Hitler’s policy is a position of racial discrimination, the superiority of one people over others. This is precisely what the Fuhrer was guided by in the internal and external political life of the country. The goal was the transformation of Germany into a "racially clean" state, which would become the head of the whole world. All Hitler’s actions in both internal and external state activities were directed to fulfill this super-task.
Three periods of foreign policy activity
Hitler’s foreign policy can conditionally be divided into three periods. The first period (1933-1936) - the strengthening of the NSDAP and the accumulation of resources to take revenge for defeat in the First World War.
The second period falls on 1936-1939, when the government of Nazi Germany gradually begins to introduce a force component in foreign policy. We are not talking about open hostilities, but a test of strength and anticipation of the reaction of the world community in the fight against communist forces are already taking place. Germany, committing aggressive actions against the designated enemy, does not receive condemnation or rebuff from the European states, which unties her hands. Thus, a springboard is being prepared for the military operations planned by her to redistribute the world.
The third period includes the entire Second World War from the day of the occupation of Poland until 1945.
Hitler's rise to power
On the day of the death of President Hindenburg on August 2, 1934, Adolf Hitler announced to the country that he was assuming the title of “Führer and Reich Chancellor,” which provided him with sole authority. Immediately he takes the oath of the army given to him personally; seeks the adoption of a law that assigns Hitler both the highest posts, the president and the chancellor, for life. These very important first steps enabled the Nazis to take active steps in foreign policy. Hitler led the first period.
From the first minute, Hitler knew that his country, with arms in hand, would fight to revise the humiliating results of the Treaty of Versailles. But until a powerful military potential was prepared, Germany pretended to be very worried about maintaining peace on the planet, and even advocated general disarmament in the international arena.
In fact, all the steps taken by Hitler in the foreign policy of these and subsequent years led to the seizure of the territory of the USSR, the expansion of the German "living space" in the east. In the meantime, it was necessary to resolve economic issues within Germany.
Economic leap
Hitler understood that the achievement of the supertask, namely world domination, is possible only with the intervention of the fascist state in the country's economy. This coincided the interests of both the ruling fascist party and the tycoons of German industry. Back in 1933, a body was created that guided the development of the country's economy, which operated until the mid-forties.
For Hitler, economic policy was secondary, it was only a means to achieve political goals. But on the way to his super task, he nevertheless worried about the possibility of provoking popular discontent. The rebellion of the FĂĽhrer was most afraid.
Unaware of economic issues, Hitler understood that having six million unemployed in the country would keep the national economy paralyzed. Therefore, the priority was to create jobs. For help, he turned to his compatriots, who had actually proved their professionalism. This step was the appointment of Finance Minister J. Schacht, an outstanding banker and financier with extensive experience.
Four-year plans in the German economy
In the summer of 1936, a four-year plan was adopted, which was to turn the entire economy of the country into preparation for war. The organizational abilities of the authorities encouraged businessmen to invest in the implementation of plans, German citizens were more and more imbued with confidence in the Fuhrer, consumers were more confident in spending the money that appeared in the family, and prices for essential goods were reduced.
For most Germans, wages grew, from 1932 to 1938 the real income of the population increased by 21%. Unemployment was almost completely defeated; at the end of 1938, one million unemployed, able-bodied people remained in the country.
Hitler's social policy
Hitler attached very serious significance to the creation of a socially homogeneous society in the German state. He called for educating the German people in respect for each other, regardless of the estate status of a compatriot. “Any labor and any working person should be respected,” the Fuhrer taught.
Having come to power, Hitler, fearing popular discontent, began to generously allocate funds for social programs. In the implementation of the plans, not only permanent jobs were created, but also public works were organized, which were also generously funded. Large amounts of money were spent on road construction. If earlier the country had developed railway transport, now great attention was paid to the creation of autobahns.
The concept of “people's car” also arose during this period of economic recovery. The construction of factories and the production of Volkswagen were completed in a short time. Hitler even thought that his compatriots, traveling in a German car along the new German roads, would have the opportunity to admire the beautiful buildings created by German hands. According to his personal instructions, bridges on the autobahns were built in different styles: either in the form of Roman aqueducts, then in the style of medieval castles or art nouveau.
Agitation and propaganda
Competitions were organized at the production sites, as a result of which not only increased the volume of output, but there was significant encouragement for individual workers: climbing the social ladder or serious material incentive. Mass, cultural and sporting events and events were welcomed. Extensive propaganda work has been conducted.
Having informed the whole country of his desire to create the "maximum possible standard of living" for the Germans, and having done a lot for this, the Fuhrer won the unlimited trust of the German people.
Peasant politics
In addition to the industrial development of the country, for the conduct of hostilities it was necessary to create conditions in agriculture in order to provide the army and population with food. The solution of the peasant question is one example of Hitler's policy.
In 1933, the FĂĽhrer threw the slogan: "The collapse of the German peasantry will be the collapse of the German people," and all the forces of the domestic machine were thrown to the rise of the food sector.
