At 12:20 you say "Hitler, who had started to make a small name for himself, was selected and endorsed as what had already been decided would be the fate of Germany".
This is the standard history which concedes to the Nazis that there was no alternative to them. But why did the German ruling class finally turn to fascism in January 1933? Why had the propaganda about democracy been exhausted and rule by terror was now required?
In the general election of November 1932 the Nazi vote had fallen by 2 million from the election of July 1932 and it was now below the combined vote of the SPD (social democrats) and KPD (Stalinist communists). The crisis intensified and the threat of socialist revolution rose, despite the leaderships of the SPD and KPD both insisting on constitutionalism. (In 1931 the KPD had even supported the Nazi Landtag referendum against the SPD state government and from 1932 had used the slogan "First Hitler, then us!")
The Nazi's fanatical anti-bolshevism was now needed and Hitler was appointed Chancellor in a cabinet that had only a minority of Nazi ministers. They proceeded carefully to see what the response of the SPD and KPD would be but not a shot was fired and over the next few months the Nazis built the dictatorship.
The militant anti-fascism of the German working class betrayed by the SPD and especially the KPD. Only Trotsky and the International Left Opposition has tried to warn workers of the danger and had called for a United Front (march separately, strike together) of the SPD and KPD but the KPD, following directives from Moscow, insisted the SPD were "social-fascists" and just as bad as the Nazis.
We must study and learn this history.
The Myth of “Ordinary Germans”: A Review of Daniel Goldhagen’s Hitler’s Willing Executioners
Yes. Financed an accelerated new war machine in a country that was beyond devastated after WWI. Suddenly they have a military force that can threaten the world? You are spot on!!!
Have you read Trotsky's writings on the matter? Given his was exiled on the island of Prinkipo in Turkey, what else should he have done? Do you know what the International Left Opposition in Germany did?
Anyone interested in the record can review it here:
Leon Trotsky’s struggle against fascism in Germany
I think Cynthia Chung is absolutely brilliant. A definite enhancement to my critical thinking skills.
Excellent, as always, Cynthia!
Outstanding!
This was brilliant. Thank you!
At 12:20 you say "Hitler, who had started to make a small name for himself, was selected and endorsed as what had already been decided would be the fate of Germany".
This is the standard history which concedes to the Nazis that there was no alternative to them. But why did the German ruling class finally turn to fascism in January 1933? Why had the propaganda about democracy been exhausted and rule by terror was now required?
In the general election of November 1932 the Nazi vote had fallen by 2 million from the election of July 1932 and it was now below the combined vote of the SPD (social democrats) and KPD (Stalinist communists). The crisis intensified and the threat of socialist revolution rose, despite the leaderships of the SPD and KPD both insisting on constitutionalism. (In 1931 the KPD had even supported the Nazi Landtag referendum against the SPD state government and from 1932 had used the slogan "First Hitler, then us!")
The Nazi's fanatical anti-bolshevism was now needed and Hitler was appointed Chancellor in a cabinet that had only a minority of Nazi ministers. They proceeded carefully to see what the response of the SPD and KPD would be but not a shot was fired and over the next few months the Nazis built the dictatorship.
The militant anti-fascism of the German working class betrayed by the SPD and especially the KPD. Only Trotsky and the International Left Opposition has tried to warn workers of the danger and had called for a United Front (march separately, strike together) of the SPD and KPD but the KPD, following directives from Moscow, insisted the SPD were "social-fascists" and just as bad as the Nazis.
We must study and learn this history.
The Myth of “Ordinary Germans”: A Review of Daniel Goldhagen’s Hitler’s Willing Executioners
https://www.wsws.org/en/special/library/russian-revolution-unfinished-twentieth-century/15.html
John, Trotsky never resisted the Nazis. Yes, we would do well to study and learn this history. https://cynthiachung.substack.com/p/the-life-of-james-burnham-from-trotskyism
Also, the phrase you are referencing by me is not in reference to what the German people chose for themselves or any people for that matter. If you were to include the entire paragraph I am discussing the support for Hitler provided by the Bank of England among other influential stations in Britain. I have also written about this here https://cynthiachung.substack.com/p/for-king-and-empire-the-birth-of and here https://cynthiachung.substack.com/p/a-crusade-for-pan-europe
Yes. Financed an accelerated new war machine in a country that was beyond devastated after WWI. Suddenly they have a military force that can threaten the world? You are spot on!!!
"Trotsky never resisted the Nazis." Are you sure?
Have you read Trotsky's writings on the matter? Given his was exiled on the island of Prinkipo in Turkey, what else should he have done? Do you know what the International Left Opposition in Germany did?
Anyone interested in the record can review it here:
Leon Trotsky’s struggle against fascism in Germany
https://www.wsws.org/en/special/pages/1931-1933-trotsky-struggle-against-fascism-germany.html
Leon Trotsky’s four fateful years in Prinkipo: 1929-1933
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/09/23/intr-s23.html