Path To Power Essays - Nazi Germany, Chancellors Of Germany

Path To Power Essays - Nazi Germany, Chancellors Of Germany Path To Power Filling three high-level voids caused Adolph Hitler to rise to power as the totalitarian dictator of Germany. With his country in the ferment left from World War One, groups at all levels of politics were looking for a savior. Hitler stumbled upon an awareness of his own charisma, saw the opportunities to usurp power, and pursued his assent. The key factors allowing his success were his rise through the German Workers Party, becoming Chancellor of Germany, and orchestrating the combination of the offices of president and chancellor. The first factor was Hitlers ordered membership in the German Workers party. In September, 1919, officers of the Munich Command suspected disloyalty among political groups when it came to the military, and they needed a spy. They chose Hitler because of his towering hatred for Jews and Traitors. His mission was to join the German Workers Party and help it grow. Shortly after joining the Party he learned that their goal was to discuss ways of creating a better Germany. Many of the members blamed the Jews and Marxists for the problems of Germany, but they had no plan or program to set things right. Working with this organization caused Hitler to discover something about himself. He never expected that he had a gifted ability to control and influence people for his gain through speech. The more he spoke, the more enthusiastic they became, and the more control he had over them. Hitlers emotions ignited the crowd. People lost control of themselves, trembling, sobbing, weeping, and howling. Men as well as women fainted and fell over in the aisles. They were bewitched. Hitler quit the military and decided to wield the German Workers Party as his weapon to become the dictator of Germany. The next stepping stone arose when President Paul von Hindenburg decided that the Nazis could no longer be kept out of the government and asked ex-Corporal Hitler to become Chancellor of Germany. He accepted and thus began the second phase to total power. Although Hitler was Chancellor he still couldnt mount his revolution from within. He needed additional Nazi seats in the Reichstag, similar to our Congress, to gain total power. In order to gain these seats he also needed an election along with a reason for the voters to support the idea of a dictatorship. He manufactured a crisis to accommodate his cause. One evening just before the elections, the metal dome of the Reichstag burst into flames. The fire was so tremendous all the firemen could do was watch it burn to ashes and scorched brick. Hitler pinned the blame to Communist leaders and gained over 17 million votes that secured 288 Reichstag seats. Hitlers plan was a success and he was ready to advance to being the totalitarian leader of Germany. The third and final phase of Hitlers conquest was set to begin. The Reichstag, consisting of only Nazi supporters Hitlers SS men allowed in, met on March 23 to vote on the Enabling Act which gave Hitler total power over their rights to suspend the constitution, change any law, and make any law. With the communist leaders banned from the Reichstag, the Enabling Act passed 441 to 91. Hitler moved quickly to strike anyone else who was a threat to him by killing them or putting them into concentration camps. On August 2, 1934, President Hindenburg died, and the military, pleased with Hitlers accomplishments, allowed Hitler to combine the offices of Chancellor and President, which included being commander in chief of the armed forces. Since all other political parties had been officially abolished, the Nazi flag became Germanys official flag, and every serviceman, from General to Private, had to swear an oath of obediencenot to Germany, but to Hitler himself. With this oath, The Fuhrers Third Reich was firmly established. With these three key strategies, Hitler became the totalitarian dictator of Germany and the horror of the Holocaust began in earnest. No one dare question his treachery. The prophecy of General Kurt von Schleicher was soon to be fulfilled. As he predicted, This corporal will destroy Germany and it will have a horrible end.