Sherman 1 Kaleb Sherman Mr.

Neuburger English 101-130 16 April 2012 Research Paper Propaganda and the Holocaust Merriam Webster defines propaganda as ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further ones cause or to damage an opposing cause. There have been many different uses for such a thing in the history of our world. The Nazi propaganda campaign headed by Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels lead to the horrific events in the Holocaust and led masses of people to believe that it was good for the sake of their people for these things to happen. The essence of propaganda consists in winning people over to an idea so sincerely, so vitally that in the end they succumb to it utterly and can never escape from it. (Joseph Goebbels qtd. In Propaganda in Nazi Germany) The understanding of the root of the Nazi Campaign really grew from the mind of Adolf Hitler, a former corporal for the German army during World War I. After the war he felt personally embarrassed and having nowhere to go he began to wander Germany as an artist. He failed miserably at this. He was eventually found and put in prison for trying to overthrow the Munich Government during the Beer Hall Putsch. This however, ended up being a huge turning point for his personal life, and career.
Mein Kampf written bv Adolf Hitler . source; http://bit.ly/cTF8Tk

Sherman 2 While in prison Hitler wrote Mein Kampf, an extremely Anti-Semitic book based on propaganda and ideological theories. The book stormed through the world selling millions of copies and being printed in several different languages. This really sparked his campaign, and after being released from prison in 1924 he pushed his campaign with the many followers he had obtained from his writings and prominent speaking abilities. After many struggles with the German government and armed forces, in 1933 he had finally obtained control of the masses. His first order of business was to start his main propaganda campaign headed up by Joseph Goebbels, one of, if not his most trusted associates. Together they took over all aspects of German communication from the books available to the public, down to the toys the children were allowed to play with. (Childhood Under the Swastika) Book burnings were common, taking away any chance for the population to become educated in any way that was not authorized by the Nazi Party. (Hitler Biography) The minds of the
Young German boy during the Holocaust. Source: http://bit.ly/I4UHqS

children at that time were twisted even before they could walk, but they were officially introduced to the Nazi ranks at the age of ten. Hitler stated at a Nazi gathering, These boys and girls enter our ranks at ten years of age, and often for the first time get a breath of fresh air; after four years of Young Folk they go on to Hitler Youth, where we have them another four years And even they are still not complete National Socialists, they go to labor service and are smoothed out for another six, seven months And whatever class consciousness or social status might still be leftthe Wehrmacht [German Armed Forces] will take care of that. (Hitler)

Sherman 3 (Adolf Hitler qtd. In Indoctrinating Youth ) The German kids born in this time, came into the world as a mold. Like soda bottles being made in a factory, these children came in empty, and knowing nothing else it was relatively easy for Hitler to build his ranks. Bringing children in at a young age was a very intelligent way to keep ranks full, and also a way to keep moral with the people of Germany. By having them learn at such a young age there was no need for opposition, they had never known anything else. According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), to aid in this child army the women were encouraged, even forced to have many children. Hitlers plan was not only to exterminate the Jewish race, but to build a complete Aryan society. This meant breeding the population with the purest blood. Germans were only allowed to populate with other Germans, and this was enforced by the Lebensborn ordinance to their countrys marriage laws. The 1936 Lebensborn ordinance prescribed every SS member should father four children, in or out of wedlock. (Women in the Third Reich) In addition, USHMM explains how families were also rewarded for having more children and contributing to the spread of the Aryan race by marriage loans. Homes were set up, almost as brothels where children were fathered illegally, and put up for adoption. Aryan to non-Aryan marriages were prohibited completely, and even relationships with non-Germans were forbidden. The punishments for being caught were severe (Women in the Third Reich). Joseph Goebbels, the head of propaganda at the time also influenced the population by restricting the media coming in and out of the country. Jewish prisoners were forced to act in movies set up by the SS to portray the Jews to be in a comfortable living
Joseph Goebbels at book burning. Source; http://bit.ly/HKkzWT

