- The Great Depression hit Germany particularly hard, leading to widespread unemployment, poverty, and despair.
- People began to lose faith in the Weimar Republic, which they blamed for their economic woes.
- This created a fertile ground for extremist movements like the Nazi Party to thrive.
The Treaty of Versailles:
- The Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I, was widely perceived in Germany as a humiliation.
- The treaty placed heavy burdens on Germany, including reparations payments, territorial losses, and restrictions on the military.
- This resentment towards the treaty fueled the rise of nationalism and revanchism in Germany, of which Hitler took advantage.
Hitler's Rise to Power:
- Adolf Hitler, a charismatic and cunning politician, was able to capitalize on the growing discontent in Germany.
- He promised to restore Germany's pride, rebuild the military, and overturn the Treaty of Versailles.
- Hitler's Nazi Party gained popularity through aggressive propaganda, scapegoating of minorities (particularly Jews), and the use of violence against political opponents.
- In 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany and quickly consolidated power, establishing a totalitarian dictatorship known as the Third Reich.