Hitler’s Rise to Power. Worldwide economic depression had hit Germany hard. A lot of people were out of work. They had a weak government, the Weimar Republic. Because of these conditions, a new leader rose, Adolf Hitler. Hitler came with his National Socialist German Workers’ Party, also known as the Nazi Party. Hitler was powerful and a well speaker, he attracted many German followers in need of change(“Hitler Comes to Power.”). Hitler promised a better life and a new better Germany. In January 1933 Hitler became chancellor, …show more content…
After Hitler became leader, he moved quickly to turn Germany into a one-party dictatorship. He organized the police power necessary to enforce Nazi policies. Hitler ended individual freedoms, including freedom of press, speech, and assembly. Hitler relied on terror to achieve his goals. Nazi storm troopers, called the SS, were policemen that went on the streets to beat up and kill opponents of the Nazi regime(“The Nazi Terror Begins.”). “ When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out(“English Language Arts”).
The SS Police State. The protective squad, SS, was an important tool of Nazi terror. They began as a special guard for Hitler and other leaders. “The black-shirted SS members formed a smaller, elite group whose members also served as auxiliary policemen and, later, as concentration camp guards.” After Hitler took power, the SA and Gestapo agents went from door to door looking for Hitler’s enemies. Socialists, Communists, trade union leaders, and others who had spoken out against the Nazi party were arrested, and some were killed (“SS Police …show more content…
During World War II, Germany overran much of Europe using a new tactic called the "Blitzkrieg." Blitzkrieg involved the massing of planes, tanks, and artillery. Forces broke through enemy defenses by narrow front. Air power kept the opponent from closing the breach. German forces encircled opposing troops, forcing them to surrender. German forces attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941, pushing more than 600 miles to the gates of Moscow. A second German offensive in 1942 brought German soldiers to the shores of the Volga river and the city of Stalingrad. The Allies continued the attack into Germany. In March 1945, Allied forces crossed the Rhine, advancing into the heart of Germany(“SS Police