Sherman 4 space having all the luxuries as anyone else in Germany at the time. Not all Jewish people during that time looked ailing and starving. Some of the higher class Jews kept themselves well, and for the most part, bathed and ate regularly. However, these were the people that were usually used in the SS films, and typically they were sent to the gas chambers immediately afterward. The films on the other hand were successful. The general feeling in Germany was that the Jews were being treated fairly, and having them out of sight, out of mind kept the Germans happy. According to USHMM, in the closing years of the Holocaust, the general feeling in Germany was tense, and scared. The people were starting to realize they had another war on their hands, and after the damage done by World War I, they had much reason for these feelings. Hitler was intent on Conquering Poland and launched another fury of propaganda at his people to get them to defend him. One particular event was having his SS troops dress as if they were the Polish army invading Germany. They staged a Polish attack on a radio station in Gleiwitz, Germany. Hitler wanted his people to believe that their country was a victim of some horrific event, giving him all the reason to fight back against Poland. Immediately after, he declared he would be invading Poland. During his aggressive propaganda attack he also claimed that Germans had been attacked in other towns too, making the people furious. By exaggerating the actual number of ethnic German victims killed in Bromberg and other towns to 58,000, Nazi propaganda enflamed passions, providing justification for the number of civilians that the Germans intended to kill. (qtd. in Deceiving the People) Hitlers tactics worked and he was able to invade Poland with the support from his people. Despite all of Adolf Hitlers campaigning, SS troops did not win World War II, and in 1945 the Germans surrendered. However, Hitler made himself

SS troops Source: http://bit.ly/fSveGd

Sherman 5 legendary as a tyrant, one of the best and most horrendous leaders to ever walk the Earth. The Nazi party slaughtered almost six million people of the Jewish race, hands down the most horrific act ever conducted during any warfare. Many cultures today use the Nazi tactics of propaganda to gain support of their people. In conclusion, Hitler used his furious tactics of propaganda and public speaking to successfully warp the minds of his people. He was able to turn children into armed forces and basically turn his society into vessels, open only to his ideas and beliefs. That is propaganda at its finest. Although he was a tyrannous leader, he was perhaps one of the greatest leaders this world has ever seen.

Works Cited Adolf Hitler.. Spartacus Educational. Spartacus Educational. Web. 18 Apr. 2012 The Holocaust. United States Holocaust Memorial Musem. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Web. 10 Apr. 2012 Nazi Propaganda and Censorship. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Deceiving the Public United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Memorial Museum. Web. 10 Apr. 2012 Deceiving the Public Women in the Third Reich. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Memorial Museum. Web 10. Apr. 2012 Women in the Third Reich United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Indoctrinating the Youth Holocaust Encylcopedia http://bit.ly/cZrnij {April 18th, 2012}

Sherman 6 Childhood Under the Swastika. Weiner Library. Weiner Library. Web. 10. Apr. 2012Weiner Mein Kampf Yadvashem. Adolf Hitler. Web. 18 Apr. 2012 Propaganda in Nazi Germany. History Learning Site. History Learning Site. Web. 8 Apr. 2012

Kaleb,

I am very pleased after reading your paper. You have good command of hgow to disseminate

information and paraphrase. You also integrate direct quotes at the perfect times, and that

demonstrates skill as a writer. However, you crashed into a brick wall with the works

cited page. You should be fine, though, as you move on with your education. Once again,

I very much enjoyed reading your paper.

Sherman 7
Score Points Available

20 10 20 15 10 10 15 Total = 100

Content paper demonstrates understanding and confidence about topic Sources uses only primary and secondary sources In-Text Citations integrates sources within text with effective use of signal words and phrases Formatting properly uses MLA formatting Works Cited works cited page has the required number of sources and is properly formatted Pictures uses pictures to enhance the text with effective captions and source information Some of the pics were too large Writing Mechanics Paper is free from errors in spelling, punctuation, etc.

20 10 20 12 5 8 14
Total Score

89