ADOLF HITLER: Portrait of a Tyrant and the Central Figure of World War II

Adolf Hitler is the central figure of World War II because without Hitler, Germany, even with all of its problems and the anger that stemmed from the Treaty of Versailles, in all likelihood would not have taken the actions that led to World War II in Europe. Moreover, if Hitler had not taken the actions that he did in the 1930s or if there had been no Hitler then Japan probably would not have moved as aggressively in the Pacific since without the German threat in Europe then the United States, Great Britain and France would have contained Japan or at least stopped her aggressive actions after Manchuria. With this said, this graphic organizer is for a Junior level World History class and is an introduction to Adolf Hitler as the central figure of WWII with insights into what made up his vitriolic personality. *Alan Bullock, a noted British historian, provided these observations in more detail in his study of Hitler.

FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF HITLER’S PERSONALITY*

HATE Hatred intoxicated Hitler. His speeches are long

diatribes of hate --- against intellectuals, the educated middle class, Jews, Marxists, Czechs, Poles and the French. He also hated the "military intelllectuals" and so did not listen to his German General Staff.

REVENGE Resentment is so marked in Hitler's attitude as

to suggest that his earlier experiences in Vienna and Munich before the war compelled him to

revenge himself upon a world which had slighted and ignored him.

MISSION Hitler believed that he was marked out by providence and exempt from the canons of ordinary human conduct and that since he

believed in neither God or conscience he found both justification and absolution in his mission.

NO SCRUPLES Hitler had no inhibitions. He was a man

without roots, with neither home nor family and admitted no loyalities, was not bound by any traditions and although he

demanded the sacrifice of millions of Germans, in the last year of the war he

was ready to destroy Germany rather than surrender his power or admit defeat.

BELIEF IN FORCE In almost any situation, Hitler believed force or the threat of force would settle matters. In his speeches, he declared: "Force is the first law."