Lecture 08 Authoritarian Counterrevolution - Hitler and the Nazis Flashcards
What book did Hannah Arendt publish in 1951 that examines totalitarian systems?
The Origins of Totalitarianism.
According to Hannah Arendt, what ideological characteristic is common in totalitarian regimes?
Utopian ideology.
How do totalitarian regimes control information, according to Arendt?
They use extensive censorship and propaganda.
What type of political leadership does Arendt argue is typical of totalitarian regimes?
A political system dominated by a single leader with a “cult of personality.”
What methods do totalitarian regimes employ to maintain control, as identified by Arendt?
Systematic use of force and terror.
What aspect of the economy do totalitarian regimes control, according to Arendt’s analysis?
Totalitarian regimes exert state control and coordination of the economy.
How is totalitarianism fundamentally characterized in relation to revolution?
Totalitarianism is counterrevolutionary, acting as a reaction against revolution rather than a revolution itself.
What effect does centralized power have in a totalitarian regime?
Centralized power creates a demand for conformity among the population.
What tactic do totalitarian regimes often use to maintain control?
They use scapegoats—whether real or imagined—to gain and hold power.
How pervasive is politics in a totalitarian system?
In a totalitarian system, politics are omnipresent, affecting all aspects of life.
How does Theda Skocpol define social revolution?
As the “rapid basic transformation of a society’s state and class structures,” accompanied and partly carried through by class-based revolts from below.
According to Skocpol, what is necessary for a social revolution to occur?
Intense socio-political conflicts in which class struggles play a key role.
What type of change does Skocpol argue is needed in a true social revolution?
A deliberate and sustainable change in state and class structures.
Which revolutions does Skocpol consider the most important?
Those that completely change the fabric of society.
Where can the origins of the Nazi state be found?
In the legacy of World War I.
What happened to social and political divisions in Germany during World War I?
They were suppressed between 1914 and 1918.
Who led the “Silent Dictatorship” in Germany after 1916, and what was its impact?
Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff led the “Silent Dictatorship,” taking power from Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Reichstag to make all major political and strategic decisions.
What was the purpose of the “Kaiser’s Battles” (March-June 1918)?
They were an offensive launched by Hindenburg and Ludendorff in a final attempt to win the war.
What was the state of the German army by September 1918?
The German army was defeated and broken, although Hindenburg and Ludendorff tried to conceal this reality.
What action did Hindenburg and Ludendorff advise Kaiser Wilhelm II to take as defeat became apparent?
They advised him to appoint a civilian government to take responsibility for negotiating with the Allies.
What major political change occurred in Germany as World War I ended?
Germany became a republic.
Who assumed control over Germany’s war effort in 1916?
Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff.
What significant challenges did Hindenburg and Ludendorff face when they took control?
They faced political, economic, and military challenges, including Germany’s 6 million troops being outnumbered by 10 million Allied troops.
What was one key focus for Hindenburg and Ludendorff during their control of Germany’s war effort?
Managing German resources effectively.
How did Hindenburg and Ludendorff’s influence extend beyond the military?
They bypassed civilian leadership, engaging in statecraft and ruling as de facto dictators.
What was the nature of Hindenburg and Ludendorff’s rule during World War I?
They ruled as de facto dictators, making decisions typically reserved for Germany’s civilian leadership.
Why did Germany launch the 1918 Spring Offensive?
It was an act of desperation to try and win the war outright before large numbers of U.S. troops arrived in Europe.
What were the Kaiser’s Battles, also known as the 1918 Spring Offensive or Ludendorff Offensive?
A series of German attacks along the Western Front starting on March 21, 1918, and continuing until mid-July.
How did U.S. troop deployment change from January 1918 to the end of World War I?
In January 1918, there were 175,000 U.S. soldiers in France; by the time Germany surrendered, about 2 million U.S. soldiers were in Europe, with another 2 million on the way.
What major offensive did 1.2 million American soldiers participate in toward the end of World War I?
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, from September 26 to November 11, 1918.
What was the outcome of the Kaiser’s Battles for Germany?
The offensive failed as the United States increased troop deployments to counter the German attacks.
What was the first responsibility of the newly-declared Weimar Republic?
To negotiate a peace treaty with the Allies
What internal issue did the Weimar Republic have to address after its establishment?
Dealing with incipient rebellions and fears of a communist uprising.
What was a key aspect of the Weimar Constitution?
It was very liberal.
How many separate cabinets did Germany have between 1919 and 1923, reflecting its political instability?
Nine separate cabinets.
What economic crisis did Weimar Germany face?
Runaway inflation.
What contributed to the intense political atmosphere in Weimar Germany?
Politics were like a “blood sport,” with frequent coups and assassination plots.
What event in 1923 intensified Germany’s economic troubles?
The French and Belgian occupation of the Ruhr.
How did conservatives in Germany view the Weimar government?
They loathed it.
What myth protected the German army’s reputation after World War I?
The “stab-in-the-back” myth.
