Historic Speech - interesting

[glenn kangiser]

Here is a link to Hitlers speech in 1941.  I only skimmed it so far but it is an interesting piece of history that I have not seen before.

http://www.daily.pk/world/worldnews/84-worldnews/5213-adolf-hitler-speech-on-may-4-1941-berlin-reichstag-germany.html

Thanks to http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/ for the link.

[Sassy]

On July 19, 1940, I then convened the German Reichstag for the third time in order to render that great account which you all still remember. The meeting provided me with the opportunity of expressing the thanks of the nation to its soldiers in a form suited to the uniqueness of the event. Once again I seized the opportunity of urging the world to make peace. And what I foresaw and prophesied at that time happened. My offer of peace was misconstrued as a symptom of fear and cowardice.

The European and American warmongers succeeded once again in befogging the sound common sense of the masses, who can never hope to profit from this war, by conjuring up false pictures of new hope. Thus, finally, under pressure of public opinion, as formed by their press, they once more managed to induce the nation to continue this struggle.

Even my warnings against night bombings of the civilian population, as advocated by Mr. Churchill, were interpreted as a sign of German impotence. He, the most bloodthirsty or amateurish strategist that history has ever known, actually saw fit to believe that the reserve displayed for months by the German Air Force could be looked upon only as proof of their incapacity to fly by night.

So this man for months ordered his paid scribblers to deceive the British people into believing that the Royal Air Force alone - and no others - was in a position to wage war in this way, and that thus ways and means had been found to force the Reich to its knees by the ruthless onslaught of the British Air Force on the German civilian population in conjunction with the starvation blockade.

Again and again I uttered these warnings against this specific type of aerial warfare, and I did so for over three and a half months. That these warnings failed to impress Mr. Churchill does not surprise me in the least. For what does this man care for the lives of others? What does he care for culture or for architecture? When war broke out he stated clearly that he wanted to have his war, even though the cities of England might be reduced to ruins. So now he has got his war.

My assurances that from a given moment every one of his bombs would be returned if necessary a hundredfold failed to induce this man to consider even for an instant the criminal nature of his action. He professes not to be in the least depressed and he even assures us that the British people, too, after such bombing raids, greeted him with a joyous serenity, causing him to return to London refreshed by his visits to the stricken areas.

It is possible that this sight strengthened Mr. Churchill in his firm determination to continue the war in this way, and we are no less determined to continue to retaliate, if necessary, a hundred bombs for every one of his and to go on doing so until the British nation at last gets rid of this criminal and his methods.

Hmmmm, after reading this speech, Hitler was either a master of spin & deception, which most people think of him....  or, Churchill wanted war, no matter what, just like Cheney & Bush & Co.  I've read lots of good stuff about Churchill but also some dark side stuff relating him to the NWO. 

[MountainDon]

I'm not exactly sure of the point of bringing this speech to present day light.

Hitler was evil. How can any sympathies or insights be even hinted at towards a person like him? Maybe Churchill had some flaws; everybody does.

Who started World War 2? Some would say the real culprits were the people, the victors of WWI because of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. However, Hitler, the worlds worst anti-semite, was the one who invaded Poland on a trumped up reason, to give validity to his purpose. Before that he annexed Austria and made threats on Czechoslovakia. Britain and France tried to negotiate with Hitler.

Again, I miss the point of this topic. 

[ScottA]

I personaly belive that Hitler was baited into WWII. Yes he was a mad man but I don't belive he was stupid. The powers that be left him little options IMO. How he went about trying save his government was without a doubt evil but what I see in Washington today is no less evil.

[MountainDon]

... I don't believe he was stupid.

I beg to differ on that Scott. He made many poor decisions. He refused numerous times to face the reality several of his Generals and Admirals were trying to get him to face. If he had listened to them there is a good chance he could have successfully invaded and occupied Britain. If he had listened he would likely not have invaded the USSR. He thought he was much a more brilliant military mind than he actually was.

Not that the Allies General Eisenhower, Bradley and Montgomery never made any errors. Some of their decisions cost the loss of thousands of lives on both the Allied and Axis sides.

When a leader tries to "save his government" by instituting policies against certain groups of people (Jews, gays, Poles,...), when they establish a totalitarian and fascist dictatorship they lose any sympathy they may desire from others. Sure, Hitler inherited a bad situation; Germany suffered by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles after WWI. Then there was the Depression. However, he was rattling his sabers and all Britain and France did was try to appease him, try to talk reasonably to him. All the while Hitler was makes deals of convenience, deals he would reneg on as soon as he thought it advantageous to Germany/himself.

