My Issues with Hitler

Chapter 21, The Collapse and Recovery of Europe, in our world history textbook was a very informative as well as interesting chapter. Such as the start of World War I, in the textbook it says, “The outbreak of that war was an accident, in that none of the major states planned or predicted the archduke’s assassination… (Strayer, pg. 627)” As many history classes that I have taken I do not remember learning that World War I came about from an accident. It makes me think if the archduke had not been assassinated how would the world be? There would have been no First World War and probably not even the Second World War since the Second World War stemmed off the first war. It was Hitler who did not like the outcome of World War I, for he saw Germany falling apart and wanted retaliation. Ok I understand why Hitler was upset knowing that Germany lost some of its land, military, and had to pay fines, but the part that bothers me is the how he believed this myth: “that Germany had not really lost the war but that civilians, especially socialists, communists, and Jews, had betrayed the nation, “stabbing it in the back.” (Strayer, pg. 639)” Now I know that we all know about the Holocaust and the treatment of Jews, but it is so sick to know that so many people we killed just because Hitler thought they backstabbed Germany. Where was the evidence that proves that socialists, communists, and Jews betrayed the nation? And how did Hitler know that it was specifically Jews? It was quite upsetting knowing that Hitler held so much power in Germany from, “suppressing other political parties, abolishing labor unions, arresting opponents, controlling the press and radio, and even controlled the police power over society. (Strayer, pg. 639)” Not only did Hitler blame the Jews, but he restricted their lives in every way possible so that they could not achieve education, work, or marry a German. (pg.641) As I continued reading this chapter I found out that the Jews were not the only ones Hitler tried to get rid of. Hitler had it out for the “Russians, Poles, and other Slavs; Gypsies, or the Roma; mentally or physically handicapped people; homosexuals; communists; and Jehovah’s Witnesses (Strayer, pg.652).” Reading this in the book only made my dislike for Hitler rise even more. How could he off these groups of people who probably never did anything to him? Just because people are handicapped or from a certain country does not mean that they should not be treated fairly. The other thing I guess that I am confused about is how Hitler did not like communism, but wasn’t Germany ran as a communist nation when he was in charge?