Adolf Hitler: Difference between revisions
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* [[Flanderization]]: There is an unfortunate tendency among history enthusiasts to look at the magnitude of his crimes and paint Hitler as an inhuman monster, whereas the sad, sad truth is that he was a very human and easily repeatable creature. Banality of evil, anyone? |
* [[Flanderization]]: There is an unfortunate tendency among history enthusiasts to look at the magnitude of his crimes and paint Hitler as an inhuman monster, whereas the sad, sad truth is that he was a very human and easily repeatable creature. Banality of evil, anyone? |
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** Hitler is often painted as a coward and a [[General Failure]], when in fact he was decorated for bravery in [[World War I]] and came up with some of the tactics that overcame the Belgians in 1940. His real [[General Failure]] moment was more for political propaganda reasons later in the war when he insisted that troops on the Eastern Front shouldn't retreat -- which [[Josef Stalin|Stalin]] had also done earlier on. |
** Hitler is often painted as a coward and a [[General Failure]], when in fact he was decorated for bravery in [[World War I]] and came up with some of the tactics that overcame the Belgians in 1940. His real [[General Failure]] moment was more for political propaganda reasons later in the war when he insisted that troops on the Eastern Front shouldn't retreat -- which [[Josef Stalin|Stalin]] had also done earlier on. |
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***Whether or not that was a fair description being a runner in general was no cushy job. Runners had to work their way through labyrinths of trenches to and from |
***Whether or not that was a fair description being a runner in general was no cushy job. Runners had to work their way through labyrinths of trenches to and from critical places, especially messages at places where the landlines were cut-which meant of course the places that were either to far forward to lay lines or had all their lines blown up. Or in other words the most unpleasant. Whether Hitler earned it honestly there is no reason a runner could not earn an Iron Cross the hard way and plenty why he could. |
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** Historians now have access to Hitler's war record, whereas the previously had to rely heavily on ''Mein Kampf'' and the dubious testimony of Nazi sympathisers who were with him (and, sometimes, not). It turns out that yes, he really ''was'' a coward or at least nowhere near as brave as he made himself out to be, spending almost the entirety of the first war relatively safe behind the front lines in Regimental HQ, and turning down promotions probably to avoid more dangerous work (or work, period -- he spent days at a time not doing much). His Iron Crosses came more from sycophantic ass-kissing ([[Irony|of a Jewish officer]]) than bravery. |
** Historians now have access to Hitler's war record, whereas the previously had to rely heavily on ''Mein Kampf'' and the dubious testimony of Nazi sympathisers who were with him (and, sometimes, not). It turns out that yes, he really ''was'' a coward or at least nowhere near as brave as he made himself out to be, spending almost the entirety of the first war relatively safe behind the front lines in Regimental HQ, and turning down promotions probably to avoid more dangerous work (or work, period -- he spent days at a time not doing much). His Iron Crosses came more from sycophantic ass-kissing ([[Irony|of a Jewish officer]]) than bravery. |
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** Also, one good set of tactics does not Alexander make - Hitler was a shockingly bad strategist, and made several blunders, over the advice of more competent generals, that ultimately cost him the war. They are too many to list here - see [[General Failure]] below. |
** Also, one good set of tactics does not Alexander make - Hitler was a shockingly bad strategist, and made several blunders, over the advice of more competent generals, that ultimately cost him the war. They are too many to list here - see [[General Failure]] below. |
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