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Politics : About that Cuban boy, Elian -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: epicure who wrote (6780)	5/31/2000 11:48:00 PM
From: chalu2	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 9127

What produced Hitler was rampant nationalism--NAZI is an acronym for national socialism. What produces dictators generally? Lack of entrenched democratic institutions, economic and social upheavals, and real and perceived external threats. Much fear that a dictator may arise on these shores is voiced on pro-gun message boards. Many of these people believe that a terrible dictator may arise, and that the armed citizenry will have the means and inclination to overthrow him. My belief is that, when such dictators arise in a democratically-inclined state, it is as a result of some severe nation trauma. In such circumstances, the citizenry does not rise up to overthrow the dictator because many are scared, many don't care, and many view the new leader as some sort of saviour. That's why, in such unimaginable circumstances, it is difficult to build a consensus that overthrow of the dictator would be a Good Thing. (Difficult, but not impossible--Stalin was never overthrown despite his propensity for mass slaughter; Louis XVI was overthrown).

To: epicure who wrote (6780)	6/1/2000 12:26:00 AM
From: X Y Zebra	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9127

You are aware that the Nazis arose out of the democratic Weimar republic- a constitutional democracy? Indeed he did, The fight between the communist and the social-democrats gave the opportunity to the National Socialists (Nazis) Party to its rise to power. Much of their legal and structural demise can be viewed as self inflicted. The Communist like many other groups are held at least partially responsible for Hitler's rise to power and his subsequent political victory. Had they been able to see past political differences with the Social Democrats they may have been able to crush the Nazi machine at its' roots. Accountability can be cast on all political parties in Germany. In retrospect we can argue endlessly as to who merits more fault. Communist can be blamed for adding to chaotic conditions in the street warfare that helped breed insecurity among the German populous, they can also be blamed for refusing to cooperate with the Social Democrats in forming an alliance against the Nazis during the early elections. The SPD leadership in turn can be held accountable for not utilizing its numbers to call for an immediate assault on Nazi members, that its' reliance on legality helped pave the way for Hitler's intrigue and manipulations. As William Shirer pointed out in his History of the Third Reich: No class or group or party in Germany could escape its' share of responsibility for the abandonment of the democratic republic and the advent of Adolf Hitler. The cardinal error of the Germans who opposed Nazism was their failure to unite against it (4) There are number of explanations as to why Hitler achieved victory despite modest showings in the polls. The KPD as was mentioned before, due to political rivalries with other parties failed to form a unified stand against Hitler. Had the KPD cooperated with the more "moderate" Social Democrats a substantial blow may have been struck to the National Socialist during the elections of November 1932. The Nazi Party had only 33.1% of the vote when Hitler became chancellor, against the Communists' 16.9% and the SPD's 20.4%. (5) Thus the greatest opportunity for productive resistance, namely a legal one was lost to the Communist and Social Democrats as well. Had the SPD and KPD been able to overcome their differences a much stronger political voice may have been able to prevent Hitler's substantial winnings. Alas, that was not the case. Once Hitler was in power he quickly destroyed the official German Communist Party. hometown.aol.com hometown.aol.com More... Early in January 1933, von Papen and Hitler met in the home of a Cologne banker, Kurt von Schroder, who pledged funds needed by the Nazi party, and a group of industrialists reassured Hindenburg to let Hitler form a cabinet. Von Papen reassured Hindenburg that he as vice-chancellor would always accompany Hitler in his talks with the president. Reluctantly, Hindenburg agreed, and on January 30, 1933, Hitler became chancellor at the age of 43. He had indeed come to power legally. remember.org Some more... Pope Pius XII (1939-1958), who during the Second World War had secretly changed sides, and had formulated a policy against World Communism, thus enlisting the help of the USA as soon as the Nazi edifice began to collapse, took steps to save many of those who had supported the Vatican before and during the War. The top Nazis, who had fallen into the hands of the Allies, were brought before the Nuremberg Tribunal. Most of them were hanged. Several escaped. One of these was Franz Von Papen, an official war criminal. Pius XII pleaded for him behind the scene and Von Papen not only avoided death but after a few years was released. Von Papen was the leader of the Catholic Party of Germany. At one time he had been Chancellor. He had helped Hitler into power, to such an extent that after Hitler became head of Germany, he made Von Papen his Vice-Chancellor. Von Papen was one of the most prominent war criminals saved by the Vatican. The Catholic hierarchies of many countries did the same with minor officials. Therefore, when the Catholic leaders of the Catholic State of Croatia fled the country, they looked to the Vatican as a refuge. Many of them were helped in their escape by the local clergy or by ordinary Catholics. As we have already seen, Ante Pavelic, after many difficulties, managed to reach Rome where he absconded wearing the habit of a monk. When he was given a false passport and identity he sailed for South America, where he became active with the open support of the church. Minor war criminals from Croatia were received with a special cordiality, since they had one clear distinction that most other war criminals had not. The Croat refugees had supported a regime which had been inspired and blessed by the Pope. A Catholic Croatian State which, had Hitler won the war, would have become the model Catholic State of the Balkan regions. remember.org