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Fascism as opposed to Communism
Analyze the similarities and the differences between single party rule in
Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia between 1933 and 1945. Answers should
consider: methods of dealing with opposition, control of media and
education, control of the economy, and war time planning.
Why is it that Germany's fascism lasted a relatively short time
compared to Russia's communism? The regimes established under Hitler and
Stalin were incredibly similar with respect to the rise and control of the
state. Both systems were based on entirely different ideology and goals.
Hitler's Mein Kampf established the superiority of the German race and the
need to expand as wanted by God. Hitler wanted the world. The government in
Russia established by Lenin was based on a book called Communist Manifesto
by Karl Marx, a call to the proletariate to unite and rebel against their
selfish employers. It is my belief that Lenin had entirely good reasons for
doing as he did, and felt he was helping the world as apposed to Adolf
Hitler. Immediately after Lenin's death, a man very much the same in nature
as Hitler, Stalin, came to control the Bolsheviks and throw Russia in a
civil war in a quest for power. You now have two men of equal aspirations
soon to be in control of two very similar gove rnments. In any rise of
power, there needs to be a period of careful planning requiring much
thought. These two men had very little history with which to work with
which to model their revolutions. Times had been changing rapidly,
technological improvements in the fields of manufacturing, transportation,
and communication made this period of time very different from any other.
Hitler spent his time imprison writing his book, Mein Kampf, filling it
full of warped ideas of conquest and superiority of one race over another.
I think it is strange that such works would go unnoticed with nobody left
to watch a man with such dangerous ideas. Lenin planned his revolution
while in exile in Switzerland. Then he made a deal with the German
government whereby he was hid on a train and passed through enemy Germany
to Russia. The conclusions with respect to methods of acquiring power and
controlling it when they did get it were very much the same. Both rulers
had full run of their respective governments. Stalin was already dictator
of Russia with his power and loyalty of the people guaranteed by the secret
police, the Cheka. This entity provided Stalin with an easy means of
destroying the opposition and weeding out the undesirable to be sent to
prison camps in Siberia, a virtual death sentence. For Hitler to ascend to
that level of power he rammed the Enabling Act through the German Congress
which gave him the power to enact laws. Under Article 1 of his new power,
Hitler decreed the only existing party shall be the NSDAP. With Article 2
he declared all association of, collaboration with, and support of other
parties would result in imprisonment in camps similar to Russia's labor
camps. With Hitler's Gestapo, secret police, he enforced those rules and
used existing policies to get rid of other unfit Germans. Political
prisoners, homosexuals, Jews and other people sent to the concentration
camps were given different colored sy ls for easy identification. At this
point, no one dared speak against their country even in the privacy of
one's home lest their children let something slip at school. If you control
people's thoughts, you control them. Propaganda was an important tool used
by both Germany and Russia. Hitler appointed a man by the name of Joseph
Goebbles to head the Ministry of Public Enlightenment in Germany. This man
used newspapers, magazines, and radio to spread Nazism. Even if a man
bathed in thoughts of discontent at home, he was bombarded with propaganda
in public, and at the workplace. Banners hung from building, posters on
almost every sign or lamppost. Anyone with a suspicious look on their face
was first detained, and the sent to a prison camp. It was no longer just
desirable to be a Nazi considering the benefits like government contracts
or being able to stand first in line, but necessary for employment. Russia
employed much the same tactics with much more emphasis on fear. Education
was virtually unheard of in the early years of Russia, but by 1933 children
were guaranteed primary education. Huge problems resulted form the
ignorance and illiteracy, workers usually did not intentionally break
machines but did not know how to use them. In official reports the reason
for failure was terrorism by the Kulaks, rich peasants persecuted in the
same way Germany's Jews. German education was geared toward physical
aspects and the fathering of children. Membership to the German Youth for
boys was compulsory by 1936. Emphasis was placed on physical fitness and
team sports in these youth groups. Outstanding youths went to Adolf Hitler
schools for secondary education, and Order Castles for future party leaders.
Control of the economy and war time planning was a must for both nations. A
story likened to the fact that with Communism you must give your cows to
the government and they give you milk back. With fascism, you got to keep
your cows and gave the milk to the government. Both systems were command
economies and state controlled. Contingency plans were constantly drawn up
and updated to fit new circumstances. Both nations were preparing for war.
Germany was going to rule the world, Russia only wanted to defend herself
from Capitalism. The resulting governments evolving from the two different
systems of thought were very similar. But as one can see, the aspirations
were radically different. Hitler was a threat to everyone and needed to be
dealt with. Russia kept to themselves and bothered no one. A Cold War
ensued with Russia complete with the irrational fear of Communism,
McCarthyism, and a peace time build up of weapons followed. Germany was
crushed in battle and Russia's Iron Curtain is being pulled down as I write.
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