The Rise of the Third Reich

On March 30, 1931, 41-year-old Adolf Hitler, a tramp from Vienna, was appointed Chancellor of Germany by the old and comatose Hindenburg.

That night, the whole Berlin was buzzing!

Countless people, regardless of the severe cold of March night (March in Berlin is still cold), took to the streets of Berlin, holding torches. The men were all wearing various styles of military uniforms - some were old uniforms of the German army, some were They were wearing brown stormtrooper uniforms - they formed a strict formation, singing military songs handed down from the imperial era and the German national anthem, and walking on the wide and bustling streets of Berlin. Women, children and elderly people put on their best clothes and stood on both sides of the street, cheering. As if welcoming the victorious warriors!

"I didn't expect the children to capture so many Russian prisoners..."

Hindenburg muttered in an old voice, and then found that Ludendorff and two German generals he did not recognize were looking at him with strange eyes.

"First Munitions Director, did I say something wrong?"

Upon hearing Hindenburg's question, Ludendorff replied dumbfounded: "Oh, Chief of the General Staff, you are not wrong, I was wrong."

"Oh, it doesn't matter, as long as you win the battle." Hindenburg smiled, then pointed at General Schleicher and Lieutenant General Hessmann and asked, "Who are they?"

"This is General Schleicher, he is the Minister of Defense... This is Lieutenant General Count Heinsberg-Hersmann, he is the Deputy Chief of Staff."

"Minister of Defense, Deputy Chief of General Staff..." President Hindenburg blinked, trying to remember when His Majesty the German Emperor appointed these two people to such important positions. Major General Oscar von Hindenburg came to the old president's side and helped him leave the balcony of the presidential palace.

Ludendorff looked at the back of his old boss and sighed deeply, "You were fine last year, why are you confused now?"

Last year was a presidential election year, and Hindenburg's last term began in 1923 and ended in 1930. Originally Hindenburg did not want to be re-elected, but Hitler jumped out and wanted to run for president. He held back a lot of energy, chartered a plane to fly around Germany, and asked the Nazi Party to print a million copies of propaganda posters. Eight million pamphlets and 12 million special issues of party newspapers built up the momentum.

In the campaign propaganda, he also openly shouted slogans such as "dictatorship", "anti-Semitism", "tear up the Treaty of Versailles" and "destroy Marxism in Germany".

This is actually a campaign tactic, not to elect the president, but to exert influence, polish the brand, and let everyone who is dissatisfied with the status quo know that the Nazi Party has a solution!

As for the presidency, Hitler also knew that he couldn't be elected - because Schleicher and Hersmann wouldn't allow it! Moreover, Hitler's views were too radical. Although there were many people who supported him, there were not many people who were willing to hand over the country to him immediately (in this time and space, Germany's economic situation in 1930 was much better than in history).

But Ludendorff and Schleicher were confused by Hitler's propaganda and propaganda activities. He believed that the combination of Ludendorff and Franz von Papen could not defeat Hitler. To be on the safe side, Hindenburg and Ludendorff should work together to seek re-election.

But no one expected that President Hindenburg, who looked good at the time, would show symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in 1931, and he would be confused and clear at times. Looking at this, it is unlikely that he will complete his term (until 1937).

"Your Excellency, General, if the president is unable to perform his duties, you can succeed him in accordance with the law. The entire Wehrmacht will firmly support you!" Hessmann said to Ludendorff in a comforting tone. Historically, Ludendorff seems to have died in 1937, just in time to complete the remainder of Hindenburg's presidential term.

However, what to do about the 1937 presidential election is indeed a moderate problem. This position cannot fall into Hitler's hands under any circumstances!

"Germany, Germany above all else,

Higher than all things in the world;

Whenever, to protect and defend,

Brothers always stand together.

From Maas to Memer,

From Esch to Belt,

Germany, Germany, above all else..."

The high-pitched "Deutsche Lied" was played, and the marching crowd was passing through the square below the presidential palace. Thousands of them, all holding torches, seemed like countless flowing light points forming a river of fire, rolling away unstoppably.

"It's really neat. Most of the National Defense Forces training in the barracks can't compare to them!"

Ludendorff sighed. Schleicher said with some worry: "I always feel that these people are a bit dangerous. Maybe Hitler will use his prestige among the people to turn himself into a figure like Mussolini?"

