Hitler Movie Review. Plus Comparisons of Today.

CBS Documentary.

[nonliberal]

That book has been discredited.

[nonliberal]

You overlooked one serious fact here. At the Night of the Long Knives, Hitler was consolidating his power. He had become chancellor and therefore could control the Army. The only problem left was the Roehm controlled the SA, which had more troops than the German Army. Therefore Roehm was a threat to Hitler's assumption of power.

[risk]

The texas Democrat walking out was the same as the Nazi party walking out of the german parlament.

So all Democrats are like Nazis? Republicans have the clear lead in moral authority in this country today. But you seem to be suggesting that all Democrats are evil fascists. Are you saying we should have a one-party state with only the Republicans in charge? I doubt that's what you really want. Debate makes a republic like ours stronger, and in fact, Hitler did establish a one-party state.

Hitler ammending the law through executive order was the same as Clinton ruling by executive order.

But not when Reagan or Bush have? How about the Iran-Contra affair? How about Watergate? With Congress sitting on its butt during the Nicaraguan revolution, Reagan had to take strong action, and Ollie North is still a hero in my eyes. But selling arms to Iran to fund the Contras remains a violation of the separation of powers (only Congress can legally write checks), and a serious one at that. Moreover, Nixon surely had dictatorship in mind when he turned loose his dirty trickster Plumbers.

The homosexuals as indicated in the SA is the same as the Gaystapo seeking "acceptance" today.

Given the savage treatment of gays before the 1960s, and continued gay bashing in this country, you are calling all gay activists brownshirts? Certainly much of the gay political agenda is off track, but it's a pendulum swing, much like rights for minorities. After having their power suppressed, when it's returned, the victim mentality sets in and people start demanding special treatment. But to assign this to Nazism is to invite the return of institutionalized prejudice.

The wife who grew to love Hitler was the same as the democrat party appologists for hitler.

So people who remain in the Democratic party trying to improve it are Nazi apologists?

I agree with your comment about Germany's contemporary contracts with Saddam, though. It's significant how many Germans have sided with the Arabs in the Arab-Israeli conflict. It wouldn't seem so unusual given that most leftists around the world are doing it, and Germany is riddled with leftists, but in a country with the Holocaust on its conscience, one would think they could do better.

We should attack Democrats for specific behaviors and individual character flaws. Comparing them en-masse to Nazis does a disservice for the Republican party's image, and it fails to recognize the complexities of the American political landscape. Moreover, it insults the many Democrat veterans who have fought against Nazis both in Europe (such as my father) and in the Gulf Wars. I say be Republican and proud, and defeat corrupt and liberty-stealing Democrats one at a time. But don't link any of them to the Nazi party without citing precise examples, and certainly not the whole party.

[neither-nor]

Hitler was also billed as a great artist...

I dont think the documentary has portrayed that accurately, if it indeed it has. As the history books put it Hitler wanted to be an artist, took an exam in Vienna and failed. he ended up as a house painter, if I'm not mistaken. Just quibbling:)

Interesting to know that Hitler took the Swastika off a Church. I had read somewhere that it was also taken indirectly from the Hindu religion. I do know that the Nazi swastika is the inverse of the Swastika that has been a religious symbol in my country for more than a thousand years.

[risk]

I had read somewhere that it was also taken indirectly from the Hindu religion.

I believe that is true. I seem to recall that the Swastika was associated with the Aryans that migrated to India (hence the grouping of Indo-European languages).

Some commentary/history on the swastika.

[biblewonk]

I really enjoyed the movie from the perspective of, what are todays writer/directors going to attach to Hitler and thereby demonize. In the first episode nationalism is what was evil. Hitler was nationalistic to the point of not likeing anyone that wasn't German. He threw the word traitor around, kind of like some freepers I'm ashamed to say, at anyone that seemed, in his mind, to do anything against Germany.

In the second episode it was terrorism that he both caused and then promised to cure, just like the mafia, that he used to increase his power. It was the fear of terrorism and the promise to protect people from it that allowed him to suspend human rights. Notice the parallel.

