Saturday, January 15, 2011
What was Hitler's Deal?
In class, we have been discussing mistakes made by Hitler towards the end of the war. Although it seemed painfully obvious that the Germany was going to lose, he continued to demand attacks in favor of trying to defend the homeland. Hitler insisted on holding on to Sweden for its iron ore and the Baltic States for the U-boat training grounds there even though these areas would have no effect on whether Germany won or lost by 1944. He then demanded an attack on the allies in the West late in 1944, which cost him what little reserves Germany had left. These would all appear to be very stupid moves when the big picture of the war is looked at. It surely would have been better to withdraw back into Germany to defend the homeland. But was this Hitler being stupid, or did he just have no alternative in mind other than a complete and total German victory? Going on the defensive did nothing for Hitler as his dream was world domination. To retreat into Germany was admitting defeat and that was not an option. So tell me what you guys think; was Hitler stupid? Or were his moves those of desperation?
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I think Hitler's moves were ones of desperation because based on what we've learned about his personality so far Hitler needed everything to be big and showy, so why should loosing be any different? Hitler wanted to go out not with a fizz, but with a bang and in the process he depleted all of Germany's remaining supplies. Honestly I don't think he cared that much, if he already saw defeat on the horizon, he must've known he wasn't going to be alive much longer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tess i think Hitlers moves were just out of desperation. He was never going to be the man to back down, so taking the measures he did pry (in his mind) made him look more like a "man."
ReplyDeleteI think Hitler's actions were of desperation to an extent. However, he was also still holding onto the belief that he was invincible. He had a lot of proof to back it up too, having successfully taken over the majority of Western Europe. He almost definitely had to know that he was behind and losing, but I think he probably still had that belief that he was going to turn it around. Like Ben said, retreating wasn't an option, and he was just going to hold out and wait for things to go his way. He was being a little stupid and a little desperate both.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kaitlyn. However, I don't think anything Hitler did was out of desperation. If he was so desperate for Germany to survive, he would have pulled back and played defense. But that would have left him in the same place he started, which would have seemed pointless. He was trying to keep on fighting for what he thought his country needed. Sorry Johnsen, but I don't think it was so much a matter of testosterone as national pride.
ReplyDeleteI think that the biggest factor in Hitler's decision to stay offensive was his view that there was a lack of a better alternative. To him, becoming defensive wasn't going to help Germany out at all: he had already seen the effect of that in World War I, he didn't want that to happen again. Defense would have done him no good, other than prolonging the inevitable end to a bloody war.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it was a combination of the two. Hitler was stupid for not listening to what other millitary leaders had to say. But also going back and defending the german homefront would be defeat in its self. I think that it was all or nothing for Hitler there was not going to be a half way with him so dropping back to defend Germany wasnt really an option in Hitlers mind, while that may have been a stupid thing to do it was, in my opinion, the only way hitler was going to end the war was going to be in total domination.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Porter. While his actions got pretty desperate towards the end I don't think it was just him wanting to go out with a bang. I feel like it was more him realizing the possibility of failure, so he decided to throw out all his resources in a last ditch effort to win and end things.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Evan, Hitler had no other alternative. He was trying to keep a grasp on the short-lived glory that Germany had achieved when he controlled most of western Europe. Retreat would have meant ending up back in the same leaky boat that Germany was in at the end of the first World War, and to Hitler, that wasn't an option.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that his actions were those of desperation. He was all about being big and powerful and awesome, so he did anything he could think of to make himself look strong. I don't think he cared that he was low on supplies and soldiers, obviously he knew that he was going to lose but he pretended to still be strong and confident, all the way to the end.
ReplyDeleteI think Hitler was desperate. Being weak wasn't an option in his eyes, which is why we see him failing to rejuvenate his depleted battalions, and instead creating new armies. I think his "suicide"(which after our discussion friday seems horribly unproven) shows exactly how he felt. It was either win or die, because without a ruling Germany there was no reason to live.
ReplyDeleteHitler was desperate, and I agree with whoever said he threw all of his resources into a last ditch effort to maybe pull through with a win. Hitler's personality that refused to believe what everyone around him was telling him definitely contributed to his downfall.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do not think Hitler was by far a good ruler, I do think he was far from stupid. I mean teh guy rose to power and knew how to manipulate an entire country i do not think you can say he is stupid. But I definintely think he acted out of desperation.Everything was collapsing around him and he had may suggestions that were told to him, he was at a loss as to hwo to recover. So he did what he did and it was jsut a desperate attempt to somehow find a way to succeed.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Hitler saw any other good option than to take desperation. I definitely think he knew failure was coming and he couldn't resist going out with a bang/or showing admittance that he hadn't been successful. He didn't care about the massive loss of lives or supplies, just as long as there was some chance of pulling through.
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