Anyone who can’t see many similarities in Trump and Hitler must be as thick as a brick
Adolf Hitler's rise to power began in the newly established
Weimar Republic in September 1919 when
Hitler joined the
Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (DAP; German Workers' Party). He rose to a place of prominence in the early years of the party. Being one of its most popular speakers, he was made the party leader after he threatened to otherwise leave.
In 1920, the DAP renamed itself to the
Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei – NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers' Party, commonly known as the
Nazi Party). Hitler chose this name to win over left-wing German workers.
[1][2]Despite the NSDAP being a right-wing party, it had many
anti-capitalist and
anti-bourgeois elements. Hitler later initiated a purge of these elements and reaffirmed the Nazi Party's pro-business stance. By 1922 Hitler's control over the party was unchallenged. In 1923, Hitler and his supporters attempted a coup in
Bavaria. This seminal event was later called the
Beer Hall Putsch. Upon its failure, Hitler escaped, only to be subsequently arrested and put on trial. The trial proved to be a blessing in disguise for Hitler, as it garnered him national fame. Hitler was sentenced to five years in prison, but he would only serve eight months. During this time, Hitler wrote
Mein Kampf, which became the
vade mecum of
National Socialism. Once released, Hitler switched tactics, opting to instead seize power through legal and
democratic means.
Hitler, armed with his newfound celebrity, began furiously campaigning. During the 1920s, Hitler and the Nazis ran on a platform consisting of
anti-communism,
antisemitism, and
ultranationalism. Nazi party leaders vociferously criticized the
ruling democratic government and the
Treaty of Versailles, while proselytizing their desire to turn Germany into a world power. At this time, most Germans were indifferent to Hitler's rhetoric as the German economy was beginning to recover in large part due to loans from the
United States under the
Dawes Plan.
[3] The German political landscape was dramatically affected by the
1929 Wall Street Crash, which hampered economic aid to Germany. The
Great Depression brought the German economy to a halt and further polarized German politics. Hitler and the Nazis began to exploit the crisis and loudly criticized the ruling government. During this tumultuous time, the
German Communist Partyalso began campaigning and called for a revolution. Business leaders, fearful of a communist takeover, began supporting the Nazi Party. Hitler ran for the
presidency in 1932but was defeated by the incumbent
Paul von Hindenburg; nonetheless, he achieved a strong showing of second place in both rounds. Following this, in
July 1932 the Nazis became the largest party in the
Reichstag, albeit short of an absolute majority. 1933 was a pivotal year for Hitler and the Nazi Party.
How are we looking so far???
