The Rise of Hitler: How Germany Descended Into Madness

How did it happen? That's the question everyone asks when they study World War II. How did a failed artist and former soldier become the dictator of Germany, unleashing the worst war in history? The answer is complicated. Germany after World War I was humiliated. The Treaty of Versailles stripped territory, imposed crushing reparations, and forced Germany to accept full responsibility for the war. The economy collapsed in the 1920s. Hyperinflation wiped out savings. Then the Great Depression hit. People were desperate. Hitler offered simple answers. He blamed the Jews, the Communists, the Treaty of Versailles. He promised to make Germany great again. People listened. The Nazi Party grew from a fringe group to the largest party in the Reichstag. In 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor. Within months, he consolidated absolute power. The Reichstag Fire gave him an excuse to suspend civil liberties. The Enabling Act gave him the power to make laws without Parliament. Opposition was crushed. The first concentration camps opened for political prisoners. Most Germans went along. Some were enthusiastic, some fearful, some just trying to survive. Democracy died, and hardly anyone fought to save it.