Adolf Hitler's aggressive policies led to World War II, and his intense anti-Semitism caused the Holocaust, where six million Jews and millions of others were murdered. His rule left a lasting impact on history, marked by extreme atrocities and global devastation. Hitler's regime ended with his suicide on April 30, 1945, as Allied forces closed in on Berlin. Today, we will explore the tactics Hitler used to manipulate millions of people.
Ethos, Logos, Pathos: Aristotle's Techniques of Persuasion
Greek philosopher Aristotle stated that there are three fundamental techniques to persuade people: ethos, logos, and pathos. For example, if I need to sell toothpaste, these techniques can be applied as follows:
Ethos: Establishing authority. I will tell you to buy this toothpaste because 90% of dentists certify that it is good. Therefore, you should buy it.
Logos: Using logic to build the argument. I will say you should buy this toothpaste because it contains fluoride, which fights cavities.
Pathos: Appealing to emotions. I will say to buy this toothpaste because the ingredients are sourced from India and made in the traditional way, making you feel proud while using it.
Application in Politics
In politics, if a common person thinks logically and votes according to data, they will never vote for a dictator. This is why dictators usually rely on pathos, or emotions, to get people to vote for them. Dictators often try to convince people that if they respect their soldiers, they will vote for them. Many people are persuaded by these emotional speeches. However, when you think logically, you might ask, "I respect soldiers, but why should I vote for him?"
Eradication of Logic
Pathos and emotions are not enough to become a dictator. To achieve this, one must eradicate logic completely, as Hitler did. On May 10, 1933, more than 25,000 books were burned by Nazi Party officials. These books were labeled as "un-German" or "anti-national." The Nazis had previously attempted to ban several books, but under Hitler's regime, regular bonfire events were held where books were burned. These included Marxist literature, books on psychology, liberalism, democracy, and works by Jewish authors, foreigners, and other subjects that the Nazi Party believed contradicted their ideology. The Nazi slogan declared that the future German man would be a man of character, not of books. During this time, articles were published to demoralize logic entirely.
Promotion of Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience was also widely prevalent. Research papers were published stating that Germans were of a superior race, with pure blood, while other human races were categorized as subhuman. A so-called inventor in Austria looked at the moon and dreamt that it might be made of ice because it appeared white. He claimed that the entire universe, including all other planets, must be made of ice. He published his theory, titled "World Ice Theory." Though this sounds bizarre, Hitler promoted the theory, suggesting that the world beyond Earth was made of ice. The Nazi government even awarded an honorary doctorate to this so-called inventor.
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Limitation on Colleges and Universities
In Nazi Germany, intellectuals, including historians, professors, and scientists, were heavily oppressed. Universities and colleges, the primary places where logic is heavily discussed, were tightly controlled by the Nazi Party. Senior university professors at top universities were appointed by Nazi officials, and the subjects taught were limited to furthering Nazi ideology. If professors did not adhere to these limitations, they were terminated. As a result, very few people were brave enough to speak out against these restrictions.
His Enmity with Einstein
Albert Einstein had always publicly criticized Hitler's party and ideologies. After Hitler came to power, Einstein decided to resign from his position at the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin as a mark of protest. He expressed his desire to leave the country, stating he did not want to remain in a place where equality was not practiced. During this time, the Nazi-controlled media published baseless news about Einstein. Nazi officials in Berlin burned Einstein's scientific research papers, and some newspapers falsely claimed that Einstein was plotting against the country with communists. Einstein was made out to be the number one public enemy, portrayed as the biggest traitor in the country. This led Einstein to leave Germany and seek security from the Belgian royal family due to threats to his life.
On August 13, 1933, Einstein's philosopher friend, Theodor Lessing, was murdered by Nazi extremists. The murderers were celebrated in Germany and honored for their actions. Immediately after this, newspapers speculated if Einstein would be next, prompting him to leave Belgium and seek refuge in England. In England, Einstein took refuge in a rural area, where he was guarded 24/7 by English bodyguards in case Nazi spies attempted to assassinate him.
Creation of Fake Enemies
Adolf Hitler created fake enemies of the country that did not even exist. He used this tactic to scare citizens and portray himself as the hero who would save the country from these nonexistent enemies. In this case, the bogus enemies were the Jews. Conspiracy theories were created, and phony news stories showed how the Jews were responsible for Germany's defeat in World War I and how they were internal enemies destroying the country. Propaganda posters depicted Jews as the reason for Germany losing World War I and for the economic crashes. This was blatantly false, as there were 100,000 Jews in the German military, of which more than 12,000 were martyred in the war. When the Nazi Party spoke about socialism, the Jews were blamed for capitalism.
Portrayal as a Hero
Hitler's next strategy was to portray himself as the Messiah who would save the country from its enemies. In 1923, a biography was written about Hitler, comparing him to Jesus Christ, claiming he was the person who would save Germany. It was later revealed that Hitler himself wrote this biography, using his friend's name as the author. The book contained many outright lies. Hitler claimed that he came from a poor family and had to do physical labor, but it was later revealed that he had never done any physical labor in his entire life. The media also portrayed him as a Messiah. In the 1930 election, the ballot cards did not have the name of the Nazi Party; instead, they used the term "Hitler Movement."
Conclusion:
In a nutshell, Hitler's ability to brainwash millions of people was rooted in a potent combination of propaganda, manipulation, and exploitation of societal grievances. Through relentless manipulation, scapegoating, and the promise of a utopian future, he preyed upon fear and insecurity to establish a cult-like following, ultimately leading to catastrophic dictatorship.