But that's just my opinion.

[sparks]

My take on this......is about the power of propaganda and the propaganda of those in power.

"Hey, those guys over have a big club, and they are going to smack us over the head!!'


"OH, Yeah?!! Well we'll just smack 'em back, and harder!"

I know this is simplistic, but its the best I can come up with.

[glenn kangiser]

I'm not exactly sure of the point of bringing this speech to present day light.

Me neither - comparison? hmm  BTW -  back, Don. 

invaded Poland on a trumped up reason

_________ Invaded Afghanistan and Iraq and wants to invade Iran on a trumped up reason, to give validity to his purpose.

Hitler was evil. How can any sympathies or insights be even hinted at towards a person like him?

_________ is evil. How can any sympathies or insights be even hinted at towards a person like him?

Who started World War 2?

Who started  the war in Afghanistan and Iraq and is looking to start one in Iran without ever being attacked?

Britain and France tried to negotiate with Hitler.

The Taliban, Saddam and Iran tried to negotiate with _______. (Taliban would not agree to a bad deal for them on the pipeline.  Iraq agreed to WMD inspections which were found to be not there, and our own government reports say Iran is not pursuing it's nuclear program, although _____ is trying to downplay that report with rhetoric.

The point of this topic.  

He made many poor decisions. He refused numerous times to face the reality several of his Generals and Admirals were trying to get him to face.

We are talking about the Shrub here? Right?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1434540.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3534102.ece
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/12/11/sprj.irq.main/index.html

If he had listened he would likely not have invaded the USSR.

If he had listened he would likely not have invaded the USSR Iran. (Stay tuned)

He thought he was much a more brilliant military mind than he actually was.

OK- I'm lost here -- are we now talking about the shrub or Rumsfeld?  hmm

Some of their decisions cost the loss of thousands of lives on both the Allied and Axis sides.

-- IN AFGHANISTAN --

8,587 AFGHAN TROOPS KILLED
and 25,761 SERIOUSLY INJURED   July 2004

3,485 AFGHAN CIVILIANS KILLED
and 6,273 SERIOUSLY INJURED   July 2004

342 U.S. TROOPS KILLED
and 1,026 SERIOUSLY INJURED   Jan. 2007

278 OTHER COALITION TROOPS KILLED
and 834 SERIOUSLY INJURED   June 2007

-- IN IRAQ --

30,000 IRAQI TROOPS KILLED
and 90,000 SERIOUSLY INJURED   Aug. 2003

785,957 IRAQI CIVILIANS KILLED
and 1,414,723 SERIOUSLY INJURED   June 2007

3,615 U.S. TROOPS KILLED
and 50,677 SERIOUSLY INJURED   June 2007

287 OTHER COALITION TROOPS KILLED
and 861 SERIOUSLY INJURED   June 2007

160 U.S. CIVILIANS KILLED
and 288 SERIOUSLY INJURED   June 2007

251 OTHER COALITION CIVILIANS KILLED
and 452 SERIOUSLY INJURED   June 2007

(over 4000 officially killed now -- many more wish they were or would be better off dead thanks to modern medicine).

When a leader tries to "save his government" by instituting policies against certain groups of people (Jews, gays, Poles,...), when they establish a totalitarian and fascist dictatorship they lose any sympathy they may desire from others.

Iraqi's, Afghan's, Iranians...and on and on and on...

The dictatorship paperwork is done- waiting for them to find (or create) a proper disaster - another 9/11 as they have recently mentioned would really help McCain -- Yeah -- I know -- He distanced himself from the statement of his manager.

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator." --George W. Bush--Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2000

Then there was the Depression.

Housing crash - recession- depression - bank crash- economy crash - fuel gouging and oil company profit taking- food crisis- illegal spying - speech police- stock market tumble-

Looks like dubya is winning on this aspect...

However, he was rattling his sabers and all Britain and France did was try to appease him, try to talk reasonably to him.

Air carriers to Iran -- rattle rattle rattle...  missles shield to Poland - Czechoslavakia.  Iran and Iraq and the Taliban have tried to carry on dialogue with Bush but it seems to be like talking to a post and the post will continue to do whatever it is doing because it is incapable of hearing.

All the while Hitler was makes deals of convenience,

Such as no bid contracts for friendly corporations, allowing corporations to take our jobs overseas, NAFTA- Security and Prosperity Partnership - free trade, illegals in to increase profits for corporations while ruining the economy, destroying the Constitution under the guise of security.

