Inside the Third Reich discussion

As I have read, or been reading histories of the Third Reich, and World War II, I have come to the frightening conclusion, that it COULD happen again.

During our last elections, our economy was in tatters, and trust in the Government was at an all-time low. Along came a relative unknown politician, with a "silver-tongue." He promised that he would take care of everything.

Seven months later, there is a real fear that Socialism may rear its ugly head in the U.S. Our government has made a hostile take-over, of the largest automobile manufacturer in the U.S. He is now proposing mandatory requirements for health care.

In 1922, Germany was in much the same state. INflation was at about 4000%, and people didn't trust the government. Along comes an unknown with a silver tongue, and promises to fix everything. Seventeen years later, he plunges his Socialistic government into the most costly war in the history of the earth. Germany was destroyed. The people paid the price of his arrogance, and pride. Could it happen again? "Those who fail to study history are destined to repeat it."(Suntayana)

Yes. But everyone is too busy watching "America's Got Talent" to notice.

To paraphrase Inigo Montoya from Princess Bride: You keep using that word, "socialism." I do not think it means what you think it means.

It is happening again; it's called Palestine.

If it happens again, it will be in the US, wrapped in the flag and carrying a bible!

I wish all you guys would keep the political discussion on the Huffington post. This website is not for your political opinion its to rate the books and talk about them.

I've been making the connection lately. It's rather frightening as so many people are distracted by their electronics, they don't really pay attention to what is happening. My son just turned 30 and when he totally doesn't believe this could happen today.

What I learned from reading this book is that people will compromise their ideals in exchange for money, recognition, and/or power … so, absolutely it could happen again.

The biggest disservice we could teach the young today is that Hitler was a monster, an aberration of history.
However, the inclination to call anyone who disagrees with your own views a fascist or Nazi (or socialist) diminishes the power of those words. Whatever your views of either Bush, Thatcher, Blair, Clinton, Obama, etc., fact is they did not abuse their powers to dismiss Congress, or engineer to stay in power past their elected terms, etc.
Comparing Stalin, Mao, Hitler, Napoleon, Castro, etc., to recent American/British/European political history is a bit silly and understandably younger generations become immune to the very term "Nazi" and a lesser appreciation of the horrors of their 13 year reign of power.

Rory

When the nazis and hitler rose to power, Germany had no history of popular government, military veterans that were banding together to destroy it, and a convenient lie for the anti-democratic loonies to put together. This is not the case in the US.

As an aside, I'm rather disgusted with the ignorant and inaccurate conflation of socialism, communism, and tyranny. Modern socialism -- the kind that's been realized in places like Sweden and Denmark -- is democratic.

So, can it happen here? Yes. Indeed, it has happened here: the entire Civil Rights movement was because of local governments depriving individuals of their rights.

Actually national and state governments were even more complicit in denying rights to minorities.

Kirk wrote: "Actually national and state governments were even more complicit in denying rights to minorities."

Different definition: anything below national is local. Indeed, the subsidiary governments even used terrorist assistance.

Lysergius wrote: "If it happens again, it will be in the US, wrapped in the flag and carrying a bible!"

No, it will happen under the guise of fundamental change and wrapped in redistribution theory and income inequality. For the People of course.

Rory wrote: "The biggest disservice we could teach the young today is that Hitler was a monster, an aberration of history.
However, the inclination to call anyone who disagrees with your own views a fascist or..."

Yet.

Ed wrote: "When the nazis and hitler rose to power, Germany had no history of popular government, military veterans that were banding together to destroy it, and a convenient lie for the anti-democratic looni..."

I don't think that's the aim of the current administration and it's supporters here. America's been a democratic capitalist society with some socialist programs. What's being aimed for here, isn't Democratic.

It's been awhile since I read this book, but I recall finding it insightful and interesting. It's first person, so of course there will be subjectivity as well as objectivity, there will be a certain amount of rationalization--circumstances are not without variables & we all know what they say about hindsight. I didn't get the idea he was just trying to get off the hook, I think he was sincere in his acknowledgement of guilt. From what I can tell, Speer wasn't a demonstrative man, but I don't think that necessarily negated his sense of guilt.
I think I'll need to read it again.

I think you're responding to Kelly, not me. I view extremists, in general, as a danger to democracy. Currently, the most popular extremists are on the right. Some of them are yearning for an America that never was; some of them are just yearning for a return to segregation; some are yearning for a theocracy.

I found only one comment on this book that is actually about Inside the Third Reich.

So... Speer has been shown by several historians to have distorted truth, covered up evidence, lied about his knowledge and complicity in crimes. His memoir is fascinating for viewing his complete subjugation by Hitler and the hypnotic effect it had on him the rest of his life. But try Gitta Sereny and Matthias Schmidt for different views of Speer. You won't think of him as the good Nazi again, I promise you.

Kelly wrote: "Lysergius wrote: "If it happens again, it will be in the US, wrapped in the flag and carrying a bible!"

No, it will happen under the guise of fundamental change and wrapped in redistribution theor..."

Same thing really...

Christopher wrote: "I found only one comment on this book that is actually about Inside the Third Reich.

So... Speer has been shown by several historians to have distorted truth, covered up evidence, lied about his..."

Bit of an oxymoron that isn't it? Good Nazi?

Lysergius wrote: "Christopher wrote: "I found only one comment on this book that is actually about Inside the Third Reich.

So... Speer has been shown by several historians to have distorted truth, covered up evid..."

Ah yes, good Nazi. The media adorned him with that title in the 70's after he was released from jail. For a genuine good Nazi, look into John Rabe during the Rape of Nanking. There's a movie by that name, John Rabe, that is streaming on Netflix now. True story, real man.

That book is one of my top 5 books of German history. My family is from Germany and were very proud people that served in the military. Most of the men except a handful were never a member of the national socialist, they fought as they were told like any good soldier. The SS was the political military arm of the party. And this would never happen again because the US as the unofficial world police wouldn't let it. Only the u.s now has the worlds greatest army just like Germany had the worlds greatest army back then. With the difference being the people at the top.
Albert speer is one of the people I look up to. He is a smart savy organizational man and great architect. The feats he was able to in 42-45 are nothing short of amazing. He treated everyone with respect. I never saw anything he did that caused me concern.

While Speer was far from the worst member of the nazi administration, he did condone and possibly encourage the use of slave labor.