Development of anti-Semitic Persecution in Germany before 1939 and Twisted path to Auschwitz - Article Example

TUTORIAL READING LOG Name: Institution Date: Theme One: The Final Solution Week 1: The pathway to the Final Solution Development of anti-Semitic persecution in Germany prior to 1939 The pathway to the final solution aimed saving German from political and economic crisis via Nazi’s oppressive acts against other races mainly Jews is traced between years 1933-39 particularly the analysis of NAZI party activities led by Hitler. The battle was spearheaded by Hitler after clinching a powerful chancellorship position in German government following his earlier appointment by President Hindenburg who bestowed trust in Hitler save German political and economic crises. Nazi’s had only won a plurality of 33 percent of the 1932 German parliamentary elections despite being amongst strongest political parties. Hitler hurriedly worked to end German democracy convening his cabinet t culminating into invoking emergency clause leading into suspension of freedoms of press, assembly and speech with special security forces; Storm Troopers, Gestapo and SS arresting and murdering opposition political party leaders. His dictatorial powers became inevitable when Enabling Act of March 23, 1933 sailed weakening Reichstag. Racial superiority followed making German viewing Jews, handicapped and Gypsies as biological threat to Aryan race (German master race) with Jews being mostly the Nazi’s hatred targeted lot. Several anti-Jews laws (Nuremberg) aimed at making them inferior were enacted making life unhearing at workplace-, civil service jobs, and law courts positions and universities. Propaganda was also used against them and even blamed for German’s World War I defeat. Similar segragative laws were enacted between 1937 and 1939 baring Jews socially, economically and politically. Final solution was validated by Nazi’s 1938 riot (pogrom), also referred to as the “night of broken glass” resulting arrest of Jews men, home vandalization, murder of individuals and physical destructions of synagogues. Primary source The speeches of Adolf Hitler I, London, 2nd Ed., 1942, pp737-41 Secondary source Jackson Spielvogel, Hitler and Nazi Germany: A History New Jersey: Prentice-Hal,l Vol. 2, 1988, pp265-72 Lucy Dawidowicz, The War Against the Jews 1933-45 Penguin 1st ed., 19994, pp. 193-205 Week 2: Implementation of the Final Solution Twisted path to Auschwitz Exterminations of other races in Germany did not commence by Hitler clinching Chancellorship but already organized only waiting for someone to execute. This resulted from failed plans and would be the third Reich to execute. Following the process of Hitler’s speeches, he was always earmarked mentioning that he would exterminate the Jews and other races in Germany. It is disheartening and it is hard to actually imagine of the oppressive nature that Hitler spearheaded to eliminate other races in his country. This study is centered on the application of concentration camps and the massive loss of lives in the chambers. In this context, the researcher seeks to unearth the path through which the final solution implementation employed and the policies Nazi used against the German Jews with respect to the period between 1933 and 1939. The path begins with the identification of Jews problems as Second Reich explores the already worsening situation with tension rising before the naming of Hitler to the powerful German government position. It is revealed a pre-existing feelings waiting to be executed. Understanding the twisted path calls for s close analysis of the German political scene and history that presents Hitler with a platform to execute the exterminations of unwarranted races in German. Hitler comes in as a dictator at the time that more focus is made on anti-Semitic feelings with already smoldering behind the scene. The path goes through boycotts, political side stepping, anti-Jews law’s enactment, promoting Aryanization, mandatory evictions culminating into establishment of concentration camps. Primary source Yad Vashem, 1981, pp. 344-45 Secondary source Dawidowicz, The War Against The Jews, Vol. 3, pp.206-8 Spielvogel, Hitler and Nazi Germany, pp272-81 Henry Friedlander, “The opening act of Nazi Genocide” in Donald L. Niewyk ed. The Holocaust: Problems and Perspectives of Interpretation, Vol.1, Melbourne: Cengage, 2011 pp.50-55 Week 3: Holocaust Historiography Why do you think have the Intentionalists and Functionalist arrived at such different positions? In this context, the researchers seeks to deduce whether or not holocaust was predetermined and had a master plan as held by internationalists to which is opposed by functionalist. Another dissenting argument is the origin of the Holocaust initiative; whether the idea came from Hitler’s orders (above) as proposed by internationalists or within the ranks of German bureaucracy referred as the below initiative origin as held by the functionalist but are bipartisan on the reality of Holocaust. It is the researchers view that internationalists took school of thought was informed by the earlier Hitler’s hatred and segregated speeches circumventing towards extermination of the non-Nazis. Hitler’s sentiments can be said to have failed and united the Nazis who had seen him as the best positioned to liberate the Germans from their main Jewish threat. The