CARMEN HISTORY YEAR 11

BY THE END OF 1930S, DID HITLER CONTROL GERMANY BY OPPRESSION OR BY

POPULAR SUPPORT?

Both oppression and popular support allowed Hitler to gain control of Germany. Neither one
would work without each other. Hitler did use oppression to prevent being overthrown on his way
to control Germany. He didnt want any opposition or threat and so, this led him to use oppression.
Fear made people not want to anger or cross the Nazis and this made people brainwashed about
the idea that they had to be always loyal to Hitler. Hitler formed strict organisations. Concentration
camps were set up for sending Jews, people who were disliked by Hitler, communists, those who
refused to give the Nazi salute and handicapped people. Hitler disliked handicapped and mentally
disables people as he saw them as no use in making a Great Germany. The Death Heads unit, which
was one of the organisations in the system, controlled the camps. In these camps, food was limited
and there was harsh discipline. Beatings and random executions were common in camps. This made
people afraid to stand up against the Nazis, knowing where they will end up. Nazi controlled police
and courts and this meant that crimes done by Hitler are ignored and Nazi opponents rarely get a
fair trial.

Gestapo played a big part in oppression. It was an organisation unit, which was most feared
by people as they could just arrest anyone in suspicion and sends them to concentration camps.
Also, they were Nazi agents among the society in disguise, looking out for Nazi opponents. When
they found the opponents or overheard people talking bad about the Hitler, they will be arrested
and sent to concentration camps. Besides that, the Enabling Act on 23 March 1933 made Hitler
Fuhrer of Germany. All other parties were banned and leaders were put in prison. This meant there
was less threat and opposition to Hitler. Hitler also banned all Trade Unions on 2 May 1933. Offices
closed and their money was taken away while leaders were taken to prison.

Other than that, popular support also paved a way for Hitler to control Germany. People in
Germany started to see how good Germany was doing economically since the war. Some supported
Hitler because they hated communist while business people supported Hitler, as they wanted to get
rid of communists threat. Even those who disliked him had to put up with them because of what
Nazis were achieving. Hitler had overthrown the Treaty of Versailles and Germans finally had pride
in their country. Massive economic improvements benefitted everyone and this contributed
support to Hitler.

The rallies carried out in streets managed to show Germans how disciplined they were with
their smart brown uniform. Germans finally thought that they needed this kind of discipline in their
country to make Germany great again. Basically, the propaganda and Hitlers speeches managed to
convince people to support him. Also, Germans didnt want to suffer the humiliations of the war
and the problems they faced after the war again. So, they had no choice but to support Hitler as he
was making Germany great again.

Overall, Hitler gained control of Germany by using both oppression and support. Without
oppression, he might not have gained support and without support, he may be overthrown. These
two factors depended on each other to Hitlers success.