Adolf Hitler Psychology Argumentative Essay Example
Adolf Hitler Psychology Argumentative Essay Example

Adolf Hitler Psychology Argumentative Essay Example

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  • Pages: 7 (1812 words)
  • Published: March 2, 2019
  • Type: Case Study
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Adolf Hitler's life came to an end on April 30, 1945, as he took his own life out of hopelessness. Following his instructions, SS officers burned his body in the Chancellery garden after dousing it in gasoline. Shortly thereafter, German forces surrendered, officially signifying the war's conclusion. However, the world was just beginning to comprehend the immense horror it had witnessed. The profound impact of Hitler's astonishing rise and abrupt downfall reverberated throughout individuals and nations worldwide. Did societal influences, paternal rejection, and artistic failure propel him towards hatred? Or was he inherently predisposed?

Born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau Am Inn, Austria to Alois Hitler (a Customs official) and Klara Hitler (his mother), Adolf Hitler was their fourth child. As a student, he excelled academically and even received singing lessons while participating in the church choir. He attended

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grade school near Linz, Austria. However, during his teenage years, he rebelled against his father's desire for him to pursue a high-ranking military position and instead cultivated aspirations of becoming an artist.

One of his high school teachers described young Hitler as notorious, cantankerous, willful, arrogant, and irascible. He faced challenges fitting in at school and only excelled in courses that interested him. In Adolf's school notebooks, he would ridicule his teachers and create drawings of them. His lack of effort prevented him from graduating high school. As a leader, Hitler reflected on his schooling days and criticized the teachers for their lack of understanding and support. He believed they prioritized imparting knowledge rather than nurturing individuality. Any student displaying even a hint of originality endured merciless persecution.

In September, Adolf made the decision to leave high school

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seeing no reason to continue. At sixteen years old, he left school and in 1907, after his father's recent death, Hitler departed from his home taking all the remaining money with him. This money was enough to cover his expenses for tuition and housing at the art school in Vienna. The Vienna School of Fine Arts had strict admission requirements and rather than seeking employment, Hitler tried once again to apply to art school. Unfortunately, his application was poorly received and he was not allowed to take the formal exam. The art school returned his drawings stating that they were lifeless and lacked vitality resulting in rejection. Three months later, Hitler made another attempt but did not pass the preliminary exam marking the end of his artistic career. Tragically, two months later on December 21st, 1907, his mother passed away.

Hitler relocated to Vienna, sharing an apartment with a friend. Presenting himself as a student living off his family's wealth, Hitler had the opportunity to read books and observe sessions of the Austrian government. To survive, he sold hand-painted water postcards and created advertising posters for products such as soap, cigarettes, and deodorant. This period ignited Hitler's interest in politics and motivated him to extensively study the subject.

In 1913, Hitler moved to Munich; however, his life did not improve until World War I commenced in 1914. On August 1st of that year, Hitler joined a large crowd gathering in Munich's public square to commemorate Germany's declaration of war. While many individuals experienced anxiety and sadness due to the onset of a global conflict, Hitler was filled with joy. He volunteered for the German Army and enlisted

in a Bavarian regiment as a corporal. Serving as a dispatch runner on the Western Front, he exhibited remarkable bravery during forty-seven battles and earned the prestigious Iron Cross medal—an uncommon accolade for someone of his rank. Finally, after enduring years of poverty and uncertainty, Hitler felt a sense of belonging.

Hitler's fortunate streak during the war came to an end on October 7, 1916 when he sustained a leg injury. While stationed in Berlin for light duty, he became disheartened by civilians' lack of concern towards the war, attributing it mainly to Jews. Then on October 13, 1918, another unfortunate incident occurred. British troops launched high explosive shells containing lethal chlorine gas while Hitler and his fellow dispatch runners waited for food rations. Despite quickly putting on gas masks, they were still exposed to the toxic fumes. Some men died and others experienced breathing and vision problems, including Hitler himself – his eyes turned into glowing coals as darkness surrounded him according to his journal entry.

(http://www.historyplace.com). Although initially losing his vision entirely due to this incident, Hitler eventually regained use of his eyesight just as he was about to rejoin his regiment – only to receive news of Germany's surrender.