"Maybe in the future, but right now he doesn't have that ability!"

Hersman folded his arms and looked at the city that seemed to be boiling in front of him. He smiled and said: "Most people actually stayed at home. They just looked at the Nazis and did nothing.

It is undeniable that the Nazi Party was very good at agitating and propagandizing, and was also able to silence people... We did not do these things well in 1918! We are separated from the people, while the Nazi Party stands with a section of the people. They can incite these people and use their power to silence other people. But it's still early to get the support of the majority of people... It's early, we Germans are not as easy to fool as the Russians. They must first solve the current economic problems facing Germany, and then completely tear up the Treaty of Versailles and truly unify the German nation. "

The Nazi Party really accomplished a lot of things in history. Six years before the outbreak of the world war, Hitler's government combined "planned economy" and "private ownership" very well, and used various policies to stimulate economic growth to the extreme - some people in later generations said that he grew by "borrowing foreign debt". In fact, Hitler's The regime promoted rapid economic growth by printing money for investment, expropriating Jews, and forcing "cartelization."

Moreover, while economic growth, full employment and social welfare were quite good, Hitler also miraculously completed the basic unification of Germany. Before seizing the lands occupied by Poland, Hitler used peaceful means to expand Germany. It accomplished what the Second Empire in history could not accomplish with force.

It was precisely because of this series of political, economic, and diplomatic miracles that Hitler established huge prestige. But what really made him a god was his overwhelming momentum in the early days of World War II.

"If we want to restrict Hitler, then we can't let him do everything." Hersman had already planned it - he had been planning this for more than ten years, and he had already planned it.

Hessmann took a breath: "The damn Treaty of Versailles belongs to us! Our army will tear it up ourselves... In fact, we have already started. Restoring the compulsory military service system is the beginning of tearing up the Treaty of Versailles! As for Chancellor Hitler... … He is a democratically elected prime minister and a socialist, so he should do something to reassure Britain and France.”

…

"What? Do something to reassure Ying and France?"

In the Chancellery on Wilhelm Street, Hitler could not hide the excitement on his face. The throne that once belonged to Bismarck now belongs to him, the former Viennese tramp.

He must have stayed up all night. When he received the visiting Deputy Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Hersman, his eyes were bloodshot, but his spirit was still high.

“The Defense Force wants to be the bad guy and let the government be the good guy?”

Hitler thought for a moment and understood what Hersmann meant. The farce of the French suing Germany in the League of Nations is not over yet. Although the lawsuit has not produced any results, now is not the time to fall out with the French.

So someone has to come out to repair the relationship. The Wehrmacht had already done what the bad guys did, so of course Hitler could only be a good guy.

Hitler thought for a while, nodded, and said in a calm tone: "Of course! This is the mission of the Prime Minister. The current situation in Germany is not enough to fall out with Britain and France. Yes, there are people to ease it, and there are people who are responsible for tearing it apart. The damn Treaty of Versailles, but..."

He paused, as if very embarrassed. But Hessmann knew that Hitler was pretending, and Briand's accusations were met with little response. Even British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald had no reaction - this is the prime minister of the Workers' Party, leading a national coalition government and is busy saving the collapsing British economy. If sanctioning Germany would benefit the British economy, MacDonald would have no interest in taking over this hot potato.

Therefore, French Foreign Minister Briand is also looking for a way out. And can a legitimate government elected by the people become a benchmark for France?

But now Hitler is Chancellor of Germany! No longer the leader of a small opposition party, naturally he can no longer be directed by the deputy chief of staff of the military.

"Ludwig, what do you think of the Jewish issue now?" Hitler changed the topic and mentioned the Jewish issue.

Jews are unwelcome in almost all European countries - this was not invented by the Germans, but is a tradition that dates back to the days of the Roman Empire. As for the reason, I'm afraid it could take three days and three nights to explain. There are both religious and economic aspects, and there are many conspiracy theories related to Jews.

The Second German Empire was originally one of the few European countries that was not very anti-Semitic, but by the Weimar Republic, Jews had become an unwelcome presence. Especially after the last super inflation, many Germans who had lost their money suddenly found that there seemed to be too many wealthy Jews around them!

The disaster that made "everyone" poor not only did not affect the Jews, but also made many Jews rich.