How Were Young Boys During The Second World War?

First of all, propaganda initiated brainwashing, indoctrination, and distortion in the people, causing them to allow the genocides to occur. One example is shown in the Holocaust. The Holocaust was a mass extermination of the Jews and others, led by Hitler and the Nazis from 1933 to 1945. Before the Holocaust occurred, propaganda was the main cause that influenced many Germans to agree with getting rid of the Jews. They were brainwashed into thinking that Jews were evil and should be erased from their country. In Night, a documentary by Elie Wiesel, Wiesel states, “The gypsy looked him up and down slowly, from head to front. As if he wanted to convince himself that this man addressing him was

Propaganda is hard to define as most definitions do not cover the full meaning of the word. The Webster's Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary defines propaganda as " the systematic propagation or discrediting of a given doctrine or cause by circulation of polemical material, such as posters and leaflets" (1353). However, this definition does not cover the full scope of the of the word. Terence Qualter also feels the definition for propaganda needs to be more refined for its new usage. The definition that he gives is "the deliberate attempt...(to) form, control, or alter the attitudes of other groups...(with) the use of the instruments of communication" (27-28). He goes on to say that the propaganda must be aimed at the group in general because that is the basic nature of the word, in that the most effective propaganda is the propaganda which has a large audience. Qualter does mention, however, that there need be no difference in the propaganda to persuade one and the propaganda to persuade the many (28). Germany did this by controlling the flow of information into the country.

The pinnacle of the movement is embodied during the raging battles of World War II. At present, it is apparent that the entire barrage of propaganda for seven plus years was in preparation to send German youths, both boys and girls, to both fronts to fight the Allied powers. According to expert David Welch of the BBC, the Nazi usage of propaganda was so persuasive that Hitlerjugend became paramilitary troops who were sent directly to Poland to fight the Soviets as well as to the Rhine region to fend off the Americans. One such propaganda poster depicted a father with a SS armband helping his son shoot a gun, both of them in full military attire, as well as another which, when translated, says, “For Freedom and Life; The People’s Storm,” (see Appendix B) and Welch argued that such encouragement would have filled the youth on the battlefield with drive. The surprising fanaticism and reckless bravado of the Hitler Youth in battle left the Western Allied forces astonished. There were reports of accounts which detailed how the adolescent boys fought till their death without the thought of surrendering; young boys were shot by soldiers who were old enough to be their own fathers. From the D-Day and Invasion of Normandy, the Hitlerjugend lost 8000 over the course of six hours. Even boys at the age of seventeen were described as ruthless fighters, who would outfight their fellow adult Nazi soldiers, and this can be directly attributed to their indoctrination. Out of the

These young men entered the war straight out of high school. Many of the soldiers didn’t even have the chance to finish school nevertheless live their lives. They died young in the war without having the opportunity to know what being an adult was, going to college, living beyond their youth, having a family, or other life experiences. The previous generation was older men who had family, experienced life, and developed survival skills that helped them during the war.

In order for Adolf Hitler to become successful, he knew that he had to spread Nazism to the far corners of the world. He accomplished this to some extent by using propaganda. “Following the Nazi seizure of power in 1933, Hitler established a Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda headed by Joseph Goebbels” (“Nazi Propaganda”). Goebbels was the master propagandist and orator to whom Hitler gave the responsibility of spreading the favorable image of the Nazi regime. The Nazis took control of all means of entertainment in order to spread their beliefs. “The ministry’s aim was to ensure that the Nazi message was successfully communicated through art, music, theater, films, books, radio, educational materials, and the press” (“Nazi Propaganda). The main target of the propaganda was the Jewish race. Goebbels’ “propaganda campaigns created

In World War II, children frequently fought in insurrections in both the Allied and Axis forces.

Propaganda was an effective tool to influence the public during the rise of totalitarianism in Europe. The world after World War 1 was very confusing and difficult. Many countries were in a great depression losing everything in the war. Two countries that were affected the hardest were Germany and Russia. Both countries had weak economies and a government that was still in shock because of the war. The people were looking for hope in a country full of chaos. They needed a strong leader to lead them back to greatness. Germany found hope in a man called Adolf Hitler. Hitler promised to make Germany a world power once again. Russia was influenced by a man named Joseph Stalin. Joseph Stalin was a dictator to Russia.With Russia under his command he was going to bring

The Nazis took every opportunity to make an impact on society. The 1936 Berlin Olympics which had been under planning for years were seen as an occasion to promote the new government, showcase the ideas of Hitler and provide an image of a strong and powerful German nation. Propaganda played a substantial role in the so called achievement of these goals. This essay will explore the use of Nazi propaganda along with other techniques and actions that had a great impact on the citizens of Germany and the world.