The two laws that Hitler signed at this time governed the reorganization of agriculture. The Reich received the right to control all processes of production, processing and marketing of products. And the state set fixed prices.
The second law concerned land inheritance. As a result, the peasant got rid of the threat of losing his plot, but at the same time he attached himself to it, as in feudalism. The state lowered production plans and controlled its implementation. As a result of this policy of Hitler, the state, without abolishing private property, became the owner of the domestic agricultural industry.
Domestic political events in Germany
Against the background of the development of the economy and its preparation for the war period, Hitler's domestic policy was aimed at strengthening the Nazi power in the country. At first the Communist Party was banned, and then the Social Democratic Party. Trade union organizations were liquidated, and many party groups, under pressure from the authorities, announced self-dissolution. In fact, Germany became a country with one ruling party, the Nazi.
Opponents of the government went to concentration camps, mass persecution of “foreigners” began, which after a few years were aimed at the physical destruction of Jews. Hitler rivals in the party were also subjected to repression. Former associates suspected of disloyalty to the Fuhrer were physically destroyed. The victims were Rem, Strasser, Schleicher and other statesmen.
Relations between the authorities and the church
Hitler’s policy in Germany, aimed at the monopoly possession of the souls of the Germans, complicated the already contradictory relationship of Adolf Hitler with the church. In public speeches, the leader of the German people has repeatedly noted the role of Christianity in preserving the soul of German people. As a sign of trust, an agreement was signed between the Vatican and Germany, in which Hitler guaranteed the freedom of the Catholic faith and the independence of the church on the territory of the state.
But the actual actions of the authorities were contrary to the terms of the contract. A sterilization law was passed. It was called the decree “On preventing the appearance of hereditary sick offspring,” and according to it, Germans were subject to forced sterilization, which, according to the authorities or doctors, could not give true Aryan offspring. By the way, children who were skipping school were classified as mentally unstable. Such was Hitler's policy in the struggle for a purebred Aryan nation.
Mass arrests of clergymen were carried out in the country, most often this was done on trumped-up charges. The Gestapo forced church officials to break the secret of confession. As a result, in 1941, Martin Bormann, Hitler’s deputy for the party, concluded that "National Socialism and Christianity are incompatible."
Hitler's racial politics. Anti-Semitism
Hitler, not hiding his goal, advocated an unshakable purge of the national ranks of the German people. But the main blow of fascist Germany was aimed at people of Jewish nationality.
Adolf Hitler experienced an inexplicable hatred of this people since childhood. Even before the coming of the “brown shirts”, the assault groups organized pogroms. After the Nazis came to power, anti-Semitism became the national policy of Adolf Hitler and his associates.
The FĂĽhrer did not hide his hatred of Jews and made publicly such statements: "If there were no Jews in Germany, they should have been invented." Or: "Anti-Semitism is the most powerful weapon in my propaganda arsenal."
At the beginning of the anti-Jewish movement, they were limited in their public positions, in the right to engage in finance and medicine. In 1935, Hitler signed a series of laws prohibiting people of Jewish nationality. They talk about the possibility of depriving a Jew of German citizenship, the prohibition of marriages and extramarital affairs with the Aryans, the inability of a Jew to keep a servant of German blood, and so on. Peaceful citizens soon joined in the persecution of Jews. On the doors of shops, institutions, pharmacies appeared the inscription: "Jews are not allowed to enter."
The night of November 9-10, 1938, which was the result of Hitler’s anti-Semitic policy, went down in history under the name Kristallnacht due to the number of broken windows and shop windows in Jewish stores. The attack aircraft destroyed everything that caught the eye, while the robbery was not considered a shameful thing. So began the mass extermination of Jews, which unfolded widely during the war years.
Beginning of action
Since 1937, fascism deliberately provoked international conflicts, creating a pre-war environment. Despite the measures taken to restructure all aspects of the state, the regime created at such a speed did not differ in strength from within. To strengthen it, finally, foreign policy successes were required. That is why the Fuhrer began to take action.
An invasion plan for Austria called Otto was developed. On March 12, German bombers appeared over Vienna, the next day Austria was declared a German province.
In May, Hitler annexed part of Czechoslovakia to Germany, allegedly protecting the rights of Germans living there. The country surrendered without a single shot. The European neighbors, England and France, silently looked at the aggressive actions of the Fuhrer.
The Second World War
Germany put forward all big claims to Poland, Hitler planned to start a war with the Soviet Union from Polish territory. Tension between the two states was artificially created, an excuse was sought for the start of the occupation.
On September 1, Wehrmacht divisions entered the territory of a sovereign country. The Second World War began, unleashed by one of the most brutal dictators in the entire history of mankind.
Summarizing the information received and relying on the characteristics of Hitler’s policy given by specialists who deeply study this issue, it can be argued that Hitler was a flexible politician. His beliefs and the methods used to achieve goals often adapted to circumstances. Although there were themes and views that were established and unchanged. These are anti-Semitism, anti-communism, anti-parliamentarism and belief in the superiority of the Aryan race.