[John Raabe]

People generally get the kind of government they think, or can be led to believe, they need.

The message I take away from this link and thread is how completely understandable it is that Hitler (the early leader) came to power when he did. The Germans were forced into nearly complete economic ruin due to the WW1 reparations. The world wide depression hit them the hardest. Hitler was able to direct that anger, pride and bottled up energy into the resurrection of the Reich, complete control, and ultimately the endless war and genocide that the German people would not have voted for if they had been able to reassert control.

My closer-to-home worry is that it is looking more and more likely that we are stepping into a world wide economic period that may resemble the 1930's. Since 9-11 the American body politic has been willing to give away almost dictatorial power to a regime with great war ambitions and a willingness to label the world and its own citizens as "us and them". The "uses" have been centralizing all the wealth & power and the "thems" have been sitting around in trailers that are outgassing formaldehyde until they are willing to sign up for the Army and go kill some other "thems" somewhere else in the world.

And this has all happened in a long prosperous economic boom period!

When gas hits $12/gallon (the current cost in Paris) and food prices start to break down the "just in time" inventory system there are going to be a lot of angry and scared people looking for someone to blame.

I have no idea what kind of solution the crowds will demand of their leaders, but the educated, politically active gentlemen farmers envisioned by the founders of the county seem to be in rather short supply.

*** On 2nd thought, the independent resourceful people the country was formed for and by are very similar to the kind people who visit this forum.  Perhaps we should try to run the country? 

[glenn kangiser]

I for one, don't have the time - maybe someone else?  

I know -- that's the problem - everybody wants to complain but nobody will do anything --- like I have half a chance.

John, thanks for the commentary - you always have great insight into things like this and I always enjoy hearing of your experiences in Iran.

Do you feel that the people there as a whole would try to get along with the rest of the world absent the lies and distortions of the world leaders on both sides?

On clinic trips we flew to Mexico, we had an Iranian Doctor- we nicknamed him the Iranian terrorist (teasingly) because he was such a great guy.  He commandeered the Mexican taxi and took it over -- (Actually he convinced the taxi driver to let him drive).  He was every bit as good a person as the best we had to offer.

[John Raabe]

As a people the Iranians want to invent a meaningful life just like most of the rest of us.

They have their own "problem areas" in their cultural view of the world, and that problem area can sometimes come into conflict with the problem areas of other countries and cultures. This is not really a big deal when heads are cool and wisdom is in the driver's seat.

When that is lacking these become the makings of so much sorrow in the world.

[Sassy]

   So what office are you running for, John?  Like Glenn said - we like to complain & point fingers but aren't ready to take up the slack in gov't...    Those who really have something to offer, don't make it (Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich - although I don't necessarily back everything they say)  So the sleaze make it into office by scratching backs & they follow the "Peter Principle"...  

I work in a governmental organization & see a lot of that going on...  but I would say that the Veterans Administration runs things better than most gov't entities & holds their employees to a high standard overall - there are still the sleazeballs who get by via lying, blaming, attacking, intimidating etc but on the whole I work in a great hospital.

We have Iranian, Iraqi, Chinese, Pakistani, Israelis, Russian, Ukrainian, Phillipino, Japanese, Okie, Texans, Canadians, Australians, American Indian, Hispanic nationalities & probably more just in our ER - so talk about metropolitan - everyone gets along, most from the Middle East & Asia tell me that the United States still has the best gov't & is the best country in the world, but also say they see danger in what is happening in our gov't & to the country.  Some, like in India, Pakistan, China have such corrupt gov'ts that they think ours is close to pristine...  one Indian doctor said that if you see police over there, you quickly walk or drive in the other direction as they would as soon as take all your belongings or your car or throw you into prison & torture you as look at you...  

But many also see the warning signs in our country of becoming a dictatorship - others don't want to look, they are just glad to be in our country...  

Here's a good video on Iran   http://www.freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=151   They seemed much like the USA, in fact admired & loved anything USA...  but with the more radical side of Islam taking over, things are quickly changing - people are taking sides against the USA because of the bullying, threats & preemptive strikes against Iraq & Afganistan for other than altruistic reasons - like OIL

But I'd rather know what is happening & warn people than keep my mouth shut - hopefully, people will realize our Constitution is being flushed down the toilet by our supposed "leaders" & speak out.

[John Raabe]

I don't think I'll be stealing any votes from Obama! 

You're lucky to have all that cultural diversity where you work. My mostly rural Whidbey island haunts are pretty white bread so we don't often get alternative cultural perspectives.