Another way children were also indoctrinated by was the Hitler Youth. Hitler wanted to turn the young into loyal Nazis, so he made all other youth organizations apart from those of the Church, under Nazi control or banned them completely. Membership was made compulsory in 1939. Children were encouraged to join the Hitler Youth through recruiting posters. Hitler offered many opportunities for children, especially boys. Boys participated in a series of military drills and physical activities to prepare them for the

The ideal of Hitler was “Boys would become efficient soldiers, while girls’ diligent mothers for the sake of Hitler and Germany.”(Spielvogel & Redles 166) The creation of the Hitler Youth Boys was associated with Hitler’s need for a large obedient force of Nazis. The Hitler Youth followed the motto from the “Fuhrer, command- we follow!” (Spielvogel & Redles164) Hitler’s goal for the young boys of the Hitler Youth was “to integrate boys into the Nazi national community and to prepare them for service as soldiers in the armed forces.”(Indoctrinating Youth 1) He believed that his Hitler Youth should “be physically fit and perfectly obedient.” ( Vashem 1) On a large scale, The Hitler Youth focused on “military values and virtues such as duty, obedience, honor, courage, strength and ruthlessness.”(Spielvogel & Redles 165) The League of German girls focuses on the “skills that would be needed for domestic chores, nursing and hygiene and info on how to be healthy mothers.”(Spielvogel & Redles 166) Like the Hitler youth boys, the “ League of German Girls emphasized collective athletics, such as rhythmic gymnastics, which German health authorities deemed less strenuous to prepare them

The definition of propaganda is ‘information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view’. The Nazis used propaganda as a method to spread their views and to encourage the Germans to support Hitler. Some of the main themes of propaganda was to demonise groups of people (races, religions e.c.t); to portray Hitler as a strong and powerful leader; to emphasise the values of Nazi Germany and to promote the idea of an Aryan Germany having superiority above all other countries. The person in charge of propaganda was Josef Goebbels, who Hitler placed in charge of the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. This department used many methods to ‘enlighten’ the public for example different art forms including music and cinema, radio, the press, literature, rallies, posters and sports.

Stalin used propaganda during his rise to power and throughout his reign in power. Propaganda is information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, or nation. It is solely used in hopes to achieve a more positive and willing working class, through posters, information and street speeches, Stalin eventually and skillfully over his people. Josef Stalin used propaganda as a tool to brainwash the Russian people to think he was a man of character, integrity and power.

The Nazis would train the kids at a young age because they are deceptive and easier to convince when they are young. The Nazis would use propaganda and the education systems to brainwash all their kids into supporting the Nazis in the war, while the education system would teach the German youth how Germany saw things in their own way like how the Treaty of Versailles was unfair and disrespectful. They would teach them how Russia was the one who started the war and even after that France was upset and wanted to punish Germany for something they did not do and they would end up victimizing Germany. They would go for the youth because they are easier to be convinced, they are kids they believe anything they see. They would target the youth in Nazi Germany because they were the future of Germany, so if you get them

The Nazi youth played a large part in the racial state and World War II. Hitler took to extreme lengths to mobilize this particular part of the population. The Nazi youth as well as the rest of the “pure” German population felt that the country was in need of a restoring to national prominence. This restoration of German pride and unity was called “Volksgemeinschaft”. Some techniques that Hitler used to restore this pride and to mobilize the youth are common practice amongst politicians but some are more cruel and illogical. These techniques include adjusting his appearance specifically to his audiences, pervading a responsibility to the German youth that they must serve their country, and finally through harassment by the Gestapo and other members of the Nazi party and youth. All of these techniques were used in order to reach an ultimate end goal, however.

Hess not only defied his father’s protests with his participation in the Hitler Youth but had his father sent to "Dachau (a concentration camp) in protective custody" after "he turned in his father for calling the Fuhrer a crazed Nazi maniac...” (Heck 81). This pattern of parental alienation is further indicative of an overall campaign to exploit children in the most profitable way possible. Just as the alienation of Germans from fellow countrymen perpetuates irrational patriotism and loyalty to the state, turning the child on parent produces an entire generation beholden only to the Fuhrer, and fiercely competitive in their desire to improve their standing and rank in the Nazi Party. Thus, the Nazi regime in a sense transformed the population of a nation into a collective of alienated, paranoid laborers competing with their fellow workers for the approval of their Party, with only self-preservation and paranoia in mind.