naming of Hitler to the top chancellor position by Hindenburg can be said to have been intentional following the president’s remarks that it was Hitler to save German from grave of political and economic crises. We can also question the Hitler’s hurried moves to end German democracy by enacting anti-Jews laws to have informed the Intentionalists position. On the other hand, studying the German politics and history, Functionalists can as well be right in their school of thought as we realized that was already a smoldering feelings against the other races in Germany. This is seem by Aryanization as German had Nazi had referred themselves as master races and defined Jews as inferior ones. The propagandas that were influenced by the lower ranks in German bureaucracy can be attached to Factionalists evidence. Sources Saul Friedlander, “Introduction” to Gerald Fleming, Hitler and the Final Solution Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2nd ed., 1986, pp 7-33 Michael R. Marras, The Holocaust in History Penguin, vol. 1, 2002, pp. 31-54 Philippe Burrin, Hitler and the Jews: The Genesis of the Holocaust London: Edward Arnold, 2nd ed, 2000, introduction and chapter 1. Reference source for theme one Frans Coetzee and Marilyn Shevin-Coetzee eds. The world in Flames: A world War II Sourcebook. New York: Oxford University Press, Vol. 3, 2010, pp. 410-420 Theme two: Cold War Europe Week 4: The onset of the Cold War The connection between the dropping of the Atom bomb in 1945 and the commencement of the Cold war The Hiroshima atomic bomb drop hit the world and left many surprised at the destructive ability of the bomb. The United States used the atomic bomb to show it’s mighty and would then be respected through the achievements of imperialistic objective pegged at the position of United States Strength. The possession of atomic bomb is reported to have changed the Stalin’s attitude upon being informed by Truman of the ownership of a powerful weapon without specifically mentioning that it was an atomic bomb. Stalin became so furious when Truman dropped the bomb as Russian super power being overridden by the invention of the atomic bomb. Kurchatov is said to have heard Stalin wondered on how Hiroshima had shaken the whole world and destruction of his earlier balanced. Stalin took the dropping to be of more focused on Russia as compared to Japan as he had earlier realized that America was working on such weapons and was not surprised at Truman’s revelation. A nuclear arms race was provoked as Stalin reacted by ordering Soviet scientist to establish Russian nuclear weapon pointing towards the commencement of Cold War. Stalin lamented how Americans were killing Japanese and intimidating his country a true expected reactions and intentions of the dropping. It is argued that Stalin decided to play hard against the American and instructed his diplomats to tighten their stands on the west. This culminated into the 1946 February ‘Bolshoi speech’ pointing fingers on America imperialism goal based on its atomic bomb strength hence Cold War. References Harry s. Truman, “The Truman Doctrine” in David Welch ed. Modern European History, 3rd Ed., 18 71- 2000: A Documentary Reader London: Routledge, 2000, p. 216-22 W. C. McWilliams and H. Piotrowski, The world since 1945 London 1st Ed.: Lynne Rienner, 2009, pp.31-44 Week 5: Redrawing the map of Eastern Europe 1946-1949 Why was Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech such a benchmark in the history of the cold war? The speech was dubbed “Sinews of Peace” delivered on March 5, 1946 by Sir Winston Churchill, a leader of United States opposition upon request by the then US President Harry S. Truman at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. The speech was viewed as the most important being delivered about the early Cold War period. It came as a surprised to massively unprepared audience. The impact of the speech was immediately felt leading to dramatic realignment particular Soviet Union and her growing Bloc and the Western Allies. The Iron Curtain Passage took the center stage in the international arena, and shaped both the Western Europe and United States public opinions. The Iron Curtain as a content with the speech paved way for Cold War battle between the Western and Eastern powers. As for Russian, Cold War is traced from Sir Wilsons’s 1946 Iron Curtain Speech. Others nations such Britain, West Germany, France and the United States takes the stand that Churchill’s Speech was a vessels to inform the world of Western belief and attaches Soviet territorial expansion being felt in Europe as the cause of the Cold War. The speech saw responses made by Soviet that pointed towards their intentions and decisions vowed to undertake. The Churchill Irion Curtain has ever since been associated with the Cold War as it is argued that Western and Eastern Allies realignment immediately became evident. Proponent to this fact hold strongly that Cold War was as a result of this speech and opponents hold onto Soviet territorial Eastern Expansion as the immediate cause of Cold War. David Welch ed. Modern European History 1871-2000: A Documentary Reader London; Routledge Vol. 4, 2000, pp.216-22 W. C McWilliams, The world since 1945 London: Lynne Rienner, vol. 3, 2009, pp. 44-49. R. N Stromberg, Europe in the Twentieth Century London: Prentice-Hall Vol. 2, 2000, pp. 292- 303 Read More