After the war, Hitler was given a mundane job as a post guard for shelter. Later, he became an undercover agent and attended the University of Munich. During his time at university, Hitler took various philosophical and political courses. As part of his duties, he investigated the German Workers' Party, an disorganized group that appealed to him. To fulfill his responsibilities, Hitler joined the party to prevent it from posing a threat to the government. He

became its director of propaganda and rose through its ranks from being its fifty-fifth member. Despite facing low attendance due to poor communication within the party, Hitler discovered his talent for captivating speaking while teaching at the University of Munich. His speeches were mesmerizing and sometimes caused him to lose five pounds in one night due to his energetic delivery.Under Hitler's leadership, membership in the German Workers' Party grew from under one hundred members to nearly 1000.He renamed it as National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi for short) and designed a flag featuring a white background with a broken cross in the center.With Hitler as their leader, violence became synonymous with the party's image.Hitler effectively persuaded his party comrades to rent a large hall in Munich capable of hosting over 2,000 people.While presenting the German government with the 25 Points, Hitler's friend Ernst Rohm simultaneously formed a unit of storm troopers. The audience warmly embraced Hitler's innovative concept. Through blaming Jews for various issues in Germany, Hitler encouraged attacks on Jewish individuals and the destruction of synagogues.

In the summer of 1923, the Nazi party had reached a membership of 150,000 individuals. Adolf Hitler saw this rapid growth as an opportunity to take power in Germany. Originally planned for November 11th, 1923, which coincided with Germany's five-year anniversary since surrendering after World War I, Hitler decided to move this date up to November 8th. As part of his plan, a significant gathering was organized on the outskirts of Munich with three influential government officials present. That night, a group of 600 storm troopers was mobilized and successfully captured these government leaders, pressuring them to side with

Hitler.

Hitler and his 3,000 soldiers marched to Berlin in an attempt to seize control. However, they were met by German police, resulting in a chaotic exchange of gunfire that killed sixteen Nazis and two officers. Many others were injured in this incident. Hitler was subsequently captured and charged with High Treason. Following a trial where he was found guilty, he received a prison sentence of five years. Despite this punishment, he only served nine months as the guards allowed him to have adjoining rooms, which enabled him to receive gifts and gain weight. It was during his time behind bars that Hitler wrote Mein Kampf ("my struggle" in English), where he detailed his plans for the next twenty years.

After the uprising, the Nazi party was banned by the government, but it continued to exist due to various factors. One reason was that the Allies had loosened their control over Germany's economy, and Germany's industries remained intact when France withdrew from the Ruhr. The United States also provided financial assistance to stabilize Germany's economy. In 1925, Ernst Rohm received orders to reinstate his troops and resume their activities. However, only 3% of voters supported the Nazi party in subsequent elections. Nevertheless, support for Nazis increased compared to Communists because of America's economic depression. As a result, Nazis became the second-largest political party gaining an additional 107 seats in Parliament after these elections. Hitler extensively traveled via airplanes across major cities and towns to campaign for presidency against Paul Von Hindenburg.

In 1932, storm troops grew to approximately 400,000 members and aimed at intimidating people with chilling chants like "Sharpening knives on sidewalks so they can better cut

into enemies' bodies." They openly expressed readiness for mass murder as revenge. To establish more control, Hitler created a disciplined unit called SS soldiers who wore all-black attire and adorned their helmets with a small skull pin. Additionally, they were required to pledge absolute loyalty to Hitler.

In the 1932 election, despite his efforts, Hitler failed to defeat President Hindenburg, who was 85 years old. However, 230 Nazi candidates won seats and Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, the government's second highest position. With only a week left until the new election, Hitler needed an incident to gain an advantage in the polls. Two nights later, the Reichstag, which used to be a courthouse, caught fire. The Nazis immediately accused the Communists of causing it, helping them in the race. As a result though, Hitler did not get elected as President.

Using forceful methods, Hitler convinced Hindenburg to pass a law that abolished freedom of speech, press and assembly. Subsequently he presented this Enabling Act to court which granted him dictatorial powers for four years ahead. Through persuasive tactics backed by forcefulness; he successfully got this bill passed making Germany into a dictatorship.

Following these events' occurrence; German military grew concerned about losing control once Hitler assumed complete leadership and worried about SA taking over instead. To alleviate their fears; Hitler assured them that wouldn't happen. In order to win their trust he provided them with a list containing names of 500 - 1000 storm troopers whom they could eliminate if necessary . Within two days all men on this list were taken into custody and executed at a school basement firing range.

In August 1934, President Hindenburg's death removed

Hitler's final barrier, allowing him to consolidate the roles of president and chancellor. As a result, he acquired limitless authority and became known as Der Fuhrer, the leader, to all Germans.

Hitler's suicide on April 30, 1945, to avoid capture by advancing forces had a profound global impact. It marked the end of his reign and resulted in the tragic loss of millions of Jewish lives. This event raised collective questions about how such an unthinkable situation could occur. It is crucial to acknowledge that although Hitler led the Reich, many willingly followed him while others stayed silent out of fear.

Adolf Hitler encountered various challenges on his journey to power, starting from homelessness and eventually becoming a dictator who played a significant role in forming the Nazi Party. The influence he exerted shaped Germany into its current state, highlighting his immense impact on the world.

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