Hitler's Non-Traditional Weapons of World War II - Term Paper Example

Hitlers Non-traditional Weapons of World War II s Humans have been known to invent and develop weapons, skills, andtechnology geared towards victory during conflicts. Most of the inventions are the conventional artillery and machines used in warfare including guns, fighter jets, tankers, armored vehicles, submarines and more recently unmanned drones. In addition, non-conventional weaponry has been used including divide-and-rule, propaganda, intimidation, political scheming, repression and fear, ethnic cleansing and even brainwashing. During the Second World War, Hitler put to work many of his scientists to develop many high-tech weapons for the War. Most of these were conventional weapons although some were an exaggerated show of might while others were discovered accidentally such as certain nerve gas weapons that had potential to be extremely damaging but never saw use in the war. Others still proved very effective in achieving set objectives of destruction and advancing the war in Germany’s favor. However, it was none of these conventional weapons that caused the most devastation. It was neither of them that made Hitler so feared and loathed in an equal measure. The non-traditional weapons gave Hitler an iron grip on those working under him during his reign (Welsch, 1998). Hitler was a master at using terror to intimidate as well as garner admiration from his followers. On more than one occasion he overruled and even had killed those he viewed as being disloyal to him or being incompetent for tasks assigned. For instance, during the advance of soviet troops toward Berlin, Goring, who tried to assume leadership from Hitler who was besieged in Berlin was ordered arrested and was removed from all positions in government. During the same period, Himmler was trying to negotiate terms of surrender with forces allied to the west. When Hitler discovered this, he had him arrested and had his representative Fegelein shot (Bullock, 1962). Hitlers promise of a more united and integrated society earned his admiration from his followers, but the reality was that he brokered deals with whomever he felt necessary to achieve his goals. Hitler got political mileage from the fact that he disregarded prior treaties and brokered deals that prevented him from achieving his goals (Welsch, 1998). Despite promising a united nation, he felt that other ethnic groups within Germany were enemies and were a stain on a potentially pure German race. His anti-Semitic views fuelled his policies and his hatred for the Jews led to one of World history’s worst mass killing acts to date; ‘The Holocaust’. Adolf Hitler on ascending into power quickly eradicated all opposition to him and ensured complete allegiance to him as Germany’s third Reich. He assumed a god-like, hero position and had supreme unchallenged power (Welsch, 1998). He was above all and not subject to anything, even the law. He legalized intimidating tactics and suspended civil rights of perceived opponents. As Fuhrer, he had absolute power and executed the nation’s common will. In order to ensure that he continued to expand Germany without hindrance, he attacked Poland without cause, unleashing brutal, murderous force on innocents. Such a strategy was not uncommon for Hitler, who erratically and without cause habitually terrorized innocent people. Poland was eventually taken over, under a German commander, Forster, and the Poles were “Germanized” and forced to swear allegiance to the Fuhrer (Rees, 1997). This repressive reign and spread of fear resulted in less resistance to neighboring states in Europe. The Polish citizens under Forsters region signed forms indicating presence of “German blood” (Kershaw, 2008). Meanwhile, another German war general, Greiser, conducted a ruthless ethnic cleansing crusade that was ruthless towards the Polish in his territory. (Rees, 1997). Greiser protested against Forster’s accepting thousands of Poles to be recognized as "racial" Germans. According to Greiser, this action endangered the German "racial purity." Hitler desisted from getting involved in the different schools of thought (Rees, 1997). Hitler’s dictatorial leadership style meant that orders came from the top down and not the other way around. He also gave ambiguous instructions to his generals and expected them to sort out the details, such as how the orders would be translated into policies. During Hitler’s reign, all forms of war propaganda and distractions came in handy, particularly the many glittering military parades and festive occasions coordinated by Joseph Goebbels at the infamous Ministry of Propaganda. Such occasions were extensively and intentionally publicized strategically to instill fear, even among the citizenry, and divert the attention of the Allied Army. Only slowly did the subjects and opponents realize, if they seldom noted, that the Führer was leading them to a conflict (MacDonogh, 2009). Hitler also had a gift for crafting political schemes and strategies that were meant to his favor but which sometimes did not. For instance, during the advance of the allied forces, he had banked on a strategy to divide and separate the allied forces which he could then sway into joining his force against the soviet union. However, after an attack on the United States that had massive casualties, his strategy collapsed and marked the start of Hitlers collapse (Geary, 1993). The Führer, was a master at divide-and-rule strategies, even among the Allied Armies. For instance, towards the end of 1944, the Red Army and its Western Allies led a determined advance into Germany. On this premise, Hitler realizing the power and determination of the Red Army, decided to use his last mobile artillery against the American and British troops, which he supposed as weaker. On the 16th December of 1944, the Führer attacked the American and British troops in the Ardennes. The attacks were to provoke disunity amid the Western Allies and possibly convince them to support his fight against the Russians (Crandell, 1987). The offensive was however unsuccessful. The death of Franklin Roosevelt in 1945 shuttered Hitlers hopes of peace negotiations with the United States and Britain. The Führer banked on this event to disunite the Allies, but contrary to his predictions, there was even stronger unity among the Allies to win the Second World War against the Germans (Bullock, 1962). In conclusion, the German Army achieved tremendous victories both in conventional and non-traditional warfare. However, this success was hindered by the Führers dictatorial leadership style and refusal to delegate authority where necessary, coupled with his “no retreat, no surrender” policies. Despite the huge potential that the German army had in both types of warfare, it is universally known that victory in the war frequently arises from a strategic withdrawal and reorganization. Nevertheless, Hitler almost always refused to relinquish full command of the German army to his field marshals, especially during the offensive against the Soviet army. As a result, high fatalities of troops and military equipment were lost pointlessly during the war. In the big picture, the German armys worst enemy was its leader, the Fuhrer, irrespective of the kind of weaponry or tactics applied by this army. The chaos and erratic manner in which he led the Nazi party and eventually directed troops during war times together with his delusions of invincibility were the undoing of Germany and all her conquests. His inaction in situations where he was counted upon to give direction leaving his generals to grumble amongst themselves and act separately of their volition also yielded dismal results (Welsch, 1998). References Rees, L. (1997). The Nazis: A Warning from History. New York: New Press. ISBN 978-0-563-38704-6. Kershaw, I. (2008). Hitler: A Biography. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-06757-6. Crandell, William F. (1987). "Eisenhower the Strategist: The Battle of the Bulge and the Censure of Joe McCarthy." Presidential Studies Quarterly 17 (3): 487–501. JSTOR 27550441. Bullock, A. (1962). Hitler: A Study in Tyranny. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-013564-0. MacDonogh, Giles. (2009). 1955-1938: Hitlers gamble. New York: Basic Books. ISBN 978-0-465-00954-1 Welch, D. (1998). Hitler. London: UCL Press Limited. ISBN 1-85728-509-3 PB Read More