Success of Nazi Propaganda

Paper Summary:

This essay examines the success of Nazi propaganda and argues that this shocking reality can be explained by four factors that came together to make a deadly poisonous brew. First, the writer notes that the fact that the Germans were so defeated in every sense in the 1930s laid the foundation. Secondly, the writer points out that there was the modern technology for mass communication which the Nazis used to spread their propaganda. Third, there was the Nazi's unusually skillful use of this technology. Finally, the writer notes that there was the German peoples' philosophy or psyche, which made them vulnerable to the Nazis. The writer concludes that these four factors combined to make it possible for the Nazi party's propaganda machine to win over the Germans.

From the Paper:

"The first thing to consider is the state of Germany at the time of the Nazi ascent, in the early 1930s. Germany had been the aggressor in the First World War, and after its defeat the victorious nations had punished it, and also attempted to subdue it, by bringing it to its knees militarily and financially. The harshly punitive terms of the Treaty of Versailles made German economic recovery impossible, and sowed the seeds of anger and resentment that would make the Germans a vulnerable target for Nazi propaganda. The economic woes of the Weimar republic were compounded by the effects of the Great Depression. This began in 1929 and affected many European nations, resulting in the rise of several totalitarian movements. Of these, the Nazi party had the easiest task in winning over converts, due to the vulnerability of the Germans. With their backs up against the wall, unable to make a living, many Germans were easy targets for a charismatic leader who promised to save them from their overwhelming woes."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Clark, Toby. "Art, Propaganda and Fascism." Art and Propaganda in the Twentieth Century. Toby Clark. New York: Harry Abrahms, 1997: 47-71.
• Corelli, Marie. "Poisoning Young Minds in Nazi Germany: Children and Propaganda in the Third Reich." Social Education 66.4 (2002): 228+.
• Hoffmann, Hilmar. The Triumph of Propaganda: Film and National Socialism, 1933-1945. Trans. John A. Broadwin and V. R. Berghahn. Providence, RI: Berghahn Books, 1997.
• Sommers, Fred. "The Holocaust and Moral Philosophy." Vice and Virtue in Everyday life. (6th Ed.) Eds. Fred & Christina Sommers. New York: Wadsworth Publishing, 2003.
• Wiesner, Merry E. Discovering the Western Past: A Look at the Evidence. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.

More papers on Success of Nazi Propaganda:

• Analytical Essay # 46686 : "The Development of Nazi Propaganda"
• Research Paper # 101916 : "National Socialist Propaganda: Role and Nature"
• Essay # 6403 : "Hitler & Propaganda - Telling the People What They Wanted to Hear"

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