When the movie is done we now are suppose to feel a twinge a guilt for flying the flag or thinking anyone a traitor to America. We are also suppose to be very suspicious of Bush everytime he uses the word terror or terrorism, which happen to be words he uses a lot and have been the events that have gained him so much popularity. Yes this movie was a Bush hit piece with interesting pieces of history.

I also notice that Nazi's hate Commies yet they are exactlly the same thing. Commies promise to take money from the rich and give to the poor. Commies demonize the wealthy capitalists. Nazies hated "Profiteers". It is exactly the same thing!!! One calls the other left and the other calls the one right but they have met at the same point and it is off the left/right spectrum.

[biblewonk]

As has been much discussed in the controversy of the person associated with this movie being fired for his comments comparing Hitler to Bush, in the comments after the Reichstag fire, apparently Hitler ACTUALLY used the term "Communists" and not "Terrorists" and it's possible it was changed as a dig at Bush.

WOW I sure was wondering if he used the word terroris. I doubted it since that was the obvious Bush spin on part 2.

[montag813]

You overlooked one serious fact here. At the Night of the Long Knives, Hitler was consolidating his power.

How did I "overlook" this? I said exactly that. I was refuting someone else who seemed to suggest that Roehm was arrested because he was in bed with another man, which is obviously not the case. Not sure what you read.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Did you see the movie "The Pianist" about the Holocaust? I recommend the movie, which shows how the Jews had no weapons to defend themselves. (I would normally not see a movie directed by Roman Polanski, but I made an exception in this case.)

[VOA]

Hitler then started using tactics which can be compared to modern day liberals.
When his party could not get their way in the Reichstag (The Congress)
they would walk out. Sound familiar?

I just hope this doesn't mean that the Democrats will have gains in the next Texas elections...

Maybe the Texas Republicans should make some ridicule of the AWOL Texas Democrat
by refering to this Nazi tactic.

[mabelkitty]

And yet they stopped short of the genocide of millions of jews.

[mabelkitty]

The Congressional Democrats walking out after Clinton was impeached rings truer.

[Scenic Sounds]

Nice post.

Watching the movie last night also reminded me of a thought that also crossed my mind when Saddam's regime was being discussed: I wonder what it's really like for a dictator whose power depends so completely on terror, fear and paranoia. What must life be like when all the people you come into contact with can never really be comfortable around you because they literally fear for their lives? It must be a very creepy, cold and lonely existence, I think.

[Okies love Dubya 2]

I only saw the second half of this movie, but I thought the actor playing Hitler was very convincing. I would like to see the whole movie sometime.

I must admit that I don't know a whole lot about this period in history. I was a history major in college too (focused on medieval history more than anything--don't ask why, I am still not sure). I would love to read more about how Hitler was able to come to power; although I know the basics, I would like to know a little more. Is there a good book on the subject (or books)? I have seen The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich--is that any good? In the last couple of years I read a book pertaining to Pope Pius XII and Hitler (by Ronald Rychlak) which gave some good background information about Hitler's rise to power, and I have always wanted to learn more. Anyone want to make any recommendations?

Thanks!

[KoestlersRedFiat]

I think I remember seeing an ABC "After School Special" that was based on this book. Does anyone else remember this?

[justshutupandtakeit]

Violence was a part of German life from the end of WWI until Hitler put on a respectable face and tuned it down.

At least 3000 people, anti-Nazis, were killed by the Secret Army of Murderers established by the Nazis after 1919. Many bodies were never found and the courts refused to allow justice to be served even when the killers were known.

All elections in Germany took place under the threat of Nazi violence. In fact there were pitched battles in the streets during that period mostly between the Nazis and the Commies

[kinghorse]

Relax people. Hitler was doomed the instant he decided to give a speech and eat a scone at the same time. Did you see the actor doing his Adolph projectile speaking imitation? Disgusting but well done.

[longtermmemmory]

someone here said the word terrorist did not exist during WWII.

[RobbyS]

I disagree about the power of Hitler as a speaker. One needs to listen to a whole speech in German with knowledge of the occasion of the speech and the audience he was addressing. "Triumph of the Will"--in German-- is the best representation of the effect that he had on Germans.