others point the finger at certain demographic groups in the country, scapegoating them for economic and social problems.
Under such circumstances, if those in power listen to these extreme propositions, it is not difficult to foresee that the United States will embark on the old path of radical domestic and foreign policy and suffer greater internal friction and diplomatic difficulties. From this perspective, the United States today is facing a fate similar to that of Germany a hundred years ago.
Fifth, learn the lessons of history and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past
Looking back at the tragedy of Germany in the 30s of the last century, it is not difficult to find that the fate of a nation often depends on the choice of the people for its leader. At that time, the German economy was in recession, social contradictions were intensifying, and the frustrated people began to be bewitched by the false promises of extremists, which eventually pushed the country into the abyss of war. And the United States today seems to be facing some similar problems.
From an economic point of view, the persistently low growth rate and lagging employment have made it difficult for many ordinary families to improve their living standards, resulting in the phenomenon of class consolidation and the intensification of the gap between the rich and the poor. Some areas have even been reduced to "small towns", with population loss, drug abuse, and lack of educational resources. At the same time, the prevalence of rent-seeking and the unfair distribution of income caused by technology monopolies have exacerbated the discontent of the people at the bottom.
Social fragmentation is also a cause for concern. In recent years, the United States has not been spared as racism, populism and other extremist ideologies have risen in Western countries. Incidents of racial discrimination have occurred one after another, deepening the gap between different ethnic groups, and facing various reproaches and ostracism among Asian immigrant groups. The confrontation between the various factions has also continued to escalate, and invective and violent clashes between the two sides have occurred from time to time.
In foreign relations, long-term military intervention and unilateral foreign policy have damaged the reputation of US diplomacy and greatly reduced the trust of traditional allies. At the same time, emerging powers such as China and Russia are working to expand their influence, posing a challenge to the existing U.S.-led international order. The United States has no choice but to bow left and right with limited resources, and it is burdened with a heavy strategic burden.
This situation of internal and external troubles has certain similarities with Germany in the 30s of the last century. At present, many extreme ideas such as nationalism and anti-immigration have begun to emerge in the American political arena, although these views are exaggerated and simple, but they have a certain appeal to the displaced people at the bottom. Once these extremists seize real power, they are likely to lead the United States down a more radical path. At that time, the United States will have to face the dual dilemma of external challenges and internal tears at the same time, and fall into a self-imposed dilemma.
Therefore, it is imperative for the United States today to learn the lessons of Germany a hundred years ago, abandon the temptation of extremism, and remain rational and pragmatic. Only in this way can we avoid a repeat of the tragedy and allow this once-great country to find its course again.